“No, Mother, you know we need you,” he said.
They were no longer alone, and a short time after, at the porter’s call they went out on the platform. There they saw in the darkness the two headlights of the express flash as it sped on towards them. The moment of farewell had come. Never had Madame Guibert shown so much emotion. Again and again she cried, “My son, my dear son,” while she embraced him. He smiled to reassure her.
Her last words were a prayer:
“May God bless you and keep you!”
All bent and bowed to the earth which was drawing her towards it, she went back on Paule’s arm to Trélaz’s carriage.
“Don’t be unhappy, Mother dear,” said Paule, comforting her. “It is only for a year. You used to be so much braver.”
All the time she herself was in torture because of the secret that had been entrusted to her.
On the way home they were silent. During the evening at Le Maupas Madame Guibert suddenly burst into tears.
“I am so afraid I shall never see him again,” she murmured, when she could give voice to her grief.
“But he is running no risks,” Paule assured her, surprised and alarmed at this strange presentiment of a danger of which she alone was aware.