第23章 The Last Lesson

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AlhonseDaudet

Istartedforschoolverylatethatmorningandwasingreatdreadofascolding,eseciallybecauseM.Hamelhadsaidthathewouldquestionusonarticiles,andIdidnotknowthefirstwordaboutthem.ForamomentIthoughtofrunningawayandsendingthedayoutofdoors.Itwassowarm,sobright!Thebirdswerechiringattheedgeofthewoods;andintheoenfieldbackofthesawmillthePrussiansoldiersweredrilling.Itwasallmuchmoretemtingthantheruleforarticiles,butIhadthestrengthtoresist,andhurriedofftoschool.

WhenIassedthetownhalltherewasacrowdinfrontofthebulletin-board.Forthelasttwoyearsallourbadnewshadcomefromthere-thelostbattles,thedraft,theordersofthecommandingofficer-andIthoughttomyself,withoutstoing:

"Whatcanbethematternow?

"

Then,asIhurriedbyasfastasIcouldgo,theblacksmith,Wachter,whowasthere,withhisarentice,readingthebulletin,calledafterme:

"Don&aos;tgosofast,bub;you&aos;llgettoyourschoolinlentyoftime!

"

Ithoughthewasmakingfunofme,andreachedM.Hamel&aos;slittlegardenalloutofbreath.

Usually,whenschoolbegan,therewasagreatbustle,whichcouldbeheardoutinthestreet,theoeningandclosingofdesks,lessonsreeatedinunison,veryloud,withourhandsoverourearstounderstandbetter,andtheteacher&aos;sgreatrulerraingonthetable.

"Alittlemorequite!

"Butnowitwasallsostill!Ihadcountedonthecommotiontogettomydeskwithoutbeingseen;but,ofcourse,thatdayeverythinghadtobeasquietasSundaymorning.ThroughthewindowIsawmyclassmates,alreadyintheirlaces,andM.Hamelwalkinguanddownwithhisterribleironrulerunderhisarm.Ihadtooenthedoorandgoinbeforeeverybody.YoucanimaginehowIblushedandhowfrightenedIwas.

Butnothinghaened.M.Hamelsawmeandsaidverykindly:

"Gotoyourlacequickly,littleFranz.Wewerebeginningwithoutyou.

"

Ijumedoverthebenchandsatdownatmydesk.Nottillthen,whenIhadgotalittleovermyfright,didIseethatourteacherhadonhisbeautifulgreencoat,hisfrilledshirt,andthelittleblacksilkca,allembroidered,thatheneverworeexcetoninsectionandrizedays.Besides,thewholeschoolseemedsostrangeandsolemn.Butthethingthatsurrisedmemostwastosee,onthebackbenchesthatwerealwaysemty,thevillageeolesittingquietlylikeourselves;oldHauser,withhisthree-corneredhat,theformermayor,theformerostmaster,andseveralothersbesides.Everybodylookedsad;andHauserhadbroughtanoldrimer,thumbedattheedges,andhehelditoenonhiskneeswithhisgreatsectacleslyingacrosstheages.

WhileIwaswonderingaboutitall,M.Hamelmountedhischair,and,inthesamegraveandgentletonewhichhehadusedtome,said:

"Mychildren,thisisthelastlessonIshallgiveyou.TheorderhascomefromBerlintoteachonlyGermanintheschoolsofAlsaceandLorraine.Thenewmastercomestomorrow.ThisisyourlastFrenchlesson.Iwantyoutobeveryattentive.

"

Whatathunderclathesewordsweretome!

Oh,thewretches;thatwaswhattheyhadutuatthetownhall!

MylastFrenchlesson!Why,Ihardlyknewhowtowrite!Ishouldneverlearnanymore!Imuststothere,then!Oh,howsorryIwasfornotlearningmylessons,forseekingbirds&aos;eggs,orgoingslidingontheSaar!Mybooks,thathadseemedsuchanuisanceawhileago,soheavytocarry,mygrammar,andmyhistoryofthesaints,wereoldfriendsnowthatIcouldn&aos;tgiveu.AndM.Hamel,too;theideathathewasgoingaway,thatIshouldneverseehimagain,mademeforgetallabouthisrulerandhowcrankyhewas.

Poorman!ItwasinhonorofthislastlessonthathehadutonhisfineSundayclothes,andnowIunderstoodwhytheoldmenofthevillageweresittingthereinthebackoftheroom.Itwasbecausetheyweresorry,too,thattheyhadnotgonetoschoolmore.Itwastheirwayofthankingourmasterforhisfortyyearsoffaithfulserviceandofshowingtheirresectforthecountrythatwastheirsnomore.

WhileIwasthinkingofallthis,Iheardmynamecalled.Itwasmyturntorecite.WhatwouldInothavegiventobeabletosaythatdreadfulruleforthearticileallthrough,veryloudandclear,andwithoutonemistake?ButIgotmixeduonthefirstwordsandstoodthere,holdingontomydesk,myheartbeating,andnotdaringtolooku.IheardM.Hamelsaytome:

"Iwon&aos;tscoldyou,littleFranz;youmustfeelbadenough.Seehowitis!Everydaywehavesaidtoourselves:‘Pshaw!I&aos;velentyoftime.I&aos;lllearnittomorrow.’Andnowyouseewherewe&aos;vecomeout.Ah,that&aos;sthegreattroublewithAlsace;sheutsofflearningtilltomorrow.Nowthosefellowsouttherewillhavetherighttosaytoyou:&aos;Howisit;youretendtobeFrenchmen,andyetyoucanneitherseaknorwriteyourownlanguage?&aos;Butyouarenottheworst,oorlittleFranz.We&aos;veallagreatdealtoreroachourselveswith.

"Yourarentswerenotanxiousenoughtohaveyoulearn.Theyreferredtoutyoutoworkonafarmoratthemills,soastohavealittlemoremoney.AndI?I&aos;vebeentoblamealso.HaveInotoftensentyoutowatermyflowersinsteadoflearningyourlessons?AndwhenIwantedtogofishing,didInotjustgiveyouaholiday?

"

Then,fromonethingtoanother,M.HamelwentontotalkoftheFrenchlanguage,sayingthatitwasthemostbeautifullanguageintheworld-theclearest,themostlogical;thatwemustguarditamongusandneverforgetit,becausewhenaeoleareenslaved,aslongastheyholdfasttotheirlanguageitisasiftheyhadthekeytotheirrison.Thenheoenedagrammarandreadusourlesson.IwasamazedtoseehowwellIunderstoodit.Allhesaidseemedsoeasy,soeasy!Ithink,too,thatIhadneverlistenedsocarefully,andthathehadneverexlainedeverythingwithsomuchatience.Itseemedalmostasiftheoormanwantedtogiveusallheknewbeforegoingaway,andtoutitallintoourheadsatonestroke.

Afterthegrammar,wehadalessoninwriting.ThatdayM.Hamelhadnewcoiesforus,writteninabeautifulroundhand:France,Alsace,France,Alsace.Theylookedlikelittleflagsfloatingeverywhereintheschoolroom,hungfromtherodatthetoofourdesks.Yououghttohaveseenhoweveryonesettowork,andhowquietitwas!Theonlysoundwasthescratchingoftheensovertheaer.Oncesomebeetlesflewin;butnobodyaidanyattentiontothem,noteventhelittlestones,whoworkedrightontracingtheirfishhooks,asifthatwasFrench,too.Ontherooftheigeonscooedverylow,andIthoughttomyself:

"WilltheymakethemsinginGerman,eventheigeons?

"

WheneverIlookedufrommywritingIsawM.Hamelsittingmotionlessinhischairandgazingfirstatonething,thenatanother,asifhewantedtofixinhismindjusthoweverythinglookedinthatlittleschoolroom.Fancy!Forfortyyearshehadbeenthereinthesamelace,withhisgardenoutsidethewindowandhisclassinfrontofhim,justlikethat.Onlythedesksandbencheshadbeenwornsmooth;thewalnut-treesinthegardenweretaller,andthehovinethathehadlantedhimselftwinedaboutthewindowstotheroof.Howitmusthavebrokenhishearttoleaveitall,oorman;tohearhissistermovingaboutintheroomabove,ackingtheirtrunks!Fortheymustleavethecountrynextday.

Buthehadthecouragetoheareverylessontotheverylast.Afterthewriting,wehadalessoninhistory,andthenthebabieschantedtheirba,bebi,bo,bu.DownthereatthebackoftheroomoldHauserhadutonhissectaclesand,holdinghisrimerinbothhands,selledtheletterswiththem.Youcouldseethathe,too,wascrying;hisvoicetrembledwithemotion,anditwassofunnytohearhimthatweallwantedtolaughandcry.Ah,howwellIrememberit,thatlastlesson!

Allatoncethechurch-clockstrucktwelve.ThentheAngelus.AtthesamemomentthetrumetsofthePrussians,returningfromdrill,soundedunderourwindows.M.Hamelstoodu,veryale,inhischair.Ineversawhimlooksotall.

"Myfriends,

"saidhe,

"I-I-

"Butsomethingchokedhim.Hecouldnotgoon.

Thenheturnedtotheblackboard,tookaieceofchalk,and,bearingonwithallhismight,hewroteaslargeashecould:

"ViveLaFrance!

"

Thenhestoedandleanedhisheadagainstthewall,and,withoutaword,hemadeagesturetouswithhishand:

"Schoolisdismissed-youmaygo.

"