Snape's bravery?

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 133644

I have read hundreds of posts in the last couple days, proclaiming that
Snape's anger when Harry called him a coward was because he had just done
the brave deed of murder.  Ok, I do realize that these posts were based on
the idea that Snape didn't want to do it but had to for some higher goal or
purpose.  I've already stated my doubts that DD would ever have asked Snape
to commit murder because of the soul damage.  So, about killing DD being
brave, I find this amazing, truly I do.  No matter what secret plan
Dumbledore and Snape could have hatched up, how can it be considered brave
to cold bloodedly murder the one person who has believed in you and trusted
you?  It would be true bravery to have died rather than do it, in my
opinion.  From what I've read, it seems that many feel DD and Snape had this
plan so that Draco wouldn't be a murderer.  Ok, that's nice.  We don't want
a 16 year old boy to become a murderer.  Snape's unbreakable vow means he
has to kill Dumbledore or die himself.  What would have been the truly brave
and noble thing to do?  Die by not fulfilling his vow!  Then the death
eaters would have killed Dumbledore?  The one thing I never thought for a
moment was that just because DD didn't have a wand didn't mean he couldn't
have defended himself.  Even in his weakened state, I think he could have
handled the death eaters or summoned Fawkes.  But of course, he wouldn't
have left both Harry and Draco there.  It is likely that Dumbledore would
possibly still have died.  I just cannot buy that Snape's killing Dumbledore
rather than dying himself was any kind of act of bravery or honor.  It
seemed downright cowardly and abominable to me.  

On a different note, because this will use up my third message of the day,
several people have said that Snape knew about the Horcruxes?  Did I spell
that right?  Is there anything in the book that says he did?  Dumbledore
told Harry not to tell anyone but Ron and Hermione, to the point that he
wouldn't even tell McGonigal at the end.  Would DD have told Snape about
them?  I am curious.

Sherry