original short stories-8-第13节

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return；　we　were　even　to　buy　a　little　house　with　my　uncle's　money
a　little　place　in　the　country　near　Ingouville。　　In　fact；　I　wouldn't
swear　that　my　father　had　not　already　begun　negotiations。

〃The　elder　of　my　sisters　was　then　twenty…eight；　the　other　twenty…six。
They　were　not　yet　married；　and　that　was　a　great　grief　to　every　one。

〃At　last　a　suitor　presented　himself　for　the　younger　one。　　He　was　a　clerk；
not　rich；　but　honorable。　　I　have　always　been　morally　certain　that　Uncle
Jules'　letter；　which　was　shown　him　one　evening；　had　swept　away　the　young
man's　hesitation　and　definitely　decided　him。

〃He　was　accepted　eagerly；　and　it　was　decided　that　after　the　wedding　the
whole　family　should　take　a　trip　to　Jersey。

〃Jersey　is　the　ideal　trip　for　poor　people。　　It　is　not　far；　one　crosses　a
strip　of　sea　in　a　steamer　and　lands　on　foreign　soil；　as　this　little
island　belongs　to　England。　　Thus；　a　Frenchman；　with　a　two　hours'　sail；
can　observe　a　neighboring　people　at　home　and　study　their　customs。

〃This　trip　to　Jersey　completely　absorbed　our　ideas；　was　our　sole
anticipation；　the　constant　thought　of　our　minds。

〃At　last　we　left。　　I　see　it　as　plainly　as　if　it　had　happened　yesterday。
The　boat　was　getting　up　steam　against　the　quay　at　Granville；　my　father；
bewildered；　was　superintending　the　loading　of　our　three　pieces　of
baggage；　my　mother；　nervous；　had　taken　the　arm　of　my　unmarried　sister；
who　seemed　lost　since　the　departure　of　the　other　one；　like　the　last
chicken　of　a　brood；　behind　us　came　the　bride　and　groom；　who　always　stayed
behind；　a　thing　that　often　made　me　turn　round。

〃The　whistle　sounded。　　We　got　on　board；　and　the　vessel；　leaving　the
breakwater；　forged　ahead　through　a　sea　as　flat　as　a　marble　table。　　We
watched　the　coast　disappear　in　the　distance；　happy　and　proud；　like　all
who　do　not　travel　much。

〃My　father　was　swelling　out　his　chest　in　the　breeze；　beneath　his　frock
coat；　which　had　that　morning　been　very　carefully　cleaned；　and　he　spread
around　him　that　odor　of　benzine　which　always　made　me　recognize　Sunday。
Suddenly　he　noticed　two　elegantly　dressed　ladies　to　whom　two　gentlemen
were　offering　oysters。　　An　old；　ragged　sailor　was　opening　them　with　his
knife　and　passing　them　to　the　gentlemen；　who　would　then　offer　them　to　the
ladies。　　They　ate　them　in　a　dainty　manner；　holding　the　shell　on　a　fine
handkerchief　and　advancing　their　mouths　a　little　in　order　not　to　spot
their　dresses。　　Then　they　would　drink　the　liquid　with　a　rapid　little
motion　and　throw　the　shell　overboard。

〃My　father　was　probably　pleased　with　this　delicate　manner　of　eating
oysters　on　a　moving　ship。　　He　considered　it　good　form；　refined；　and；
going　up　to　my　mother　and　sisters；　he　asked：

〃'Would　you　like　me　to　offer　you　some　oysters？'

〃My　mother　hesitated　on　account　of　the　expense；　but　my　two　sisters
immediately　accepted。　　My　mother　said　in　a　provoked　manner：

〃'I　am　afraid　that　they　will　hurt　my　stomach。　　Offer　the　children　some；
but　not　too　much；　it　would　make　them　sick。'　　Then；　turning　toward　me；　she
added：

〃'As　for　Joseph；　he　doesn't　need　any。　　Boys　shouldn't　be　spoiled。'

〃However；　I　remained　beside　my　mother；　finding　this　discrimination
unjust。　　I　watched　my　father　as　he　pompously　conducted　my　two　sisters　and
his　son…in…law　toward　the　ragged　old　sailor。

〃The　two　ladies　had　just　left；　and　my　father　showed　my　sisters　how　to　eat
them　without　spilling　the　liquor。　　He　even　tried　to　give　them　an　example；
and　seized　an　oyster。　　He　attempted　to　imitate　the　ladies；　and
immediately　spilled　all　the　liquid　over　his　coat。　　I　heard　my　mother
mutter：

〃'He　would　do　far　better　to　keep　quiet。'

〃But；　suddenly；　my　father　appeared　to　be　worried；　he　retreated　a　few
steps；　stared　at　his　family　gathered　around　the　old　shell　opener；　and
quickly　came　toward　us。　　He　seemed　very　pale；　with　a　peculiar　look。　　In　a
low　voice　he　said　to　my　mother：

〃'It's　extraordinary　how　that　man　opening　the　oysters　looks　like　Jules。'

〃Astonished；　my　mother　asked：

〃'What　Jules？'

〃My　father　continued：

〃'Why；　my　brother。　　If　I　did　not　know　that　he　was　well　off　in　America；　I
should　think　it　was　he。'

〃Bewildered；　my　mother　stammered：

〃'You　are　crazy！　　As　long　as　you　know　that　it　is　not　he；　why　do　you　say
such　foolish　things？'

〃But　my　father　insisted：

〃'Go　on　over　and　see；　Clarisse！　　I　would　rather　have　you　see　with　your
own　eyes。'

〃She　arose　and　walked　to　her　daughters。　　I；　too；　was　watching　the　man。
He　was　old；　dirty；　wrinkled；　and　did　not　lift　his　eyes　from　his　work。

〃My　mother　returned。　　I　noticed　that　she　was　trembling。　　She　exclaimed
quickly：

〃'I　believe　that　it　is　he。　　Why　don't　you　ask　the　captain？　　But　be　very
careful　that　we　don't　have　this　rogue　on　our　hands　again！'

〃My　father　walked　away；　but　I　followed　him。　　I　felt　strangely　moved。

〃The　captain；　a　tall；　thin　man；　with　blond　whiskers；　was　walking　along
the　bridge　with　an　important　air　as　if　he　were　commanding　the　Indian　mail
steamer。

〃My　father　addressed　him　ceremoniously；　and　questioned　him　about　his
profession；　adding　many　compliments：

〃'What　might　be　the　importance　of　Jersey？　　What　did　it　produce？　　What　was
the　population？　　The　customs？　　The　nature　of　the　soil？'　etc。；　etc。

〃'You　have　there　an　old　shell　opener　who　seems　quite　interesting。　　Do　you
know　anything　about　him？'

〃The　captain；　whom　this　conversation　began　to　weary；　answered　dryly：

〃'He　is　some　old　French　tramp　whom　I　found　last　year　in　America；　and　I
brought　him　back。　　It　seems　that　he　has　some　relatives　in　Havre；　but　that
he　doesn't　wish　to　return　to　them　because　he　owes　them　money。　　His　name
is　JulesJules　Darmanche　or　Darvanche　or　something　like　that。　　It　seems
that　he　was　once　rich　over　there；　but　you　can　see　what's　left　of　him
now。'

〃My　father　turned　ashy　pale　and　muttered；　his　throat　contracted；　his　eyes
haggard。

〃'Ah！　　ah！　　very　well；　very　well。　　I'm　not　in　the　least　surprised。　　Thank
you　very　much；　captain。'

〃He　went　away；　and　the　astonished　sailor　watched　him　disappear。　　He
returned　to　my　mother　so　upset　that　she　said　to　him：

〃'Sit　down；　some　one　will　notice　that　something　is　the　matter。'

〃He　sank　down　on　a　bench　and　stammered：

〃'It's　he！　　It's　he！'

〃Then　he　asked：

〃'What　are　we　going　to　do？'

〃She　answered　quickly：

〃'We　must　get　the　children　out　of　the　way。　　Since　Joseph　knows
everything；　he　can　go　and　get　them。　　We　must　take　good　care　that　our　son…
in…law　doesn't　find　out。'

〃My　father　seemed　absolutely　bewildered。　　He　murmured：

〃'What　a　catastrophe！'

〃Suddenly　growing　furious；　my　mother　exclaimed：

〃'I　always　thought　that　that　thief　never　would　do　anything；　and　that　he
would　drop　down　on　us　again！　　As　if　one　could　expect　anything　from　a
Davranche！'

〃My　father　passed　his　hand　over　his　forehead；　as　he　always　did　when　his
wife　reproached　him。　　She　added：

〃'Give　Joseph　some　money　so　that　he　can　pay　for　the　oysters。　　All　that　it
needed　to　cap　the　climax　would　be　to　be　recognized　by　that　beggar。　　That
would　be　very　pleasant！　　Let's　get　down　to　the　other　end　of　the　boat；　and
take　care　that　that　man　doesn't　come　near　us！'

〃They　gave　me　five　francs　and　walked　away。

〃Astonished；　my　sisters　were　awaiting　their　father。　　I　said　that　mamma
had　felt　a　sudden　attack　of　sea…sickness；　and　I　asked　the　shell　opener：

〃'How　much　do　we　owe　you；　monsieur？'

〃I　felt　like　laughing：　he　was　my　uncle！　　He　answered：

〃'Two　francs　fifty。'

〃I　held　out　my　five　francs　and　he　returned　the　change。　　I　looked　at　his
hand；　it　was　a　poor；　wrinkled；　sailor's　hand；　and　I　looked　at　his　face；
an　unhappy　old　face。　　I　said　to　myself：

〃'That　is　my　uncle；　the　brother　of　my　father；　my　uncle！'

〃I　gave　him　a　ten…cent　tip。　　He　thanked　me：

〃'God　bless　you；　my　young　sir！'

〃He　spoke　like　a　poor　man　receiving　alms。　　I　couldn't　help　thinking　that
he　must　have　begged　over　there！　　My　sisters　looked　at　me；　surprised　at　my
generosity。　　When　I　returned　the　two　francs　to　my　father；　my　mother　asked
me　in　surprise：

〃'Was　there　three　francs'　worth？　　That　is　impossible。'

〃I　answered　in　a　firm　voice

〃'I　gave　ten　cents　as　a　tip。'

〃My　mother　started；　and；　staring　at　me；　she　exclaimed：

〃'You　must　be　crazy！　　Give　ten　cents　to　that　man；　to　that　vagabond'

〃She　stopped　at　a　look　from　my　father；　who　was　pointing　at　his　son…in…
law。　　Then　everybody　was　silent。

〃Before　us；　on　the　distant　horizon；　a　purple　shadow　seemed　to　rise　out　of
the　sea。　　It　was　Jersey。

〃As　we　approached　the　breakwater　a　violent　desire　seized　me　once　more　to
see　my　Uncle　Jules；　to　be　near　him；　to　say　to　him　something　consoling；
something　tender。　　But　as　no　one　was　eating　any　more　oysters；　he　had
disappeared；　having　probably　gone　below　to　the　dirty　hold　which　was　the
home　of　the　poor　wretch。〃






THE　MODEL

Curving　like　a　crescent　moon；　the　little　town　of　Etretat；　with　its　white
cliffs；　its　white；　shingly　beach　and　its　blue　sea；　lay　in　the　sunlight　at
high　noon　one　July　day。　　At　either　extremity　of　this　crescent　its　two
〃gates；〃　the　smaller　to　the　right；　the　larger　one　at　the　left；　stretched
forthone　a　dwarf　and　the　other　a　colossal　limbinto　the　water；　and　the
bell　tower；　almost　as　tall　as　the　cliff；　wide　below；　narrowing　at　the
top；