Nobody's Girl by Hector Malot Chapter 28
AN UNRESPECTED FUNERAL
There was considerable bustle and excitement at the chateau all thatevening. First M. and Mme. Stanislas Paindavoine, who had received atelegram from Theodore, arrived. Then M. and Mme. Bretoneux, sent for byCasimir, came. After that came Mme. Bretoneux's two daughters, theirhusbands and children. No one wished to miss the funeral service forpoor dear Edmond.
Besides, this was the decisive moment for clever manoeuvring. What adisaster if this big industry should fall into the hands of one soincapable as Theodore! What a misfortune if Casimir took charge! Neitherside thought that a partnership could be possible, and the two cousinsshare alike. Each wanted all for himself.
Both Mme. Bretoneux and Mme. Paindavoine had ignored Perrine since theirarrival. They had given her to understand that they did not require herservices any longer.
She sat in her room hoping that M. Vulfran would send for her so thatshe could help him into the church, as she had done every Sunday sinceWilliam had gone. But she waited in vain. When the bells, which hadbeen tolling since the evening before, announced mass, she saw him getup into his carriage leaning on his brother's arm, while his sister andsister-in-law, with the members of their families, took their places inother carriages.
She had no time to lose, for she had to walk. She hurried off.
After she had left the house over which Death had spread its shroud, shewas surprised to notice as she hastened through the village that thetaverns had taken on their Sunday air. The men drank and laughed and thewomen chatted at their doors, while the children played in the street.Perrine wondered if none of them were going to attend the service.
Upon entering the church, where she had been afraid that she would notfind room, she saw that it was almost empty. The bereaved family sat inthe choir; here and there was some village authority, a tradesman andthe heads of the factories. Very few of the working men and women werepresent; they had not thought to come and join their prayers to those oftheir employer.
Perrine took a seat beside Rosalie and her grandmother, who was in deepmourning.
"Alas! my poor little Edmond," murmured the old nurse, wiping her eyes."What did M. Vulfran say?"
But Perrine was too overcome to reply. The services commenced.
As she left the church, Mlle. Belhomme came up to her, and, likeFrancoise, wanted to question her about M. Vulfran. Perrine told herthat he had not spoken to her since the evening before.
"As I saw him kneeling there so crushed and broken for the first time, Iwas pleased that he was blind," said the governess sadly.
"Why?" asked Perrine.
"Because he could not see how few people came to the church. Whatindifference his men have shown! If he could have seen that empty churchit would have added to his grief."
"I think he must have known how few there were there," said Perrine."His ears take the place of his eyes, and that empty silence could notdeceive him."
"Poor man," murmured Mlle. Belhomme; "and yet...."
She paused. Then, as she was not in the habit of holding anything back,she went on: "And yet it will be a great lesson to him. You know, mychild, you cannot expect others to share your sorrows if you are notwilling to share theirs.
"M. Vulfran gives his men what he considers their due," she continued,in a lower voice. "He is just, but that is all. He has never been afather to his men. He is all for business, business only. What a lot ofgood he could have done, however, not only here, but everywhere, if hehad wished, by setting an example. Had he been more to his men you maybe sure that the church would not have been as empty as it was today."
Perhaps that was true, but how it hurt Perrine to hear this from thelips of her governess, of whom she was so fond. If anyone else had saidso she might not have felt it so deeply. Yes, undoubtedly it was tootrue.
They had been walking as they talked, and had now reached the schoolswhere Mlle. Belhomme lived.
"Come in and we'll have luncheon together," she said. She was thinkingthat her pupil would not be allowed to take her accustomed place at thefamily table.
"Oh, thank you," said Perrine; "but M. Vulfran might need me."
"Well, in that case you had better go back," said Mlle. Belhomme.
When she reached the chateau she saw that M. Vulfran had no need of her,that he was not even thinking of her. Bastien, whom she met on thestairs, told her that when he came back from the church he had gone tohis own room and locked himself in, forbidding anyone to enter.
"He won't even sit down on a day like this with his family," saidBastien, "and they are all going after luncheon. I don't think he evenwants to say goodbye to them. Lord help us! What will become of us? Oh,poor master!"
"What can I do?" asked Perrine.
"You can do a great deal. The master believes in you, and he's mightyfond of you."
"Mighty fond of me?" echoed Perrine.
"Yes, and it's I as says it," said the butler. "He likes you a wholelot."
As Bastien had said, all the family left after luncheon. Perrine stayedin her room, but M. Vulfran did not send for her. Just before she wentto bed, Bastien came to tell her that his master wished her to accompanyhim the next morning at the usual hour.
"He wants to get back to work, but will he be able?" said the oldbutler. "It will be better for him if he can. Work means life for him."
The next day at the usual hour Perrine was waiting for M. Vulfran. Withbent back he came forward, guided by Bastien. The butler made a sign toher that his master had passed a bad night.
"Is Aurelie there?" asked the blind man in a changed voice, a voice lowand weak, like that of a sick child.
Perrine went forward quickly.
"I am here, M. Vulfran," she said.
"Let us get into the carriage, Aurelie," he said.
As soon as he had taken his place beside Perrine his head drooped on hischest. He said not a word.
At the foot of the office steps Talouel was there ready to receive himand help him to alight.
"I suppose you felt strong enough to come?" he said, in a sympatheticvoice which contrasted with the flash in his eyes.
"I did not feel at all strong, but I came because I thought that I oughtto come," said his employer.
"That is what I meant ... I...."
M. Vulfran stopped him and told Perrine to guide him to his office.
The mail, which had accumulated in two days, was read, but the blind manmade no comments on the correspondence. It was as though he were deaf orasleep. The heads of the factory then came in to discuss an importantquestion that had to be settled that day. When the immediate businesswas settled Perrine was left alone with the blind man. He was silent.
Time passed; he did not move. She had often seen him sit still, but onsuch occasions, from the expression on his face, she had known that hewas following his work as though he were watching with his eyes. Helistened to the whistle of the engines, the rolling of the trucks; hewas attentive to every sound and seemed to know exactly what was goingon, but now he seemed as though he were turned into a statue. There wasno expression in his face and he was so silent. He did not seem to bebreathing. Perrine was overcome by a sort of terror. She moved uneasilyin her chair; she did not dare speak to him.
Suddenly he put his two hands over his face and, as though unaware thatanyone was present, he cried: "My God! my God! you have forsaken me! Oh,Lord, what have I done that you should forsake me!"
Then the heavy silence fell again. Perrine trembled when she heard hiscry, although she could not grasp the depth of his despair.
Everything that this man had attempted had been a success; he hadtriumphed over his rivals; but now, with one blow, that which he wantedmost had been snatched from him. He had been waiting for his son; theirmeeting, after so many years of absence, he had pictured to himself, andthen....
Then what?
"My God," cried the blind man again, "why have you taken him from me?"