CHAPTER XXX
GRANDFATHER FINDS PERRINE
One year had passed since Perrine had arrived at Maraucourt on thatradiant Sunday morning. What a miserable lonely little girl she had beenthen.
The day was just as radiant now, but what a change in Perrine, and, beit said, in the whole village also. She was now a lovely girl offifteen. She knew she was loved and loved for herself, and this is whatgave the deep look of happiness to her eyes.
And the village! No one would have recognized it now. There were newbuildings, pretty cottages, and a hospital commanding a view of thesurrounding country. Near the factories were two handsome red brickbuildings. These were the creches where the little children, whosemothers were working in the factories, were kept. All the littlechildren had their meals there, and many of them slept there. It was ahome for them.
M. Vulfran had bought up all the old houses, the tumble-down hovels andhuts, and had built new cottages in their places. There was a largerestaurant built where the men and women could get a dinner for elevencents, the meal consisting of a soup, stew or roast, bread and cider.
Every little cottage, for which the tenant paid one hundred francs ayear, had its own tiny garden in which to grow vegetables for thefamily.
In the road leading to the chateau there was now a fine recreationground, which was greatly patronized after the factories had closed.There were merry-go-rounds, swings, bowling alleys and a stand for themusicians who played every Saturday and Sunday, and of course on everyholiday. This public park of amusement was used by the people of allfive villages. Monsieur Vulfran had thought it better to have one placeof reunion and recreation. If his people all met together to enjoy theirleisure hours, it would establish good relations and a bond offriendship between them. At the end of the grounds there was a finelibrary with a reading and writing room.
M. Vulfran's relations thought that he had gone mad. Did he intend toruin himself? That is to say, ruin them? Some steps ought to be taken toprevent him from spending his fortune in this manner. His fondness forthat girl was a proof that he was losing his mind. That girl did notknow what she was doing! All their animosity was centered on her. Whatdid it matter to her that his fortune was being thrown away? But ifPerrine had all the relations against her, she knew that she had M.Vulfran's friendship, and the family doctor, Doctor Ruchon, Mlle.Belhomme and Fabry all adored her. Since the doctor had seen that itwas the "little girl" who had been the means of his patient exertingthis wonderful moral and intellectual energy, his attitude to herexpressed the greatest respect and affection. In the doctor's eyes,Perrine was a wonderful little girl.
"She can do a great deal more than I can," he said, shaking his grayhead.
And Mlle. Belhomme, how proud she was of her pupil! As to Fabry, he wason the best of terms with her. He had been so closely connected with herin the good work that had been done, for Fabry had superintendedeverything.
It was half-past twelve. Fabry had not yet arrived. M. Vulfran, usuallyso calm, was getting impatient. Luncheon was over and he had gone intohis study with Perrine; every now and again he walked to the window andlistened.
"The train must be late," he murmured.
Perrine wanted to keep him away from the window, for there were manythings going on outside in the park about which she did not wish him toknow. With unusual activity, the gardeners were putting great pots offlowers on the steps and in front of the house. Flags were flying fromthe recreation grounds, which could be seen from the windows.
At last the wheels of a carriage were heard on the drive.
"There's Fabry," said M. Vulfran. His voice expressed anxiety, butpleasure at the same time.
Fabry came in quickly. He also appeared to be in a somewhat excitedstate. He gave a look at Perrine which made her feel uneasy withoutknowing why.
"I got your telegram," said M. Vulfran, "but it was so vague. I want tobe sure. Speak out."
"Shall I speak before mademoiselle?" asked Fabry, glancing at Perrine.
"Yes, if it is as you say."
It was the first time that Fabry had asked if he could speak beforePerrine. In the state of mind in which she was suddenly thrown, thisprecaution only made her the more anxious.
"The person whom we had lost trace of," said Fabry, without looking atPerrine, "came on to Paris. There she died. Here is a copy of the deathcertificate. It is in the name of Marie Doressany, widow of EdmondVulfran Paindavoine."
With trembling hands the blind man took the paper.
"Shall I read it to you?" asked Fabry.
"No, if you have verified the names we will attend to that later. Goon."
"I not only got the certificate; I wanted to question the man whom theycall Grain-of-Salt. She died in a room in his house. Then I saw allthose who were present at the poor woman's funeral. There was a streetsinger called the Baroness and an old shoemaker called Carp. It was themiserable existence which she had been forced to live that had finallykilled her. I even saw the doctor who attended her, Dr. Cendrier. Hewanted her to go to the hospital, but she would not be parted from herdaughter. Finally, to complete my investigations, they sent me to awoman who buys rags and bones. Her name is La Rouquerie. I could not seeher until yesterday, as she had been out in the country."
Fabry paused. Then for the first time he turned to Perrine and bowedrespectfully.
"I saw Palikare, mademoiselle," he said. "He is looking very well."
Perrine had risen to her feet. For some moments she stood listening,dazed. Then her eyes filled with tears.
"I then had to find out what had become of the little daughter,"continued Fabry. "This ragpicker told me that she had met her in theChantilly woods and that she was dying of hunger. It was her own donkeythat she sold to the ragpicker who found her."
"Tell me," cried M. Vulfran, turning his sightless eyes towards Perrine,who was trembling from head to foot, "why this little girl did not saywho she was? You understand how deeply a little girl can feel, so canyou explain this?"
Perrine took a few steps towards him.
"Tell me why she does not come into my arms ... her grandfather's arms."
"Oh, grandpapa," cried Perrine, throwing her arms about his neck.
CHAPTER XXXI
THE GRATEFUL PEOPLE
Fabry had left the room, leaving the grandfather and his granddaughtertogether. For a long time the old man and the girl sat with their armsabout each other. They only spoke now and again, just to exchange a wordof affection.
"My little granddaughter ... my boy's little girl," murmured the blindman, stroking her curls.
"My grandpapa," murmured Perrine, rubbing her soft cheek against his.
"Why didn't you tell me who you were?" he asked at last.
"But didn't I try several times?" replied Perrine. "Do you remember whatyou said to me the last time I spoke of dear mother and myself. Yousaid: 'Understand, never speak to me again of those wretchedcreatures.'"
"But could I guess that you were my granddaughter?" he said.
"If I had come straight to you, don't you think you would have driven meaway and not have listened to me?" asked Perrine.
"Ah," said the blind man, sadly, "who knows what I would have done!"
"I thought so," said Perrine, "and I thought it best not to let youknow me until, like mama said, 'you would get to love me.'"
"And you have waited so long, and you had so many proofs of myaffection."
"But was it the affection of a grandfather? I did not dare think so,"said Perrine.
"When I began to suspect that you were my son's child, I then quicklygot positive proofs, and I gave you every chance to tell me that youwere. Finally I employed Fabry, who, with his investigations, forced youto throw yourself into my arms. If you had spoken sooner, my littledarling, you would have spared me many doubts."
"Yes," said Perrine sweetly, "but we are so happy now, and doesn't thatprove that what I did was all for the best?"
"Well, all is well. We will leave it at that. Now t
ell me all about yourfather ... my boy."
"I cannot speak to you of my father without speaking of my mother," saidPerrine gravely. "They both loved me so much, and I loved them just thesame."
"My little girl," said the blind man, "what Fabry has just told me ofher has touched me deeply. She refused to go to the hospital where shemight have been cured because she would not leave you alone inParis...."
"Oh, yes; you would have loved her," cried Perrine; "my darling mother."
"Talk to me about her," said the old man, "about them both."
"Yes," said Perrine; "I will make you know her and then you will loveher."
Perrine told about their life before they lost all their money; thenabout their travels through the various countries and the wanderingsover the mountains; then of her father's illness and his death, and howshe and her sick mother journeyed through France with the hope that theycould reach Maraucourt in time before the sick woman died.
While they were talking they could hear vague sounds outside in thegarden.
"What is the matter out there?" asked M. Vulfran. Perrine went to thewindow. The lawns and drive were black with a crowd of men, women andchildren. They were dressed in their Sunday clothes; many of themcarried banners and flags. This crowd, between six and seven thousandpeople, reached outside the grounds to the public park, and the murmurof their voices had reached the ears of the blind man and had turned hisattention from Perrine's story, great though it was.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It is your birthday today," said Perrine, smiling, "and all your menare here to celebrate it and to thank you for all you have done for themand their families."
"Oh!..."
The blind man walked to the window as though he could see them. He wasrecognized and a murmur ran through the crowd.
"_Mon Dieu_," he murmured, "how terrible they would be if they wereagainst us." For the first time he realized the strength of the masseswhich he controlled.
"Yes," said Perrine, "but they are with us because we are with them."
"Yes, little girl, and it is all due to you," he replied. "This is verydifferent from the day when the service for your dear father was held inthat empty church."
"Yes, they are all here now," said Perrine, "and this is the Order ofthe Day, grandpapa dear: I am to guide you to the steps exactly at twoo'clock. From there everyone will be able to see you. A man representingeach village where you have your factories will come up the steps, andfatherly old Gathoye in the name of all is to make a speech."
At this moment the clock struck two.
"Now give me your hand, grandpapa, dear," said Perrine.
They reached the top of the steps and a great cheer broke out. Then thedear old Gathoye, who was the oldest employe, came forward alone. He wasfollowed by the five delegates. Ten times the old man had been made togo over his speech that morning.
"Monsieur Vulfran, sir," he began, "it is to wish you ... it is tocongratulate you ... to congratulate you on...."
Here he stopped short and began gesticulating with his hands, and thecrowd, who saw his eloquent gestures, thought that he making anelaborate speech.
After some vain efforts, during which he scratched his head severaltimes, he said: "This is how it is: I had a fine speech all ready, butI've gone and forgot all I got to say. I had to congratulate you andthank you in the name of all from the bottom of our hearts...."
He raised his hand solemnly.
"I swear that's so on the faith of your oldest employe, Gathoye."
Although the speech was very incoherent, nevertheless it touched M.Vulfran deeply. With his hand on Perrine's shoulder, he moved forward tothe balustrade. There all could see him from below.
"My friends," he called out in a loud voice, "your sincere kind wishesgive me the greatest pleasure, all the more so as you bring them to meon the happiest day of my life, the day when I have found my littlegranddaughter, the daughter of my only son whom I have lost. You knowher; you have seen her at the factory. She will go on with the work wehave already begun, and I promise you that your future, and yourchildren's future, is in good hands."
Thereupon he leaned down towards Perrine and before she could protest helifted her up in his arms that were still strong, and presented her tothe crowd, then kissed her tenderly.
Then a deafening cheer rang out. It was continued for several minutes.Cheers came from the mouths of seven thousand men, women and children.Then, as the Order of the Day had been previously arranged, a line wasformed and in single file they passed before their old chief and hisgranddaughter. With a bow and a hearty wish each man passed by.
"Ah, grandpapa, if you could only see their kind faces!" cried Perrine.
But there were some faces that were not exactly radiant. The two nephewscertainly looked very glum when, after the ceremony, they came up totheir cousin to offer their congratulations.
"As for me," said Talouel, who did not mean to lose any time in payingcourt to the young heiress, "I had always supposed...."
The excitement of the day proved too much for M. Vulfran. The doctor wascalled in.
"You can understand, doctor," said the blind man anxiously, "how much Iwant to see my little granddaughter. You must get me into a state sothat I can have this operation."
"That is just it," said the doctor cheerily, "you must not have all thisexcitement. You must be perfectly calm. Now that this beautiful weatherhas come, you must go out, but you must keep quiet, and I guarantee thatas soon as your cough has gone we shall be able to have a successfuloperation."
And the doctor's words came true. A month after M. Vulfran's birthdaytwo specialists came down from Paris to perform the operation.
When they wished to put him under an anesthetic he refused.
"If my granddaughter will have the courage to hold my hand," he said,"you will see that I will be brave. Is it very painful?"
They would use cocaine to alleviate the pain.
The operation was over. Then came five or six days of waiting. Thepatient was kept in a dark room. Then at last the grandfather wasallowed to see his little granddaughter.
"Ah, if I had only had my eyes," he cried as he gazed at Perrine'sbeautiful little face, "I should have recognized her at the firstglance. What fools! Couldn't anyone have seen the likeness to herfather? This time Talouel would have been right if he had said that he'supposed'...."
They did not let him use his eyes for long. Again the bandage was put onand was kept on for thirty days. Then one of the oculists who hadremained at the chateau went up to Paris to select the glasses whichwould enable him to read and see at a distance.
What M. Vulfran desired most, now that he had seen Perrine's sweet face,was to go out and see his works, but this needed great precaution, andthe trip had to be postponed for a time, for he did not wish to beclosed up in a landau with the windows up, but to use his old phaetonand be driven by Perrine and show himself with her everywhere. For thatthey had to wait for a warm, sunny day.
At last the day they wanted came. The sky was blue, the air soft andwarm. After luncheon Perrine gave the order to Bastien for the phaetonwith old Coco to be at the door.
"Yes, at once, mademoiselle," he said with a smile.
Perrine was surprised at the tone of his reply and his smile; but shepaid no more attention to it, as she was busy fussing about hergrandfather so that he would not take cold.
Presently Bastien came to say that the phaeton was ready. Perrine's eyesdid not leave her grandfather as he walked forwards and down the stepsalone. When they reached the last step a loud bray made her start. Shelooked up.
There stood a donkey harnessed to a phaeton! A donkey, and that donkeywas like Palikare, a Palikare shiny and glossy, with polished shoes andadorned with a beautiful yellow harness with blue tassels. The donkey,with his neck stretched out, continued to bray. In spite of the groom'shold upon him he turned and tried to get to Perrine.
"Palikare!" she cried.
She flew to him and flung her a
rms around his neck.
"Oh, grandpapa, what a lovely surprise!" she cried, dancing around herdear Palikare.
"You don't owe it to me," said her grandfather. "Fabry bought it fromthat ragpicker to whom you sold it. The office staff offer it as a giftto their old comrade."
"Oh, hasn't Monsieur Fabry got a good, kind heart!" cried Perrine.
"Yes, he thought of it, but your cousins did not," said M. Vulfran. "Ihave ordered a pretty cart from Paris for him. This phaeton is not thething for him."
They got up into the carriage and Perrine took the reins delightedly.
"Where shall we go first, grandpapa?" she asked.
"Why, to the log cabin," he said. "Don't you think I want to see thelittle nest where you once lived, my darling?"
He referred to the cabin on the island where she had lived for a timethe preceding year. It remained fondly in his mind. She drove on to theentrance and helped her grandfather alight at the path.
The cabin seemed just the same as when Perrine left it.
"How strange," said M. Vulfran, "that only a few steps from a greatindustrial center you were able to live the life of a savage here."
"In India we led a real savage life," said Perrine. "Everything aroundus belonged to us there, but here, I had no right to this and I wasoften very afraid."
After M. Vulfran had inspected the little log hut he wanted to see thecreche at Maraucourt.
He thought that he would easily recognize it, as he had so often discussedthe plans with Fabry, but when he found himself at the entrance, and wasable to see at a glance all the other rooms, the dormitory where thelittle babies were asleep in their rose and blue cribs according to thesex, the playroom where those who could walk were playing, the kitchen,the lavatory, he was surprised and delighted.
Using large glass doors, the architect had cleverly made his plans sothat from the first room the mothers could see all that went on in theother rooms where they were not allowed to enter.
In the nursery the children sprang forward and jumped upon Perrine,showing her the playthings that they had in their hands.
"I see that you are known here," said M. Vulfran.
"Known!" replied Mlle. Belhomme, greeting them. "She is loved by all;she is a little mother to them, and no one can play like she can."
M. Vulfran put his arms affectionately around his granddaughter asthey went on to the carriage.
They returned home slowly as evening fell. Then as they passed from onehill to another, they found themselves overlooking the surroundingcountry, where new roofs and tall chimneys could be seen everywhere.
M. Vulfran took Perrine's hand.
"All that is your work, child," he said; "I only thought of business.See what you have done. But so that this can all be continued in theyears to come, we shall have to find you a husband, one who will beworthy of you, who will work for us. We will not ask anything more of him.I think one day we shall find the right man and we shall all be happy... en famille...."
THE END
THE BERRY PATCH
Josephine Lawrence
_12mo. Illustrated. Beautiful cloth binding, stamped in gold andjacket in colors._
_Price, $1.50 Net._
Line drawing of Berry Patch book cover]
_The Berry family home was called the Berry Patch because of the "cross-patch" dispositions of the children, but, at heart, they all wanted to be right, and so the clash of experiences at last brought good results. In the process of interesting events, the reform of the family brought about the reform of the community, with unhappy dispositions changed into lovable characters, that make good citizens and reach social success._
Elspeth Oliver is the girl whose energy keeps things whirling in theBerry Patch. Judge Berry was the great authority on what's what amongthem, and John Tabor, the school teacher, was the romantic character inthe community. All the human excitements of pride and self-will enterinto the various ambitions. Even generous impulses were taught restraintin the experiences of various kinds, showing that there is an appropriatetime and place for everything.
The Berry Patch children did not get into mischief from any desire tomake trouble, but because a surplus of energy was engaged in makingdiscoveries. However, the greatest of all discoveries was that experienceis a dear teacher, and random experiences sometimes cost many tears.Human nature in the "Berry Patch" is revealed in so many ways that itmakes profitable and interesting reading for those who are troubled withhousehold troubles.
_Send for Our Free Illustrated Catalogue._
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, PUBLISHERS New York
ROSEMARY
JOSEPHINE LAWRENCE
_12mo. Illustrated, Beautiful cloth binding, stamped in gold withcover inlay and jacket in colors._
_Price $1.50 Net._
Line drawing of Rosemary Book Cover]
_This lively story of charming little girls awakens the fancy andstimulates the ambition of all little readers to be approved of theirassociates, and to win the admiration of their worthiest friends. Theinspiration to do one's best in both work and play, with due regard forthe comfort and welfare of others, is one of the fine merits of thisstory._
ROSEMARY
Rosemary Willis is twelve years old, the eldest of three sisters. She ischarming, quick and radiant, with a snappy temper. As she is theresponsible one, she has many hard struggles to do the right thing inthe right way. Sarah is two years younger. She is the peculiar one, withher love for all kinds of animals about the farm, and her unsocial,stubborn disposition. Her unruly ideas lead her into numerous troublesbefore she changes her mind. Shirley is the baby and pet of six years.As she gets her own way so often, she is badly spoiled and receives manyhard knocks before she begins to appreciate the comfort and interest ofothers. Dr. Hugh is their big brother, who has the care of them in theabsence of their parents, and he ranges in their estimation all the wayfrom terrible tyrant to wonderful, necessary brother. There are otherswho help complicate as well as untangle troubles, and fill up theexperience of the story with interesting glimpses of life.
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CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, PUBLISHERS New York
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