Cécile: Gates of Gold

The Letter

Time continues to creep by, and by late November, there’s a brushing of snow on the ground. One evening, after a cool, empty walk through the grounds, Cécile is attending to the dogs while Madame and Françoise are out when Cécile hears a scratching on the door.

Philippe enters. He brings a letter, which is addressed to Cécile. It had been read and clumsily resealed. He stands patiently while Cécile opens and reads it. It is not from her father, but from a priest in her village.

The letter explains that Cécile’s father had passed away from smallpox. He was given last rites at the end, and buried in the local cemetery. Cécile pushes Philippe away, and her heart begins to feel empty. She wonders if he would’ve survived if she had been there to take care of him. Thinking of him on his deathbed reminds Cécile of her mother’s death, and all of the grief begins to pile up on her soul. She feels herself tumbling over the edge of a cliff and spiraling into darkness. She’ll never be able to ask him questions, or discover answers, or thank him for teaching her how to read and write.

Soon, Françoise and Madame return. The dogs scurry to their places by Madame’s desk. Soon, they notice Cécile is upset. When they read Cécile’s letter, they pull her into a sorrowful hug.