The Van Buren press., 1893-06-17

IlllHH J&Wg41-1N 1859. when
w. :: !: !: : !;
l lIi NJ. Alphonse
cept rs the
poct of the Prunes, his first page OF
prose appeared in the semi-weekly n
Raro, under the above title This fanci-
full sketch, In which can be found In
germ the style and manner of the mas
ferly writer, and which opened the Sc
xies of Les Gueux de Provence. has
never been published in volume
write this 1t the end Of long dor
mitory. ON . wretched table that the
Kindness Of one OF the hall walters has
allowed me TO put near my bed; the pu-
pills arc asleep; It is dark and II Is
damp; three little lamps are dickerinz
In their places; from the four corners OF
the great room rises sound OF regular
breathing, with now and then snorc,
Or long drawn sigh.
Outside, . slight wintry wind Is blow
ing, that brings me by whiffs the echo
of voices and Of musical instruments
There is . ball at the town hall. great
ball and . concert given by the gentle
men members Of the Society of Saint
Vincent de lsaul. From my seat
through the moist window panes and
the gratings, can see the guests pass
and repass, like black cuttings behind
N oiled paper Monsieur. the princi-
pal, and madame. his wife, must be
there also. Brrou. 1t Is awfully cold;
my feet are frozen and my throat is
parched; must go and refresh myself
1t the fountain and walk up and down
awhile to get warm
All! thrice sccursed be the day when
/ entered the internal place; especially
g : thousand other openings could
have been found for me. 1t is true that
! hive not sou; yet how many. who
are no better of than l, have succeeded.
Margerot enlisted; Quarteron is study
Ing law; Piradoux, the first scholar in
tho class, plays on the flute most nasal
", and goes about with strolling COM
panies. Yet again, it is who am the
most to be pitied. Had I but entered
some great Lycec at Paris, or at Lyon.
It would have been different. But no.
] must needs shut myself up at b in
: little collegiate school. Why did I
not 20 to Timbuctoo at once? Or why
not have made myself an ignorantia
brother while was about 1t?
Good heavens, what an existence! |
am obliged to get up ut four o'clock in
the morning, to go to bed much later
than the others, always to be on foot,
always with eyes and ears wide open,
forever scolding, calling loud, spying,
canting and correcting. If any pupil
blows his nose at the wrong moment,
or wishes TO laugh inopportunely; If q
domestic passes the night out Of the
house. or IL a lamp has no wick; if l
find crust of bread in the courtyard.
or bit Of paper under table, must
1t once take . pen and write out re-
port and denunciation.
This IL the state to which am re-
duced; /, who have always been called
frank, amiable and, in short, good
fellow. All this, that at the end of each
month may receive forty-seven francs
and fifty centimes. 1t is true that am
lodged and fed; but SO poorly!
The boys are snoring like contra
hssses; the wind glides through the
openings Of the doors and strikes my
poor legs. The water of the fountain
is frozen. Oh! If had just few drops
Of rum to warm my stomach little
l am up to my ears in debt, and
plunge deeper and deeper in that
trouble every day. Yesterday, even,
ordered q costume Of my tailor; it was
foolish to do 80, and almost a robbery,
but how could do otherwise after the
affront received the previous evening?
Our principal was going upstairs, hav-
ing on his arm the pretty wife of the
sous-prefee; was behind them, tightly
buttoned mp in my old jacket, and stiff
as = cane; know not what eidiculous
pride made me desirous to parade my
frisly figure and my quick movements.
hut with q bound ! rushed up three
steps at q time, with my hat in my
hand, rubbing against the wall, and
showing plainly, without wishing to do
so, the white threads of my own shoulder
bladeA That evening NJ, the principal,
called me into his private room, and.
scrutinizing me from head to foot, told
me that WAS disgrace to his estab-
lishment. and that looked like beg
gar think he was, indeed, half in
clined to offer me an old frockcoat that
he wore on rainy days The next
morning called ON the best tailor in
the town, and now have one more
great debt. Oh, what miserable life.
When can escape from it?
Hush! the door at the opposite end
Of the room has just been opened,
and it moves silently on its oiled hinges.
1t Is the proctor, going on his rounds.
He advances on tiptoe. his feet covered
with heavy cloth shoes, like the oars of
. smuggler. He has on his woollen
drawers and knit waistcoat. Sol
emnly he carries dark lantern, that he
turns quickly from bed to bed. on the
right and on the left. His great,
twisted nose casts grotesque shadows on
the wall. '.Good evening. sir!' He goes
ont without having answered me, the
old prig. May the bony arms of his
wife lovingly encircle his neck and
etrangle him, as il he were mad dog.
Whether end my life or not in this
prison, ! shall always remember the
evening l entered here. / arrived at
eight o'clock. On approaching the COL