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Grain-of-Salt and the stranger turned down a narrow street and stopped at a wine shop. They sat down at one of the tables outside on the pavement and ordered a bottle of wine and two glasses. Perrine remained by the curb, still holding her donkey. "You'll see if he isn't cunning," said Grain-of-Salt, holding out his full glass.
It was Perrine now who felt like crying, but catching Talouel's glance, she stiffened. It was not until they had passed out of the yard that she betrayed her emotion. "Isn't Monsieur Vulfran kind?" she said. "Yes," replied Rosalie; "he would be all right if he were alone, but with Skinny he can't be; he hasn't the time and he has a lot to think about."
Perrine told her that he had not spoken to her since the evening before. "As I saw him kneeling there so crushed and broken for the first time, I was pleased that he was blind," said the governess sadly. "Why?" asked Perrine. "Because he could not see how few people came to the church. What indifference his men have shown! If he could have seen that empty church it would have added to his grief."
Keep close and listen I can't say much more. Where was I? Ah, your father! He threatened to kill me if I didn't swear to keep it secret; and in terror of my life I swore. I never dared to go near the place afterward; no, nor your father either! Stop her; stop Perrine! I hear her getting up.
It was not until they had left behind the village, where their appearance excited the same curiosity as the evening before, and were going at a gentle trot along the lanes, that M. Vulfran began to talk. Perrine would like to have put off this moment; she was very nervous. "You told me that M. Theodore and Talouel came into your office?" said the blind man. "Yes, sir." "What did they want?"
Continue the same today." "No hurry!" Perrine repeated the words to herself. There was no hurry then ... her mother was not so ill as she had feared; they had just to wait and hope.... Wednesday was the day for which she was waiting, yet at the same time how she dreaded it.
Meanwhile Perrine, leaning with her elbows on the window sill, looked out dreamily over the beautiful garden, at the factories beyond the village with its houses and church, the meadows in which the silvery water glistened in the oblique rays of the setting sun; and then her eyes turned in the opposite direction, to the woods where she had sat down the day she had come, and where in the evening breeze she had seemed to hear the soft voice of her mother murmuring, "I know you will be happy."
They are all alike in Maraucourt and the other villages. You have stood in one of these dreadful rooms; all the others are like it. Think of your women and children, your factory hands, who are breathing that poisoned air. They are slowly dying. They are almost all weak and sick." M. Vulfran was silent. He did not speak again, neither did Perrine.
"I don't know the words used in various trades, because they use words that I have never heard, and I don't know the meaning of them," said Perrine. "You see, Benoist," said M. Paindavoine quickly; "what this little girl says is so; that shows she is not stupid." "She looks anything but that," answered Benoist. "Well, perhaps we shall be able to manage somehow," said M. Vulfran.
That is why I sent him to India where I intended to keep him but a short while. I gave him a position befitting my son and heir. He was the representative of my house. Did I know that he would marry that miserable creature? He was mad!" "But Father Fields said that she was not a miserable creature," insisted Perrine.
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