Whentheyreachedthebridge，theyturnedtotheright，andgotthefreshbreezefromtheriver，whichrolledalong，calmandmelancholy，borderedbytallpoplartrees，whilethestarslookedasiftheywerefloatingonthewaterandwere—movingwiththecurrent.Aslightwhitemistthatfloatedovertheoppositebanks，filledtheirlungswithasensationofcold，andCaravanstoppedsuddenly，forhewasstruckbythatsmellfromthewaterwhichbroughtbackoldmemoriestohismind.For，inhismind，hesuddenlysawhismotheragain，inPicardy，ashehadseenheryearsbefore，kneelinginfrontoftheirdoor，andwashingtheheapsoflinenathersideinthestreamthatranthroughtheirgarden.Healmostfanciedthathecouldhearthesoundofthewoodenpaddlewithwhichshebeatthelineninthecalmsilenceofthecountry，andhervoice，asshecalledouttohim：\"Alfred，bringmesomesoap.\"Andhesmelledthatodorofrunningwater，ofthemistrisingfromthewetground，thatmarshysmell，whichheshouldneverforget，andwhichcamebacktohimonthisveryeveningonwhichhismotherhaddied.
Hestopped，seizedwithafeelingofdespair.Asuddenflashseemedtorevealtohimtheextentofhiscalamity，andthatbreathfromtheriverplungedhimintoanabyssofhopelessgrief.Hislifeseemedcutinhalf，hisyouthdisappeared，swallowedupbythatdeath.Alltheformerdayswereoveranddonewith，alltherecollectionsofhisyouthhadbeensweptaway;forthefuture，therewouldbenobodytotalktohimofwhathadhappenedindaysgoneby，ofthepeoplehehadknownofold，ofhisownpartofthecountry，andofhispastlife;thatwasapartofhisexistencewhichexistednolonger，andtherestmightaswellendnow.
Andthenhesaw\"themother\"asshewaswhenyoung，wearingwell—worndresses，whichherememberedforsuchalongtimethattheyseemedinseparablefromher;herecollectedhermovements，thedifferenttonesofhervoice，herhabits，herpredilections，herfitsofanger，thewrinklesonherface，themovementsofherthinfingers，andallherwell—knownattitudes，whichshewouldneverhaveagain，andclutchingholdofthedoctor，hebegantomoanandweep.Histhinlegsbegantotremble，hiswholestoutbodywasshakenbyhissobs，allhecouldsaywas：
\"Mymother，mypoormother，mypoormother！\"
Buthiscompanion，whowasstilldrunk，andwhointendedtofinishtheeveningincertainplacesofbadreputethathefrequentedsecretly，madehimsitdownonthegrassbytheriverside，andlefthimalmostimmediately，underthepretextthathehadtoseeapatient.