“It is very improbable; still we must be prepared for all that can happen. Should it be any one we know, say that we have come here—for a day or two. Say that we are—just leaving—or better, say that you are alone, and that where I am you do not know.”
It was Helen’s turn now to be pale. “Papa, how can I say all these things?” she cried. “If I could, if the truth did not matter, the Vieux-bois would know I was lying. And, papa! oh, if you would but tell me! If it was only that you were ruined, why should you be afraid of English visitors? I think I could bear it better if you would tell me the truth. Is it only—what you call ruin, papa? meaning that you have lost your money?” she said.
“It is only—ruin. That is a tolerably big word. I don’t know what you could wish more.”
“But meaning that you have lost your money? You have not lost all your money,” she said with some vehemence. “You have given—a great deal, to poor Baptiste. We are in no want of anything. You cannot have lost it all—that is not true.”
A dull sort of smile came upon his face. “Such things happen every day,” he said. “A man may lose all his money and may yet have what will do to go on with. Besides, it is Janey’s, not mine.”
Helen looked at him with such wistful wonder, with such a pained entreaty in her face, that he went on with an embarrassed laugh, “The short and the long of it, if you will know, is this—Ruin means not starvation, as you may suppose, but owing money which you cannot pay.”
A hopeful gleam flew across her face. “But then, so long as there is any we can always go on paying. Ah, poor Baptiste! it would be hard to take it from him now; but we could save a great deal, papa; and you shall have mine if you like, and welcome. And perhaps they would take it in instalments, as the poor people used to do at the Fareham Club.”
“Hush!” he said; “you don’t understand anything about it. I want no more conversation on this subject.”
“But, papa, I do understand: what can be more simple? Take the money we have, and pay as far as it will go, and then we could go home.”
“You are a little fool,” Mr Goulburn said.