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"‘Youarecrazy!Aslongasyouknowthatitisnothe,whydoyousaysuchfoolishthings?’
"Butmyfatherinsisted:
"‘Goonoverandsee,Clarisse!Iwouldratherhaveyouseewithyourowneyes.’
"Shearoseandwalkedtoherdaughters.I,too,waswatchingtheman.Hewasold,dirty,wrinkled,anddidnotlifthiseyesfromhiswork.
"Mymotherreturned.Inoticedthatshewastrembling.Sheexclaimedquickly:
"‘Ibelievethatitishe.Whydon&aos;tyouaskthecatain?Butbeverycarefulthatwedon&aos;thavethisrogueonourhandsagain!’
"Myfatherwalkedaway,butIfollowedhim.Ifeltstrangelymoved.
"Thecatain,atall,thinman,withblondwhiskers,waswalkingalongthebridgewithanimortantairasifhewerecommandingtheIndianmailsteamer.
"Myfatheraddressedhimceremoniously,andquestionedhimabouthisrofession,addingmanycomliments:
"‘WhatmightbetheimortanceofJersey?Whatdiditroduce?Whatwastheoulation?Thecustoms?Thenatureofthesoil?&aos;etc.,etc..’
"‘Youhavethereanoldshelloenerwhoseemsquiteinteresting.Doyouknowanythingabouthim?’
"Thecatain,whomthisconversationbegantoweary,answereddryly:
"‘HeissomeoldFrenchtramwhomIfoundlastyearinAmerica,andIbroughthimback.ItseemsthathehassomerelativesinHavre,butthathedoesn&aos;twishtoreturntothembecauseheowesthemmoney.HisnameisJules-JulesDarmancheorDavrancheorsomethinglikethat.Itseemsthathewasoncerichoverthere,butyoucanseewhat&aos;sleftofhimnow.’
"Myfatherturnedashyaleandmuttered,histhroatcontracted,hiseyeshaggard.
"‘Ah!ah!verywell,verywell.I&aos;mnotintheleastsurrised.Thankyouverymuch,catain.’
"Hewentaway,andtheastonishedsailorwatchedhimdisaear.Hereturnedtomymothersousetthatshesaidtohim:
"‘Sitdown;someonewillnoticethatsomethingisthematter.’
"Hesankdownonabenchandstammered:
"‘It&aos;she!It&aos;she!’
"Thenheasked:
"‘Whatarewegoingtodo?’
"Sheansweredquickly:‘Wemustgetthechildrenoutoftheway.SinceJosehknowseverything,hecangoandgetthem.Wemusttakegoodcarethatourson-in-lawdoesn&aos;tfindout.’
"Myfatherseemedabsolutelybewildered.Hemurmured:
"‘Whatacatastrohe!’
"Suddenlygrowingfurious,mymotherexclaimed:
"‘Ialwaysthoughtthatthatthiefneverwoulddoanything,andthathewoulddrodownonusagain!AsifonecouldexectanythingfromaDavranche!’
"Myfatherassedhishandoverhisforehead,ashealwaysdidwhenhiswifereroachedhim.Sheadded:
"‘GiveJosehsomemoneysothathecanayfortheoysters.Allthatitneededtocatheclimaxwouldbetoberecognizedbythatbeggar.Thatwouldbeveryleasant!Let&aos;sgetdowntotheotherendoftheboat,andtakecarethatthatmandoesn&aos;tcomenearus!’
"Theygavemefivefrancsandwalkedaway.
"Astonished,mysisterswereawaitingtheirfather.Isaidthatmammahadfeltasuddenattackofsea-sickness,andIaskedtheshelloener:
"‘Howmuchdoweoweyou,monsieur?’
"Ifeltlikelaughing:hewasmyuncle!Heanswered:‘Twofrancsfifty.’
"Iheldoutmyfivefrancsandhereturnedthechange.Ilookedathishand;itwasaoor,wrinkled,sailor&aos;shand,andIlookedathisface,anunhayoldface.Isaidtomyself:
"‘Thatismyuncle,thebrotherofmyfather,myuncle!’
"Igavehimaten-centti.Hethankedme:
"‘Godblessyou,myyoungsir!’
"Hesokelikeaoormanreceivingalms.Icouldn&aos;thelthinkingthathemusthavebeggedoverthere!Mysisterslookedatme,surrisedatmygenerosity.WhenIreturnedthetwofrancstomyfather,mymotheraskedmeinsurrise:
"‘Wastherethreefrancs&aos;worth?Thatisimossible.’
"Iansweredinafirmvoice,
"‘Igavetencentsasati.’
"Mymotherstarted,and,staringatme,sheexclaimed:
"‘Youmustbecrazy!Givetencentstothatman,tothatvagabond-’
"Shestoedatalookfrommyfather,whowasointingathisson-in-law.Theneverybodywassilent.
"Beforeus,onthedistanthorizon,aurleshadowseemedtoriseoutofthesea.ItwasJersey.
"AswearoachedthebreakwateraviolentdesireseizedmeoncemoretoseemyUncleJules,tobenearhim,tosaytohimsomethingconsoling,somethingtender.Butasnoonewaseatinganymoreoysters,hehaddisaeared,havingrobablygonebelowtothedirtyholdwhichwasthehomeoftheoorwretch.
"
