Chapter 30 - Page 2

seen at
Marseilles; the day after, or two days after his visit to
Morrel, he had disappeared; and as in that city he had had
no intercourse but with the mayor, the inspector of prisons,
and M. Morrel, his departure left no trace except in the
memories of these three persons. As to the sailors of the
Pharaon, they must have found snug berths elsewhere, for
they also had disappeared.

Captain Gaumard, recovered from his illness, had returned
from Palma. He delayed presenting himself at Morrel's, but
the owner, hearing of his arrival, went to see him. The
worthy shipowner knew, from Penelon's recital, of the
captain's brave conduct during the storm, and tried to
console him. He brought him also the amount of his wages,
which Captain Gaumard had not dared to apply for. As he
descended the staircase, Morrel met Penelon, who was going
up. Penelon had, it would seem, made good use of his money,
for he was newly clad. When he saw his employer, the worthy
tar seemed much embarrassed, drew on one side into the
corner of the landing-place, passed his quid from one cheek
to the other, stared stupidly with his great eyes, and only
acknowledged the squeeze of the hand which Morrel as usual
gave him by a slight pressure in return. Morrel attributed
Penelon's embarrassment to the elegance of his attire; it
was evident the good fellow had not gone to such an expense
on his own account; he was, no doubt, engaged on board some
other vessel, and thus his bashfulness arose from the fact
of his not having, if we may so express ourselves, worn
mourning for the Pharaon longer. Perhaps he had come to tell
Captain Gaumard of his good luck, and to offer him
employment from his new master. "Worthy fellows!" said
Morrel, as he went away, "may your new master love you as I
loved you, and be more fortunate than I have been!"

August rolled by in unceasing efforts on the part of Morrel
to renew his credit or revive the old. On the 20th of August
it was known at Marseilles that he had left town in the
mailcoach, and then it was said that the bills would go to
protest at the end of the month, and that Morrel had gone
away and left his chief clerk Emmanuel, and his cashier
Cocles, to meet the creditors. But, contrary to all
expectation, when the 31st of August came, the house opened
as usual, and Cocles appeared behind the grating of the
counter, examined all bills presented with the usual
scrutiny, and, from first to last, paid all with the usual
precision. There came in, moreover, two drafts which M.
Morrel had fully anticipated, and which Cocles paid as
punctually as the bills which the shipowner had accepted.
All this was incomprehensible, and then, with the tenacity
peculiar to prophets