AURELIE'S CHANCE
If Rosalie had not spoken to Perrine of the near opening of the shooting
season for water fowl, Perrine would have stayed on in her cabin unaware
of the danger that might come to her. Although this news came as a blow
to her, what Rosalie had said about M. Bendit and the translations she
might do for M. Mombleux gave her something else to think about.
Yes, her island was charming, and it would be a great grief for her to
leave it. And yet here was an opportunity where she could be useful to
two valued employes at the factory, and this step would lead to other
steps, and it would open doors perhaps through which she could pass
later. This was something that she should consider above all else, even
above the sorrow of being dispossessed of her little kingdom. It was not
for this game--robbing nests, catching fish, picking flowers, listening
to the birds sing--that she had endured all the misery and fatigue of
her long journey. She had an object in view. She must remember what her
mother told her to do, and do it.
She had told Rosalie that she would call at Mother Francoise's house on
Monday to see if Mombleux had need of her services. Rosalie came to
meet her and said that as no letters had come from England that Monday,
there would not be any translations to make that day, but perhaps there
would be something for the next day. This was at the luncheon hour, so
Perrine returned to the factory. It had just struck two when Ninepin
hopped up to her on his wooden leg and told her that she was wanted at
the offices at once.
"What for?" she asked in amazement.
"What's that to do with me? They just sent word for you to go to the
office ... go on," he said, roughly.
She hurried off. She could not understand. If it was a matter of helping
Mombleux with a translation, why should she have to go to the office,
where everyone could see her and know that he had had to ask for her
help?
She quickly went up the steps, where she saw Talouel standing outside
waiting for her.
"Are you the girl who speaks English?" he asked. "Now, no lies, 'cause
you speak French without an accent."
"My mother was English and my father was French," replied Perrine, "so I
speak both languages."
"Good. You are to go to Saint-Pipoy. Monsieur Paindavoine wants you."
She was so surprised at this news that she stood staring at the manager
in amazement.
"Well, stupid?" he said.
As though to excuse herself, she said:
"I was taken aback. I'm a stranger here and I don't know where
Saint-Pipoy is."
"You won't be lost; you are to go in the carriage," said the manager.
"Here, William...."
M. Paindavoine's horse and carriage, which had been standing in the
shade, now drew up.
"Here's the girl," said the manager to a young man. "Take her to M.
Paindavoine quickly."
Perrine was already down the steps, and was about to take her seat
beside William when he stopped her with a sign of his hand.
"Not here; take the back seat," he said.
There was a narrow seat for one person at the back. She got up into it
and they started off at a brisk trot.
When they had left the village behind William, slacking the horse's
speed, turned round to Perrine.
"You're going to have a chance to please the boss," he said.
"How so?" asked Perrine.
"He's got some English mechanics come over to put a machine together,
and they can't understand each other. He's got M. Mombleux there, who
says he can speak English, but if he does it isn't the same English as
these Englishmen speak. They keep on jabbering, but don't seem to
understand, and the boss is mad. It makes you split your sides to hear
'em. At last M. Mombleux couldn't go on any longer, and to calm the boss
he said that he knew of a girl named Aurelie in the factory who spoke
English, and the boss made me come off at once for you."
There was a moment's silence; then he turned round again to Perrine.
"If you speak English like M. Mombleux," he said mockingly, "perhaps
it'd be better if you didn't go any farther.
"Shall I put you down?" he added with a grin.
"You can go on," said Perrine, quietly.
"Well, I was just thinking for you; that's all," he said.
"Thank you; but I wish to go on, please."
Yet in spite of her apparent coolness, little Perrine was very nervous,
because, although she was sure of her English, she did not know what
sort of English the engineer spoke. As William had said mockingly, it
was not the same that M. Mombleux understood. And she fully realized
that there would be many technical words that she would not be able to
translate. She would not understand, and she would hesitate, and then
probably M. Paindavoine would be angry with her, the same as he had been
with M. Mombleux.
Above the tops of the poplars she could already see the great smoking
chimneys of the factories of Saint-Pipoy. She knew that spinning and
weaving were done here, the same as at Maraucourt, and, besides that, it
was here that they manufactured red rope and string. But whether she
knew that or not, it was nothing that would help her in the task before
her.
They turned the bend of the road. With a sweeping glance she could take
in all the great buildings, and although these works were not so large
as those of Maraucourt, they were nevertheless of considerable
importance.
The carriage passed through the great iron gates and soon stopped before
the main office.
"Come with me," said William.
He led her into an office where M. Paindavoine was seated talking to the
manager of the Saint-Pipoy works.
"Here's the girl, sir," said William, holding his hat in his hand.
"Very well; you can go," said his master.
Without speaking to Perrine, M. Paindavoine made a sign to his manager
to come nearer to him. Then he spoke to him in a low voice. The manager
also dropped his voice to answer. But Perrine's hearing was keen, and
she understood that they were speaking of her. She heard the manager
reply: "A young girl, about twelve or thirteen, who looks intelligent."
"Come here, my child," said M. Paindavoine, in the same tone that she
had already heard him use to Rosalie, and which was very different from
that which he used for his employes.
She felt encouraged and went up to him.
"What is your name?" he asked.
"Aurelie."
"Where are your father and mother?"
"They are both dead."
"How long have you been in my employ?"
"For three weeks."
"Where do you come from?"
"I have just come from Paris."
"You speak English?"
"My mother was English, and I can speak in conversation, and I understand,
but...."
"There are no 'buts'; you know or you do not know."
"I don't know the words used in various trades, because they use words that
I have never heard, and I don't know the meaning of them," said Perrine.
"You see, Benoist," said M. Paindavoine quickly; "what this little girl
says is so; that shows she is not stupid."
"She looks anything but that," answered Benoist.
"Well, perhaps we shall be able to manage somehow," said M. Vulfran. He
got up, and placing one arm on the manager, he leaned on his cane with
the other.
"Follow us, little girl," he said.
Perrine usually had her eyes about her and noticed everything that
happened, but she took no heed where she was going. As she followed in
her grandfather's footsteps, she was plunged in thought. What would be
the result of this interview with the English mechanics?
They came to a big red brick building. Here she saw Mombleux walking
back and forth, evidently in a bad humor, and it seemed to her that he
threw her anything but a friendly look.
They went in and were taken up to the first floor. Here in a big hall
stood a number of wooden crates bearing a firm's name, "Morton and
Pratt, Manchester." On one of the crates the Englishmen were sitting,
waiting. Perrine noticed that from their dress they had every appearance
of being gentlemen, and she hoped that she would be able better to
understand them than if they had been rough workingmen. When M. Vulfran
entered they rose.
"Tell them that you can speak English and that they can explain to you,"
said M. Vulfran.
She did what she was told, and at the first words she had the satisfaction
of seeing the Englishmen's faces brighten. It is true she only spoke a few
words to begin the conversation, but the pleasant smile they gave her
banished all her nervousness.
"They understand her perfectly," said the manager.
"Well, then, ask them," said M. Vulfran, "why they have come a week
earlier than the date arranged for their coming, because it so happens
that the engineer who was to direct them in their work, and who speaks
English, is away for a few days."
Perrine translated the phrase accurately, and one of the men answered at
once.
"They say," she said, "that they have been to Cambrai and put up some
machinery, and they got through with their work quicker than they thought
they would, so they came here direct instead of going back to England and
returning again."
"Whose machinery were they working on at Cambrai?" asked M. Vulfran.
"It was for the M. M. and E. Aveline and Company."
"What were the machines?"
The question was put and the reply was given in English, but Perrine
hesitated.
"Why do you hesitate?" asked M. Vulfran, impatiently.
"Because it's a word used in the business that I don't know," answered
Perrine, timidly.
"Say the word in English."
"Hydraulic mangle."
"That's all right," said M. Vulfran. He repeated the word in English,
but with quite a different accent from the English mechanics, which
explains why he had not understood them when they had spoken the words.
"You see that Aveline and Company are ahead of us," he said, turning to
his manager. "We have no time to lose. I am going to cable to Fabry to
return at once; but while waiting we must persuade these young men to
get to work. Ask them what they are standing there for, little girl."
She translated the question, and the one who seemed to be the chief gave
her a long answer.
"Well?" asked M. Vulfran.
"They are saying some things that are very difficult for me to understand."
"However, try and explain to me."
"They say that the floor is not strong enough to hold their machine,
which weighs...."
She stopped to question the workmen in English, who told her the weight.
"Ah, that is it, is it?" said M. Vulfran.
"And when the machine is started going its weight will break the
flooring," she continued, turning to M. Vulfran.
"The beams are sixty centimetres in width."
She told the men what M. Vulfran said, listened to their reply, then
continued:
"They say that they have examined the flooring, and that it is not safe
for this machine. They want a thorough test made and strong supports
placed under the floor."
"The supports can be placed there at once, and when Fabry returns a
thorough examination will be made. Tell them that. Let them get to work
without losing a moment. They can have all the workmen they need ...
carpenters and masons, millwrights. They have only to tell you. You have
to be at their service, and then you tell Monsieur Benoist what they
require."
She translated these instructions to the men, who appeared satisfied
when she told them that she was to stay and interpret for them.
"You will stay here," continued M. Vulfran. "Your food will be given to
you and also a lodging at the inn. You will have nothing to pay there.
And if we are pleased with you, you will receive something extra when
Monsieur Fabry returns."