southward other wreaths of smoke, numbers of them, could be seen, all
converging towards the Havre pier, now scarcely visible as a white
streak with the lighthouse, upright, like a horn, at the end of it.

Roland asked: "Is not the Normandie due to-day?" And Jean replied:

"Yes, to-day."

"Give me my glass. I fancy I see her out there."

The father pulled out the copper tube, adjusted it to his eye, sought
the speck, and then, delighted to have seen it, exclaimed:

"Yes, yes, there she is. I know her two funnels. Would you like to look,
Mme. Rosemilly?"

She took the telescope and directed it towards the Atlantic horizon,
without being able, however, to find the vessel, for she could
distinguish nothing--nothing but blue, with a coloured halo round it, a
circular rainbow--and then all manner of queer things, winking eclipses
which made her feel sick.

She said as she returned the glass:

"I never could see with that thing. It used to put my husband in quite a
rage; he would stand for hours at the windows watching the ships pass."

Old Roland, much put out, retorted:

"Then it must be some defect in your eye, for my glass is a very good