But they did not try to argue, knowing how useless that would be.
The mother lowered her head, and said no more; she respected the will of her son, her eldest born, who was all but the head of the family; although he was always tender and gentle with her, more obedient than a child in the petty things of life, he long ago had been her absolute master for the great ones, eluding all restraint with a quiet though savage independence.

He never sat up late, being in the habit, like other fishermen, of rising before break of day.

And after supper at eight o'clock, he had given another satisfactory look to his baskets and new nets from Loguivy, and began to undress--calm to all appearances, and went up to sleep in the pink-curtained bed, which he shared with his little brother Laumec..