Part 26 (1/2)

She blanched a little and then drew herself up:

”No!” she replied, ”Andre does not go out shooting like you; nor does he go off to Chalons as Francois did! Can Mathurin have got up to spy upon us while father was asleep? Oh, do take care of yourself, Jean Nesmy! Listen!”

Seizing the candlestick from the window-sill, she held it out at arm's-length towards the other end of the room, the light s.h.i.+ning on the polished furniture as she moved it.

”You are right, someone is moving about in the bakery,” said Jean Nesmy. Now the door was gently pushed from the outer side, and the bolt shaken in its socket. Rousille grew white. But she had brave blood in her veins, and still holding the light as far forward as possible, she noiselessly crossed the room, cautiously slid back the bolt, and flung open the door.

A shadow moving about in the room sprang towards Rousille, and she saw it was Bas-Rouge. ”What are you doing here--where do you come from?”

she said.

A rush of air came whistling in from the adjoining room. Had the outer door not been fastened? The girl glanced towards the window, and saw Jean Nesmy still there; then she went into the bakery: the straw baskets, the kneading trough, the ladder reaching to the hayloft, the f.a.ggots for next baking day, all was there; but the door leading into the furthermost room, Andre's, was wide open. Rousille went on, the wind nearly extinguis.h.i.+ng the light which she was obliged to shade with her hand. It blew in unimpeded from the courtyard. Yes, Andre had gone out.... She ran to the bed; it was untouched.... A doubt seized her that, at first, she repelled. She thought of Francois; of Andre's tears that evening--his agitation....

”Oh, my G.o.d,” she murmured.

Rapidly she stooped and lowered the candle to see under the bed where Andre kept his boots and shoes; they had gone. She opened his trunk, it was empty. Going back into the bakery, she clambered up into the loft. There to the right, beside a heap of wheat, she ought to find a little black portmanteau he had brought home from Africa. She lifted the candle, the portmanteau was not there.

Everything pointed to the one fact. There was no manner of doubt concerning the misfortune that had befallen them. Terrified, she hastily descended the ladder, and unable to keep the secret, she screamed:

”Father!”

A voice, m.u.f.fled by the intervening walls, replied:

”What is it?”

”Driot has gone!” she cried, as she ran through the rooms. Outside the barred window, her eyes seeking him, she thought she discerned a shadow.

”Farewell, Jean Nesmy,” she called, without stopping. ”Never come back any more. All is lost to us,” and she disappeared into the kitchen, to the door of her father's room.

Toussaint had sprung out of bed, and now came, barefoot, hurriedly b.u.t.toning his work-day clothes over his night-s.h.i.+rt. Startled out of his first sleep, only half understanding the purport of her words, stern of countenance, he came forth into the light shed by his daughter's candle.

”What are you screaming about?” he said. ”He cannot be far off.”

Then seeing her terrified face he, too, thought of Francois, and trembling, followed her.

They traversed the whole length of the house, and on into Andre's room; there Rousille made way for her father to enter first. He did not go far into the room; he looked at the undisturbed bed, and that sufficed to make him understand.

For a moment he remained motionless, tears blinding him; then, staggering, turned towards the courtyard, on the threshold, clinging to the doorposts for support, he took a long breath, as if to call into the night, but only a stifled, scarce audible sound escaped him:

”My Driot!”

And the n.o.ble old man, struck by the bitter cold, fell backwards in a swoon.

At that instant from the other end of the house Mathurin, swearing, and striking head and crutches against the walls and furniture, came struggling along.

”Lend me a hand, Rousille,” he cried, ”I must see what is going on!”

Rousille was kneeling beside her father, kissing him amid her tears.

The farm-servant, roused by the noise, came through the yard with a lantern.