uestion that had to be settled that day. When the immediate business
was settled Perrine was left alone with the blind man. He was silent.

Time passed; he did not move. She had often seen him sit still, but on
such occasions, from the expression on his face, she had known that he
was following his work as though he were watching with his eyes. He
listened to the whistle of the engines, the rolling of the trucks; he
was attentive to every sound and seemed to know exactly what was going
on, but now he seemed as though he were turned into a statue. There was
no expression in his face and he was so silent. He did not seem to be
breathing. Perrine was overcome by a sort of terror. She moved uneasily
in her chair; she did not dare speak to him.

Suddenly he put his two hands over his face and, as though unaware that
anyone was present, he cried: "My God! my God! you have forsaken me! Oh,
Lord, what have I done that you should forsake me!"

Then the heavy silence fell again. Perrine trembled when she heard his
cry, although she could not grasp the depth of his despair.

Everything that this man had attempted had been a success; he had
triumphed over his rivals; but now, with one blow, that which he wanted
most had been snatched from him. He had been waiting for his son; their
meeting, after so many years of absence, he had pictured to himself, and
then....

Then what?

"My God," cried the blind man again, "why have you taken him from me?"

CHAPTER XXIX

THE ANGEL OF REFORM

As the days passed M. Vulfran became very weak. At last he was confined
to his room with a serious attack of bronchitis, and the entire
management of the works was given over to Talouel, who was triumphant.

When he recovered he was in such a state of apathy that it was alarming.
They could not rouse him; nothing seemed to interest him, not even his
business. Previously they had feared the effect a shock would have on
his system, but now the doctors desired it, for it seemed that only a
great shock could drag him out of this terrible condition. What could
they do?

After a time he returned to his business, but he scarcely took account
of what Talouel had done during his absence. His manager, however, had
been too clever and shrewd to take any steps that his employer would not
have taken himself.

Every day Perrine took him to his various factories, but the drives were
made in silence now. Frequently he did not reply to the remarks she