Part 1, Storm In June: Chapters 23 and 24 Summary

Poor old Monsieur Pericand is found in his bed and taken to a nursing home. He is only momentarily lucid and has a high fever. He calls out to his daughter-in-law to bring the Notary so that he can get his last wishes recorded, and is surprised to see her in a wimple, because she is, of course, not there and he is actually seeing one of the nuns who is attending him.

One of the young sisters, Marie, who is helping to tend to the home's fifteen patients, goes on the nursing home's bicycle to fetch the notary, Maitre Charboeuf. The notary goes to Monsieur Pericand, and asks a few people to witness the meeting. Monsieur Pericand has been looking forward to this moment when he can claim control over the family...