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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.
"
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