CHAPTER XXXIII. M. PAUL KEEPS HIS PROMISE.

enteredbliss.IntellectuallyimperfectasIwas,Icouldreadlittletherewerefewboundandprintedvolumesthatdidnotwearyme—whoseperusaldidnotfagandblind—buthistomesofthoughtwerecollyriumtothespirit’seyesovertheircontents,inwardsightgrewclearandstrong.Iusedtothinkwhatadelightitwouldbeforonewholovedhimbetterthanhelovedhimself,togatherandstoreupthosehandfulsofgold-dust,sorecklesslyflungtoheaven’srecklesswinds. Hisstorydone,heapproachedthelittleknollwhereIandGinevrasatapart.Inhisusualmodeofdemandinganopinion(hehadnotreticencetowaittillitwasvoluntarilyoffered)heasked,“Wereyouinterested?” Accordingtomywontedundemonstrativefashion,Isimplyanswered—“Yes.” “Wasitgood?” “Verygood.” “YetIcouldnotwritethatdown,”saidhe. “Whynot,Monsieur?” “IhatethemechanicallabourIhatetostoopandsitstill.Icoulddictateit,though,withpleasure,toanamanuensiswhosuitedme.WouldMademoiselleLucywriteformeifIaskedher?” “Monsieurwouldbetooquickhewouldurgeme,andbeangryifmypendidnotkeeppacewithhislips.” “TrysomedayletusseethemonsterIcanmakeofmyselfunderthecircumstances.Butjustnow,thereisnoquestionofdictationImeantomakeyouusefulinanotheroffice.Doyouseeyonderfarm-house?” “Surroundedwithtrees?Yes.” “Therewearetobreakfastandwhilethegoodfermièremakesthecaféaulaitinacaldron,youandfiveothers,whomIshallselect,willspreadwithbutterhalfahundredrolls.” Havingformedhistroopintolineoncemore,hemarchedusstraightonthefarm,which,onseeingourforce,surrenderedwithoutcapitulation. Cleanknivesandplates,andfreshbutterbeingprovided,half-a-dozenofus,chosenbyourProfessor,settoworkunderhisdirections,toprepareforbreakfastahugebasketofrolls,withwhichthebakerhadbeenorderedtoprovisionthefarm,inanticipationofourcoming.Coffeeandchocolatewerealreadymadehotcreamandnew-laideggswereaddedtothetreat,andM.Emanuel,alwaysgenerous,wouldhavegivenalargeorderfor“jambon”and“confitures”inaddition,butthatsomeofus,whopresumedperhapsuponourinfluence,insistedthatitwouldbeamostrecklesswasteofvictual.Herailedatusforourpains,termingus“desménagèresavares”butwelethimtalk,andmanagedtheeconomyoftherepastourownway. Withwhatapleasantcountenancehestoodonthefarm-kitchenhearthlookingon!Hewasamanwhomitmadehappytoseeothershappyhelikedtohavemovement,animation,abundanceandenjoymentroundhim.Weaskedwherehewouldsit.Hetoldus,weknewwellhewasourslave,andwehistyrants,andthathedarednotsomuchaschooseachairwithoutourleavesowesethimthefarmer’sgreatchairattheheadofthelongtable,andputhimintoit. Wellmightwelikehim,withallhispassionsandhurricanes,whenhecouldbesobenignantanddocileattimes,ashewasjustnow.Indeed,attheworst,itwasonlyhisnervesthatwereirritable,nothistemperthatwasradicallybadsoothe,comprehend,comforthim,andhewasalambhewouldnotharmafly.Onlytotheverystupid,perverse,orunsympathizing,washeintheslightestdegreedangerous. Mindfulalwaysofhisreligion,hemadetheyoungestofthepartysayalittleprayerbeforewebeganbreakfast,crossinghimselfasdevotedlyasawoman.Ihadneverseenhimpraybefore,ormakethatpioussign