English
Thecaptain,atall,thinman,withblondwhiskers,waswalkingalongthebridgewithanimportantairasifhewerecommandingtheIndianmailsteamer.
Myfatheraddressedhimceremoniously,andquestionedhimabouthisprofession,addingmanycompliments:
"WhatmightbetheimportanceofJersey?Whatdiditproduce?Whatwasthepopulation?Thecustoms?Thenatureofthesoil?"etc.,etc.
"Youhavethereanoldshellopenerwhoseemsquiteinteresting.Doyouknowanythingabouthim?"
Thecaptain,whomthisconversationbegantoweary,answereddryly:
"HeissomeoldFrenchtrampwhomIfoundlastyearinAmerica,andIbroughthimback.ItseemsthathehassomerelativesinHavre,butthathedoesn'twishtoreturntothembecauseheowesthemmoney.
HisnameisJules---JulesDarmancheorDarvancheorsomethinglikethat.Itseemsthathewasoncerichoverthere,butyoucanseewhat'sleftofhimnow."
Myfatherturnedashypaleandmuttered,histhroatcontracted,hiseyeshaggard.
"Ah!ah!verywell,verywell.I'mnotintheleastsurprised.Thankyouverymuch,captain."
Hewentaway,andtheastonishedsailorwatchedhimdisappear.Hereturnedtomymothersoupsetthatshesaidtohim:"Sitdown;someonewillnoticethatsomethingisthematter."
Hesankdownonabenchandstammered:"It'shim!It'shim!"
Thenheasked:"Whatarewegoingtodo?"
Sheansweredquickly:"Wemustgetthechildrenoutoftheway.SinceJosephknowseverything,hecangoandgetthem.Wemusttakegoodcarethatourson-in-lawdoesn'tfindout."
Myfatherseemedabsolutelybewildered.Hemurmured:"Whatacatastrophe!"
Suddenlygrowingfurious,mymotherexclaimed:"Ialwaysthoughtthatthatthiefneverwoulddoanything,andthathewoulddropdownonusagain!AsifonecouldexpectanythingfromaDavranche!"
Myfatherpassedhishandoverhisforehead,ashealwaysdidwhenhiswifereproachedhim.Sheadded:
"GiveJosephsomemoneysothathecanpayfortheoysters.Allthatitneededtocaptheclimaxwouldbetoberecognizedbythatbeggar.Thatwouldbeverypleasant!Let'sgetdowntotheotherendoftheboat,andtakecarethatthatmandoesn'tcomenearus!"
Theygavemefivefrancsandwalkedaway.Astonished,mysisterswereawaitingtheirfather.Isaidthatmammahadfeltasuddenattackofsea-sickness,andIaskedtheshellopener:
"Howmuchdoweoweyou,monsieur?"
Ifeltlikelaughing:hewasmyuncle!Heanswered:"Twofrancsfifty."
Iheldoutmyfivefrancsandhereturnedthechange.Ilookedathishand;itwasapoor,wrinkled,sailor'shand,andIlookedathisface,anunhappyoldface.Isaidtomyself:
"Thatismyuncle,thebrotherofmyfather,myuncle!"
Igavehimaten-centtip.Hethankedme:"Godblessyou,myyoungsir!"
Hespokelikeapoormanreceivingalms.Icouldn'thelpthinkingthathemusthavebeggedoverthere!Mysisterslookedatme,surprisedatmygenerosity.WhenIreturnedthetwofrancstomyfather,mymotheraskedmeinsurprise:
"Wastherethreefrancs'worth?Thatisimpossible."
Iansweredinafirmvoice:"Igavetencentsasatip."
Mymotherstarted,and,staringatme,sheexclaimed:"Youmustbecrazy!Givetencentstothatman,tothatvagabond--"
Shestoppedatalookfrommyfather,whowaspointingathisson-in-law.Theneverybodywassilent.
Beforeus,onthedistanthorizon,apurpleshadowseemedtoriseoutofthesea.ItwasJersey.
AsweapproachedthebreakwateraviolentdesireseizedmeoncemoretoseemyUncleJules,tobenearhim,tosaytohimsomethingconsoling,somethingtender.
Butasnoonewaseatinganymoreoysters,hehaddisappeared,havingprobablygonebelowtothedirtyholdwhichwasthehomeofthepoorwretch.
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