首页 >出版文学> Jasmin>第34章

第34章

  Yes!——letourfingersfeeltherule,Theangrychidingoftheschool;
  Truetoournurse,ingoodorill,WearenotFrench,butGasconstill。
  ’Tissaidthatagenewfeelingbrings,Ouryouthreturnsaswegrowold;
  AndthatweloveagainthethingsWhichinourmemoryhadgrowncold。
  Ifthisbetrue,thetimewillcomeWhentoourancienttongue,oncemore,Youwillreturn,astoahome,Andthankusthatwekeptthestore。
  RememberthouthetaletheytellOfLacueeandLacepede,[2]
  Whenagecrepton,wholovedtodwellOnwordsthatoncetheirmusicmade;
  And,inthemidstofgrandeur,hung,Delighted,ontheirparenttongue。
  Thiswillyoudo:anditmaybe,Whenwearyoftheworld’sdeceit,Somesummer-dayweyetmayseeYourcominginourmeadowssweet;
  Where,midsttheflowers,thefinch’slayShallwelcomeyouwithmusicgay;
  WhileyoushallbidourantiquetongueSomeworddevise,orairsupply,Likethosethatcharm’dyouryouthsolong,Andlentaspelltomemory。
  Bethinkyouhowwestray’daloneBeneaththoseelmsinAgengrown,Thateachanarchaboveusthrows,Likegiants,hand-in-hand,inrows。
  Astormoncestruckafav’ritetree,Ittrembled,shook,andbentitsboughs,——
  Thevistaisnolongerfree:
  Ourgovernornopauseallows;”Bringhitherhatchet,axe,andspade,Thetreemuststraightbeprostratelaid!”
  Butvainlystrengthandartweretried,Thestatelytreeallforcedefied;
  Wellmighttheelmresistandfoiltheirmight,Forthoughhisbranchesweredecay’dtosight,Asmanyashisleavestherootsspreadround,Andinthefirmsetearththeysleptprofound。
  Sincethen,morefull,moregreen,moregay,Thecrestsamidthebreezesplay:
  AndbirdsofeverynoteandhueCometroopingtohisshadeinSpring;
  Eachsummertheytheirlaysrenew,Andwhiletheyearsenduretheysing。
  Andthusitis,believeme,sir,Withthisenchantress——shewecallOursecondmother;FrenchmenerrWho,cent’riessince,proclaimedherfall。
  No!shestilllives,herwordsstillring,Herchildrenyethercarolssing;
  AndthousandyearsmayrollawayBeforehermagicnotesdecay。
  September2nd,1837。
  FootnotestoJASMIN’SDEFENCEOFTHEGASCONDIALECT。
  [1]Jasminherequotesseveralpatoissongs,wellknowninthecountry。
  [2]BothGascons。
  THEMASON’SSON。[1]
  [LASEMMANOD’UNFIL。]
  Riches,n’oubliezpasunseulpetitmomentQuedespauvreslagrandecouveeSereveilletoujourslesourirealaboucheQuandelles’endortsansavoirfaire!
  RicheetPauvre。
  Theswallowsflyabout,althoughtheairiscold,Ouroncefairsunhasshedhisbrightestgold。
  ThefieldsdecayOnAll-saintsday。
  Ground’shardafoot,Thebirdsaremute;
  Thetree-topsshedtheirchill’dandyellowleaves,Theydyingfall,andwhirlaboutinsheaves。
  Onenight,whenleavinglateaneighb’ringtown,Althoughtheheavenswereclear,Twochildrenpacedalong,withmanyamoan——
  Brotherandsisterdear;
  AndwhentheyreachedthewaysidecrossUpontheirkneestheyfell,quiteclose。
  AbelandJane,bythemoon’slight,Werelongtimesilentquite;
  Astheybeforethealtarbend,Withoneaccordtheirvoicessweetascend。”MotherofGod,Virgincompassionate!
  Oh!sendthyangeltoabateThesicknessofourfatherdear,Thatmothermaynolongerfear——
  Andforusboth!Oh!BlessedMother,Welovethee,moreandmore,wetwotogether!”
  TheVirgindoubtlessheardtheirprayer,For,whentheyreachedthecottagenear,Thedoorbeforethemopenedwide,Andthedearmother,eresheturnedaside,Criedout:”Mychildrenbrave,Thefever’sgone——yourfather’slifeissafe!
  Nowcome,mylittlelambs,andthankGodforHisgrace。”
  Intheirsmallcot,forthwiththethree,ToGodinprayerdidbendtheknee,Motherandchildrenintheirgladnessweeping,Whileonasorrybedamanlaysleeping——
  Itwasthefather,goodHilaire!
  Notlongago,asoldierbrave,Butnow——aworkingmason’sslave。
  II。
  Thedawnnextdaywasclearandbright,TheglintofmorningsunlightGleamedthroughthewindowstaper,Althoughtheyonlywerepatchedupwithpaper。
  WhenAbelnoiselessentered,withhisfoot-fallslight,Heslippedalongtothebedside;
  Heopedthelittlecurtain,withoutstirringoftherings;
  Hisfatherwokeandsmiled,withjoythatpleasurebrings。”Abel,”hesaid,”Ilongedforthee;nowlistenthoutome:
  We’reverypoorindeed——I’venothingsavemyweeklyfee;
  ButHeavenhashelpedourlivestosave——bycuringme。
  Dearboy,alreadythouartfifteenyears——
  Youknowtoread,towrite——thenhavenofears;
  Thouartalone,thou’rtsad,butdreamnomore,Thouought’sttowork,fornowthouhastthepower!
  Iknowthypainandsorrow,andthydeepalarms;
  Moregoodthanstrong——howcouldthylittlearmsPlyhardthehammeronthestonyblocks?
  Butourhardmaster,thoughhelikesgoodlooks,Mayfindtheequiteayouth;
  Hesaysthatthouhastspirit;andhemeansforthybehoof。
  Thendowhatgivestheepleasure,Withoutvain-glory,Abel;andspendthypreciousleisureInwritingorinworking——eachisalabourworthy,Eitherwithpenorhammer——theyarethetoolsmostlofty;
  Labourinmindorbody,theydofatigueusever——
  Butthen,Abelmyson,IhopethatneverOneblushuponyoue’erwillgatherToshamethehonourofyourfather。”
  Abel’sblueeyeswerebrightwithblissandjoy——
  Fatherrejoiced——fourtimesembracedtheboy;
  Motheranddaughtermixedtheirtearsandkisses,ThenAbelsawthemaster,tohishappiness,Andafterwardsfourdaysdidpass,Allfullofjoyfulness。
  Butpleasurewiththepoorisalwaysunenduring。
  AbrutalorderhadbeengivenonSundaymorningThatif,nextday,thefatherdidnotshowhisface,Anotherworkman,inthatcase,Wouldbeemployedtotakehisplace!
  AshotofcannonfilledwithgrapeCouldnothavecausedsuchgrief,AsthismostcruelordergivesTothesefourpoorunfortunates。”I’mcured!”Hilairecried;”letmeriseanddress;”
  Hetried——fellback;andthenhemustconfessHecouldnotlabourforanotherweek!
  Oh,wretchedplight——
  Forhim,hisworkwaslife!
  Shouldhekeepsick,’twasdeath!
  Allfoursatmute;suddenamyofhopeBeamedinthesoulofAbel。
  Hebrushedthetear-dropsfromhiseen,Assumedamanlymien,Strengthrushedintohislittlearms,Onhisbrightfacetheblushescame;
  Heroseatonce,andwenttoreasonWiththatcruelmastermason。
  Abelreturned,withspiritsbright,Nolongertremblingwithaffright;
  Atoncehegailycries,Withlaughingmouthandlaughingeyes:——”Myfather!takeyourrest;havefaithandcourage;
  Takealltheweek,thenthoushaltworkapace;
  Someone,wholovestheewell,willtakethyplace,Thenthoumay’stgoagainandshowthyface。”
  III。
  Savedbyafriend,indeed!Heyethadfriendsinstore!
  Oh!howIwishthatinthislifesolonely……
  But,allwillbeexplainedatworkonMonday;
  Therearegoodfriendsasyet——perhapsthere’smanymore。
  ItwasindeedourAbeltookhisfather’splace。
  Atofficefirstheshowedhisface;
  Thentothework-yard:thushisfatherhebeguiled。
  Spiteofhisslendermien,heworkedandalwayssmiled。