CHAPTER vn

DURING that summer two events occurred which
made a deep impression upon Christophe — he
became a more intimate friend of the sea, and he went
to visit Goundran's landlady.
Goundran was very proud of his godson and would
have him a skilful and fearless swimmer, so one glori-
ous day he towed him well out of his depth while
Christophe hung on to a life-buoy.
Then: 'Let go, my fine fish and begin to swim!'
And.^ Christophe, nothing daunted, kicked about
with his legs and paddled with his hands as though
he were a puppy. After this Goundran gave him a
lesson most evenings, unless he should happen to be
away fishing.
Perhaps few things are more satisfying than a
child's first experience of conquering the water —
although conquering is not quite the right word, for
once understood and thus no longer feared, the water
can be uncommonly friendly, as indeed the sea was
to its new disciple. There it lay in the sunshine, so
smiling and so gentle that the fishermen all but forgot
the mistral, and so buoyant that Christophe bobbed
about like a cork and had some ado to keep his head
down for a moment, and this though he very soon
wished to imitate Goundran and swim under water.
For Christophe was one of those fortunate people
whom the sea adopts at their first real contact, and