English
Suddenlyhenoticedtwoelegantlydressedladiestowhomtwogentlemenwereofferingoysters.Anold,raggedsailorwasopeningthemwithhisknifeandpassingthemtothegentlemen,whowouldthenofferthemtotheladies.
Theyatetheminadaintymanner,holdingtheshellonafinehandkerchiefandadvancingtheirmouthsalittleinordernottospottheirdresses.Thentheywoulddrinktheliquidwitharapidlittlemotionandthrowtheshelloverboard.
Myfatherwasprobablypleasedwiththisdelicatemannerofeatingoystersonamovingship.Heconsidereditgoodform,refined,and,goinguptomymotherandsisters,heasked:
"Wouldyoulikemetoofferyousomeoysters?"
Mymotherhesitatedonaccountoftheexpense,butmytwosistersimmediatelyaccepted.Mymothersaidinaprovokedmanner:
"Iamafraidthattheywillhurtmystomach.Offerthechildrensome,butnottoomuch,itwouldmakethemsick."Then,turningtowardme,sheadded:"AsforJoseph,hedoesn'tneedany.Boysshouldn'tbespoiled."
However,Iremainedbesidemymother,findingthisdiscriminationunjust.Iwatchedmyfatherashepompouslyconductedmytwosistersandhisson-in-lawtowardtheraggedoldsailor.
Thetwoladieshadjustleft,andmyfathershowedmysistershowtoeatthemwithoutspillingtheliquor.
Heeventriedtogivethemanexample,andseizedanoyster.Heattemptedtoimitatetheladies,andimmediatelyspilledalltheliquidoverhiscoat.Iheardmymothermutter:
"Hewoulddofarbettertokeepquiet."
But,suddenly,myfatherappearedtobeworried;heretreatedafewsteps,staredathisfamilygatheredaroundtheoldshellopener,andquicklycametowardus.Heseemedverypale,withapeculiarlook.Inalowvoicehesaidtomymother:
"It'sextraordinaryhowthatmanopeningtheoysterslookslikeJules."
Astonished,mymotherasked:
"WhatJules?"
Myfathercontinued:
"Why,mybrother.IfIdidnotknowthathewaswelloffinAmerica,Ishouldthinkitwashe."
Bewildered,mymotherstammered:
"Youarecrazy!Aslongasyouknowthatitisnothe,whydoyousaysuchfoolishthings?"
Butmyfatherinsisted:
"Goonoverandsee,Clarisse!Iwouldratherhaveyouseewithyourowneyes."
Shearoseandwalkedtoherdaughters.I,too,waswatchingtheman.Hewasold,dirty,wrinkled,anddidnotlifthiseyesfromhiswork.
Mymotherreturned.Inoticedthatshewastrembling.Sheexclaimedquickly:
"Ibelievethatitishe.Whydon'tyouaskthecaptain?Butbeverycarefulthatwedon'thavethisrogueonourhandsagain!"
Myfatherwalkedaway,butIfollowedhim.Ifeltstrangelymoved.
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