"Hewentaway,aonishedsailorwatchedhimdisappear。Hereturomymothersoupsetthatshesaidtohim:
"‘Sitdowiethier。’
"Hesankdownonabendstammered:
"‘It'she!It'she!’
"Thenheasked:
"‘Whatarewegoingtodo?’
"Sheansweredquickly:‘Wemustgettheoutoftheway。SinceJosephkhing,hedgetthem。Wemusttakegoodcarethatourson-in-laos;tfindout。’
"Myfatherseemedabsolutelybewildered。Hemurmured:
"‘he!’
"Suddenlygrowingfurious,mymotherexclaimed:
"‘Ialwaysthoughtthatthatthiefneverwoulddoanything,andthathewoulddropdownonusagain!AsifoanythingfromaDavranche!’
"Myfatherpassedhishandoverhisforehead,ashealifereproachedhim。Sheadded:
"‘GiveJosephsomemohepayfortheoysters。Allthatitocaptheclimaxwouldbetbeggar。Thatwouldbeverypleasa'sgetdowhere,ahatthatmandoesn'tenearus!’
"Theygavemefivefrand>
"Astoerswereawaitiher。Isaidthatmammahadfeltasuddenattackofsea-sidIaskedtheshellopener:
"‘Howmuonsieur?’
"Ifeltlikelaughing:hewasmyunswered:‘Twofrancsfifty。’
"Iheldoutmyfivefraurhege。Ilookedathishand;itoor,wrinkled,sailor'shand,ahisfahappyoldface。Isaidtomyself:
"‘Thatismyuherofmyfather,myuncle!’
"Igavehimateip。Hethankedme:
"‘Godblessyou,myyoungsir!’
"Hespokelikeapalms。Ip;apos;thelpthinkihavebeggedoverthere!Mysisterslookedatme,surprisedatmygey。Whehetwofranyfather,mymotheraskedmeinsurprise:
"‘Wastherethreefrancs'ossible。’
"Iansweredinafirmvoice,
"‘Igavetesasatip。’
"Mymotherstarted,and,staringatme,sheexclaimed:
"‘Youmustbecrazy!Givetehatman,tothatvagabond-’
"Shestoppedatalookfrommyfather,ointingathisson-in-law。Theneverybodywassilent。
"Beforeus,ohorizon,apurpleshadowseemedtoriseoutofthesea。ItwasJersey。
"AsroachedthebreakwateraviolentdesireseizedmeooseemyUobeosaytohimsomethingethiasingaers,hehaddisappeared,havingprobablygohedirtyholdwhichwasthehomeofthepoorwretch。"