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第41章 y uncle jule(第2页)

"Myfatherwasswellingouthischestinthebreeze,beneathhisfrockcoat,whichhadthatmorningbeenverycarefullycleaned;andhesreadaroundhimthatodorofbenzinewhichalwaysmademerecognizeSunday。Suddenlyhenoticedtwoelegantlydressedladiestowhomtwogentlemenwereofferingoysters。Anold,raggedsailorwasoeningthemwithhisknifeandassingthemtothegentlemen,whowouldthenofferthemtotheladies。Theyatetheminadaintymanner,holdingtheshellonafinehandkerchiefandadvancingtheirmouthsalittleinordernottosottheirdresses。Thentheywoulddrinktheliquidwitharaidlittlemotionandthrowtheshelloverboard。

"Myfatherwasrobablyleasedwiththisdelicatemannerofeatingoystersonamovingshi。Heconsidereditgoodform,refined,and,goingutomymotherandsisters,heasked:

"‘Wouldyoulikemetoofferyousomeoysters?’

"Mymotherhesitatedonaccountoftheexense,butmytwosistersimmediatelyacceted。Mymothersaidinarovokedmanner:

"Iamafraidthattheywillhurtmystomach。Offerthechildrensome,butnottoomuch,itwouldmakethemsick。&aos;Then,turningtowardme,sheadded:

"‘AsforJoseh,hedoesn&aos;tneedany。Boysshouldn&aos;tbesoiled。’

"However,Iremainedbesidemymother,findingthisdiscriminationunjust。Iwatchedmyfatherasheomouslyconductedmytwosistersandhisson-in-lawtowardtheraggedoldsailor。

"Thetwoladieshadjustleft,andmyfathershowedmysistershowtoeatthemwithoutsillingtheliquor。Heeventriedtogivethemanexamle,andseizedanoyster。Heattemtedtoimitatetheladies,andimmediatelysilledalltheliquidoverhiscoat。Iheardmymothermutter:

"‘Hewoulddofarbettertokeequiet。’

"But,suddenly,myfatheraearedtobeworried;heretreatedafewstes,staredathisfamilygatheredaroundtheoldshelloener,andquicklycametowardus。Heseemedveryale,withaeculiarlook。Inalowvoicehesaidtomymother:

"‘It&aos;sextraordinaryhowthatmanoeningtheoysterslookslikeJules。’

"Astonished,mymotherasked:

"‘WhatJules?’

"Myfathercontinued:

"Why,mybrother。IfIdidnotknowthathewaswelloffinAmerica,Ishouldthinkitwashe。&aos;

"Bewildered,mymotherstammered:

"‘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。’

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