When the aperture closed, night reigned again, save for the small lamp,
"sended" now and again aside, which shed its yellow light. A man in
clogs was heard coming down the wooden steps.

He entered bent in two like a big bear, for he was a giant. At first
he made a wry face, holding his nose, because of the acrid smell of the
souse.

He exceeded a little too much the ordinary proportions of man,
especially in breadth, though he was straight as a poplar. When he faced
you the muscles of his shoulders, moulded under his blue jersey, stood
out like great globes at the tops of his arms. His large brown eyes were
very mobile, with a grand, wild expression.

Sylvestre threw his arms round Yann, and drew him towards him tenderly,
after the fashion of children. Sylvestre was betrothed to Yann's sister,
and he treated him as an elder brother, of course. And Yann allowed
himself to be pulled about like a young lion, answering by a kind smile
that showed his white teeth. These were somewhat far apart, and appeared
quite small. His fair moustache was rather short, although never cut.
It was tightly curled in small rolls above his lips, which were most
exquisitely and delicately modelled, and then frizzed off at the ends on
either side of the deep corners of his mouth. The remainder of his beard
was shaven, and his highly coloured cheeks retained a fresh bloom like
that of fruit never yet handled.

When Yann was seated, the mugs were filled up anew.

The lighting of all the pipes was an excuse for the cabin boy to smoke