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。
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