him, three happy days, though over them hung
a dark and ominous forecast; one might as well call them three days of
respite.

At last she was forced to return to Ploubazlanec, for she had come
to the end of her little savings, and Sylvestre was to embark the day
afterward. The sailors are always inexorably kept in barracks the day
before foreign cruises (a custom that seems rather barbarous at first,
but which is a necessary precaution against the "flings" they would have
before leaving definitely).

Oh that last day! She had done her very best to hatch up some more funny
stories in her head, to tell her boy just at the parting; but she had
remembered nothing--no; only tears had welled up, and at every moment
sobs choked her. Hanging on his arm, she reminded him of a thousand
things he was not to forget to do, and he also tried hard to repress
his tears. They had ended by going into a church to say their prayers
together.

It was by the night train that she went. To save a few pence, they had
gone on foot to the station; he carrying her box, and holding her on his
strong arm, upon which she weighed heavily.

She was so very, very tired--poor old lady! She had scarcely any
strength left after the exertion of the last three or four days. Her
shoulders were bent under her brown shawl, and she had no force to bear
herself up; her youngish look was gone, and she felt the weight of her
seventy-six years.

Oh! how her heart ached at the thought that it was all over, and that
in a few moments she must leave him! Was he really to go out so far,
to China, perhaps to slaughter. She still had him there with her, quite
close, her poor hands could yet grasp him--and yet he must go; all the
strength of her will, all her tears, and all her great heartrending
despair--all! would nothing be of avail to keep him back?

With her ticket, and her lunch-basket, and her mittens in her grasp,
agitated, she gave him her last blessing and advice, and he answered
her with an obedient "Ay, ay," bending his head tenderly towards her and
gazing lovingly at her, in his soft childish way.

"Now then, old lady, you must make up your mind plaguey quick if you
want to go by this train!"

The engine whistled. Suddenly terrified at the idea of losing the train,
she bore her box from Sylvestre's grasp, and flinging it down, threw her
arms round his neck in a last and supreme embrace.

Many people on the platform stared at them, but not one smiled.