English
MyUncleJules,myfather'sbrother,wastheonlyhopeofthefamily,afterbeingit'sonlyfear.Ihadheardabouthimsincechildhood,anditseemedtomethatIshouldrecognizehimimmediately,knowingasmuchabouthimasIdid.
IkneweverydetailofhislifeuptothedayofhisdepartureforAmerica,althoughthisperiodofhislifewasspokenofonlyinhushedtones.
Itseemsthathehadledabadlife,thatistosay,hehadsquanderedalittlemoney,whichaction,inapoorfamily,isoneofthegreatestcrimes.Withrichpeopleamanwhoamuseshimselfonlysowshiswildoats.Heiswhatisgenerallycalledasport.
Butamongneedyfamiliesaboywhoforceshisparentstobreakintothecapitalbecomesagood-for-nothing,arascal,ascamp.Andthisdistinctionisjust,althoughtheactionbethesame,forconsequencesalonedeterminetheseriousnessoftheact.
Well,UncleJuleshadvisiblydiminishedtheinheritanceonwhichmyfatherhadcounted,afterhehadswallowedhisowntothelastpenny.
Then,accordingtothecustomofthetimes,hehadbeenshippedofftoAmericaonafreightergoingfromHavretoNewYork.
Oncethere,myunclebegantosellsomethingorother,andhesoonwrotethathewasmakingalittlemoneyandthathesoonhopedtobeabletoindemnifymyfatherfortheharmhehaddonehim.Thislettercausedaprofoundemotioninthefamily.
Jules,whouptothattimehadnotbeenworthhissalt,suddenlybecameagoodman,akind-heartedfellow,trueandhonestlikealltheDavranches.
Oneofthecaptainstoldusthathehadrentedalargeshopandwasdoinganimportantbusiness.
Twoyearslaterasecondlettercame,saying:"MydearPhilippe,Iamwritingtotellyounottoworryaboutmyhealth,whichisexcellent.Businessisgood.Ileaveto-morrowforalongtriptoSouthAmerica.Imaybeawayforseveralyearswithoutsendingyouanynews.
IfIshouldn'twrite,don'tworry.WhenmyfortuneismadeIshallreturntoHavre.Ihopethatitwillnotbetoolongandthatweshallalllivehappilytogether...."
Thisletterbecamethegospelofthefamily.Itwasreadontheslightestprovocation,anditwasshowntoeverybody.
FortenyearsnothingwasheardfromUncleJules;butastimewentonmyfather'shopegrew,andmymother,also,oftensaid:
"WhenthatgoodJulesishere,ourpositionwillbedifferent.Thereisonewhoknewhowtogetalong!"
AndeverySunday,whilewatchingthebigsteamersapproachingfromthehorizon,pouringoutastreamofsmoke,myfatherwouldrepeathiseternalquestion:
"WhatasurpriseitwouldbeifJuleswereonthatone!Eh?"
Wealmostexpectedtoseehimwavinghishandkerchiefandcrying:
"Hey!Philippe!"
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