CHAPTER VI.
MISS MIETTE'S FORTUNE.
"The rudder no longer guided us. What a night we passed! We made aroll-call: how many were wanting? and the boats which contained ourwives, our children,--had those boats found a refuge? had they reachedland anywhere? The ocean was still rough, and, notwithstanding thecaptain's words of hope, I was in despair,--anticipating the sorrow thatwas to overwhelm me. Every one remained on deck. At daybreak a newfeeling of sadness seized us at the sight of our steamer, deformed andblackened by the fire. The deck for more than forty yards was nothingbut a vast hole, at the bottom of which were lying, pell-mell,half-consumed planks and beams, windlasses blackened by fire, bits ofwood, and formless masses of metal over which the tongues of flame hadpassed. Notwithstanding all this the steamer was slowly put in motion.We were able to reach Havana. There we hoped we might hear some news.And we did hear news,--but what news! A sailing-vessel had found on themorrow of the catastrophe a capsized boat on the coast of the island ofAndros, where the boat had evidently been directed. A sailor who hadtied himself to the boat, and whom they at first thought dead, wasrecalled to life, and told his story of the fire. From Havana, where thesailing-vessel had stopped, a rescuing-party was at once sent out. Theyfound and brought back with them the debris of boats broken against therocks and also many dead bodies. These were all laid out in a largeroom, where the remaining passengers of the Britannic were invited. Wehad to count the dead; we had to identify them. With what agony, withwhat cruel heart-beats I entered the room. I closed my eyes. I tried topersuade myself that I would not find there the beings that were so dearto me. I wished to believe that they had been saved, my dear ones, whilemy other companions in misfortune were all crying and sobbing. At last Iopened my eyes, and, the strength of my vision being suddenly increasedto a wonderful degree, I saw that in this long line of bodies there wasno child. That was my first thought. May my poor wife forgive me! Shealso was not there; but it was not long before she came. That veryevening a rescuing-party brought back her corpse with the latest found."
Monsieur Roger ceased speaking. He looked at his friends, Monsieur andMadame Dalize, who were silently weeping; then his eyes travelled toMiette. She was not crying; her look, sad but astonished, interested,questioned Monsieur Roger. He thought, "She cannot understand sorrow,this little girl, who has not had any trials."
And the eyes of Miette seemed to answer, "But George? George? did theynot find him?"
At last Monsieur Roger understood this thought in the mind of Miettewithout any necessity on her part to express it by her lips, and, as ifhe were answering to a verbal question, he said, shaking his head,--
"No, they never found him."
Miette expected this answer; then she too began to weep.
Monsieur Dalize repeated the last words of Monsieur Roger.
"They did not find him! I do not dare to ask you, my dear friend, if youpreserve any hope."
"Yes, I hope. I forced myself to hope for a long time. But the oceankept my child in the same way that it buried in its depths many othervictims of this catastrophe, for it was that very hope that made meremain in America. I might have returned to France and given up myengagements; but there I was closer to news, if there were any; and,besides, in work, in hard labor to which I intended to submit my body, Iexpected to find, if not forgetfulness, at least that weariness whichdampens the spirit. I remained ten years in Texas, and I returned to-daywithout ever having forgotten that terrible night."
There was a silence. Then Monsieur Dalize, wishing to create adiversion, asked,--
"How does it happen that you did not announce to me beforehand yourreturn. It was not until I received your telegram this morning that welearned this news which made us so happy. I had no reason to expectthat your arrival would be so sudden. Did you not say that you were toremain another six months, and perhaps a year, in Texas?"
"Yes; and I did then think that I should be forced to prolong my stayfor some months. My contract was ended, my work was done. I was free,but the mining-company wished to retain me. They wanted me to sign a newcontract, and to this end they invented all sorts of pretexts to keep mewhere I was. As I did not wish to go to law against the people throughwhom I had made my fortune, I determined to wait, hoping that mypatience would tire them out; and that, in fact, is what happened. Thecompany bowed before my decision. This good news reached me on the eveof the departure of a steamer. I did not hesitate for a moment; I atonce took ship. I might indeed have given you notice on the way, but Iwished to reserve to myself the happiness of surprising you. It was notuntil I reached Paris that I decided to send you a despatch; and eventhen I did not have the strength to await your reply."
"Dear Roger!" said Monsieur Dalize. "And then your process, yourdiscovery, succeeded entirely?"
"Yes, I have made a fortune,--a large fortune. I have told you that theenterprise was at my risk, but that the company would give me ten percent. on all the ore that I would succeed in saving. Now, the mines ofTexas used to produce four million dollars' worth a year. Thanks to myprocess, they produce nearly a million more. In ten years you can wellsee what was my portion."
"Splendid!" said Monsieur Dalize; "it represents a sum of----"
Madame Dalize interrupted her husband.
"Miette," said she, "cannot you do that little sum for us, my child?"
Miette wiped her eyes and ceased crying. Her mother's desire had beenreached. The little girl took a pencil, and, after making her motherrepeat the question to her, put down some figures upon a sheet of paper.After a moment she said, not without hesitation, for the sum appeared toher enormous,--
"Why! it is a million dollars that Monsieur Roger has made!"
"Exactly," said Monsieur Roger; "and, my dear child, you have, withoutknowing it, calculated pretty closely the fortune which you will receivefrom me as your wedding portion."
Monsieur and Madame Dalize looked up with astonishment. Miette gazed atMonsieur Roger without understanding.
"My dear friends," said Roger, turning to Monsieur and Madame Dalize,"you will not refuse me the pleasure of giving my fortune to MissMiette. I have no one else in the world; and does not Mariette representboth of you? Where would my money be better placed?"
And turning towards Miss Miette, he said to her,--
"Yes, my child, that million will be yours on your marriage."
Miette looked from her mother to her father, not knowing whether sheought to accept, and seriously embarrassed. With a sweet smile, MonsieurRoger added,--
"And so, you see, you will be able to choose a husband that you like."
Then, quietly and without hesitation, Miss Miette said,--
"It will be Paul Solange."