xix, who was then at the
mine. I had not the heart to ask for what was not offered. I thanked her
and went into the town to find a baker, to get something to eat. I was
ashamed of this reception, for I felt that Mattia would wonder what it
meant. Why should we have tramped so many miles for this.

It seemed to me that Mattia would have a poor idea of my friends, and
that when I should speak to him of Lise he would not listen to me with
the same interest. And I wanted him very much to like Lise. The cold
welcome that the aunt had given us did not encourage me to return to the
house, so at a little before six o'clock, Mattia, Capi, and I went to
the entrance of the mine to wait for Alexix.

We had been told by which gallery the miners would come out, and a
little after six we began to see in the dark shadows of the gallery some
tiny lights which gradually became larger. The miners, with lamp in
hand, were coming up into the day, their work finished. They came on
slowly, with heavy gait, as though they suffered in the knees. I
understood how this was later, when I myself had gone over the
staircases and ladders which led to the last level. Their faces were as
black as chimney sweeps; their clothes and hats covered with coal dust.
Each man entered the lamplighter's cabin and hung up his lamp on a nail.

Although keeping a careful lookout, I did not see Alexix until he had
rushed up to me. I should have let him pass without recognizing him. It
was hard to recognize in this boy, black from head to foot, the chum who
had raced with me down the garden paths in his clean shirt, turned up to
the elbows, and his collar thrown open, showing his White skin.

"It's Remi," he cried, turning to a man of about forty years, who walked
near him, and who had a kind, frank face like M. Acquin. This was not
surprising, considering that they were brothers. I knew that this was
Uncle Gaspard.

"We've been expecting you a long time," he said, smiling.

"The road is long from Paris to Varses," I said, smiling back.

"And your legs are short," he retorted, laughing.

Capi, happy at seeing Alexix, expressed his joy by tugging at the leg of
his trousers with all his might. During this time I explained to Uncle
Gaspard that Mattia was my friend and partner, and that he played the
cornet better than any one.

"And there's Monsieur Capi," said Uncle Gaspard; "you'll be rested
to-morrow, so you can entertain us, for it's Sunday. Alexix says th