第4章

Heopenedit；andthoughhehadnospoon，heusedhisfingersandsoonemptiedthepot。WhatadelicioustreatheenjoyedenoughtomakehimforgetthepleasuresoftheCarnival。

Jasminwasabouttoreplacetheemptypot，whenheheardtheclick-clackofadoorbehindhim。Helookedround，andsawtheSuperior，whohadunlockedthedoor，andcometorestoretheboytoliberty。Oh，unhappyday！WhentheAbbefoundtheprisonerstealinghispreciouspreserves，hebecamefurious。”What！

plunderingmysweetmeats?”hecried。”Comedown，sirrah，comedown！nopardonforyounow。”HepulledJasminfromhischairandtable，andtheemptyjarfellbrokenathisfeet。”Getout，getoutofthishouse，thouimpofhell！”AndtakingJasminbythescruffoftheneck，hethrusthimviolentlyoutofthedoorandintothestreet。

Butworsewasyettocome。Whentheexpelledscholarreachedthestreet，hisfaceandmouthweresmearedwithjam。Hewaslikeablackamoor。Someurchinswhoencounteredhimonhishomewardroute，surmisedthathisdisguisewasintendedasamasquefortheCarnival。Heran，andtheypursuedhim。Themobofboysincreased，andheranthefaster。Atlasthereachedhisfather’sdoor，andrushedin，halfdeadwithpain，hunger，andthirst。Thefamilywereallthere——father，mother，andchildren。

Theyweresurprisedandastonishedathissuddenentrance。

Afterkissingthemallround，heproceededtorelatehisadventuresattheSeminary。Hecouldnottellthemall，buthetoldenough。Hisnarrativewasreceivedwithdeadsilence。

Buthewasthirstyandhungry。Hesawapotofkidney-beanporridgehangingoverthefire，andsaidhewouldliketoallayhishungerbyparticipatingintheirmeal。Butalas！

Thewholeofithadbeenconsumed。Thepotwasempty，andyetthechildrenwerenotsatisfiedwiththeirdinner。”NowIknow，”

saidthemother，”whynowhitebreadhascomefromtheSeminary。”

Jasminwasnowgreatlydistressed。”Accursedsweetmeats，”

hethought。”Oh！whatawretchIamtohavecausedsomuchmiseryanddistress。”

Thechildrenhadeatenonlyafewvegetables；andnowtherewasanothermouthtofill。Thefirehadalmostexpiredforwantoffuel。Thechildrenhadnobreadthatday，fortheSeminaryloafhadnotarrived。Whatweretheynowtodo?Themothersufferedcrueltorturesinnotbeingabletogiveherchildrenbread，especiallyonthehome-comingofherfavouritescapegrace。

Atlast，afterglancingatherlefthand，sherosesuddenly。

Sheexclaimedinacheerfulvoice，”Waitpatientlyuntilmyreturn。”SheputherSundaykerchiefonherhead，anddeparted。

Inashorttimeshereturned，tothedelightofthechildren，withaloafofbreadunderherarm。Theylaughedandsang，andpreparedtoenjoytheirfeast，thoughitwasonlyofbread。Themotherapparentlyjoinedintheircheerfulness，thoughasadpaingnawedatherheart。Jasminsawhismotherhideherhand；

butwhenitwasnecessaryforhertocuttheloaf，aftermakingthecrossaccordingtocustom，hesawthattheringonherlefthandhaddisappeared。”HolyCross，”hethought，”itistruethatshehassoldherwedding-ringtobuybreadforherchildren。”

Thiswasasadbeginningoflifeforthepoorboy。Hewasnowanotherburdenonthefamily。OldBoehadgone，andcouldnolongerhelphimwithhissavourymorsels。Hewassooppressedwithgrief，thathecouldnolongerplaywithhiscomradesasbefore。ButProvidenceagaincametohisaid。ThegoodAbbeMirabenheardthestoryofhisexpulsionfromtheSeminary。

Thoughaboymaybetrickyhecannotbeperfect，andthepriesthadmuchcompassiononhim。KnowingJasmin’sabilities，andthepovertyofhisparents，theAbbeusedhisinfluencetoobtainanadmissionforhimtooneofthetown’sschools，wherehewasagainenabledtocarryonhiseducation。

ThegoodAbbewashelpfultotheboyinmanyways。Oneevening，whenJasminwasonhiswaytotheAugustinstoreadandrecitetotheSisters，hewaswaylaidbyatroopofhisoldplayfellows。

Theywishedhimtoaccompanythemtotheoldrendezvousinthesquare；butherefused，becausehehadapreviousengagement。

Theboysthenbegantohustlehim，andproceededtotearoffhistatteredclothes。Hecouldonlybendhisheadbeforehisassailants，butneversaidaword。

AtlengthhisgoodfriendMirabencameupandrescuedhim。

Hedroveawaytheboys，andsaidtoJasmin，”Littleone，don’tbreatheaword；yourmotherknowsnothing。Theywon’ttormentyoulong！Takeupthyclothes，”hesaid。”Come，povertyisnotacrime。Courage！Thouartevenrich。Thouhastanangelonhighwatchingoverthee。Consolethyself，bravechild，andnothingmorewillhappentovexthee。”

TheencouragementoftheAbbeprovedprophetic。Nomoretroublesofthiskindafflictedtheboy。

Theagedpriestlookedafterthewell-beingofhimselfandfamily。Hesentthembreadfromtimetotime，andkeptthewolffromtheirdoor。MeanwhileJasmindidwhathecouldtohelpthemathome。Duringthevintagetimehewaswellemployed；andalsoatfairtimes。Hewasahelpfulboy，andwasalwayswillingtoobligefriendsandneighbours。

Butthetimearrivedwhenhemustcometosomedeterminationastohisfuturecallinginlife。Hewasaversetobeingatailor，seeingthesadresultsofhisfather’stradeathome。

Afterconsultationwithhismother，heresolvedonbecomingabarberandhairdresser。Verylittlecapitalwasrequiredforcarryingonthattrade；onlyrazors，combs，andscissors。

Longafter，whenJasminwasacomparativelythrivingman，hesaid：”Yes，Ihaveeatenthebreadofcharity；mostofmyancestorsdiedatthehospital；mymotherpledgedhernuptialringtobuyaloafofbread。Allthisshowshowmuchmiserywehadtoendure，thefrightfulpictureofwhichIhaveplacedinthelightofdayinmySouvenirs。ButIamafraidofwearyingthepublic，asIdonotwishtobeaccusedofaimingtoomuchatcontrasts。Forwhenwearehappy，perfectlyhappy，thereisnothingfurtherfromwhatIam，andwhatIhavebeen，astomakemefearforanysuchmisconstructiononthepartofmyhearers。”

CHAPTERIII。

BARBERANDHAIRDRESSER。

JasminwassixteenyearsoldwhenhewasapprenticedtoabarberandhairdresseratAgen。Thebarber’sshopwasnearthePrefecture——theancientpalaceoftheBishop。ItwassituatedatthecornerofLamoureuxStreetandthealleyofthePrefecture。ThereJasminlearnttheartofcutting，curling，anddressinghair，andofdeftlyusingthecombandtherazor。

Themastergavehiminstructionsinthetrade，andwatchedhimwhileatwork。Jasminwaswillingandactive，andwassoonabletocurlandshavewithanyapprenticeinAgen。

Aftertheday’sworkwasover，theapprenticeretiredtohisgarretunderthetiles。Therehespenthisevenings，andtherehesleptatnight。Thoughthegarretwasinfestedbyrats，hethoughtnothingofthem；hehadknownthemfamiliarlyathome。

Theydidhimnoharm，andtheyevenlearnttoknowhim。

Hisgarretbecamehisparadise，forthereherenewedhisloveofreading。Thesolitarinessofhislifedidhimgood，bythrowinghismindinuponhimself，andshowingthementalstuffofwhichhewasmade。Allthegreatestandweightiestthingshavebeendoneinsolitude。

Thefirstbookshereadwereforthemostpartborrowed。

Customerswhocametotheshoptobeshavedorhavetheirhairdressed，tookaninterestintheconversationofthebright，cheerful，dark-eyedlad，andsomeofthemlenthimbookstoread。Whatjoypossessedhimwhenhetookrefugeinhisgarretwithanewbook！Openingthebookwaslikeopeningthedoorofanewworld。Whatenchantment！Whatmystery！Whatawonderfuluniverseaboutus！

InreadinganewbookJasminforgothisimpoverishedboyhood，hisgrandfatherBoeandhisdeathinthehospital，hisexpulsionfromtheSeminary，andhismother’ssaleofherwedding-ringtobuybreadforherchildren。Hehadnowleftthepastbehind，andanewworldlayentrancinglybeforehim。Heread，andthought，anddreamed，untilfaroninthemorning。

Thefirstbookshereadwereofcomparativelylittleimportance，thoughtheyfurnishedanopeningintoliterature。

’TheChildren’sMagazine’[1]heldhiminrapturesforatime。

Someofhisfriendlycustomerslenthimthe’FablesofFlorian，’

andafterwardsFlorian’spastoralromanceof’Estelle’——perhapshisbestwork。ThesingeroftheGardonentirelybewitchedJasmin。’Estelle’alluredhimintotherosy-fingeredregionsofblissandhappiness。ThenJasminhimselfbegantorhyme。

Florian’sworksencouragedhimtowritehisfirstversesintheharmoniousGasconpatois，towhichheafterwardsgavesuchwonderfulbrilliancy。

InhisafterlifeJasminwasoftenaskedhowandwhenhefirstbegantofeelhimselfapoet。Somethinkthatthepoeticalgiftbeginsatsomefixedhour，justasonebecomesabarrister，adoctor，oraprofessor。ButJasmincouldnotgiveananswer。”Ihaveoftensearchedintomypastlife，”hesaid，”butIhaveneveryetfoundthedaywhenIbeganmycareerofrhyming。”[2]

Therearecertaingiftswhichmencanneveracquirebywillandwork，ifGodhasnotputtheseedofthemintotheirsoulsatbirth；andpoetryisoneofthosegifts。