Title: Sans famille
Author: Hector Malot
Tag: Remi, a
child without a family.
Remi, an English boy by birth was kidnapped at birth by a
man who was paid by his uncle to carry out the operation. He was abandoned to die in a small village in faraway France. Remi’s father
died when his wife was pregnant with Remi, leaving his
fortune to his un-born baby. Remi’s uncle wanted at all cost to keep the
family fortune, hence decided to get rid of the
boy when he was yet a baby. Remi was picked up by a woman who had at that time lost her own baby. For eight years, Remi believed this woman whom he grew up to know as his mother was actually his real mother until fate brought back the woman''s husband from Paris where he was working as a bricklayer and could no longer continue working because of an accident which he had. The man wanted at all cost to make money out of Remi since he could no longer cater for him due to his inability to work anymore. While both husband and wife were arguing over the fact that Remi would have to leave the house to fend for himself,. Remi overheard and discovered that the woman who had raised him with so much love and affection was not his real mother. He was pained but was consoled with the fact that the husband of the woman who appeared to be so wicked and greedy was not his father as well. The man, in the absence of his wife sold Remi for 30 francs to an old man who needed the services of Remi as a companion. Remi, in company of the old man knew hard time and difficulty, on foot they traveled round the whole France making shows with animals; three dogs and a monkey. The animals would be made to carry out some funny tasks, people watched, get amused and dropped gave them money in appreciation of the show. In the course of going round France, Remi met his real mother. His mother, a rich countess who looked sad and unhappy since the disappearance of her
baby did not recognize Remi as her lost baby but liked him at first contact for his courage and for his ability to make people happy. She pleaded with the old man to leave Remi with her so that she could ease his pains and offer him a better life but the old man refused. The old man died much later leaving Remi to go through life alone with only one dogs because the other animals died during a harsh winter season. Fate brought Remi and his mother back together again months later after the death of Remi’s master. And this time, she recognized him as her son having carried out some investigation as a result of an information she received concerning his existence. Remi and his mother were happy to be together after ten years of separation. Remi’s uncle was imprisoned after being tried by a court of law for the crime he commited against his nephew.
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