"Hewentaway,andtheastonishedsailorwatchedhimdisaear。Hereturnedtomymothersousetthatshesaidtohim:
"‘Sitdown;someonewillnoticethatsomethingisthematter。’
"Hesankdownonabenchandstammered:
"‘It&aos;she!It&aos;she!’
"Thenheasked:
"‘Whatarewegoingtodo?’
"Sheansweredquickly:‘Wemustgetthechildrenoutoftheway。SinceJosehknowseverything,hecangoandgetthem。Wemusttakegoodcarethatourson-in-lawdoesn&aos;tfindout。’
"Myfatherseemedabsolutelybewildered。Hemurmured:
"‘Whatacatastrohe!’
"Suddenlygrowingfurious,mymotherexclaimed:
"‘Ialwaysthoughtthatthatthiefneverwoulddoanything,andthathewoulddrodownonusagain!AsifonecouldexectanythingfromaDavranche!’
"Myfatherassedhishandoverhisforehead,ashealwaysdidwhenhiswifereroachedhim。Sheadded:
"‘GiveJosehsomemoneysothathecanayfortheoysters。Allthatitneededtocatheclimaxwouldbetoberecognizedbythatbeggar。Thatwouldbeveryleasant!Let&aos;sgetdowntotheotherendoftheboat,andtakecarethatthatmandoesn&aos;tcomenearus!’
"Theygavemefivefrancsandwalkedaway。
"Astonished,mysisterswereawaitingtheirfather。Isaidthatmammahadfeltasuddenattackofsea-sickness,andIaskedtheshelloener:
"‘Howmuchdoweoweyou,monsieur?’
"Ifeltlikelaughing:hewasmyuncle!Heanswered:‘Twofrancsfifty。’
"Iheldoutmyfivefrancsandhereturnedthechange。Ilookedathishand;itwasaoor,wrinkled,sailor&aos;shand,andIlookedathisface,anunhayoldface。Isaidtomyself:
"‘Thatismyuncle,thebrotherofmyfather,myuncle!’
"Igavehimaten-centti。Hethankedme:
"‘Godblessyou,myyoungsir!’
"Hesokelikeaoormanreceivingalms。Icouldn&aos;thelthinkingthathemusthavebeggedoverthere!Mysisterslookedatme,surrisedatmygenerosity。WhenIreturnedthetwofrancstomyfather,mymotheraskedmeinsurrise:
"‘Wastherethreefrancs&aos;worth?Thatisimossible。’
"Iansweredinafirmvoice,
"‘Igavetencentsasati。’
"Mymotherstarted,and,staringatme,sheexclaimed:
"‘Youmustbecrazy!Givetencentstothatman,tothatvagabond-’
"Shestoedatalookfrommyfather,whowasointingathisson-in-law。Theneverybodywassilent。
"Beforeus,onthedistanthorizon,aurleshadowseemedtoriseoutofthesea。ItwasJersey。
"AswearoachedthebreakwateraviolentdesireseizedmeoncemoretoseemyUncleJules,tobenearhim,tosaytohimsomethingconsoling,somethingtender。Butasnoonewaseatinganymoreoysters,hehaddisaeared,havingrobablygonebelowtothedirtyholdwhichwasthehomeoftheoorwretch。
"