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When she left Madame Lachaise's shop, she went on her way to Mother Françoise's to see if she could accommodate her and give her what she desired; that was a tiny little room that would not cost much. As she reached the gate she met Rosalie coming out, walking quickly. "You're going out?" cried Perrine. "Yes, and you ... so you are free then?" In a few hurried words they explained.
At the first words Perrine was reassured; if it was only of M. Vulfran's health that she wanted to speak she had nothing to fear. "I think you are a very intelligent girl," said Mme. Bretoneux with a flattering, ingratiating smile. At these words and the look which accompanied them Perrine's suspicions were aroused at once.
Still, in spite of the storm, the darkness, and the distance, he thought not for a moment of neglecting the duty that had been taught him from his childhood the duty of summoning the priest to the bedside of the dying. "I must call Perrine," he said, "to watch by you while I am away." "Stop!" cried the old man. "Stop, Gabriel; I implore, I command you not to leave me!"
The evening has passed like a moment. The old woman told me the history of her life, sometimes smiling, sometimes drying her eyes. Perrine sang an old ballad with her fresh young voice. Henry told us what he knows of the great writers of the day, to whom he has to carry their proofs. At last we were obliged to separate, not without fresh thanks on the part of the happy family.
Perrine wanted to refuse everything and tell this woman that she did not wish her to take care of her, but remembered the part she had to play. After all, Mme. Bretoneux's intentions were most generous; it was her words, her manner, that seemed so hard.
"I'll advance you the five francs that I'm goin' to get back from that baker. I'll get it! So I'll give yer five francs for your fare." Things came to pass as La Rouquerie had arranged. For eight days Perrine ran through the streets of the villages and towns crying out: "Rabbit skins! Rags! Bones!"
But he sat there as though he did not understand a word of what she was saying. A crowd gathered round and began to jeer. "Set fire to his tail," cried one. Grain-of-Salt was furious, Perrine in despair. "You see he won't go in," cried La Rouquerie.
"Why! can that room be so unhealthy, so unwholesome as that?" mused Monsieur Vulfran. "Oh, sir," cried Perrine, "if you could see it you would never permit your work girls to live there, never, never." "Go on with your story," he said abruptly. She told him how she had discovered the tiny island and how the idea had come to her to take possession of the cabin. "You were not afraid?" he asked.
"I told yer we don't want nobody," said the woman again. There was nothing to do but to go on her way, which she did with a heavy heart. "Look out! A cop's comin'!" cried one of the girls. Perrine turned her head quickly, and they all burst out laughing, amused at the joke. She had not gone far before she had to stop. She could not see the road for the tears which filled her eyes.
Perrine thought that if she frankly replied to his question she would not be revealing any serious matter, so she related exactly what had occurred. "Ah, good," he said, more at ease. "Now, if he should come to me and ask to be taken back I'll settle with him."
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