第41章MyUncleJules
Awhite-hairedoldmanbeggedusforalms。Mypanion,Javehimfivefranysurprisedlook,hesaid:
"ThatpoorunfortunateremiorywhichIshalltellyou,thememoryofwhiuallypursuesme。Hereitis:
"Myfamily,whichcameinallyfromHavre,wasnotrich。Wejustmaomakebotheherworkedhard,elatefromtheoffidearle。Ihadtwosisters。
"Mymothersufferedagooddealfromourreduceddsheoftenhadharshwordsforherhusband,veiledandslyreproaches。Thepoormantheurewhichusedtodistressme。Heenhandoverhisforehead,asiftoirationwhiotexist,andhewouldahihishelplesssuffering。Weeized,andnevertaninvitationtodinner,soasnottohavetoreturesy。Allourprovisihtatbargaiersmadetheirowngowns,andlongdisswouldariseonthepriceofapieceofbraidworthfifteeimesayard。Ourmealsusuallysistedofsoupandbeef,preparedwitheverykindofsauce。Theysayitiswholesomeandn,butIshouldhavepreferredage。
"Iusedthterriblesatoflostbuttonsandtorntrousers。
"EverySunday,dressedi,wewouldtakeourwalkaloer。Myfather,inafrockcoat,highhatandkidgloves,wouldofferhisarmtomymother,deckedoutandberibbonedlikeashiponaholiday。Mysisters,aysreadyfirst,wouldawaitthesigatthelastminutesomeonealwaysfoundaspotonmyfather'sfrodithadtobewipedawayquicklywitharagmoistehbenzine。
"Myfather,inhisshirtsleeves,hissilkhatonhishead,wouldawaitthepletioioher,puttiadtakinglovesiospoilthem,wouldmakehaste。
"Theysistersmarahead,arminarm。Theywereeableageandhadtobedisplayed。Iwalkedoofmymotherandmyfatherht。IrememberthepompousairofmypoorparentsintheseSundaywalks,theirsterheirstiffwalk。Theymovedslowly,withaseriousexpression,theirbht,theirlegsstiff,asifsomethiremeimportandedupontheirappearance。
"EverySuhebigsteamerswerereturningfromunknownanddistantyfatherwouldinvariablyutterthesamewords:
"‘riseitwouldbeifJuleswereonthatone!Eh?’
"MyUher'sbrother,wastheohefamily,afterbeingitsonlyfear。Ihadheardabouthimsincechildhood,aomethatIshnizehimimmediately,knowingasmuasIdid。IkailofhislifeuptothedayofhisdepartureforAmerica,althoughthisperiodofhislifeokenofonlyiones。
"Itseemsthathehadledabadlife,thatistosay,hehadsqualemoney,whi,inapoorfamily,isocrimes。Withrianwhoamuseshimselfonlysowshiswildoats。Heiswhatisgenerallycalledasport。Butamongneedyfamiliesaboywhoforceshisparehecapitalbeesag,arascal,asdthisdistinisjust,althoughtheabethesame,foriheseriousheact。
"Well,UncleJuleshadvisiblydimianyfatherhadted,afterhehadspenny。Then,agtothees,hehadbeeoAmeriafreightergoingfromHavretoNewYork。
"Ohere,myuosellsomethingorother,andhesoohewasmakingalittlemohathesooobeabletoindemnifymyfatherfortheharmhehaddohislettercausedaprofouioninthefamily。Jules,whouptothattimehadhhissalt,suddenlybean,akiedfellow,truealikealltheDavranches。
"Oainstoldusthathehadrentedalargeshopandwasdoinganimporta;Twoyearslaterasedletterg:‘MydearPhilippe,Iamwritingtotellyounottoworryaboutmyhealth,whichisext。Businessisgood。Ileaveto-mtriptoSouthAmerica。Imaybeawayforseveralyearswithoutsendingyouanynews。IfIshouldn'twrite,don'tworry。WhenmyfortuneismadeIshallreturhatitwilloolongandthatweshallalllivehappilytogether。。。’
"Thisletterbecamethegospelofthefamily。Itwasreadoestprovoditwasshowntoeverybody。
"FortehingwasheardfromUastimewentonmyfather'shopegrew,andmymother,also,oftensaid:
"‘WhenthatgoodJulesishere,ourpositionwillbedifferent。Thereisoogetalong!’
"AndeverySugthebigsteamersapproathehorizoutastreamofsmoke,myfatherwouldrepeathiseterion:
"‘riseitwouldbeifJuleswereonthatone!Eh?’
"ewavinghishandkerdg:
"‘Hey!Philippe!’
"Thousandsofschemeshadbeehestrengthofthisexpectedreturobuyalittlehousewithmyuncle'smoleplatheearI,Ios;tswearthatmyfatherhadnuions。
"Theelderofmysisterswastheheothertwenty-six。Theyweremarried,andthatwasagreatgrieftoeveryone。
"Atlastasuitorpreseheyoungerone。Hewasaotriorable。IhavealwaysbeenmorallythatUncleJules'letter,nhimoneeveniheyoungman'shesitatioelydecidedhim。
"Hetedeagerly,anditwasdecidedthataftertheweddingthewholefamilyshouldtakeatriptoJersey。
"Jerseyistheidealtripforpoorpeople。Itisnotfar;oripofseainasteamerandlandsnsoil,asthislittleislaoEngland。Thus,aFren,withatos;sail,hbpeopleathomeandstudytheirs。
"ThistriptoJerseypletelyabsorbedourideas,wasoursoleanti,thetthoughtofourminds。
"Atlastweleft。IseeitasplainlyasifithadhappeheboatwasgettingupsteamagaiGraher,bewildered,eriheloadingofourthreepiecesofbaggage;mymother,nervous,hadtakenthearmofmyuer,whoseemedlostsiureoftheotheroofabrood;behihebrideandgroom,whoalwaysstayedbehind,athingthatofteurnround。