All at once Pierre, who likewise was anxious, no longer knowing what to
think, perceived M. de Guersaint and Marie quietly talking with Abbe
Judaine on the covered platform. He hastened to join them, and told them
of his impatience. "What have you been doing?" he asked. "I was losing
all hope."
"What have we been doing?" responded M. de Guersaint, with quiet
astonishment. "We were at the Grotto, as you know very well. There was a
priest there, preaching in a most remarkable manner, and we should still
be there if I hadn't remembered that we had to leave. And we took a fly
here, as we promised you we would do."
He broke off to look at the clock. "But hang it all!" he added, "there's
no hurry. The train won't start for another quarter of an hour."
This was true. Then Marie, smiling with divine joy, exclaimed: "Oh! if
you only knew, Pierre, what happiness I have brought away from that last
visit to the Blessed Virgin. I saw her smile at me, I felt her giving me
strength to live. Really, that farewell was delightful, and you must not
scold us, Pierre."
He himself had begun to smile, somewhat ill at ease, however, as he
thought of his nervous fidgeting. Had he, then, experienced so keen a
desire to get far away from Lourdes? Had he feared that the Grotto might
keep Marie, that she might never come away from it again? Now that she
was there beside him, he was astonished at having indulged such thoughts,
and felt himself to be very calm.
However, whilst he was advising them to go and take their seats in the
carriage, he recognised Doctor Chassaigne hastily approaching.
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