第15章

Ittookhimalongtimetoclothehispoeticalthoughtsinwords。

NearlyfiveyearshadelapsedsinceherecitedTheBlindGirlofCastel-CuilletothecitizensofBordeaux；sincethenhehadwrittenafewpoeticalthemes，buthewasmainlythinkinganddreaming，andattimeswritingdownhisnewepicFranconnette。

Itwascompletedin1840，whenhededicatedthepoemtothecityofToulouse。

Thestoryembodiedinthepoemwasfoundedonanancienttradition。Thetimeatwhichitoccurredwastowardstheendofthesixteenthcentury，whenFrancewastorntopiecesbythecivilwarbetweentheHuguenotsandtheCatholics。AgenwasthenacentreofProtestantism。Itwastakenandretakenbybothpartiesagainandagain。TheHuguenotcaptain，Truelle，occupiedthetowninApril1562；butBlaizedeMontluc，”afierceCatholic，”asheistermedbyM。PaulJoanne，assailedthetownwithastrongforceandrecapturedit。Onenteringtheplace，Montlucfoundthattheinhabitantshadfledwiththegarrison，and”theterriblechiefwasgreatlydisappointedatnotfindinganypersoninAgentoslaughter。”[2]MontlucstruckwithaheavyhandtheProtestantsoftheSouth。InthenameoftheGodofMercyhehewedtheHuguenotstopieces，and，afterspreadingdesolationthroughtheSouth，heretiredtohisfortressatEstellac，kneltbeforethealtar，tookthecommunion，andwaswelcomedbyhispartyasoneofthegreatestfriendsoftheChurch。

Thecivilwarwentonfortenyears，untilinAugust1572themassacreofSaintBartholomewtookplace。Afterthateventtheword”Huguenot”wasabolished，orwasonlymentionedwithterror。Montluc’scastleofEstellac，situatedneartheprettyvillageofEstanquet，nearRoquefort——famousforitscheese——

stillexists；hiscabinetispreserved，andhistombandstatuearetobeseenintheadjoininggarden。TheprincipalscenesofthefollowingstoryaresupposedtohaveoccurredatEstanquet，afewmilestothesouthofAgen。

Franconnette，likeTheBlindGirlofCastel-Cuille，isastoryofrivalryinlove；but，thoughmorefullofadventure，itendsmorehappily。Franconnettewasavillagebeauty。Herbrillianteyes，herrosycomplexion，hercherrylips，herlitheandhandsomefigure，broughtalltheyoungfellowsoftheneighbourhoodtoherfeet。HerfatherwasabanishedHuguenot，butbeautyofpersonsetsdifferencesofbeliefatdefiance。

Thevillageladspraisedherandtriedtowinheraffections；

but，likebeautiesingeneral，surroundedbyadmirers，shewasabitofaflirt。

Atlengthtworivalsappeared——oneMarcel，asoldierunderMontluc，favouredbyFranconnette’sgrandmother，andPascal，thevillageblacksmith，favouredbythegirlherself。OneSundayafternoonanumberofyoungmenandmaidensassembledatthefootofMontluc’scastleofEstellaconthevotivefestivalofSt。JacquesatRoquefort。Franconnettewasthere，aswellasMarcelandPascal，herspecialadmirers。Dancingbegantothemusicofthefife；butPascal，thehandsomestoftheyoungmen，seemedtoavoidthevillagebeauty。Franconnettewasindignantathisneglect，butwasanxioustosecurehisattentionanddevotion。Shedancedaway，sliding，whirling，andpirouetting。

Whatwouldnottheadmiringyouthshavegiventoimpresstwokissesonherlovelycheek！[3]

Inthesevillagedances，itisthecustomfortheyoungmentokisstheirpartners，iftheycantirethemout；butinsomecases，whenthegirlisstrong；andanaccomplisheddancer，shedeclinestobetireduntilshewishestoceasedancing。

FirstoneyouthdancedwithFranconnette，thenanother；

butshetiredthemall。ThencameMarcel，thesoldier，wearinghissabre，withacockadeinhiscap——atallandstatelyfellow，determinedtowinthereward。Buthetoo，aftermuchwhirlinganddancing，wasatlasttiredout：hewasabouttofallwithdizziness，andthengavein。Ongoesthedance；Franconnettewaitsforanotherpartner；Pascalspringstoherside，andtakesherroundthewaist。Beforetheyhadmadeadozensteps，thegirlsmilesandstops，andturnsherblushingcheekstoreceiveherpartner’swillingkisses。

Marcelstartedupinarage，anddrawinghimselftohisfullheight，hestrodetoPascal。”Peasant！”hesaid，”thouhastsuppliedmyplacetooquickly，”andthendealthimathunderingblowbetweentheeyes。Pascalwasnotfelled；heraisedhisarm，andhisfistdescendedonMarcel’sheadlikeabolt。Thesoldierattemptedtodrawhissabre。WhenPascalsawthis，heclosedwithMarcel，graspedhiminhisarms，anddashedhimtotheground，crushedandsenseless。

Marcelwasabouttorisetorenewtheduel，whensuddenlyMontluc，whohappenedtobepassingwiththeBaronofRoquefort，steppedforwardandsternlyorderedthecombatantstoseparate。

Thisterribleencounterputanendtothefete。Thegirlsfledlikefrighteneddoves。TheyoungmenescortedPascaltohishomeprecededbythefifers。Marcelwasnotdiscouraged。

Onrecoveringhisspeech，hestammeredout，grindinghisteeth：”Theyshallpayclearlyforthisjesting；Franconnetteshallhavenootherhusbandthanmyself。”

Manymonthspassed。Theharvestwasgatheredin。Therewerenomoreout-doorfetesordances。ThevillagersofEstanquetassembledroundtheirfiresides。Christmasarrivedwithitgamesandcarol-singing。ThencametheFeastofLovers，calledtheBuscou，[4]onthelastdayoftheyear，where，inalargechamber，somehundreddistaffswereturning，andboysandgirls，withnimblefingers，werewindingthreadofthefinestflax。

Franconnettewasthere，andappointedqueenofthegames。

Afterthewindingwasover，thesongsanddancesbegantothemusicofatambourin。Thequeen，admiredbyall，sanganddancedliketherest。

Pascalwasnotthere；hismotherwaspoor，andsheendeavouredtopersuadehimtoremainathomeandwork。Afterashortstrugglewithhimself，Pascalyielded。Heturnedasidetohisforgeinsilentdejection；andsoontheanvilwasringingandthesparkswereflying，whileawaydowninthevillagethebuskingwentmerrilyon。”Iftheprettiestwerealwaysthemostsensible，”saysJasmin，”howmuchmyFranconnettemighthaveaccomplished；”butinsteadofthis，sheflittedfromplacetoplace，idleandgay，jesting，singing，dancing，and，asusual，bewitchingall。

ThenThomas，Pascal’sfriend，askedleavetosingafewverses；

and，fixinghiskeeneyesuponthecoquette，hebeganintonesoflute-likesweetnessthefollowingsong，entitled’TheSyrenwithaHeartofIce。’Wehavetranslatedit，asnearlyaspossible，fromtheGascondialect。”Faribolopastouro，Serenoalcodeglas，Oh！digo，digocouroEntendrentindal’houroOunt’amistouzaras。

Toutjourfariboulejes，EtquandparpailloulejesLafouloquemestrejes，SurtouncamisetmetEttesiet。

Maisresd’acos，maynado，Albounhurpotmena；

Qu’esacosd’estreaymado，Quandonsatpasayma?””Waywardshepherdmaid，Syrenwithheartofice，Oh！tellus，tellus！whenWelistenforthehourWhenthoushaltfeelEversofreeandgay，Andwhenyoufluttero’erThenumberyousubdue，UponthypaththeyfallAtthyfeet。

Butnothingcomesofthis，youngmaid，Tohappinessitneverleads；

WhatisittobelovedlikethisIfyoune’ercanloveagain?”

Suchpoetryhoweverdefiestranslation。Themoreexquisitethemasteryofawriteroverhisownlanguage，themoredifficultitistoreproduceitinanother。ButthespiritofthesongisinMissCostello’stranslation，[5]asgiveninFranconnetteatthecloseofthisvolume。

WhenrecitingFranconnette，JasminusuallysangTheSyrentomusicofhisowncomposition。Weaccordinglyannexhismusic。

Allweretransportedwithadmirationatthebeautifulsong。

WhenThomashadfinished，loudshoutswereraisedforthenameofthepoet。”Whohadcomposedthisbeautifullay?””ItisPascal，”repliedThomas。”Bravo，Pascal！LonglivePascal！”wasthecryoftheyoungpeople。Franconnettewasunwontedlytouchedbythesong。”ButwhereisPascal?”shesaid。”Ifheloves，whydoeshenotappear?””Oh，”saidLaurent，anotherofhisrivals，inajealousandpiquedtone，”heistoopoor，heisobligedtostayathome，hisfatherissoinfirmthathelivesuponalms！””Youlie，”criedThomas。”Pascalisunfortunate；hehasbeensixmonthsillfromthewoundshereceivedindefenceofFranconnette，andnowhisfamilyisdependentuponhim；buthehasindustryandcourage，andwillsoonrecoverfromhismisfortunes。”

Franconnetteremainedquiet，concealingheremotions。Thenthegamesbegan。TheyplayedatCacheCouteauorHunttheSlipper。

Dancingcamenext；FranconnettewaschallengedbyLaurent，andaftermanyroundsthegirlwastired，andLaurentclaimedthekissesthatshehadforfeited。Franconnetteflewawaylikeabird；Laurentranafterher，caughther，andwasclaimingthecustomaryforfeit，when，strugglingtofreeherself，Laurentslippeduponthefloor，fellheavily，andbrokehisarm。

Franconnettewasagainunfortunate。Ill-luckseemstohavepursuedthegirl。Thegamescametoanend，andtheyoungpeoplewereabouttodispersewhen，atthisunluckymoment，thedoorwasburstopenandasombreapparitionappeared。ItwastheBlackForestsorcerer，thesupposedwarlockoftheneighbourhood。”Unthinkingcreatures，”hesaid，”Ihavecomefrommygloomyrocksupyondertoopenyoureyes。YoualladorethisFranconnette。Behold，sheisaccursed！Whileinhercradleherfather，theHuguenot，soldhertothedevil。HehaspunishedPascalandLaurentforthelightembraceshegavethem。

Hewarnedintimeandavoidher。Thedemonalonehasaclaimtoher。”

Thesorcererended；sparksoffiresurroundedhim，andafterturningfourtimesroundinacirclehesuddenlydisappeared！

Franconnette’sfriendsatonceheldalooffromher。Theycalledouttoher，”Begone！”Allinamazethegirlshudderedandsickened；shebecamesenseless，andfelldownonthefloorinaswoon。Theyoungpeoplefled，leavingherhelpless。Andthusendedthesecondfetewhichbegansogaily。

ThegrossestsuperstitionthenprevailedinFrance，aseverywhere。Witchesandwarlockswerethoroughlybelievedin，farmoresothanbeliefinGodandHisSon。ThenewsspreadabroadthatthegirlwasaccursedandsoldtotheEvilOne，andshewasavoidedbyeverybody。Shefeltherselfdoomed。Atlengthshereachedhergrandmother’shouse，butshecouldnotwork，shecouldscarcelystand。TheonceradiantFranconnettecouldneitherplaynorsing；shecouldonlyweep。

Thusendedtwocantosofthepoem。ThethirdopenswithalovelypictureofacottagebyaleafybrooksideinthehamletofEstanquet。Thespringbroughtoutthesinging-birdstopairandbuildtheirnests。Theylistened，butcouldnolongerhearthemusicwhich，informeryears，hadbeenalmostsweeterthantheirown。Thenightingales，morecuriousthantherest，flewintothemaid’sgarden；theysawherstrawhatonabench，arakeandwatering-potamongtheneglectedjonquils，andtherosebranchesrunningriot。Peeringyetfurtherandpeepingintothecottagedoor，thecuriousbirdsdiscoveredanoldwomanasleepinherarm-chair，andapale，quietgirlbesideher，droppingtearsuponherlilyhands。”Yes，yes，itis。Franconnette，”saysthepoet。”Youwillhaveguessedthatalready。Apoorgirl，weepinginsolitude，thedaughterofaHuguenot，bannedbytheChurchandsoldtothedevil！Couldanythingbemorefrightful?”

Neverthelesshergrandmothersaidtoher，”Mychild，itisnottrue；thesorcerer’schargeisfalse。Heofgoodcheer，youaremorelovelythanever。”OnegleamofhopehadcometoFranconnette；shehearsthatPascalhasdefendedhereverywhere，andboldlydeclaredhertobethevictimofabrutalplot。Shenowrealisedhowgreatwashisgoodness，andherproudspiritwassoftenedeventotears。ThegrandmotherputinagoodwordforMarcel，butthegirlturnedaside。Thentheoldwomansaid，”To-morrowisEasterDay；gotoMass，prayasyouneverprayedbefore，andtaketheblessedbread，provingthatyouarenumberedwithHischildrenforever。”

Thegirlconsented，andwenttotheChurchofSaintPeteronEastermorning。Sheknelt，withherchapletofbeads，amongtherest，imploringHeaven’smercy。Butshekneltaloneinthemidstofawidecircle。Allthecommunicantsavoidedher。Thechurchwarden，Marcel’suncle，inhislong-tailedcoat，withapompousstep，passedherentirelyby，andrefusedhertheheavenlymeal。Pascalwasthereandcametoherhelp。Hewentforwardtothechurchwardenandtookfromthesilverplatethecrownpiece[6]oftheholyelementcoveredwithflowers，andtookandpresentedtwopiecesoftheholybreadtoFranconnette——oneforherself，theotherforhergrandmother。