"'I think this is a finer one!' he said. And he weighed them, one in each hand.
"'There is not much difference,' he observed.
"He changed them into the opposite hands, weighed them again, and appeared sadly embarrassed, until his kinsman said to him:
"'Don't mind, cousin, take the three.'
"'Here, Onesimus,' said he, 'run a piece of string through their gills.'
"Onesimus strung them on the end of a strong line. He was about to cut the piece off, when Eloi checked him.
"'Bless me!' said the miller, 'how wasteful children are! He would cut that capital new cord.'
"And he carried away the entire cord, with the three whitings at the end of it, after having several times repeated his advice to Risquetout to be punctual in the payment of his bill, and after kissing Berenice, and saying,—
"'Good-bye, my dear children; I am delighted to have been of service to you.'
"'Our cousin is a very hard and a very griping man,' said Pélagie.