Her mother, who was
the widow of I can't say how many husbands, was, saving your presence,
a bad woman, and my father was the worthiest man alive. When I spoke to
the old fellow of marrying Claudine he swore fiercely, and eight
days after, he sent me to Porto on a schooner belonging to one of our
neighbours, just to give me a change of air. I came back, at the end of
six months, thinner than a marling spike, but more in love than ever.
Recollections of Claudine scorched me like a fire. I could scarcely eat
or drink; but I felt that she loved me a little in return, for I was a
fine young fellow, and more than one girl had set her cap at me. Then
my father, seeing that he could do nothing, that I was wasting away,
and was on the road to join my mother in the cemetery, decided to let
me complete my folly. So one evening, after we had returned from fishing
and I got up from supper without tasting it, he said to me, 'Marry
the hag's daughter, and let's have no more of this.' I remember it
distinctly, because, when I heard the old fellow call my love such a
name, I flew into a great passion, and almost wanted to kill him. Ah,
one never gains anything by marrying in opposition to one's parents!"
The worthy fellow was lost in the midst of his recollections.
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