Part 18 (2/2)

”Amen.”

”Deliver, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant Zeen, as Thou deliveredst....”

”I'm on fire! I'm on fire!” howled Warten. ”My smock! My smock!”

And he jumped over all the chairs and rushed outside, with the others after him.

”Caught fire at the candle!” he cried, quite out of breath.

They put out the flames, pulled the smock over his head and poured water on his back, where his underclothes were smouldering.

”My smock, my smock!” he went on moaning. ”Brand-new! Cost me forty-six stuivers!”

And he stood with his smock in his hands, looking at the huge holes and rents.

They made a great noise, all together, and their sharp voices rang far and wide into the still night.

Virginie alone had remained by the bedside. She picked up the candle, lit it again, put it back on the rail of the bed and then went on reading the prayers. When she saw that Zeen lay very calmly and no longer breathed, she sprinkled him with holy water for the last time and then went outside:

”People ... he's with the Lord.”

It was as if their fright had made them forget what was happening indoors: they rushed in, eager to know ... and Zeen was dead.

”Stone-dead,” said Barbara.

”Hopped the twig!” said Warten.

”Quick! Hurry! The tobacco-seed will be tainted!” screamed Mite; and she s.n.a.t.c.hed down two or three linen bags which hung from the rafters and carried them outside.

First they moaned; then they tried to comfort one another, especially Zalia, who had dropped into a chair and turned very pale.

Then they set to work: Treze filled the little gla.s.ses; Barbara hung the water over the fire; and Warten, in his s.h.i.+rt-sleeves, stropped his razor to shave Zeen's beard.

”And the children! The children who are not here!” moaned Zalia. ”He ought to have seen the children!”

”First say the prayers,” ordered Virginie.

All knelt down and, while Warten shaved the dead man, it went:

”Come to his a.s.sistance, all ye saints of G.o.d; meet him, all ye angels of G.o.d: receiving his soul, offering it in the sight of the Most High....

”To Thee, O Lord, we commend the soul of Thy servant, that being dead to this world, he may live to Thee; and whatever sins he has committed in this life, through human frailty, do Thou, in Thy most merciful goodness, forgive....”

”Amen,” they answered.

Virginie shut her book, once more sprinkled holy water on the corpse and went home, praying as she went.

<script>