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Thousandsofschemeshadbeenplannedonthestrengthofthisexpectedreturn;wewereeventobuyalittlehousewithmyuncle'smoney---alittleplaceinthecountrynearIngouville.Infact,Iwouldn'tswearthatmyfatherhadnotalreadybegunnegotiations.
Theelderofmysisterswasthentwenty-eight,theothertwenty-six.Theywerenotyetmarried,andthatwasagreatgrieftoeveryone.
Atlastasuitorpresentedhimselffortheyoungerone.Hewasaclerk,notrich,buthonorable.IhavealwaysbeenmorallycertainthatUncleJules'letter,whichwasshownhimoneevening,hadsweptawaytheyoungman'shesitationanddefinitelydecidedhim.
Hewasacceptedeagerly,anditwasdecidedthataftertheweddingthewholefamilyshouldtakeatriptoJersey.
Jerseyistheidealtripforpoorpeople.Itisnotfar;onecrossesastripofseainasteamerandlandsonforeignsoil,asthislittleislandbelongstoEngland.
Thus,aFrenchman,withatwohours'sail,canobserveaneighboringpeopleathomeandstudytheircustoms.
ThistriptoJerseycompletelyabsorbedourideas,wasoursoleanticipation,theconstantthoughtofourminds.Atlastweleft.Iseeitasplainlyasifithadhappenedyesterday.
TheboatwasgettingupsteamagainstthequayatGranville;myfather,bewildered,wassuperintendingtheloadingofourthreepiecesofbaggage;
mymother,nervous,hadtakenthearmofmyunmarriedsister,whoseemedlostsincethedepartureoftheotherone,likethelastchickenofabrood;
behinduscamethebrideandgroom,whoalwaysstayedbehind,athingthatoftenmademeturnround.
Thewhistlesounded.Wegotonboard,andthevessel,leavingthebreakwater,forgedaheadthroughaseaasflatasamarbletable.Wewatchedthecoastdisappearinthedistance,happyandproud,likeallwhodonottravelmuch.
Myfatherwasswellingouthischestinthebreeze,beneathhisfrockcoat,whichhadthatmorningbeenverycarefullycleaned;andhespreadaroundhimthatodorofbenzinewhichalwaysmademerecognizeSunday.
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