Braithwaite 's back was to Benjamin ; he held the girl 's hand in his and was talking earnestly . Mary Stella was looking up at him , her delicate face thrown back a little . There was a look in her eyes that Benjamin had never seen there before -- but he knew what it meant . His face grew pale and rigid ; he clenched his hands and a whirlpool of agony and bitterness surged up in his heart . All the great blossoms of the hope that had shed beauty and fragrance over his rough life seemed suddenly to shrivel up into black unsightliness . He turned and went swiftly and noiselessly down the road to his boat . The murmur of the sea sounded very far off . Mosey Louis was busy counting out the mackerel , Xavier was dipping up buckets of water and pouring it over the silvery fish . The sun was setting in a bank of purple cloud , and the long black headland to the west cut the golden seas like a wedge of ebony . It was all real and yet unreal . Benjamin went to work mechanically . Presently Mary Stella came down to her father 's boat . Braithwaite followed slowly , pausing a moment to exchange some banter with saucy Mosey Louis . Benjamin bent lower over his table ; now and then he caught the dear tones of Mary Stella 's voice or her laughter at some sally of Pete or Leon . He knew when she went up the road with Braithwaite ; he caught the last glimpse of her light dress as she passed out of sight on the cliffs above , but he worked steadily on and gave no sign . It was late when they finished . The tired French Canadians went quickly off to their beds in the fish-house loft . Benjamin stood by the skids until all was quiet , then he walked down the cove to a rocky point that jutted out into the water . He leaned against a huge boulder and laid his head on his arm , looking up into the dark sky . The stars shone calmly down on his misery ; the throbbing sea stretched out before him ; its low , murmuring moan seemed to be the inarticulate voice of his pain .
The air was close and oppressive ; fitful flashes XXXXX heat lightning shimmered here and there over the heavy banks of cloud on the horizon ; little wavelets sobbed at the base of the rocks .
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