the event hinted at by the latter. Suddenly Madame Bernier's bell rang. Josephine was only too glad to answer it. She

le Vicomte comes, tell him I am at my mother

her mistress pass; then stood wat

,' muttered the maid

ract as little observation as possible, and yet to examine narrowly the population in the midst of which she found herself. Her dress was so plain that there was nothing in her appearance to solicit attention; yet, if for any reason a passer by had happened to notice her, he could not have helped being struck by the contained intensity with which she scrutinized every figure she met. Her manner was that of a

t stump of a pipe, with his face to the water. Happening to turn about, his eye fell on a litt

d the man; 'what have yo

ck, but, instead of obeyin

he man, angrily, 'or I'll wring your beggar

s relative, looking around several times toward th

ued the man, 'or I shall

es of the steps, and then stood still, eyeing

little beggar,

ddenly its self-styled uncle leaned forward, swept out his arm, clu

fant's frowsy mop of hair, and shaking its head until it staggered. 'Why didn't you come, you

eavored to twist its neck around under the man's g

. Look at me, and answer me. W

il

o f

ann

y be h

surveyed its contents, put it to his lips, and exhausted them. The child, although liberated, did not

for th

d and scampered off, just in time to elude a blow from the jug, which the man sent clattering at its heels. When it was out of sight, he faced about to t

, she turned around, and retraced her steps twenty yards with her ha

ery pleasant voice, 'are you th

as out of his mouth, and a broad grin in it

ame, at yo

ke me to the

closed,' said one of his comrades at t

I wish to go to the cemetery, and a b

y is shut at

e,' said the man first spo

in the stern of the boat

across?'

she; 'suppose you row me out to the lighthouse, and leav

boatman; 'fifteen sous,'

pay you well,

s the fare,' in

, and I'll give you a h

ave heard her remark. Silence was probably the most dignified mann

is exercise. The eyes lacked a certain rascally gleam which had appeared in them when he was so empressé with the offer of his services. The face was better then-that is, if vice is better than ignorance. We say a countenance is 'lit up' by a smile; and indeed that momentary flicker does the office of a candle in a dark room. It sheds a ray upon the dim upholster

ortense at last. 'Hadn't you

'But if you had taken me by the hour,' he added, with a re

rk very hard,' sa

if to intimate the inadequacy of any supp

plying my little boat. Sweating without five minutes' intermission. C'est comme ?a. Som

u gain little,' s

hat will keep me fat enough

ithout your ne

at in the degree above nothing it means luxury. My necessary food is som

ble to be so

you what I hav

id Madam

alt herring are all that have p

ou get some

ives him past the signal flags of relief, 'what would there be left to bury me? These clothes I have on might buy me a long box. For the cos

e work that pays bette

pped his o

est part of my Saturday night's pocketings. Fifty casks rolled from the ship to the storehouse mean two things: thirty sous and fifty more

rried?' ask

ook to me for support. The old woman's too old to work; the lass is too lazy, and the little ones are too young

hysiognomy. The sinking sun, striking full upon his face, covered it with an almost lurid glare. Her own featu

eave the place?'

ng their interests, extending to the most philanthropic suggestions that mistrustful eagerness with which experience h

re else,' s

for in

ew country

vidence of interest in the play of his features than of that disco

ords to cram into an empty stomach when you're lounging in the sun, out of work, just as you stuff tobacco into your pipe and let the smoke curl around your head. But they fade away be

d, then, to r

my sabots till I am certain of a pair of shoes. I can go barefoot here. I don't w

've been

nd Mexico and Californ

A

en to As

A

, I've seen the world! I've bee

een a sea

am; fourt

hat s

heart, on

enc

ish and Spanish;

A

the more f

w s

own any dog that would play half

had a hand in

my knife with the best of them, and drew it as quickly, and plunged it as deep. I've got sca

ed vigor at the recollection

ew moments-'do you remember-that is, can you

tion, however, as to be indistinguishable. The tone of her interrogation had betrayed a simple, idle curiosity. He hesitated a moment, and then gave

shrug, 'there's a question!... I n

not,' sai

ica, ma foi!' added the boatma

What would be

I don't say I did, mind-it's because my

id you use

would have been because

ould he hav

ny reasons as there ar

exa

ot a place in a ship's comp

as that? is

lass should have given me a doze

gh. 'A man who owed you a grudge of this kind would just

your back, with an oath, and slice open a melo

ay unable to take revenge himself, does he-or it may b

ou in the end. The rascals always keep their promises to themselves.... An enemy on shipboard is jolly fun. It's like bulls tethered in the same field. You can't stand still half a minute except against a wall. Even when he makes friends with you, his favors never taste right. Messing with him is like drinking out of a pewter mug. And so it is everywhere. Let your shadow once flit across a Spaniard's path, and he'll always see it there. If you've never lived in any but these damned clockworky European towns, you can't imagine the state of things in a South American seaport-one half the population waiting round the corner for the

this exposition of the

a man out of the world,

.... Are you

that the thing is

, perhaps with surprise, fo

e is S

aps, I am,' re

d. Madame Bernier broke it by a question which showed

ground in this count

over the water. Hortense dre

id there

a right of

ow something about. But it's one that ces m

ries, when a man makes life insup

I suppose y

in Fr

kill yourself

breakwater, terminating in a lighthouse, the limit,

use,' said the man; 'it's g

u may go back-slowly.' When the boat had headed round she resumed her old position, and put one of h

her face caught some of the lingering light of

in the world,' said she; 'I s

emark jarred upon the expression which he was able faintly

ry kind. What

ier returne

l trus

A

rewar

as a piece of

work,' Hor

xplanation. His face wore the look of lowering ir

u a bol

n certain subjects with an inferior but by the sacrifice of the barrier which separates you from him. There

the boatman, 'for anyt

enough to co

or not

or me, it is certainly not as a favor. I will give you ten times the weight

long, hard look thr

want me to do,'

id Hortense; 'w

t his eyes like a woman who

your

sel named the Armo

uns from S

morning early. Will it b

ot til

I expect a pers

unable to continue, as i

?' said her

rson'-she st

erson

hom I wish to

was said. The boatman was

u formed

nse n

s hea

e house to which he returns will be in view of the vessel if, as you say, she lies at anc

ean my boat

G

sank down again, burying her face in her knees. Her companion

e, don't break down,' said he; '

ing her by his grasp, he succeeded in making he

to finish him

ans

an ol

hook her h

ag

no

! it isn'

Hortense, without look

d his hands. Hortense looked up q

he man at last, 'it w

son Bernier, the house with its back to the water, on the exten

man, and was silent, as if asking

in of thought which she apprehended he

sure of my aff

ge of what I shall be able and glad to give you afterward.

e,' said the man, leav

ies wit

t I have the right

nly. Na

hat I will so much as consider your proposal.

ice-the

get at them. You want me to be your pearl diver. Be it so. You must guarantee me a safe descent,-it's a descent, you know-ha!-you

to your sallies. I wish simply to know your price. I'

nt forward, his eyes fixed on Madame Bernier's face, he kept for some seconds. It was perhaps fortunate for Hortense's purpose at that moment-it had often aided her purposes before-that

! propose on

I'll give you them, or, if they will get you into trouble, their value. At home, in a box I have a thousand francs in gold. Yo

fifteen thousand francs; one thousand more makes sixteen; passage to America-

dful for your s

ot to remove the impression. It's served me a good turn, on this

but not a

I tru

for you that I do not allow myself

ilities. Still, I'll trust you, too.... Tiens!' added the boatman, 'here we are near the

land,' said Madame

fter a fashion,' persisted the