“Why, no, Jules, she couldn't sell your real estate!” the former owner declared. “She would only have a life interest in your share.”
“You say she couldn't sell it?”
“No. She would have nothing but a life interest.”
“She have only life interest? By gar! I t'ink I pay somebody twenty dollar to kill her!”
But lacking both twenty dollars and determination, he lived peaceably with Therese until she died a natural death, on that occasion proudly doing his whole duty as a man and a mourner.
Remembering these affairs, which had not been kept secret from anybody on the island, Clethera spoke out under conviction.
“Honoré, it a scandal' t'ing, to get marry.”
“Me, I t'ink so too,” assented Honoré.
“Jules McCarty have disgrace' his son!”
“Melinda Cree,” retorted Honoré, obliged to defend his own, “she take a little 'usban' honly nineteen.”