When I came back to the chateau I found the lawyer there.
He said, "I understand from your brother that he knew nothing about the new contract with Charvalet.
Perhaps you would explain the matter?"
Paul said, "Monsieur Talbert tells me that the new contract is different from the old one on the
most important point--the prices. Does that mean that everything you told me and Jacques on your
return from Paris was untrue?"
"Yes."
"But why? Why did you want to make fools of us?"
"I changed my mind after I came back from Paris. I thought that this was the only way to save the
glass factory. Don't ask me why. You would not understand."
"I think it is only fair to me to let me see the contract."
I threw my keys on the table. "It's in the bag in my dressing-room."
Marie-Nole jumped up. "I'll find it." She came back and gave it to Paul. He turned over the pages.
"You know that this goes against all we agreed before you went to Paris?"
"Yes."
"You have signed it and sent it back?"
"Yes."
"That means that it is impossible for me to run the glass factory for you."
He gave the contract back to me. "I don't pretend to be clever, but if I had gone to Paris I could
have done better than that."
The Comtesse said, "The funeral will be on Friday." She turned to the lawyer. "I do not think we
need keep you any more."
He shook hands with and went out.
I went outside and stood uner the window. Paul joined me. He smoked in silence for a minute. Then
he said.
"I meant what I said just now--that it is impossible for me to run the factory for you any more.
Until now I have respected your business judgment. Now I cannot do that."
"Supposing," I said slowly, "that is future I trust your business judgment instead of you trusting
mine."
"What do you mean?"
"You said that, if you had gone to Paris, you could have done better than I did. You're right. In
future you shall take on that part of the business--travel, getting orders, going to Paris, London,
anywhere, while I stay here."
"You mean that I'm to travel in Europe and America, visiting other small factories like ours,
seeing how they keep on going with more modern ways of working? So when I come back we might do the
same here?"
His voice was suddenly interested. I had produced an idea which would give his life new meaning.
Instead of being younger brother he would be changed into one who made decisions and might be able
to bring fresh life into what had been dying.
"I believe you could do that. Talk to Renee and see what she says."
"Renee!" he said. "I think it might be the answer for us both. We haven't been very happy. If I can
get her away from here it will be different. I'll talk to Renee tonight, before there's any chance
of your changing your mind."
"I shan't change my mind," I said. I held out my hand to him, and he shook it.
The Comtesse came down to dinner. I had never before seen her in the dining-room. She took her place
opposite me at the end of the table, and her presence there gave a sudden warmth and grandness to
the meal. She made us feel a family--an important family.
At the end of the meal I saw that she had suddenly turned grey. Her eyes moved restlessly about the
room and they lost all life.
"I'm going to take you upstairs," I said quietly. "We'll look at those lists of people in your room.
I offered her my arm, and she stood up.
"Good night, everybody," she said.
When we reached her room, I said, "I shall stay here in this room with you tonight, Mama."
In the darkness she began to talk and whisper in a half-sleep. Sometimes she cried out, cursing.
Sometimes she prayed. And all the time she held my hand. Just after five o'clock she fell asleep.