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 the Chantilly woods and that she was dying of hunger. It was her own donkey that 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 say who she was? You understand how deeply a little girl can feel, so can you 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 granddaughter together. For a long time the old man and the girl sat with their arms about each other. They only spoke now and again, just to exchange a word of affection.