"Me," he whispered in a shaken voice. Etiennne,I mean,Doctor Barye,usually only made sense to himself the first time he spoke,it had been that way since his parting with that pretty little widow. Now,of course,I am not one to dilly dally in other's affairs,but if you ask me,he was far better off without .that. woman That sickening female who hated the poor infant in my arms.
I turned from the doctor in unnerved silenced. I cared for both of them,Pearl perhaps more than Etienne. I walked out of the room to bathe the child,then feed her..not knowing she had already been fed,as well as to leave the doctor in peace. Truth be told,I would have adopted that charming little girl on the spot should he have asked for my hand. I made out the words "assylum" and "He" later,when Etienne was having a bit of a yell at nothing but the walls. I had no idea what he was talking about at the time. I supposed it could be a former patient,or a friend. It didn't really matter so long as he wasn't talking about Pearl in such a way.
The child cooed and squirmed in my arms,but for all the love I had for this little one,I could not bring myself to look at her wretchedly scarred body that day. I couldn't help wondering why God had forsaken this once,doll-like face,which would have won any man's heart later in life no doubt,to this terrible mask of scar and sore,disease and...disfigurement.
Our local priest,Father Rouen himself,had scarcely seen the child during her coma,though Etienne semmed to pay it no mind. He had seemed to lose a bit of his faith when Pearl had gotten sick. I heard him enter his office and begin to write something. Even though the soft scratching was really barely audible,it seemed to me that it echoed throughout the entire house.
When he emerged a quarter of an hour later or so,he carried a small letter addressed to someone in Boscherville. Madeleine! Ouuu..how the very existance of that female annoyed me sometimes! "I shall be back shortly,Melinda."He spoke softly,having noticed little Pearl was fast asleep. "I must only find a messenger willing to take this to her...for the right price." I simply nodded in my normal,timid manner. I was hardly ready to admit my feelings to him. Once he had his cloak from the closet I received a polite nod. He then walked out and closed the door as silently as he could,leaving me,as always,to tend to Pearl and the animals.
He did not return that night.
Two days later,Doctor Barye was rushed into the office,unconcious,his legs at odd angles. The story was simple. Having been unable to find a willing messenger,he had decided to deliver the note himself. Unfortunatly,though unclear wether he was hiring a driver or simply renting a horse,a carriage had run over him. He was lucky to be alive,for all,we were sure he would never walk again.
I turned from the doctor in unnerved silenced. I cared for both of them,Pearl perhaps more than Etienne. I walked out of the room to bathe the child,then feed her..not knowing she had already been fed,as well as to leave the doctor in peace. Truth be told,I would have adopted that charming little girl on the spot should he have asked for my hand. I made out the words "assylum" and "He" later,when Etienne was having a bit of a yell at nothing but the walls. I had no idea what he was talking about at the time. I supposed it could be a former patient,or a friend. It didn't really matter so long as he wasn't talking about Pearl in such a way.
The child cooed and squirmed in my arms,but for all the love I had for this little one,I could not bring myself to look at her wretchedly scarred body that day. I couldn't help wondering why God had forsaken this once,doll-like face,which would have won any man's heart later in life no doubt,to this terrible mask of scar and sore,disease and...disfigurement.
Our local priest,Father Rouen himself,had scarcely seen the child during her coma,though Etienne semmed to pay it no mind. He had seemed to lose a bit of his faith when Pearl had gotten sick. I heard him enter his office and begin to write something. Even though the soft scratching was really barely audible,it seemed to me that it echoed throughout the entire house.
When he emerged a quarter of an hour later or so,he carried a small letter addressed to someone in Boscherville. Madeleine! Ouuu..how the very existance of that female annoyed me sometimes! "I shall be back shortly,Melinda."He spoke softly,having noticed little Pearl was fast asleep. "I must only find a messenger willing to take this to her...for the right price." I simply nodded in my normal,timid manner. I was hardly ready to admit my feelings to him. Once he had his cloak from the closet I received a polite nod. He then walked out and closed the door as silently as he could,leaving me,as always,to tend to Pearl and the animals.
He did not return that night.
Two days later,Doctor Barye was rushed into the office,unconcious,his legs at odd angles. The story was simple. Having been unable to find a willing messenger,he had decided to deliver the note himself. Unfortunatly,though unclear wether he was hiring a driver or simply renting a horse,a carriage had run over him. He was lucky to be alive,for all,we were sure he would never walk again.