The Fête At Coqueville | Page 6

their breath. But, abruptly, he burst
out laughing. That was a surprise; what had he to be amused at? "What
is it? What have you got there?" they shouted to him furiously.
He, without replying, laughed still louder. He made gestures as if to say
that they would see. Then having fastened the "Baleine" to the yawl, he
towed her back. And an unlooked-for spectacle stunned Coqueville. In
the bottom of the bark, the three men--Rouget, Delphin, Fouasse--were
beatifically stretched out on their backs, snoring, with fists clenched,
dead drunk. In their midst was found a little cask stove in, some full
cask they had come across at sea and which they had appreciated.
Without doubt, it was very good, for they had drunk it all save a liter's
worth which had leaked into the bark and which was mixed with the
sea water.
"Ah! the pig!" cried the wife of Rouget, brutally, ceasing to whimper.
"Well, it's characteristic--their catch!" said La Queue, who affected
great disgust.
"Forsooth!" replied the Emperor, "they catch what they can! They have
at least caught a cask, while others have not caught anything at all."
The Mayor shut up, greatly vexed. Coqueville brayed. They understood
now. When barks are intoxicated, they dance as men do; and that one,
in truth, had her belly full of liquor. Ah, the slut! What a minx! She

festooned over the ocean with the air of a sot who could no longer
recognize his home. And Coqueville laughed, and fumed, the Mahés
found it funny, while the Floches found it disgusting. They surrounded
the "Baleine," they craned their necks, they strained their eyes to see
sleeping there the three jolly dogs who were exposing the secret springs
of their jubilation, oblivious of the crowd hanging over them. The
abuse and the laughter troubled them but little. Rouget did not hear his
wife accuse him of drinking up all they had; Fouasse did not feel the
stealthy kicks with which his brother Tupain rammed his sides. As for
Del-phin, he was pretty, after he had drunk, with his blond hair, his
rosy face drowned in bliss. Mar-got had gotten up, and silently, for the
present, she contemplated the little fellow with a hard expression.
"Must put them to bed!" cried a voice.
But just then Delphin opened his eyes. He rolled looks of rapture over
the people. They questioned him on all sides with an eagerness that
dazed him somewhat, the more easily since he was still as drunk as a
thrush.
"Well! What?" he stuttered; "it was a little cask--There is no fish.
Therefore, we have caught a little cask."
He did not get beyond that. To every sentence he added simply: "It was
very good!"
"But what was it in the cask?" they asked him hotly.
"Ah! I don't know--it was very good."
By this time Coqueville was burning to know. Every one lowered their
noses to the boat, sniffing vigorously. With one opinion, it smelt of
liquor; only no one could guess what liquor. The Emperor, who
flattered himself that he had drunk of everything that a man can drink,
said that he would see. He solemnly took in the palm of his hand a little
of the liquor that was swimming in the bottom of the bark. The crowd
became all at once silent. They waited. But the Emperor, after sucking
up a mouthful, shook his head as if still badly informed. He sucked

twice, more and more embarrassed, with an air of uneasiness and
surprise. And he was bound to confess:
"I do not know--It's strange--If there was no salt water in it, I would
know, no doubt--My word of honor, it is very strange!"
They looked at him. They stood struck with awe before that which the
Emperor himself did not venture to pronounce. Coqueville
contemplated with respect the little empty cask.
"It was very good!" once more said Delphin, who seemed to be making
game of the people. Then, indicating the sea with a comprehensive
sweep, he added: "If you want some, there is more there--I saw
them--little casks--little casks--little casks--"
And he rocked himself with the refrain which he kept singing, gazing
tenderly at Margot. He had just caught sight of her. Furious, she made a
motion as if to slap him; but he did not even close his eyes; he awaited
the slap with an air of tenderness.
The Abbé Radiguet, puzzled by that unknown tipple, he, too, dipped
his finger in the bark and sucked it. Like the Emperor, he shook his
head: no, he was not familiar with that, it was very extraordinary. They
agreed on but one point: the cask must have been wreckage from the
ship in distress, signaled Sunday evening. The English ships often
carried to Grandport such