Part 13 (1/2)

Veronique did not wish to thwart her. But at nine o'clock hurried steps were heard outside. It was Correjou, coming from the village. On reaching the door he shouted:

”They've stolen your motor-boat, Ma'me Honorine! She's disappeared!”

”Impossible!” said Honorine.

But the sailor, all out of breath, declared:

”She's disappeared. I suspected something this morning early. But I expect I had had a gla.s.s too much; I did not give it another thought.

Others have since seen what I did. The painter has been cut . . . . It happened during the night. And they've made off. No one saw or heard them.”

The two women exchanged glances; and the same thought occurred to both of them: Francois and Stephane Maroux had taken to flight.

Honorine muttered between her teeth:

”Yes, yes, that's it: he understands how to work the boat.”

Veronique perhaps felt a certain relief at knowing that the boy had gone and that she would not see him again. But Honorine, seized with a renewed fear, exclaimed:

”Then . . . then what are we to do?”

”You must leave at once, Ma'me Honorine. The boats are ready . . .

everybody's packing up. There'll be no one in the village by eleven o'clock.”

Veronique interposed:

”Honorine's not in a condition to travel.”

”Yes, I am; I'm better,” the Breton woman declared.

”No, it would be ridiculous. Let us wait a day or two . . . . Come back in two days, Correjou.”

She pushed the sailor towards the door. He, for that matter, was only too anxious to go:

”Very well,” he said, ”that'll do: I'll come back the day after to-morrow. Besides, we can't take everything with us. We shall have to come back now and again to fetch our things . . . . Good-bye, Ma'me Honorine; take care of yourself.”

And he ran outside.

”Correjou! Correjou!”

Honorine was sitting up in bed and calling to him in despair:

”No, no, don't go away, Correjou! . . . Wait for me and carry me to your boat.”

She listened; and, as the man did not return, she tried to get up:

”I'm frightened,” she said. ”I don't want to be left alone.”

Veronique held her down:

”You're not going to be left alone, Honorine. I shan't leave you.”