"They gave me five francs and walked away.
"Astonished,my sisters were awaiting their father.I said that mamma had felt a sudden attack of sea-sickness,and I asked the shell opener:
"‘How much do we owe you,monsieur?’
"I felt like laughing:he was my uncle!He answered:‘Two francs fifty.’
"I held out my five francs and he returned the change.I looked at his hand;it was a poor,wrinkled,sailor's hand,and I looked at his face,an unhappy old face.I said to myself: