The old doctor understood English fairly well when it was quietly spoken; but he did not in the least understand it in a storm. Sobbing, trembling, Mrs. Fennel was beseeching him not to hold a post-mortem on her poor dead sister, for the love of mercy.
Surprised and distressed, he placed her on the sofa, soothed her into calmness, and then bade her tell him quietly what her pet.i.tion was. She repeated it--begging, praying, imploring him not to disturb her sister now she was at rest; but to let her be put into her grave in peace.
Well, well, said the compa.s.sionate old man; if it would pain the relatives so greatly to have it done, he and Monsieur Podevin would, of course, abandon the idea. It would be a satisfaction to them both to be able to decide upon the cause of death, but they did not wish to proceed in it against the feelings of the family.
Sainteville woke up in the morning to a shock. Half the townspeople still believed that Miss Preen was leaving that day, Tuesday, for Boulogne; and to hear that she would not go on that journey, that she would never go on any earthly journey again, that she was _dead_, shook them to the centre.
What had been the matter with her?--what had killed her so quickly in the midst of life and health? Groups asked this; one group meeting another. "Inflammation," was the answer--for that report had somehow started itself. She caught a chill on the Sunday, probably when leaving the church after morning service; it induced speedy and instant inflammation, and she had died of it.
With softened steps and mournful faces, hosts of people made their way to the Place Ronde. Only to take a glimpse at the outside of the Maison Rouge brought satisfaction to excited feelings. Monsieur Gustave Sauvage had caused his white shop window-blinds to be drawn half-way down, out of respect to the dead; all the windows above had the green persiennes closed before them. The calamity had so greatly affected old Madame Sauvage that she lay in bed.
When her sons returned indoors after the death had taken place, their mother called them to her room. Nancy"s violent ringing had disturbed her, and she had lain since then in anxiety, waiting for news.
"Better not tell the mother to-night," whispered Emile to his brother outside her door.
But the mother"s ears were quick; she was sitting up in bed, and the door was ajar. "Yes, you will tell me, my sons," she said. "I am fearing the worst."
"Well, mother, it is all over," avowed Gustave. "The attack was more violent than the one last night, and the poor lady is gone."
"May the good G.o.d have taken her to His rest!" fervently aspirated madame. But she lay down in the bed in her distress and covered her face with the white-frilled pillow and sobbed a little. Gustave and Emile related a few particulars.
"And what was really the malady? What is it that she has died of?"
questioned the mother, wiping her eyes.
"That is not settled; n.o.body seems to know," replied Gustave.
Madame Veuve Sauvage lay still, thinking.
"I--hope--that--man--has--not--done--her--any--injury!" she slowly said.
"I hope not either; there is no appearance of it," said Monsieur Gustave. "Any way, mother, she had two skilful doctors with her, honest men and upright. Better not admit such thoughts."
"True, true," murmured madame, appeased. "I fear the poor dear lady must have taken a chill, which struck inwardly. That handsome demoiselle, the cousin of Monsieur le Procureur, died of the same thing, you may remember. Good-night, my sons; you leave me very unhappy."
About eight o"clock in the morning, Monsieur Jules Carimon heard of it.
In going through the large iron entrance-gates of the college to his day"s work, he found himself accosted by one of two or three young gamins of pupils, who were also entering. It was Dion Pamart. The well-informed reader is of course aware that the French educational colleges are attended by all cla.s.ses, high and low, indiscriminately.
"Monsieur, have you heard?" said the lad, with timid deprecation.
"Mademoiselle is dead."
Monsieur Jules Carimon turned his eyes on the speaker. At first he did not recognize him: his own work lay with the advanced desks.
"Ah, c"est Pamart, n"est-ce-pas?" said he. "What did you say, my boy?
Some one is dead?"
Dion Pamart repeated his information. The master, inwardly shocked, took refuge in disbelief.
"I think you must be mistaken, Pamart," said he.
"Oh no, I"m not, sir. Mademoiselle was taken frightfully ill again last night, and they fetched my mother. They had two doctors to her and all; but they couldn"t do anything for her, and she died. Grandmother gave me my breakfast just now; she said my mother was crying too much to come home. The other lady, the captain"s wife, has been in hysterics all night."
"Go on to your desks," commanded Monsieur Carimon to the small fry now gathered round him.
He turned back home himself. When he entered the salle-a-manger, Pauline was carrying away the last of the breakfast-things. Her mistress stood putting a little water on a musk plant in the window.
"Is it you, Jules?" she exclaimed. "Have you forgotten something?"
Monsieur Jules shut the door. "I have not forgotten anything," he answered. "But I have heard of a sad calamity, and I have come back to prepare you, Marie, before you hear it from others."
He spoke solemnly; he was looking solemn. His wife put down the jug of water on the table. "A calamity?" she repeated.
"Yes. You will grieve to hear it. Your friend, Miss Preen, was--was taken ill last night with the same sort of attack, but more violent; and she----"
"Oh, Jules, don"t tell me, don"t tell me!" cried Mary Carimon, lifting her hands to ward off the words with a too sure prevision of what they were going to be.
"But, my dear, you must be told sooner or later," remonstrated he; "you cannot go through even this morning without hearing it from one person or another. Flore"s boy was my informant. In spite of all that could be done by those about her, poor lady--in spite of the two doctors who were called to her aid--she died."
Madame Carimon was a great deal too much stunned for tears. She sank back in a chair with a face of stone, feeling that the room was turning upside down about her.
An hour later, when she had somewhat gathered her scattered senses together, she set off for the Pet.i.te Maison Rouge. Her way lay past the house of Monsieur Podevin; old Monsieur Dupuis was turning out of it as she went by. Madame Carimon stopped.
"Yes," the doctor said, when a few words had pa.s.sed, "it is a most desolating affair. But, as madame knows, when Death has laid his grasp upon a patient, medical craft loses its power to resist him."
"Too true," murmured Mary Carimon. "And what is it that she has died of?"
Monsieur Dupuis shook his head to indicate that he did not know.
"I could have wished for an examination, to ascertain the true cause of the seizure," continued the doctor, "and I come now from expressing my regrets to my confrere, Monsieur Podevin. He agrees with me in deciding that we cannot press it in opposition to the family. Captain Fennel was quite willing it should take place, but his wife, poor distressed woman, altogether objects to it."
Mary Carimon went on to the house of death. She saw Lavinia, looking so peaceful in her stillness. A happy smile sat on her countenance. On her white attire lay some sweet fresh primroses, which Flore had placed there. Lavinia loved primroses. She used to say that when she looked at them they brought to her mind the woods and dales of b.u.t.termead, always carpeted with the pale, fair blossoms in the spring of the year. Mrs.
Fennel lay in a heavy sleep, exhausted by her night of distress, Flore informed Madame Carimon; and the captain, anxious about her, was sitting in her room, to guard against her being disturbed.
On the next day, Wednesday, in obedience to the laws of France relating to the dead, Lavinia Preen was buried. All the English gentlemen in the town, and some Frenchmen, including Monsieur Carimon and the sons of Madame Veuve Sauvage, a.s.sembled in the Place Ronde, and fell in behind the coffin when it was brought forth. They walked after it to the portion of the cemetery consecrated to Protestants, and there witnessed the interment. The tears trickled down Charley Palliser"s face as he took his last look into the grave, and he was honest enough not to mind who saw them.
XIII.
In their new mourning, at the English Church, the Sunday after the interment of Lavinia Preen, appeared Captain and Mrs. Fennel. The congregation looked at them more than at the parson. Poor Nancy"s eyes were so blinded with tears that she could not see the letters in her Prayer-book. Only one little week ago when she had sat there, Lavinia was on the bench at her side, alive and well; and now---- It was with difficulty Nancy kept herself from breaking down.
Two or three acquaintances caught her hand on leaving the church, whispering a few words of sympathy in her ear. Not one but felt truly sorry for her. The captain"s hat, which had a wide band round it, was perpetually raised in acknowledgment of silent greetings, as he piloted his wife back to their house, the Pet.i.te Maison Rouge.
A very different dinner-table, this which the two sat down to, from last Sunday"s, in the matter of cheerfulness. Nancy was about half-way through the wing of the fowl her husband had helped her to, when a choking sob caught her throat. She dropped her knife and fork.
"Oh, Edwin, I cannot! I cannot eat for my unhappy thoughts! This time last Sunday Lavinia was seated at the table with us. Now----" Nancy"s speech collapsed altogether.
"Come, come," said Captain Fennel. "I hope you are not going to be hysterical again, Nancy. It is frightfully sad; I know that; but this prolonged grief will do no good. Go on with your dinner; it is a very nice chicken."
Nancy gave a great sob, and spoke impulsively, "I don"t believe you regret her one bit, Edwin!"
Edwin Fennel in turn laid down his knife and fork and stared at his wife. A curious expression sat on his face.