Christine looked up at her with a look of understanding and pain.
– 'Yes, Cassie mustn't know,' she replied quietly to her sister.
– What are we going to do now? Lord, what are we to do? Oh, what grief! – The peasants cried out, and the wailing began again.
– We must bury him as a good Christian," said Catherine, turning again to the crowd. – And a new pastor must be sent for at once!
– Where? Where will we find him? – replied the peasants, who did not understand how to make sense of this terrible turn of events.
– I will take care of it," said Mr. Pilough loudly, touched by the scene. – I will write to London at once, and a new parson will be sent to you, while you make the funeral arrangements.
Without further ado the architect mounted his horse and rode off to the manor.
The parson's body was carefully carried to the church, where it was washed, changed into the parson's attire, in which he had conducted the services, then the local undertaker took his measurements and began to build the coffin. The peasants went home weeping and praying for the soul of the pastor who had left them. Those peasants who were not in the field soon learnt of his death. The children, however, were told the same thing as Cassie. Cassie herself, who returned home in the evening, contented and cheerful, quickly ate the supper Kate had prepared and, tired, went to bed.
The older sisters sat for a long time in their father's room, on his mattress, holding hands: Kate looked at the crucifix with a fanatical gleam in her eyes, and Chris stared thoughtfully at one point on the wall. Both girls clearly realised that from that day on they were completely alone, and that now they had no one but their sisters. But still, they did not fully believe in their father's death, as if it were some bad dream, and their father would come home any minute and embrace them. Then Christine did go to bed, but could not sleep until the morning, hearing Catherine praying in a loud whisper in her father's room.
"God help us!" – Christine thought, and wept bitterly, trying not to let her cries be heard by her sisters. In the morning the girl cautiously approached Kate, who was still sitting by the crucifix praying.
– Catherine, go get some sleep, and I'll make breakfast and feed Cassie," she said affectionately to her sister, touching her shoulder.