THE HUT ON THE ISLAND
When she awoke a pale streak of light fell across the window, but it was
so feeble that it did not lighten the room. Outside the cocks were
crowing. Day was breaking.
A chill, damp air was penetrating through the opening she had made in
the window, but in spite of that the bad odor in the room still
remained. It was dreadful!
Yet all the girls slept a deep slumber, only broken now and again with a
stifled moan.
Very quietly she got up and dressed. Then taking her shoes in her hands
she crept down the stairs to the door. She put on her shoes and went
out.
Oh! the fresh, delicious air! Never had she taken a breath with such
thankfulness. She went through the little yard with her mouth wide open,
her nostrils quivering, her head thrown back. The sound of her footsteps
awoke a dog, which commenced to bark; then several other dogs joined in.
But what did that matter? She was no longer a little tramp at whom dogs
were at liberty to bark. If she wished to leave her bed she had a
perfect right to do so; she had paid out money for it.
The yard was too small for her present mood; she felt she must move
about. She went out onto the road and walked straight ahead without
knowing where.
The shades of night still filled the roads, but above her head she saw
the dawn already whitening the tops of the trees and the roofs of the
houses. In a few minutes it would be day. At this moment the clang of a
bell broke the deep silence. It was the factory clock striking three.
She still had three more hours before going to work.
How should she pass the time? She could not keep walking until six, she
would be too tired; so she would find a place where she could sit down
and wait.
The sky was gradually getting brighter, and round about her various
forms were taking a concrete shape.
At the end of a glade she could see a small hut made of branches and
twigs which was used by the game keepers during the winter. She thought
that if she could get to the hut she would be hidden there and no one
would see her and inquire what she was doing out in the fields at that
early hour.
She found a small trail, barely traced, which seemed to lead to the hut.
She took it, and although it led her straight in the direction of the
little cabin, she had not reached it when the path ended, for it was
built upon a small island upon which grew three weeping willows. Around
it was a ditch full of water. Fortunately, the trunk of a tree had been
thrown across the ditch. Although it was not very straight, and was wet
with the morning dew, which made it very slippery, Perrine was not
deterred from crossing.
She managed to get across, and soon found herself before the door of the
little hut, which she only had to push to open.
Oh, what a pretty nest! The hut was square, and from roof to floor was
lined inside with ferns. There was a little opening on each of the four
sides, which from without was invisible, but from within one could gain
a good view of the surrounding country. On the ground was a thick bed of
ferns, and in one of the corners a bench made from the trunk of a tree.
How delightful! And how little it resembled the room she had just left!
How much better it would be for her if she could sleep here in the fresh
air, sleeping in peace amongst the ferns, with no other noise but the
rustling of the leaves and the ripple of the water.
How much better to be here than lying between Mother Francoise's hard
sheets, listening to the complaints of La Noyelle and her friends in
that dreadful atmosphere which even now seemed to assail her nostrils.
She laid down on the ferns, curled up in a corner against the soft walls
covered with reeds, then closed her eyes. Before long she felt a soft
numbness creeping over her. She jumped to her feet, fearing that she
might drop off to sleep and not awake before it was time for her to go
to the factory.
The sun had now risen, and through the aperture facing east a streak of
gold entered the hut. Outside the birds were singing, and all over the
tiny island, on the pond, on the branches of the weeping willows, was
heard a confusion of sounds, twittering and little shrill cries which
announced an awakening to life. Looking out of the window, she could see
the birds picking at the humid earth with their beaks, snapping at the
worms. Over the pond floated a light mist. A wild duck, far prettier
than the tame ducks, was swimming on the water, surrounded with her
young. She tried to keep them beside her with continual little quacks,
but she found it impossible to do so. The ducklings escaped from the
mother duck, scurrying off amongst the reeds to search for the insects
which came within their reach.
Suddenly a quick blue streak, like lightning, flashed before Perrine's
eyes. It was not until it had disappeared that she realized that it was
a kingfisher which had just crossed the pond. For a long time, standing
quite still for fear a movement might betray her presence and cause the
birds to fly away, she stood at the opening looking out at them. How
pretty it all was in the morning light, gay, alive, amusing, something
new to look upon.
Now and again she saw dark shadows pass capriciously over the pond. The
shadows grew larger without apparent cause, covering the pond. She could
not understand this, for the sun, which had risen above the horizon, was
shining in the sky without a cloud. How did these shadows come?
She went to the door and saw a thick black smoke coming from the factory
chimneys.
Work would commence very soon; it was time to leave the hut. As she was
about to go she picked up a newspaper from the seat that she had not
noticed before in the dim light. The newspaper was dated February 2.
Then this thought came to her: This newspaper was on the only spot in
the place where one could sit down, and the date of it was several
months previous, so then this proved that the hut had been abandoned and
no one had passed through the door since last February.