The notion of Catherine's special bravery — another of her heroic qualities — is also introduced during the Milan idyll. With characteristic modesty, she suggests she would like to be brave. When Henry naively suggests that "Nothing ever happens to the brave," the more-experienced Catherine counters with the statement, "They die, of course." And Catherine's extraordinary fortitude is very much in evidence during the escape across Lake Maggiore. Despite her fairly advanced pregnancy, she not only travels through the November night in an open boat but also offers to hold the umbrella so it will serve as a sail. She steers and bails and even rows for a while, always maintaining a sense of humor.
Significantly, we don't doubt Catherine's bravery and stoicism as she perishes; we have been prepared for it by scene after scene in which she displayed just these qualities. What does surprise is her statement, "It's just a dirty trick," which seems to ally her with the cynical, nihilistic officers in Henry's unit. Perhaps Catherine has changed over the course of the novel after all.
