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He had not joined in the shouting of jokes； neither had he moved
the least bit。 He had remained quietly in his place against the
foot of the mast。 I had been given to understand long before
that he had the rating of a second…class able seaman （matelot
leger） in the fleet which sailed from Toulon for the conquest of
Algeria in the year of grace 1830。 And； indeed； I had seen and
examined one of the buttons of his old brown patched coat； the
only brass button of the miscellaneous lot； flat and thin； with
the words Equipages de ligne engraved on it。 That sort of
button； I believe； went out with the last of the French Bourbons。
〃I preserved it from the time of my Navy Service；〃 he explained；
nodding rapidly his frail； vulture…like head。 It was not very
likely that he had picked up that relic in the street。 He looked
certainly old enough to have fought at Trafalgaror at any rate
to have played his little part there as a powder…monkey。 Shortly
after we had been introduced he had informed me in a Franco…
Provencal jargon； mumbling tremulously with his toothless jaws；
that when he was a 〃shaver no higher than that〃 he had seen the
Emperor Napoleon returning from Elba。 It was at night； he
narrated vaguely； without animation； at a spot between Frejus and
Antibes in the open country。 A big fire had been lit at the side
of the cross…roads。 The population from several villages had
collected there； old and youngdown to the very children in
arms； because the women had refused to stay at home。 Tall
soldiers wearing high； hairy caps； stood in a circle facing the
people silently； and their stern eyes and big moustaches were
enough to make everybody keep at a distance。 He； 〃being an
impudent little shaver；〃 wriggled out of the crowd； creeping on
his hands and knees as near as he dared to the grenadiers' legs；
and peeping through discovered standing perfectly still in the
light of the fire 〃a little fat fellow in a three…cornered hat；
buttoned up in a long straight coat； with a big pale face；
inclined on one shoulder； looking something like a priest。 His
hands were clasped behind his back。 。 。It appears that this was
the Emperor；〃 the Ancient commented with a faint sigh。 He was
staring from the ground with all his might； when 〃my poor
father；〃 who had been searching for his boy frantically
everywhere； pounced upon him and hauled him away by the ear。
The tale seems an authentic recollection。 He related it to me
many times； using the very same words。 The grandfather honoured
me by a special and somewhat embarrassing predilection。 Extremes
touch。 He was the oldest member by a long way in that Company；
and I was； if I may say so； its temporarily adopted baby。 He had
been a pilot longer than any man in the boat could remember；
thirtyforty years。 He did not seem certain himself； but it
could be found out； he suggested； in the archives of the Pilot…
office。 He had been pensioned off years before； but he went out
from force of habit； and； as my friend the patron of the Company
once confided to me in a whisper； 〃the old chap did no harm。 He
was not in the way。〃 They treated him with rough deference。 One
and another would address some insignificant remark to him now
and again； but nobody really took any notice of what he had to
say。 He had survived his strength； his usefulness； his very
wisdom。 He wore long； green； worsted stockings； pulled up above
the knee over his trousers； a sort of woollen nightcap on his
hairless cranium； and wooden clogs on his feet。 Without his
hooded cloak he looked like a peasant。 Half a dozen hands would
be extended to help him on board； but afterwards he was left
pretty much to his own thoughts。 Of course he never did any
work； except； perhaps； to cast off some rope when hailed： 〃He；
l'Ancien！ let go the halyards there； at your hand〃or some such
request of an easy kind。
No one took notice in any way of the chuckling within the shadow
of the hood。 He kept it up for a long time with intense
enjoyment。 Obviously he had preserved intact the innocence of
mind which is easily amused。 But when his hilarity had exhausted
itself； he made a professional remark in a self…assertive but
quavering voice：
〃Can't expect much work on a night like this。〃
No one took it up。 It was a mere truism。 Nothing under canvas
could be expected to make a port on such an idle night of dreamy
splendour and spiritual stillness。 We would have to glide idly
to and fro； keeping our station within the appointed bearings；
and； unless a fresh breeze sprang up with the dawn； we would land
before sunrise on a small islet that； within two miles of us；
shone like a lump of frozen moonlight； to 〃break a crust and take
a pull at the wine bottle。〃 I was familiar with the procedure。
The stout boat emptied of her crowd would nestle her buoyant；
capable side against the very rocksuch is the perfectly smooth
amenity of the classic sea when in a gentle mood。 The crust
broken； and the mouthful of wine swallowedit was literally no
more than that with this abstemious racethe pilots would pass
the time stamping their feet on the slabs of sea…salted stone and
blowing into their nipped fingers。 One or two misanthropists
would sit apart perched on boulders like man…like sea…fowl of
solitary habits； the sociably disposed would gossip scandalously
in little gesticulating knots； and there would be perpetually one
or another of my hosts taking aim at the empty horizon with the
long； brass tube of the telescope； a heavy； murderous…looking
piece of collective property； everlastingly changing hands with
brandishing and levelling movements。 Then about noon （it was a
short turn of dutythe long turn lasted twenty…four hours）
another boatful of pilots would relieve usand we should steer
for the old Phoenician port； dominated； watched over from the
ridge of a dust…grey arid hill by the red…and…white…striped pile
of the Notre Dame de la Garde。
All this came to pass as I had foreseen in the fullness of my
very recent experience。 But also something not foreseen by me
did happen； something which causes me to remember my last outing
with the pilots。 It was on this occasion that my hand touched；
for the first time； the side of an English ship。
No fresh breeze had come with the dawn； only the steady little
draught got a more keen edge on it as the eastern sky became
bright and glassy with a clean； colourless light。 It was while
we were all ashore on the islet that a steamer was picked up by