第16章

Fromthatmomentshebeginstoliveanewlife，andtounderstandthemagicoflove。Shecarrieshometheblessedbreadtotheancientdame，andretirestoherchambertogiveherselfup，withtheutmostgratefulness，totherapturousdelightofloving。”Ah，”saysJasmininhispoem，”thesorrowingheartayelovethbest！”

Yetstillsheremembersthefataldoomofthesorcererthatsheissoldforapricetothedemon。Allseemtobelievethehideoustale，andnoonetakesherpartsavePascalandhergrandmother。ShekneelsbeforeherlittleshrineandpraystotheHolyVirginforhelpandsuccour。

AtthenextfetedaysherepairedtothechurchofNotreDamedebonEncontre，[7]wheretheinhabitantsofhalfadozenoftheneighbouringvillageshadassembled，withpriestsandcrucifixes，garlandsandtapers，bannersandangels。Thelatter，girlsabouttobeconfirmed，walkedinprocessionandsangtheAngelusattheappropriatehours。ThereporthadspreadabroadthatFranconnettewouldentreattheBlessedVirgintosaveherfromthedemon。Thestrangersweremorekindtoherthanherimmediateneighbours，andfrommanyapityinghearttheprayerwentupthatamiraclemightbewroughtinfavourofthebeautifulmaiden。Shefelttheirsympathy，anditgaveherconfidence。Thespecialsuppliantspasseduptothealtaronebyone——Anxiousmothers，disappointedlovers，orphansandchildren。Theykneel，theyaskforblessings，theypresenttheircandlesfortheoldpriesttobless，andthentheyretire。

NowcametheturnofFranconnette。Pascalwasinsightandprayedforhersuccess。Shewentforwardinahappyframeofmind，withhertaperandabouquetofflowers。Shekneltbeforethepriest。Hetookthesacredimageandpresentedittoher；

butscarcelyhadittouchedthelipsoftheorphanwhenaterriblepealofthunderrenttheheavens，andaboltoflightningstruckthespireofthechurch，extinguishinghertaperaswellasthealtarlights。Thiswasamostunluckycoincidencefortheterrifiedgirl；and，coweringlikealostsoul，shecreptoutofthechurch。Thepeoplewereinconsternation。”Itwasalltrue，shewasnowsoldtothedevil！

Puthertodeath，thatistheonlywayofendingourmisfortunes！”

Thetruthisthatthestormofthunderandlightningprevailedthroughouttheneighbourhood。Itisacommonthinginsouthernclimes。ThestormwhichbrokeoutatNotreDamedestroyedthebelfry；thechurchofRoquefortwasdemolishedbyaboltoflightning，thespireofSaintPierrewasruined。Thestormwasfollowedbyatempestofhailandrain。Agenwasengulfedbythewaters；herbridgewasdestroyed，[8]andmanyoftheneighbouringvineyardsweredevastated。AndallthisruinwaslaidatthedoorofpoorFranconnette！

Theneighbours——herworstenemies——determinedtoburnthedaughteroftheHuguenotoutofhercottage。Thegrandmotherfirstheardthecriesofthevillagers：”Firethem，letthembothburntogether。”Franconnetterushedtothedoorandpleadedformercy。”Goback，”criedthecrowd，”youmustbothroasttogether。”Theysetfiretotherickoutsideandthenproceededtofirethethatchofthecottage。”Hold，hold！”criedasternvoice，andPascalrushedinamongstthem。”Cowards！wouldyoumurdertwodefencelesswomen?Tigersthatyouare，wouldyoufireandburnthemintheirdwelling?”

Marceltooappeared；hehadnotyetgivenupthehopeofwinningFranconnette’slove。HenowjoinedPascalindefendingherandtheolddame，andbeingasoldierofMontluc，hewasapowerfulmanintheneighbourhood。Thegirlwasagainaskedtochoosebetweenthetwo。Atlast，afterrefusinganymarriageunderpresentcircumstances，sheclungtoPascal。”Iwouldhavediedalone，”shesaid，”butsinceyouwillhaveitso，Iresistnolonger。Itisourfate；wewilldietogether。”Pascalwaswillingtodiewithher，andturningtoMarcelhesaid：”Ihavebeenmorefortunatethanyou，butyouareabravemanandyouwillforgiveme。Ihavenofriend，butwillyouactasasquireandseemetomygrave?”Afterstrugglingwithhisfeelings，Marcelatlastsaid：”Sinceitisherwish，Iwillbeyourfriend。”

Afortnightlater，themarriagebetweentheunhappyloverstookplace。Everyoneforebodeddisaster。TheweddingprocessionwentdownthegreenhilltowardsthechurchofNotreDame。Therewasnosinging，nodancing，nomerriment，aswasusualonsuchoccasions。TherusticsshudderedatheartoverthedoomofPascal。ThesoldierMarcelmarchedattheheadofthewedding-party。Atthechurchanoldwomanappeared，Pascal’smother。Sheflungherarmsabouthimandadjuredhimtoflyfromhisfalsebride，forhismarriagewoulddoomhimtodeath。

Sheevenfellatthefeetofhersonandsaidthatheshouldpassoverherbodyratherthanbemarried。PascalturnedtoMarcelandsaid：”Loveoverpowersme！IfIdie，willyoutakecareofmymother?”

Thenthegallantsoldierdispelledthegloomwhichhadovershadowedtheunionofthelovingpair。”Icandonomore，”

hesaid；”yourmotherhasconqueredme。Franconnetteisgood，andpure，andtrue。Ilovedthemaid，Pascal，andwouldhaveshedmybloodforher，butshelovedyouinsteadofme。”KnowthatsheisnotsoldtotheEvilOne。InmydespairI

hiredthesorcerertofrightenyouwithhismischievoustale，andchancedidtherest。Whenwebothdemandedher，sheconfessedherloveforyou。ItwasmorethanIcouldbear，andIresolvedthatweshouldbothdie。”Butyourmotherhasdisarmedme；sheremindsmeofmyown。

Live，Pascal，foryourwifeandyourmother！Youneedhavenomorefearofme。ItisbetterthatIshoulddiethedeathofasoldierthanwithacrimeuponmyconscience。”

Thussaying，hevanishedfromthecrowd，whoburstintocheers。

Thehappyloversfellintoeachother’sarms。”Andnow，”saidJasmin，inconcludinghispoem，”Imustlayasidemypencil。

Ihadcoloursforsorrow；Ihavenoneforsuchhappinessastheirs！”

FootnotestoChapterIX。

[1]ThewholeofJasmin’sanswertoM。DumonwillbefoundintheAppendixattheendofthisvolume。

[2]’GascogneetLanguedoc，’parPaulJoanne，p。95(edit。1883)。

[3]ThedancestillexistsintheneighbourhoodofAgen。

Whenthereafewyearsago，Iwasdrawnbythesoundofafifeandadrumtothespotwhereadanceofthissortwasgoingon。

ItwasbeyondthesuspensionbridgeovertheGaronne，alittletothesouthofAgen。Anumberofmenandwomenoftheworking-classwereassembledonthegrassysward，andweredancing，whirling，andpirouettingtotheirhearts’content。

Sometimesthegirlsboundedfromthecircle，werefollowedbytheirsweethearts，andkissed。ItremindedoneofthedancesovigorouslydepictedbyJasmininFranconnette。

[4]MissHarrietPreston，ofBoston，U。S。，publishedpartofatranslationofFranconnetteinthe’AtlanticMonthly’forFebruary，1876，andaddsthefollowingnote：”Thebuscou，orbusking，wasakindofbee，atwhichtheyoungpeopleassembled，bringingthethreadoftheirlatespinning，whichwasdividedintoskeinsofthepropersizebyabroadandthinplateofsteelorwhalebonecalledabusc。Thesamething，underpreciselythesamename，figuredinthetoiletsofourgrandmothers，andhence，probably，theScotchuseoftheverbtobusk，orattire。”

[5]MissLouisaStuartCostelloin’BearnandthePyrenees。’

[6]AcustomwhichthenexistedincertainpartsofFrance。

ItwastakenbytheFrenchemigrantstoCanada，whereitexistednotlongago。Thecrownofthesacramentalbreadusedtobereservedforthefamilyoftheseigneurorothercommunicantsofdistinction。

[7]AchurchinthesuburbsofAgen，celebratedforitslegendsandmiracles，towhichnumerouspilgrimagesaremadeinthemonthofMay。

[8]AlongtimeagotheinhabitantsofthetownofAgencommunicatedwiththeothersideoftheGaronnebymeansoflittleboats。ThefirstwoodenbridgewascommencedwhenAquitainewasgovernedbytheEnglish，inthereignofRichardCoeur-de-lion，attheendofthetwelfthcentury。Thebridgewasdestroyedandrepairedmanytimes，andoneofthepilesonwhichthebridgewasbuiltisstilltobeseen。ItisattributedtoNapoleonI。thathecausedthefirstbridgeofstonetobeerected，forthepurposeoffacilitatingthepassageofhistroopstoSpain。Theworkwas，however，abandonedduringhisreign，anditwasnotuntiltheRestorationthatthebridgewascompleted。Sincethattimeotherbridges，especiallythesuspensionbridge，havebeenerected，toenabletheinhabitantsofthetownsontheGaronnetocommunicatefreelywitheachother。

CHAPTERX。

JASMINATTOULOUSE。

IthadhithertobeenthecustomofJasmintodedicatehispoemstooneofhisfriends；butinthecaseofFranconnettehededicatedthepoemtothecityofToulouse。Hisobjectinmakingthededicationwastoexpresshisgratitudeforthebanquetgiventohimin1836bytheleadingmenofthecity，atwhichthePresidenthadgiventhetoastof”Jasmin，theadoptedsonofToulouse。”

ToulousewasthemostwealthyandprosperouscityintheSouthofFrance。Amongitscitizensweremanymenofliterature，art，andscience。JasminwasatfirstdisposedtodedicateFranconnettetothecityofBordeaux，wherehehadbeensograciouslyreceivedandfetedontherecitationofhisBlindGirlofCastel-Cuille；butheeventuallydecidedtodedicatethenewpoemtothecityofToulouse，wherehehadalreadyachievedaconsiderablereputation。

Jasminwasreceivedwitheveryhonourbythecitywhichhadadoptedhim。ItwashisintentiontoreadthepoematToulousebeforeitspublication。Iftherewasoneofthetownsorcitiesinwhichhislanguagewasunderstood——onewhichpromisedbythestrengthanddepthofitsrootstodefyallthechancesofthefuture——thatcitywasToulouse，thecapitaloftheLangued’Oc。

TheplaceinwhichhefirstrecitedthepoemwastheGreatHalloftheMuseum。Whenthepresentauthorsawitabouttwoyearsago，thegroundfloorwasfullofantiquetombs，statues，andmonumentsofthepast；whilethehallaboveitwascrowdedwithpicturesandworksofart，ancientandmodern。

AboutfifteenhundredpersonsassembledtolistentoJasminintheGreatHall。”Itisimpossible，”saidthelocaljournal，[1]”todescribethetransportwithwhichhewasreceived。”ThevastgallerywasfilledwithoneofthemostbrilliantassembliesthathadevermetinToulouse。Jasminoccupiedthecentreoftheplatform。AthisrightandlefthandwereseatedtheMayor，themembersoftheMunicipalCouncil，theMilitaryChiefs，themembersoftheAcademyofJeux-Floraux，[2]andmanydistinguishedpersonsinscience，literature，andlearning。

Alargespacehadbeenreservedfortheaccommodationofladies，whoappearedintheirlightsummerdresses，colouredliketherainbow；andbehindthemstoodanimmensenumberofthecitizensofToulouse。

Jasminhadnosoonerbeguntorecitehispoemthanitwasclearthathehadfullcommandofhisaudience。Impressedbyhiseloquenceandpowersofdeclamation，theywererivetedtotheirseats，dazzledandmovedbyturns，asthecrowdofbeautifulthoughtspassedthroughtheirminds。Theaudienceweresomuchabsorbedbythepoet’srecitationthatnotawhisperwasheard。

Heevokedbythetonesandtremorofhisvoicetheirsighs，theirtears，theirindignation。Hewasbyturnsgay，melancholy，artless，tender，arch，courteous，anddeclamatory。Asthedramaproceeded，theaudiencerecognisedthebeautyoftheplotandthepoet’sknowledgeofthehumanheart。Hetouchedwithgraceallthecordsofhislyre。Hispoetryevidentlycamedirectfromhisheart：itwasasrareasitwasdelicious。

Thesuccessoftherecitationwascomplete，andwhenJasminresumedhisseathereceivedthemostenthusiasticapplause。

Asthewholeofthereceiptswere，asusual，handedoverbyJasmintothelocalcharities，theassemblydecidedbyacclamationthatasubscriptionshouldberaisedtopresenttothepoet，whohadbeenadoptedbythecity，sometestimonyoftheiradmirationforhistalent，andforhishavingfirstrecitedtothemanddedicatedtoToulousehisfinepoemofFranconnette。

Jasminhandedovertothemunicipalitythemanuscriptofhispoeminavolumebeautifullybound。TheMayor，ineloquentlanguage，acceptedthework，andacknowledgedtheferventthanksofthecitizensofToulouse。

AsatBordeaux，Jasminwasfetedandentertainedbythemostdistinguishedpeopleofthecity。Atoneofthenumerousbanquetsatwhichhewaspresent，herepliedtothespeechofthechairmanbyanimpromptuinhonourofthosewhohadsosplendidlyentertainedhim。But，ashehadalreadysaid：”Impromptusmaybegoodmoneyoftheheart，buttheyareoftentheworstmoneyofthehead。”[3]

Onthedayfollowingtheentertainment，Jasminwasinvitedtoa”grandbanquet”givenbythecoiffeursofToulouse，wheretheypresentedhimwith”acrownofimmortellesandjasmines，”

andtothemalsoherecitedanotherofhisimpromptus。[4]

Franconnettewasshortlyafterpublished，andthepoemwasreceivedwithalmostasmuchapplausebythepublicasithadbeenbythecitizensofToulouse。Sainte-beuve，theprinceofFrenchcritics，saidofthework：——”InallhiscompositionsJasminhasanatural，touchingidea；

itisahistory，eitherofhisinvention，ortakenfromsomelocaltradition。Withhisfacilityasanimprovisatore，aidedbythepatoisinwhichhewrites，……whenheputshisdramatispersonaeintoaction，heendeavourstodepicttheirthoughts，alltheirsimpleyetlivelyconversation，andtoclothetheminwordsthemostartless，simple，andtransparent，andinalanguagetrue，eloquent，andsober：neverforgetthislattercharacteristicofJasmin’sworks。”[5]