第5章 AGEN.--JASMIN'S BOYHOOD.(4)

Jasmin had his moments of sadness.He was now getting a big fellow,and his mother was anxious that he should receive some little education.He had not yet been taught to read;he had not even learnt his A B C.The word school frightened him.He could not bear to be shut up in a close room--he who had been accustomed to enjoy a sort of vagabond life in the open air.

He could not give up his comrades,his playing at soldiers,and his numerous escapades.

The mother,during the hum of her spinning-wheel,often spoke in whispers to grandfather Boe of her desire to send the boy to school.When Jasmin overheard their conversation,he could scarcely conceal his tears.Old Boe determined to do what he could.He scraped together his little savings,and handed them over to the mother.But the money could not then be used for educating Jasmin;it was sorely needed for buying bread.

Thus the matter lay over for a time.

The old man became unable to go out of doors to solicit alms.

Age and infirmity kept him indoors.He began to feel himself a burden on the impoverished family.He made up his mind to rid them of the incumbrance,and desired the parents to put him into the family arm-chair and have him carried to the hospital.

Jasmin has touchingly told the incident of his removal.

"It happened on a Monday,"he says in his Souvenirs:"I was then ten years old.I was playing in the square with my companions,girded about with a wooden sword,and I was king;but suddenly a dreadful spectacle disturbed my royalty.I saw an old man in an arm-chair borne along by several persons.The bearers approached still nearer,when I recognised my afflicted grandfather.

'O God,'said I,'what do I see?My old grandfather surrounded by my family.'In my grief I saw only him.I ran up to him in tears,threw myself on his neck and kissed him.

"In returning my embrace,he wept.'O grandfather,'said I,'where are you going?Why do you weep?Why are you leaving our home?''My child,'said the old man,'I am going to the hospital,[2]where all the Jasmins die.'He again embraced me,closed his eyes,and was carried away.We followed him for some time under the trees.I abandoned my play,and returned home full of sorrow."Grandfather Boe did not survive long in the hospital.He was utterly worn out.After five days the old man quietly breathed his last.His wallet was hung upon its usual nail in his former home,but it was never used again.One of the bread-winners had departed,and the family were poorer than ever.

"On that Monday,"says Jasmin,"I for the first time knew and felt that we were very poor."All this is told with marvellous effect in the first part of the Souvenirs,which ends with a wail and a sob.

Footnotes to Chapter I.

[1]It is stated in the Bibliographie Generale de l'Agenais,that Palissy was born in the district of Agen,perhaps at La Chapelle Biron,and that,being a Huguenot,he was imprisoned in the Bastille at Paris,and died there in 1590,shortly after the massacre of St.Bartholomew.But Palissy seems to have been born in another town,not far from La Chapelle Biron.The Times of the 7th July,1891,contained the following paragraph:--"A statue of Bernard Palissy was unveiled yesterday at Villeneuvesur-Lot,his native town,by M.Bourgeois,Minister of Education."[2]L'hopital means an infirmary or almshouse for old and impoverished people.