My Uncle Jules

by Guy de Maupassant

A white-haired old man begged us for some money. My friend, Joseph, gave him five francs. He saw my surprised look and said:

"That poor man reminds me of a story I'll tell you. I can't forget it. Listen:

"My family, which originally came from Havre in France, was not rich. We just managed to survive. My father worked hard, came home late from the office, and earnt very little. I had two sisters.

"My mother hated our poverty, and she often had unkind words for her husband. The poor man then used to do something which made me feel sad. He would pass his open hand over his forehead and he would not answer. We saved money on everything and never accepted an invitation to dinner, because we could not invite other people back. All our food was bought at sales. My sisters made their own dresses and had long discussions on the price of wool. Our meals were usually soup and bread. They say it's healthy, but I'd have preferred a change.

"I used to have terrible arguments because of lost buttons.

"Every Sunday, in our best clothes, we walked along the beach. My father, in a coat and hat, would walk with my mother. My sisters, who were always ready first, waited for the signal to leave; but at the last minute someone always found a spot on my father's coat and it had to be cleaned quickly with soap.

"Then we set out together. My father and mother and I walked in front, my sisters behind us, arm in arm. I walked on the left of my mother and my father on her right. I remember the self-importance of my poor parents during these Sunday walks. They moved slowly, with serious faces, their bodies straight, as if something of extreme importance depended on their appearance.

"Every Sunday, when ships were returning from far-away countries, my father always shouted the same words:

"'What a surprise it would be if Jules were on that one, eh?!'

"My Uncle Jules, my father's brother, was the only hope of the family, after he had been its only fear. I'd heard about him since childhood, and it seemed to me that I'd recognize him immediately, as I knew so much about him. I knew every detail up to the day he left for America, although this time in his life was spoken of only very quietly.

"It seems that he'd been a bad man, that is to say, he'd wasted a little money, which, in a poor family, is one of the greatest crimes. With rich people a man who enjoys himself by spending money only gets a reputation. But to poor families a boy who forces his parents to waste money becomes a bad son, although the action is the same, because only results decide the seriousness of the behaviour.

"Well, Uncle Jules spent a lot of their parents' money and my father's inheritance, after he had wasted all his own. Then, according to the custom at that time, he was shipped off to America.

"Over there, my uncle began to sell something or other, and he soon wrote that he was making a little money and he hoped to pay back my father for the harm he had done. This letter caused a deep feeling in the family. Jules, who up to that time had been almost a criminal, suddenly became a good man, a kind-hearted uncle, honest like all his family.

"One of the captains told us that Jules had rented a large shop in America and was running an important business.

"Two years later a second letter came, saying: 'My dear Philippe, I am writing to tell you not to worry about my health, which is excellent. Business is good. I leave tomorrow for a long trip to South America. I may be away for years without sending you any news. If I don't write, don't worry. When I have made my money, I will return to Havre. I hope that it will not be too long and that we shall all live happily together...'

"This letter became the motto of the family. We read it with happiness and showed it to everybody.

"For ten years we heard nothing from Uncle Jules; but as time went on my father's hope grew, and my mother often said:

"'When that good Jules is here, our lives will be different. He's one who knows how to succeed!'

"And every Sunday, while watching the big ships approaching, my father would repeat his everlasting question:

"'What a surprise it would be if Jules were on that one! Eh?'

"We almost expected to hear him shouting:

"'Hey! Philippe!'

"We planned a lot for his expected return; we were even going to buy a little house with my uncle's money - a little place in the countryside. In fact, I was pretty sure that my father had already started looking.

"My elder sister was then twenty-eight, the other twenty-six. They were not yet married and that was a great sadness to everyone. At last a young man asked my father to marry my younger sister. He was a clerk, not rich but respectable. I've always been certain that Uncle Jules' letter, which was shown to him one evening, had decided him to ask to marry my sister.

"He was eagerly accepted, and it was decided after the wedding the whole family should take a trip to Jersey. Jersey is the ideal trip for poor people. It is not far; you cross a little sea in a ship and land in a foreign country, as this little island belongs to England. So, a Frenchman can see foreigners at home and study them.

"This trip to Jersey completely fascinated us, was our only hope, our constant thought.

"At last we left. I see it as plainly as if it had happened yesterday. My father was supervising our three pieces of baggage; my mother, nervous, had taken the arm of my unmarried sister, who seemed lost since the other one left; behind us came the bride and groom, who always stayed behind, a thing that often made me turn round.

"We got on the ship, and it moved ahead across a sea as flat as a table. We watched the coast disappear in the distance, happy and proud, like everyone who does not travel much. My father was pushing out his chest in the breeze, beneath his coat, which had been very carefully cleaned that morning; and we all smelt his soap which always meant it was Sunday. Then he saw an old man selling oysters and other passengers eating them.

"My father was probably pleased with this idea of eating oysters on a moving ship and, going up to my mother and sisters, he asked:

"'Would you like some oysters?'

"My mother hesitated because of the expense, but my two sisters immediately accepted. My mother said in an angry way:

"'Give the children some, but not too much, it will make them sick.' Then, turning towards me, she added:

"'As for Joseph, he doesn't need any. Boys shouldn't be spoiled.'

"However, I found this very unfair. I watched my father as he self-importantly led my two sisters and his son-in-law towards the old sailor.

"My father showed my sisters how to eat them without spilling the juice. He even tried to give them an example, and took an oyster. He tried to copy the rich people on the ship, and immediately spilled the liquid over his coat.

"But, suddenly, my father seemed worried. He went back a few steps, stared at his family around the old oyster seller, and quickly came towards us. He seemed pale, with a strange look. In a low voice he said to my mother:

"'It's strange how that man opening the oysters looks like Jules.'

"Astonished, my mother asked:

"'What Jules?'

"My father continued:

"'My brother, of course. If I didn't know that he was in America, I'd think it was him.'

"Confused, my mother stuttered:

"'You're crazy! As you know it's not him, why do you say such stupid things?'

"But my father continued:

"'Go on over and see, Clarisse! See with your own eyes.'

"She got up and walked to her daughters. I was watching the man too. He was old, dirty, wrinkled, and did not lift his eyes from his work.

"My mother returned. I noticed that she was upset. She shouted quickly:

"'I believe it's him. Ask the captain! But be careful! We don't want this criminal on our hands again!'

"My father walked away, but I followed him. I felt strangely excited.

"The captain, a tall, thin man, was walking along with an important look.

"My father spoke to him and questioned him about his job:

"'Why is Jersey important? What does it produce? What's the population?' etc., etc.

"'That old oyster seller seems quite interesting. Do you know anything about him?'

"The captain, who was tired of this conversation, answered:

"'He is some old French man I found last year in America, and I brought him back. It seems he has some family in Havre, but he doesn't want to return to them because he owes them money. His name is Jules or something like that. It seems he was once rich over there, but you can see what's left of him now.'

"My father turned pale and mumbled, "'Ah! ah! very well, very well. I'm not surprised. Thank you very much, captain.'

"He went away, and the surprised sailor watched him disappear. He returned to my mother so upset that she said to him:

"'Sit down; someone will notice something is the matter.'

"He sat down on a seat and paused:

"'It's him!'

"Then he asked: "'What are we going to do?'

"She answered quickly: "'We must get the children out of the way. We must take good care that our son-in-law doesn't find out.'

"My father whispered: "'What a disaster!'

"Suddenly angry, my mother cried: "'I always thought that thief would never do anything, and that he would find us again! You can't expect anything from your family!'

"My father passed his hand over his forehead, as he always did when his wife shouted. She added:

"'Pay for the oysters. Let's get down to the end of the boat, and take care that man doesn't come near us!'

"They gave me five francs and walked away.

"Astonished, my sisters were waiting for their father. I said that mamma had felt sea-sick, and I asked the oyster seller:

"'How much do we owe you?'

"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:

"'That is my uncle, the brother of my father, my uncle!'

"I gave him a fifty-cent tip. He thanked me:

"'Thank-you, my young sir!'

"He spoke like a poor man receiving charity. I thought he must have begged over there! My sisters looked at me, surprised. When I returned the two francs to my father, my mother asked me in surprise:

"'Did that cost three francs? That's impossible.'

"I answered: 'I gave fifty cents as a tip.'

"My mother, staring at me, shouted:

"'You must be crazy!

Give fifty cents to that man, to that crazy man...'

"She stopped when she saw my father's look. He was pointing at his son-in-law. Then everybody was silent.

"Before us, on the horizon, a purple shadow rose out of the sea. It was Jersey.

"I wanted to see my Uncle Jules once more, to be near him, to say something soft, something gentle. But as no-one was eating any more oysters, he had disappeared, probably to the dirty room of a poor man."