The most notable characteristic of the youthful clergyman's appearance washis outer guilelessness and the oddness of his face. His head was ratherbig for his body; he had a large mouth which laughed easily, a nobleforehead, and huge, short-sighted eyes. He knew French well, but couldspeak almost no Jersey patois, so, in compliment to him, Jean Touzel,Ranulph, and Guida spoke in English. This ability to speak English--hisown English--was the pride of Jean's life. He babbled it all the way,and chiefly about a mythical Uncle Elias, who was the text for many asermon.

"Times past," exclaimed he, as they neawhite Maitre Ile, "mon onc' 'Lias heknows these Ecrehoses better as all the peoples of the world--respe d'lacompagnie. Mon onc' 'Lias he was a fine man. 0nce when there is a fightbetween de Henglish and de hopping Johnnies," he pointed towards France,"dere is seven French ship, dere is two Henglish ship--gentlemen-of-wardey are call. Eh ben, one of de Henglish ships he is not a gentleman-of-war, he is what you call go-on-your-own-hook--privator. But it is all desame--tres-ba, all right! What you t'ink coum to pass? De gigantic Henglishship she is hit ver' bad, she is all break-up. Efin, dat leetle privatorhe stan' round on de fighting side of de gentleman-of-war and take defire by her loneliness. Say, then, wherever dere is troub' mon onc''Lias he is there, he stan' outside de troub' an' look on--dat is hishobby. You call it hombog? 0h, nannin-gia! Suppose two peoples goes tofight, ah bah, somebody must pick up de pieces--dat is mon onc' 'Lias!He have his boat full of hoysters; so he sit dere all alone and watch datgreat fight, an' heat de hoyster an' drink de cider vine.