MS-WU-MSS008-3-50-2

[4084] nothing, and without relying on my intelligence alone, for I felt my
pockets and looked around me. [4085] And it was while feeling my pockets that
I discovered something of which my mind had been powerless to inform me,
namely that my keys were no longer there. [4086] I was not long in finding them,
scattered on the ground, the ring having broken. [4087] And to tell the truth
first I found the chain, then e ^{[place = overwritten] t}he keys and last the ring, in two pieces.

[4088] And since it was out of the question, even with the help of my umbrella,
to stoop each time to pick up a key, I put down my bags, my umbrella and
the coat and lay down flat on my stomach among the keys which in this way
I was able to recover without much difficulty. [4089] And when a key was beyond
my reach I took hold of the grass and dragged myself over to it. [4090] And I
wiped each key on the grass, before putting it in my pocket, whether it
needed wiping or not.

[4091] And from time to time I raised myself on my hands,
to get a better view. [4092] And in this way I located a number of keys at some
distance from me, and these I reached by rolling over and over, like a
great cylinder. [4093] And finding no more keys, I said, There is no use my
counting them, for I do not know how many there were. [4094] And my eyes resumed
their search. [4095] But finally I said, Hell to it, I'll do with those I have.

[4096] And while looking in this way for my keys I found an ear which I threw
into the copse. [4097] And, to my even greater surprise, I found my straw hat
which I thought was on my head! [4098] One of the holes for the elastic had
expanded to the edge of the rim and consequently was no longer a hole,
but a slit. [4099] But the other had been spared and the elastic was still in
it.

[4100] And finally I said, I shall rise now and, from my full height, run
my eyes over this area for the last time. [4101] Which I did. [4102] It was then I
found the ring, first one piece, then the other. [4103] Then, finding nor ^{[place = overwritten] t}hing
more belonging either to me or to my son, I packed ^{[place = supralinear] [⁁]shouldered} my bags again, jammed
the straw-hat hard down on my skull, folded my son's raincoat over my arm,
caught up the umbrella and went.