The ancient Greek colony had been, during long centuries, supplanted by others,—­Venice, Genoa and Barcelona having held it in humble subjection.  But when those had fallen and its hour of prosperity returned, that prosperity was accompanied by all the advantages of the present day.  Steam machinery had been invented and boats were easily able to overcome the obstacles of the Strait of Cadiz without being obliged to wait weeks until the violence of the current sent by the Atlantic should abate.  Industrialism was born and inland factories sent forward, over the recently-installed railroads, a downpour of products that the fleets were transporting to all the Mediterranean towns.  Finally, upon the opening of the Isthmus of Suez, the city unfolded in a prodigious way, becoming a world port, putting itself in touch with the entire earth, multiplying its harbors, which became gigantic marine sheepfolds where vessels of every flag were gathered together in herds.

The old port, boxed in the city, changed its aspect according to the time and state of the atmosphere.  On calm mornings it was a yellowish green and smelled slightly of stale water,—­organic water, animal water.  The oyster stands established on its wharfs appeared sprinkled with this water impregnated by shell fish.

On the days of a strong wind the waters turned a terrible dark green, forming choppy and continuous waves with a light yellowish foam.  The boats would begin to dance, creaking and tugging at their hawsers.  Between their hulls and the vertical surface of the wharfs would be formed mountains of restless rubbish eaten underneath by the fish and pecked above by the sea-gulls.

Ferragut saw the swift torpedo destroyers dancing at the slightest undulation upon their cables of twisted steel, and examined the improvised submarine-chasers, robust and short little steamers, constructed for fishing, that carried quickfirers on their prows.  All these vessels were painted a metallic gray to make them indistinguishable from the color of the water, and were going in and out of the harbor like sentinels changing watch.

They mounted guard out on the high sea beyond the rocky and desert islands that closed the bay of Marseilles, accosting the incoming ships in order to recognize their nationality or running at full speed, with their wisps of horizontal smoke toward the point where they expected to surprise the periscope of the enemy hidden between two waters.  There was no weather bad enough to terrify them or make them drowsy.  In the wildest storms they kept the coast in view, leaping from wave to wave, and only when others came to relieve them would they return to the old port to rest a few hours at the entrance of the Cannebiere.

The narrow passageways of the right bank attracted Ferragut.  This was ancient Marseilles in which may still be seen some ruined palaces of the merchants and privateers of other centuries.  On these narrow and filthy slopes lived the bedizened and dismal prostitutes of the entire maritime city.