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TheLoonsMargarelLaurenceJustbelowManawaka,wheretheWachakwaRiverranbrownandnoisyoverthepebbles,thescruboakandgrey-greenwillowandchokecherrybushesgrewinadensethicket.InaclearingatthecentreofthethicketstoodtheTonnerrefamily'sshack.Thebasisatthisdwellingwasasmallsquarecabinmadeofpoplarpolesandchinkedwithmud,whichhadbeenbuiltbyJulesTonnerresomefiftyyearsbefore,whenhecamebackfromBatochewithabulletinhisthigh,theyearthatRielwashungandthevoicesoftheMetisenteredtheirlongsilence.JuleshadonlyintendedtostaythewinterintheWachakwaValley,butthefamilywasstillthereinthethirties,whenIwasachild.AstheTonnerreshadincreased,theirsettlementhadbeenaddedto,untiltheclearingatthefootofthetownhillwasachaosoflean-tos,woodenpackingcases,warpedlumber,discardedcartypes,ramshacklechickencoops,tangledstrandsofbarbedwireandrustytincans.TheTonnerreswereFrenchhalfbreeds,andamongthemselvestheyspokeapatoisthatwasneitherCreenorFrench.TheirEnglishwasbrokenandfullofobscenities.TheydidnotbelongamongtheCreeoftheGallopingMountainreservation,furthernorth,andtheydidnotbelongamongtheScots-IrishandUkrainiansofManawaka,either.Theywere,asmyGrandmotherMacLeodwouldhaveputit,neitherflesh,fowl,norgoodsaltherring.Whentheirmenwerenotworkingatoddjobsorassectionhandsonthe.R.theylivedonrelief.Inthesummers,oneoftheTonnerreyoungsters,withafacethatseemedtotallyunfamiliarwithlaughter,wouldknockatthedoorsofthetown'sbrickhousesandofferforsalealard-pailfullofbruisedwildstrawberries,andifhegotasmuchasaquarterhewouldgrabthecoinandrunbeforethecustomerhadtimetochangehermind.SometimesoldJules,orhissonLazarus,wouldgetmixedupinaSaturday-nightbrawl,andwouldhitoutatwhoeverwasnearestorhowldrunkenlyamongtheoffendedshoppersonMainStreet,andthentheMountiewouldputthemforthenightinthebarredcellunderneaththeCourtHouse,andthenextmorningtheywouldbequietagain.PiquetteTonnerre,thedaughterofLazarus,wasinmyclassatschool.ShewasolderthanI,butshehadfailedseveralgrades,perhapsbecauseherattendancehadalwaysbeensporadicandherinterestinschoolworknegligible.Partofthereasonshehadmissedalotofschoolwasthatshehadhadtuberculosisofthebone,andhadoncespentmanymonthsinhospital.Iknewthisbecausemyfatherwasthedoctorwhohadlookedafterher.HersicknesswasalmosttheonlythingIknewabouther,however.Otherwise,sheexistedformeonlyasavaguelyembarrassingpresence,withherhoarsevoiceandherclumsylimpingwalkandhergrimycottondressesthatwerealwaysmilestoolong.Iwasneitherfriendlynorunfriendlytowardsher.Shedweltandmovedsomewherewithinmyscopeofvision,butIdidnotactuallynoticeherverymuchuntilthatpeculiarsummerwhenIwaseleven.Idon'tknowwhattodoaboutthatkid.myfathersaidatdinneroneevening.PiquetteTonnerre,Imean.Thedamnbone'sflaredupagain.I'vehadherinhospitalforquiteawhilenow,andit'sundercontrolallright,butIhatelikethedickenstosendherhomeagain.Couldn'tyouexplaintohermotherthatshehastorestalotmymothersaid.Themother'snottheremyfatherreplied.Shetookoffafewyearsback.Can'tsayIblameher.Piquettecooksforthem,andshesaysLazaruswouldneverdoanythingforhimselfaslongasshe'sthere.Anyway,Idon'tthinkshe'dtakemuchcareofherself,onceshegotback.She'sonlythirteen,afterall.Beth,Iwasthinking—WhatabouttakingheruptoDiamondLakewithusthissummerAcoupleofmonthsrestwouldgivethatboneamuchbetterchance.Mymotherlookedstunned.ButEwen--whataboutRoddieandVanessaShe'snotcontagious,myfathersaid.AnditwouldbecompanyforVanessa.Ohdear,mymothersaidindistress,I'llbetanythingshehasnitsinherhair.ForPete'ssake,myfathersaidcrossly,doyouthinkMatronwouldletherstayinthehospitalforallthistimelikethatDon'tbesilly,Beth.GrandmotherMacLeod,herdelicatelyfeaturedfaceasrigidasacameo,nowbroughthermauve-veinedhandstogetherasthoughshewereabouttobeginprayer.Ewen,ifthathalfbreedyoungstercomesalongtoDiamondLake,I'mnotgoing,sheannounced.I'llgotoMorag'sforthesummer.Ihadtroubleinstiflingmyurgetolaugh,formymotherbrightenedvisiblyandquicklytriedtohideit.IfitcametoachoicebetweenGrandmotherMacLeodandPiquette,Piquettewouldwinhandsdown,nitsornot.Itmightbequiteniceforyou,atthat,shemused.Youhaven'tseenMoragforoverayear,andyoumightenjoybeinginthecityforawhile.Well,Ewendear,youdowhatyouthinkbest.IfyouthinkitwoulddoPiquettesomegood,thenwe'IIbegladtohaveher,aslongasshebehavesherself.Soithappenedthatseveralweekslater,whenweallpiledintomyfather'soldNash,surroundedbysuitcasesandboxesofprovisionsandtoysformyten-month-oldbrother,PiquettewaswithusandGrandmotherMacLeod,miraculously,wasnot.Myfatherwouldonlybestayingatthecottageforacoupleofweeks,forhehadtogetbacktohispractice,buttherestofuswouldstayatDiamondLakeuntiltheendofAugust.Ourcottagewasnotnamed,asmanywere,DewDropInnorBide-a-Wee,orBonnieDoon”.Thesignontheroadwayboreinausterelettersonlyourname,MacLeod.Itwasnotalargecottage,butitwasonthelakefront.Youcouldlookoutthewindowsandsee,throughthefiligreeofthesprucetrees,thewaterglisteninggreenlyasthesuncaughtit.Allaroundthecottagewereferns,andsharp-branchedraspberrybushes,andmossthathadgrownoverfallentreetrunks,Ifyoulookedcarefullyamongtheweedsandgrass,youcouldfindwildstrawberryplantswhichwereinwhiteflowernowandinanothermonthwouldbearfruit,