Mazarine

Mazarine is presented at two moments of family care: she visits Franz in the hospital after his severe head injury, and later writes from Europe to Markus with news and practical instructions. At Franz’s bedside, her encounter becomes a threshold between the young man she remembers and an adult future shaped by injury and uncertainty; in her letter, she helps maintain the family’s connections across distance.

Hospital Visit

After traveling across the country with Delphine and her baby, Mazarine reaches the hospital ward where Franz is being treated. Delphine accompanies her to the double doors but stays in the hall, taking the baby so Mazarine can go in first. Mazarine proceeds between the beds to Franz’s curtained space, where the scale of the ward and the conditions of the patients make the visit difficult.

Crossing the curtain, she understands the encounter as a passage from the before to the after: from Franz as he exists in her memory and imagination to the man now lying in the bed. Until she sees him, he can remain perfect in her recollection, a boy or young man; facing his injuries means confronting a grown-up relationship and its compromises. The narrative gives this recognition its own physical setting—the curtain separates not just beds but the remembered past from an altered present.

At Franz’s Bedside

Franz is asleep under medication. Mazarine sits with him, holding on to the temporary illusion that he is still the Franz she remembers, until the illusion becomes unbearable. His breathing is so slight that she cannot see his chest move. His injured head is bandaged, and bruising extends down his neck. The doctor cannot say how much of his condition will improve.

Mazarine holds Franz’s wrist, tightening and loosening her grip as if her own strength might reach him. The gesture expresses care without suggesting that she can control the outcome. The curtains around the bed form a closed screen, while the future remains unresolved: she is present with Franz, but neither his recovery nor their life together can yet be known.

Family Connections Across Distance

Later, while in Europe, Mazarine writes to Markus in North Dakota. Her letter mixes concern about Fidelis’s health with everyday family matters. She urges Markus to arrange a thorough examination for Fidelis, asks him to watch the new help and note when they arrive at work, and mentions the food she and her companions have been eating, including sauerbraten, venison, and pastries.

She also sends messages for other members of the family: Markus should tell Mazarine’s mother to take charcoal pills for gas, and ask Mazarine to kiss Johannes if he will stand still long enough. The letter’s practical, affectionate details make Mazarine part of the family’s ongoing care network even while she is away. It closes with her eagerness to return home to North Dakota for good.