“Christmas Eve it was,” assented old Gloannec, putting away his snuff-box and brushing himself. “Well, I for one am not sorry that the good God has decided to take him to Himself, and, without disrespect, I think He might have made up His mind earlier.”
“Because the poor young man has suffered so much, you mean?” said his wife. “Yes, you are right there. But last night, when I was up with him, he had not nearly so much pain as usual. Yet it is a bad sign that he is so much weaker. He is worn out, I think.”
“If only we could have had a surgeon,” said Mathurin. “Well, well. . . . Yet, thank the saints, if we have not been able to do much for his body, we shall have done the best we could for his soul, and may God have mercy on it.”
He had scarcely completed the sign of the cross with which he accompanied this pious adjuration before the latch of the door clicked. They had neither of them heard the approaching footsteps.
As M. des Graves, following his tall young guide, and clad like him in Breton dress, stepped out of the whipping February blast into the warm kitchen, the place appeared to him to be much darker than it really was. Then, as the apparent gloom lightened, he saw, in the greenish light of the peat fire, the three Breton faces looking at him with a reverent and wistful attention.
“First of all give us your blessing, Monsieur l’Abbé,” said Mathurin, hobbling forward. “It is long since we had a priest in this house.” And with his wife and his son he fell on his knees to receive it.
As they rose M. des Graves glanced instinctively towards the lit clos, which, with its carved panels, its chest, and its little holy-water stoup, stood as usual in the corner by the hearth. Madame Gloannec saw the look.
“No, Monsieur l’Abbé: he is above, in the granary. It is a poor place for a sick man, but it was safer in case the Blues searched for fugitives. Indeed, they did so once, and we had to cover the bed with hay. Will your Reverence come to him now?”
“He is conscious, I suppose?” asked the priest. “How long has he been in danger?”