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Monsieur Guerre
The housekeeper is a servant in the Guerre household. On Martin Guerre and Bertrande’s wedding night, the housekeeper comes into their bedchamber to serve them a special wedding-night feast. Observing the young Martin and Bertrande, the housekeeper predicts that they will have a happy marriage. Despite the housekeeper’s intimate relationship with Martin and Bertrande, she does not believe that the returned Martin is an imposter (Arnaud du Tilh). While slitting the throats of doves, the housekeeper advises Bertrande to allow herself to remain deceived, even if the new Martin is an imposter, in order to keep the peace . In court, the housekeeper testifies in support of the man claiming to be Martin, citing his knowledge of where certain items are stored in the Guerre household.
The Housekeeper Quotes in The Wife of Martin Guerre
The The Wife of Martin Guerre quotes below are all either spoken by The Housekeeper or refer to The Housekeeper . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 3: Toulouse
Quotes
The living dove turned its head this way and that, struggled a little, clasping a pale cold claw over the hand that held it, and relaxed, although still turning its head. The blood seemed to be clotting too soon, the wound was shrunken, and the old woman enlarged it with the point of the knife which she had in her lap. The dove made no cry. Bertrande watched with pity and comprehension the dying bird, feeling the blood drop by drop leave the weakening body, feeling her own strength drop slowly away like the blood of the dove.
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Explanation and Analysis:
“I, Madame? I could wish you still to be deceived.”
The words recurred to her again and again. Might she not purchase for her people with this one secret weight of shame against her soul the peace and happiness which she desired for them, and for herself their forgiveness and gratitude?
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The Housekeeper Quotes in The Wife of Martin Guerre
The The Wife of Martin Guerre quotes below are all either spoken by The Housekeeper or refer to The Housekeeper . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 3: Toulouse
Quotes
The living dove turned its head this way and that, struggled a little, clasping a pale cold claw over the hand that held it, and relaxed, although still turning its head. The blood seemed to be clotting too soon, the wound was shrunken, and the old woman enlarged it with the point of the knife which she had in her lap. The dove made no cry. Bertrande watched with pity and comprehension the dying bird, feeling the blood drop by drop leave the weakening body, feeling her own strength drop slowly away like the blood of the dove.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“I, Madame? I could wish you still to be deceived.”
The words recurred to her again and again. Might she not purchase for her people with this one secret weight of shame against her soul the peace and happiness which she desired for them, and for herself their forgiveness and gratitude?
