Later on Marise fell into a real sleep, deep and unbroken, and when she
woke up, much later than usual, to find Mlle. Hasparren all dressed, the
folding-bed put away, the window open and the sunshine coming in, she
found that she seemed to have grown stronger since yesterday, that the
black pit was not so fathomless. She felt infinitely older and as though
she would never laugh again. She lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling,
thinking fixedly about what had happened, and found that she could
endure it now without crying out or bursting into tears as she had done
yesterday. She could stand up under her burden, because there was no
other way. But she felt her shoulders bowed and aching with the weight.
Mlle. Hasparren heard her stir in bed, and sensed the awakened quality
of the movement. She came to look anxiously down at her. Marise looked
back and remembering that, so far as she knew, Mlle. Hasparren knew
nothing beyond the surface of the happenings of yesterday and so might
expect her to be able to smile, she produced a faint smile.
"I overslept," she said, in order to say something. "Has somebody
brought your breakfast?"
"No, I waited for you," answered Mlle. Hasparren. "I'll ring for
Isabelle now."
When Isabelle came, very self-important at taking Jeanne's place, she
reported that the Sister said Jeanne had passed a very good night and
was perfectly comfortable, with no complications. "She says Jeanne may
get all over it and be as good as ever. All old people have these
seizures, she says," chattered Isabelle, setting down the tray and
pouring out Marise's cafe-au-lait. She was full of her new dignity, and
bustled off to give orders to her assistant, leaving Marise and Mlle.
Hasparren to eat their breakfast. Mlle. Hasparren did not seem to feel
like talking much, and neither did Marise. She was trying to think what
it was she was to tell Papa. She must remember now just what it was that
everybody was to be told.
An hour later, as they went down the hall, on their way to the station
to meet the morning train, they saw the salon as usual at that hour, the
chairs pushed about, the rugs hanging over the window-sills, the fresh,
clean, new morning sun streaming in through the wide-open windows on the
familiar spectacle of Isabelle on her knees, a brush-broom in her hand
reaching under the piano for dust. The alcove curtains were drawn back,
the cheerful sunshine poured in, glittering on the dark polished wood of
the desk, on the yellow-covered books, on the pretty little inlaid chair
which stood beside the desk.
Was it only yesterday that Jeanne had flung her into that chair? She
stood in the door, as she put on her hat, looking steadily at the
alcove. No, that had been somebody else ... a little girl, a lucky,
lucky little girl, who had no idea what things were like.
"Come, dear," said Mlle. Hasparren, looking at her watch.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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