The romance of ` Gilles de Bretagne ' was one of her favourites . How he carried off his child-wife when she was only twelve , how he was imprisoned and poisoned , and at last left to starve in a dungeon , and would stand at his window crying , ` Bread , bread ; for the love of God ! ' yet no one dared to give him any , till a poor peasant woman went in the night and gave him half her black loaf . Not once , but every night for six months , though she robbed her children to do it . And when he was dying , it was she who took a priest to him , that he might confess through the bars of his cell . ` So good , ah , so good , this poor woman ! It is beautiful to hear of that , mademoiselle ! ' little Marie would say , with her black eyes full and her lips trembling . But the story she liked best of all was about the peasant girl and her grandmother . ` See then , dear ladies , it was in this way . In the time of the great war many poor people were shot because it was feared they would burn the chateaus . In one of these so sad parties being driven to St. Malo to be shot , was this young girl . Only fifteen , dear ladies , behold how young is this ! and see the brave thing she did ! With her went the old grandmother whom she loved next the good God . They went slowly , she was so old , and one of the officers who guarded them had pity on the pretty girl , and said to her as they were a little apart from the rest , `` Come , you are young , and can run . I will save you ; it is a pity so fine a little girl should be shot . '' ` Then she was glad and thanked him much , saying , `` And the grandmother also ? You will save her with me ? '' `` It is impossible , '' says the officer .
`` She is too old to XXXXX .
hear liked loved robbed run says stand starve took trembling