第7章 JASMIN AT SCHOOL.(2)

plundering my sweetmeats?"he cried."Come down,sirrah,come down!no pardon for you now."He pulled Jasmin from his chair and table,and the empty jar fell broken at his feet."Get out,get out of this house,thou imp of hell!"And taking Jasmin by the scruff of the neck,he thrust him violently out of the door and into the street.

But worse was yet to come.When the expelled scholar reached the street,his face and mouth were smeared with jam.He was like a blackamoor.Some urchins who encountered him on his homeward route,surmised that his disguise was intended as a masque for the Carnival.He ran,and they pursued him.The mob of boys increased,and he ran the faster.At last he reached his father's door,and rushed in,half dead with pain,hunger,and thirst.The family were all there--father,mother,and children.

They were surprised and astonished at his sudden entrance.

After kissing them all round,he proceeded to relate his adventures at the Seminary.He could not tell them all,but he told enough.His narrative was received with dead silence.

But he was thirsty and hungry.He saw a pot of kidney-bean porridge hanging over the fire,and said he would like to allay his hunger by participating in their meal.But alas!

The whole of it had been consumed.The pot was empty,and yet the children were not satisfied with their dinner."Now I know,"said the mother,"why no white bread has come from the Seminary."Jasmin was now greatly distressed."Accursed sweetmeats,"he thought."Oh!what a wretch I am to have caused so much misery and distress."The children had eaten only a few vegetables;and now there was another mouth to fill.The fire had almost expired for want of fuel.The children had no bread that day,for the Seminary loaf had not arrived.What were they now to do?The mother suffered cruel tortures in not being able to give her children bread,especially on the home-coming of her favourite scapegrace.

At last,after glancing at her left hand,she rose suddenly.

She exclaimed in a cheerful voice,"Wait patiently until my return."She put her Sunday kerchief on her head,and departed.

In a short time she returned,to the delight of the children,with a loaf of bread under her arm.They laughed and sang,and prepared to enjoy their feast,though it was only of bread.The mother apparently joined in their cheerfulness,though a sad pain gnawed at her heart.Jasmin saw his mother hide her hand;but when it was necessary for her to cut the loaf,after making the cross according to custom,he saw that the ring on her left hand had disappeared."Holy Cross,"he thought,"it is true that she has sold her wedding-ring to buy bread for her children."This was a sad beginning of life for the poor boy.He was now another burden on the family.Old Boe had gone,and could no longer help him with his savoury morsels.He was so oppressed with grief,that he could no longer play with his comrades as before.But Providence again came to his aid.The good Abbe Miraben heard the story of his expulsion from the Seminary.

Though a boy may be tricky he cannot be perfect,and the priest had much compassion on him.Knowing Jasmin's abilities,and the poverty of his parents,the Abbe used his influence to obtain an admission for him to one of the town's schools,where he was again enabled to carry on his education.

The good Abbe was helpful to the boy in many ways.One evening,when Jasmin was on his way to the Augustins to read and recite to the Sisters,he was waylaid by a troop of his old playfellows.

They wished him to accompany them to the old rendezvous in the square;but he refused,because he had a previous engagement.

The boys then began to hustle him,and proceeded to tear off his tattered clothes.He could only bend his head before his assailants,but never said a word.

At length his good friend Miraben came up and rescued him.

He drove away the boys,and said to Jasmin,"Little one,don't breathe a word;your mother knows nothing.They won't torment you long!Take up thy clothes,"he said."Come,poverty is not a crime.Courage!Thou art even rich.Thou hast an angel on high watching over thee.Console thyself,brave child,and nothing more will happen to vex thee."The encouragement of the Abbe proved prophetic.No more troubles of this kind afflicted the boy.

The aged priest looked after the well-being of himself and family.He sent them bread from time to time,and kept the wolf from their door.Meanwhile Jasmin did what he could to help them at home.During the vintage time he was well employed;and also at fair times.He was a helpful boy,and was always willing to oblige friends and neighbours.

But the time arrived when he must come to some determination as to his future calling in life.He was averse to being a tailor,seeing the sad results of his father's trade at home.

After consultation with his mother,he resolved on becoming a barber and hairdresser.Very little capital was required for carrying on that trade;only razors,combs,and scissors.

Long after,when Jasmin was a comparatively thriving man,he said:"Yes,I have eaten the bread of charity;most of my ancestors died at the hospital;my mother pledged her nuptial ring to buy a loaf of bread.All this shows how much misery we had to endure,the frightful picture of which I have placed in the light of day in my Souvenirs.But I am afraid of wearying the public,as I do not wish to be accused of aiming too much at contrasts.For when we are happy,perfectly happy,there is nothing further from what I am,and what I have been,as to make me fear for any such misconstruction on the part of my hearers."