The Orphans of Simitra by Paul-Jacques Bonzon

Author:Paul-Jacques Bonzon
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2022-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

12

Mina had not come back. Next morning, they all tried to believe that, as the customs man had suggested, she had spent the night in some makeshift shelter and would return of her own accord. But that hope soon left them. Anxiety grew into anguish. Porphyras, beyond tears, was completely overwhelmed.

Mrs. van Hoolen stayed with him the whole morning. While the farmer, who had harnessed his best horse, went to Kruinen to inform the burgomaster of the child's disappearance, and to give the police all details, his wife did what she could to get to the bottom of the mystery.

"Are you quite sure, Porphyras, that she told you nothing?”

“Nothing."

"Yet you seemed so worried yesterday when you and Piet came back from Kruinen. I didn't pay much attention at the time; but I do remember that you asked me where Mina was the minute you got in the house… and Piet tells me you were anxious to leave the garage much earlier than usual."

"I know, I was a bit worried.”

"You know you can speak quite freely to me, Porphyras. Did anyone on the farm do anything to upset her badly? People are sometimes clumsy even when they don't mean to be!”

"Oh no, Mrs. Van Hoolen, Mina loved you all, you've all been so good to her."

"Well, then?"

"I just don't know."

"Could it be anything to do with that letter you had from Greece?”

Porphyras hung his head and his face grew red. There was a silence.

"Yes, perhaps," he said.

For a moment he hesitated. Then he realized that even if it hurt Mrs. van Hoolen, he must tell her what had happened. He explained how unhappy Mina had been since her arrival in Holland, because she could not get used to a country so different from her own. She was afraid of the coming winter. So one day he had written to the orphanage at home. Oh no, he'd said nothing against Mr. and Mrs. van Hoolen, simply that Mina was unhappy and the Dutch sky always sad. The answer had been a terrible shock to Mina. "And that's all,” said Porphyras. "That's all I know… But please don't think that she was unhappy because of you… And I'm sure she didn't mean to run away!”

He looked up. Mrs. van Hoolen was crying.

"Poor children!" she murmured, taking Porphyras' hands in her own. "I understand only too well. Nothing can ever take the place of our own country, our own home. Don't try to apologize. I feel we should apologize to you, because we don't always know how to help you to forget your grief. I did so hope that this house would become your own. Still, what you tell me gives me a gleam of hope… Mina will come back. Where could she go, what would become of her, without you? The poor little thing!"

Porphyras allowed himself to feel hopeful again. The burgomaster of Kruinen had put an announcement about the disappearance of the little Greek girl in all the regional newspapers of Goederen, in case anyone should come upon her.

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