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Updated: June 22, 2025
She, with a vague look in her eyes, had picked up three or four little stones and was slowly and mechanically dropping them from one hand into the other. Then her unsettled gaze, wandering over the scene before her, discerned, among the weedy rocks, her son Jean fishing with Mme. Rosemilly.
They had just gone upstairs again when the lawyer was announced. Roland flew to meet him. "Good-evening, my dear Maitre," said he, giving his visitor the title which in France is the official prefix to the name of every lawyer. Mme. Rosemilly rose. "I am going," she said. "I am very tired."
Then Pierre shut the door; but no sooner was he shut in with his own party than he longed to open it again, for the bustle outside covered their agitation and want of words. Mme. Rosemilly at last felt she must speak. "Very little air comes in through those little windows." "Port-holes," said Pierre.
Rosemilly replied with a long sigh, which, however, had no sadness in it: "Yes, but it is sometimes very cruel, all the same." Roland exclaimed: "Look, there is the Normandie just going in. A big ship, isn't she?" Then he described the coast opposite, far, far away, on the other side of the mouth of the Seine that mouth extended over twenty kilometres, said he.
The worthy man was astounded. "Heh? What? He is to marry Mme. Rosemilly?" "Yes, we meant to ask your opinion about it this very day." "Bless me! And has this engagement been long in the wind?" "Oh, no, only a very few days. Jean wished to make sure that she would accept him before consulting you." Roland rubbed his hands. "Very good. Very good. It is capital. I entirely approve."
But one evening of the week before, Mme. Rosemilly, who had been dining with them, remarked, "It must be great fun to go out fishing." The jeweller, flattered by her interest and suddenly fired with the wish to share his favourite sport with her, and to make a convert after the manner of priests, exclaimed: "Would you like to come?" "To be sure I should." "Next Tuesday?" "Yes, next Tuesday."
And his heart ached so with pity that he went away unable to endure the sight. He found his father, his mother, Jean, and Mme. Rosemilly waiting for him in his cabin. "So early!" he exclaimed. "Yes," said Mme. Roland in a trembling voice. "We wanted to have a little time to see you." He looked at her.
M. Roland was abashed, and apologized. "I beg your pardon, Mme. Rosemilly, but that is just like me. I invite ladies because I like to be with them, and then, as soon as I feel the water beneath me, I think of nothing but the fish." Mme. Roland was now quite awake, and gazing with a softened look at the wide horizon of cliff and sea. "You have had good sport, all the same," she murmured.
A third time she came in with the sugar-basin and cups; then she departed to heat the water. They sat waiting. No one could talk; they had too much to think about and nothing to say. Mme. Roland alone attempted a few commonplace remarks. She gave an account of the fishing excursion, and sang the praises of the Pearl and of Mme. Rosemilly. "Charming, charming!" the lawyer said again and again.
When they had landed, Beausire at once took leave of them to go to breakfast with a friend. Then Jean led the way with Mme. Rosemilly, and Roland said to his wife: "A very fine fellow, all the same, is our Jean." "Yes," replied the mother. And her mind being too much bewildered to think of what she was saying, she went on: "I am very glad that he is to marry Mme. Rosemilly."
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