第3章

Theveryrecollectionofthatpleasureevennowenchantsme。

’TotheIsland——totheIsland！’shoutedtheboldest，andthenwemadehastetowadetotheIsland，eachtogathertogetherourlittlebundleoffagots。”

Therestofthevagrants’timewasspentinplay。TheyascendedtheclifftowardsthegrottoofSaintJohn。Theysharedinmanyacontest。Theydaredeachothertodothings——possibleandimpossible。Therewereclimbingsofrocks，anddaringleaps，withmanyperilsandescapades，accordingtothenatureofboysatplay。Atlength，afterbecomingtired，therewasthereturnhomeanhourbeforenightfall。Andnowthelittlefellowstrippedalong；thirtyfagotbundleswerecarriedonthirtyheads；

andthethirtysang，asonsettingout，thesamecarol，withthesamerefrain。

Jasminproceeds，inhisSouvenirs，todescribewithgreatzestandawonderfulrichnessoflocalcolour，theimpromptufetesinwhichheboreapart；hisraidsuponthecherryandplumorchards——fortheneighbourhoodofAgenisrichinplum-trees，andprunesareoneoftheprincipalarticlesofcommerceinthedistrict。PlayingatsoldierswasoneofJasmin’sfavouriteamusements；andhewasusuallyelectedCaptain。”Ishouldneed，”hesays，”ahundredtrumpetstocelebrateallmyvictories。”Thenhedescribesthedancingroundthebonfires，andthefantasticceremoniesconnectedwiththecelebrationofSt。John’sEve。

Ageniscelebratedforitsfairs。InthemonthofJune，oneofthemostimportantfairsintheSouthofFranceisheldontheextensivepromenadeinfrontoftheGravier。ThereJasminwenttopickupanysparesousbyholdinghorsesorcattle，orrunningerrands，orperforminganytriflingcommissionforthefarmersorgraziers。Whenhehadfilledtoaslightextenthislittlepurse，hewenthomeatnightandemptiedthewholecontentsintohismother’shand。Hisheartoftensankasshereceivedhisearningswithsmilesandtears。”Poorchild，”

shewouldsay，”yourhelpcomesjustintime。”Thusthebitterthoughtofpovertyandtheevidencesofdestitutionwerealwaysnearathand。

IntheautumnJasminwentgleaninginthecornfields，foritwashisgreatestpleasuretobringhomesomeadditionalhelpforthefamilyneeds。InSeptembercamethevintage——thegatheringinandpressingofthegrapesprevioustotheirmanufactureintowine。Theboywasable，withhishandyhelpfulness，toaddalittlemoremoneytothehomestore。Winterfollowed，andtheweatherbecamecolder。Inthedearthoffirewood，Jasminwasfaintopreservehisbodilyheat，notwithstandinghisraggedclothes，bywarminghimselfbythesuninsomeshelterednooksolongasthedaylasted；orhewouldplaywithhiscompanions，beingstillbuoyedupwiththejoyandvigourofyouth。

Whenthesternwintersetin，Jasminspenthiseveningsinthecompanyofspinning-womenandchildren，principallyforthesakeofwarmth。Ascoreormoreofwomen，withtheirchildren，assembledinalargeroom，lightedbyasingleantiquelampsuspendedfromtheceiling。Thewomenhaddistaffsandheavyspindles，bymeansofwhichtheyspunakindofcoarsepack-thread，whichthechildrenwoundup，sittingonstoolsattheirfeet。Allthewhilesomeolddamewouldrelatetheold-worldogreishstoriesofBlueBeard，theSorcerer，ortheLoupGarou，tofascinatetheearsandtroublethedreamsoftheyoungfolks。Itwashere，nodoubt，thatJasmingatheredmuchofthetraditionarylorewhichheafterwardswoveintohispoeticalballads。

Jasminhadhismomentsofsadness。Hewasnowgettingabigfellow，andhismotherwasanxiousthatheshouldreceivesomelittleeducation。Hehadnotyetbeentaughttoread；hehadnotevenlearnthisABC。Thewordschoolfrightenedhim。Hecouldnotbeartobeshutupinacloseroom——hewhohadbeenaccustomedtoenjoyasortofvagabondlifeintheopenair。

Hecouldnotgiveuphiscomrades，hisplayingatsoldiers，andhisnumerousescapades。

Themother，duringthehumofherspinning-wheel，oftenspokeinwhisperstograndfatherBoeofherdesiretosendtheboytoschool。WhenJasminoverheardtheirconversation，hecouldscarcelyconcealhistears。OldBoedeterminedtodowhathecould。Hescrapedtogetherhislittlesavings，andhandedthemovertothemother。ButthemoneycouldnotthenbeusedforeducatingJasmin；itwassorelyneededforbuyingbread。

Thusthematterlayoverforatime。

Theoldmanbecameunabletogooutofdoorstosolicitalms。

Ageandinfirmitykepthimindoors。Hebegantofeelhimselfaburdenontheimpoverishedfamily。Hemadeuphismindtoridthemoftheincumbrance，anddesiredtheparentstoputhimintothefamilyarm-chairandhavehimcarriedtothehospital。

Jasminhastouchinglytoldtheincidentofhisremoval。”IthappenedonaMonday，”hesaysinhisSouvenirs：”Iwasthentenyearsold。Iwasplayinginthesquarewithmycompanions，girdedaboutwithawoodensword，andIwasking；butsuddenlyadreadfulspectacledisturbedmyroyalty。Isawanoldmaninanarm-chairbornealongbyseveralpersons。Thebearersapproachedstillnearer，whenIrecognisedmyafflictedgrandfather。

’OGod，’saidI，’whatdoIsee?Myoldgrandfathersurroundedbymyfamily。’InmygriefIsawonlyhim。Iranuptohimintears，threwmyselfonhisneckandkissedhim。”Inreturningmyembrace，hewept。’Ograndfather，’saidI，’whereareyougoing?Whydoyouweep?Whyareyouleavingourhome?’’Mychild，’saidtheoldman，’Iamgoingtothehospital，[2]wherealltheJasminsdie。’Heagainembracedme，closedhiseyes，andwascarriedaway。Wefollowedhimforsometimeunderthetrees。Iabandonedmyplay，andreturnedhomefullofsorrow。”

GrandfatherBoedidnotsurvivelonginthehospital。Hewasutterlywornout。Afterfivedaystheoldmanquietlybreathedhislast。Hiswalletwashunguponitsusualnailinhisformerhome，butitwasneverusedagain。Oneofthebread-winnershaddeparted，andthefamilywerepoorerthanever。”OnthatMonday，”saysJasmin，”Iforthefirsttimeknewandfeltthatwewereverypoor。”

AllthisistoldwithmarvellouseffectinthefirstpartoftheSouvenirs，whichendswithawailandasob。

FootnotestoChapterI。

[1]ItisstatedintheBibliographieGeneraledel’Agenais，thatPalissywasborninthedistrictofAgen，perhapsatLaChapelleBiron，andthat，beingaHuguenot，hewasimprisonedintheBastilleatParis，anddiedtherein1590，shortlyafterthemassacreofSt。Bartholomew。ButPalissyseemstohavebeenborninanothertown，notfarfromLaChapelleBiron。TheTimesofthe7thJuly，1891，containedthefollowingparagraph：——”AstatueofBernardPalissywasunveiledyesterdayatVilleneuvesur-Lot，hisnativetown，byM。Bourgeois，MinisterofEducation。”

[2]L’hopitalmeansaninfirmaryoralmshouseforoldandimpoverishedpeople。

CHAPTERII。

JASMINATSCHOOL。

OnejoyfuldayJasmin’smothercamehomeinanecstasyofdelight，andcried，”Toschool，mychild，toschool！””Toschool?”saidJasmin，greatlyamazed。”Howisthis?

Havewegrownrich?””No，mypoorboy，butyouwillgetyourschoolingfornothing。Yourcousinhaspromisedtoeducateyou；

come，come，Iamsohappy！”ItwasSisterBoe，theschoolmistressofAgen，whohadofferedtoteachtheboygratuitouslytheelementsofreadingandwriting。

ThenewsofJacques’proposedscholarshipcausednosmallstirathome。Themotherwasalmostbesideherselfwithjoy。

Thefathertoowasequallymoved，andshedtearsofgratitude。

Hebelievedthattheboymightyetbeabletohelphiminwritingout，underhisdictation，theCharivariimpromptuswhich，hesupposed，werehischiefforte。Indeed，thewholefamilyregardedthisgreatstrokeofluckforJacquesinthelightofaspecialprovidence，andasthebeginningofabrilliantdestiny。

Themother，inordertodresshimproperly，rummagedthehouse，andpickedouttheleastmendedsuitofclothes，inwhichtoarraytheyoungscholar。

Whenproperlyclothed，theboy，notwithoutfearonhisownpart，wastakenbyhismothertoschool。

Beholdhim，then，placedunderthetuitionofSisterBoe！

Thereweresomefiftyotherchildrenatschool，mumblingatthelettersofthealphabet，andtryingtoreadtheirfirsteasysentences。Jasminhadagoodmemory，andsoonmasteredthedifficultiesoftheABC。”’Twixtsmilesandtears，”hesays，”Isoonlearnttoread，bythehelpofthepiousSister。”

InsixmonthshewasabletoentertheSeminaryintheRueMontesquieuasafreescholar。HenowservedatMass。Havingagoodearformusic，hebecameachorister，andsangtheTantumergo。Hewasadiligentboy，andsofareverythingprosperedwellwithhim。Heevenreceivedaprize。True，itwasonlyanoldcassock，dryasautumnheather。But，beingtrimmedupbyhisfather，itservedtohidehisraggedclothesbeneath。

Hismotherwasveryproudofthecassock。”ThankGod，”shesaid，”thoulearnestwell；andthisisthereasonwhy，eachTuesday，awhiteloafcomesfromtheSeminary。Itisalwayswelcome，forthesakeofthehungrylittleones。””Yes，”hereplied，”Iwilltrymybesttobelearnedforyoursake。”ButJasmindidnotlongwearthecassock。HewasshortlyafterturnedoutoftheSeminary，inconsequenceofanaughtytrickwhichheplayeduponagirlofthehousehold。

Jasmintellsthestoryofhisexpulsionwithgreatfrankness，thoughevidentlyashamedofthetransaction。Hewaspassingthroughtheinnercourtoneday，duringtheShroveCarnival，when，lookingup，hecaughtsightofapetticoat。Hestoppedandgazed。Astrangetremorcreptthroughhisnerves。Whatevilspiritpossessedhimtoapproachtheownerofthepetticoat?

Helookedupagain，andrecognisedthesweetandrosy-cheekedCatherine——thehousemaidoftheSeminary。Shewasperchednearthetopofaslimladderleaningagainstthewall，standingupright，andfeedingthefeathery-footedpigeons。

AvisionflashedthroughJasmin’smind——”alifeallvelvet，”

asheexpressedit，——andheapproachedtheladder。Heclimbedupafewsteps，andwhatdidhesee?Twocomelyanklesandtwoprettylittlefeet。Hisheartburnedwithinhim，andhebreathedaloudsigh。Thegirlheardthesigh，lookeddown，andhuddleduptheladder，cryingpiteously。Theladderwastooslimtobeartwo。Itsnappedandfell，andtheytumbleddown，sheaboveandhebelow！

Theloudscreamsofthegirlbroughtallthehouseholdtothespot——theCanons，thelittleAbbe，thecook，thescullion——

indeedalltheinmatesoftheSeminary。Jasminquaintlyremarks，”Agirlalwayslikestohavethesinsknownthatshehascausedotherstocommit。”Butinthiscase，accordingtoJasmin’sownshowing，thegirlwasnottoblame。Thetrickwhichheplayedmightbeveryinnocent，buttotheassembledhouseholditseemedverywicked。Hemustbepunished。

First，hehadaterriblewiggingfromthemaster；andnext，hewassentencedtoimprisonmentduringtherestoftheCarnival。

Indefaultofadungeon，theylockedhiminadismallittlechamber，withsomebreadandwater。Nextday，ShroveTuesday，whiletheCarnivalwasafoot，Jasminfeltveryangryandveryhungry。”Whosleepseats，”saystheproverb。”But，”saidJasmin，”theproverblies：Ididnotsleep，andwasconsumedbyhunger。”Thenhefilledupthemeasureofhisiniquitybybreakingintoacupboard！

IthappenedthattheConventpreserveswerekeptintheroomwhereinhewasconfined。Theirodourattractedhim，andheclimbedup，bymeansofatableandchair，totheclosetinwhichtheywerestored。Hefoundasplendidpotofpreserves。