Volume VIII Part 3 (1/2)

She said as she returned the glass:

”I never could see with that thing It used to put e; he would stand for hours at the atching the shi+ps pass”

Old Roland, much put out, retorted:

”Then it ood one”

Then he offered it to his wife

”Would you like to look?”

”No, thank you I know beforehand that I could not see through it”

Mht-and-forty, but who did not look it, see day more than any of the party

Her chestnut hair was only just beginning to show streaks of white

She had a calm, reasonable face, a kind and happy ith her which it was a pleasure to see Her son Pierre ont to say that she knew the value of hts of drea, of novels and poetry, not for their value as works of art, but for the sake of the tender melancholy mood they would induce in her A line of poetry, often but a poor one, often a bad one, would touch the little chord, as she expressed it, and give her the sense of sohted in these faint eht a little flutter to her soul, otherwise as strictly kept as a ledger

Since settling at Havre she had becoure, which had been very supple and slight, had grown heavier

This day on the sea had been delightful to her Her husband, without being brutal, was rough with her, as a h, without anger or hatred; to such ive an order is to swear He controlled hiers, but in private he let loose and gave hih he was himself afraid of every one She, in sheer horror of the turave way and never asked for anything; for a very long time she had not ventured to ask Roland to take her out in the boat So she had joyfully hailed this opportunity, and was keenly enjoying the rare and new pleasure

From the moment when they started she surrendered herself co ; her h either h her heart, like her body, was floating on so soft and liquid and delicious which rocked and lulled it

When their father gave the word to return, ”Come, take your places at the oars!” she sreat boys, take off their jackets and roll up their shi+rt-sleeves on their bare arms

Pierre, as the nearest to the to till the skipper should say: ”Give way!” For he insisted on everything being done according to strict rule

Both at once, as if by a single effort, they dipped the oars and lay back, pulling with all their th They had come out easily, under sail, but the breeze had died away, and the masculine pride of the two brothers was suddenly aroused by the prospect oftheir powers When they went out alone with their father they plied the oars without any steering, for Roland would be busy getting the lines ready, while he kept a lookout in the boat's course, guiding it by a sign or a word: ”Easy, Jean, and you, Pierre, put your back into it” Or he would say, ”Now, then, nurease”

Then the one who had been dreaot excited eased down, and the boat's head came round

But to-day they meant to display their biceps Pierre's arms were hairy, somewhat lean but sinewy; Jean's were round and white and rosy, and the knot of muscles e With his teeth set, his brow knit, his legs rigid, his hands clenched on the oar, he made it bend fro landward

Father Roland, sitting in the bows, so as to leave the stern seat to the to, ”Easy, number one; pull harder, number two!” Pierre pulled harder in his frenzy, and ”number two” could not keep time with his wild stroke

At last the skipper cried: ”Stop her!” The two oars were lifted simultaneously, and then by his father's orders Jean pulled alone for a few rew eager and warmed to his work, while Pierre, out of breath and exhausted by his first vigorous spurt, was lax and panting Four ti father Roland et the boat into her right course again Then the doctor hu with sweat, his cheeks white, stammered out:

”I cannot think what has come over me; I have a stitch in my side I started very well, but it has pulled me up”

Jean asked: ”Shall I pull alone with both oars for a tio off”

And their mother, somewhat vexed, said: