Heopenedit；andthoughhehadnospoon，heusedhisfingersandsoonemptiedthepot。WhatadelicioustreatheenjoyedenoughtomakehimforgetthepleasuresoftheCarnival。
Jasminwasabouttoreplacetheemptypot，whenheheardtheclick-clackofadoorbehindhim。Helookedround，andsawtheSuperior，whohadunlockedthedoor，andcometorestoretheboytoliberty。Oh，unhappyday！WhentheAbbefoundtheprisonerstealinghispreciouspreserves，hebecamefurious。”What！
plunderingmysweetmeats?”hecried。”Comedown，sirrah，comedown！nopardonforyounow。”HepulledJasminfromhischairandtable，andtheemptyjarfellbrokenathisfeet。”Getout，getoutofthishouse，thouimpofhell！”AndtakingJasminbythescruffoftheneck，hethrusthimviolentlyoutofthedoorandintothestreet。
Butworsewasyettocome。Whentheexpelledscholarreachedthestreet，hisfaceandmouthweresmearedwithjam。Hewaslikeablackamoor。Someurchinswhoencounteredhimonhishomewardroute，surmisedthathisdisguisewasintendedasamasquefortheCarnival。Heran，andtheypursuedhim。Themobofboysincreased，andheranthefaster。Atlasthereachedhisfather’sdoor，andrushedin，halfdeadwithpain，hunger，andthirst。Thefamilywereallthere——father，mother，andchildren。
Theyweresurprisedandastonishedathissuddenentrance。
Afterkissingthemallround，heproceededtorelatehisadventuresattheSeminary。Hecouldnottellthemall，buthetoldenough。Hisnarrativewasreceivedwithdeadsilence。
Buthewasthirstyandhungry。Hesawapotofkidney-beanporridgehangingoverthefire，andsaidhewouldliketoallayhishungerbyparticipatingintheirmeal。Butalas！
Thewholeofithadbeenconsumed。Thepotwasempty，andyetthechildrenwerenotsatisfiedwiththeirdinner。”NowIknow，”
saidthemother，”whynowhitebreadhascomefromtheSeminary。”
Jasminwasnowgreatlydistressed。”Accursedsweetmeats，”
hethought。”Oh！whatawretchIamtohavecausedsomuchmiseryanddistress。”
Thechildrenhadeatenonlyafewvegetables；andnowtherewasanothermouthtofill。Thefirehadalmostexpiredforwantoffuel。Thechildrenhadnobreadthatday，fortheSeminaryloafhadnotarrived。Whatweretheynowtodo?Themothersufferedcrueltorturesinnotbeingabletogiveherchildrenbread，especiallyonthehome-comingofherfavouritescapegrace。
Atlast，afterglancingatherlefthand，sherosesuddenly。
Sheexclaimedinacheerfulvoice，”Waitpatientlyuntilmyreturn。”SheputherSundaykerchiefonherhead，anddeparted。
Inashorttimeshereturned，tothedelightofthechildren，withaloafofbreadunderherarm。Theylaughedandsang，andpreparedtoenjoytheirfeast，thoughitwasonlyofbread。Themotherapparentlyjoinedintheircheerfulness，thoughasadpaingnawedatherheart。Jasminsawhismotherhideherhand；
butwhenitwasnecessaryforhertocuttheloaf，aftermakingthecrossaccordingtocustom，hesawthattheringonherlefthandhaddisappeared。”HolyCross，”hethought，”itistruethatshehassoldherwedding-ringtobuybreadforherchildren。”
Thiswasasadbeginningoflifeforthepoorboy。Hewasnowanotherburdenonthefamily。OldBoehadgone，andcouldnolongerhelphimwithhissavourymorsels。Hewassooppressedwithgrief，thathecouldnolongerplaywithhiscomradesasbefore。ButProvidenceagaincametohisaid。ThegoodAbbeMirabenheardthestoryofhisexpulsionfromtheSeminary。
Thoughaboymaybetrickyhecannotbeperfect，andthepriesthadmuchcompassiononhim。KnowingJasmin’sabilities，andthepovertyofhisparents，theAbbeusedhisinfluencetoobtainanadmissionforhimtooneofthetown’sschools，wherehewasagainenabledtocarryonhiseducation。
ThegoodAbbewashelpfultotheboyinmanyways。Oneevening，whenJasminwasonhiswaytotheAugustinstoreadandrecitetotheSisters，hewaswaylaidbyatroopofhisoldplayfellows。
Theywishedhimtoaccompanythemtotheoldrendezvousinthesquare；butherefused，becausehehadapreviousengagement。
Theboysthenbegantohustlehim，andproceededtotearoffhistatteredclothes。Hecouldonlybendhisheadbeforehisassailants，butneversaidaword。
AtlengthhisgoodfriendMirabencameupandrescuedhim。
Hedroveawaytheboys，andsaidtoJasmin，”Littleone，don’tbreatheaword；yourmotherknowsnothing。Theywon’ttormentyoulong！Takeupthyclothes，”hesaid。”Come，povertyisnotacrime。Courage！Thouartevenrich。Thouhastanangelonhighwatchingoverthee。Consolethyself，bravechild，andnothingmorewillhappentovexthee。”
TheencouragementoftheAbbeprovedprophetic。Nomoretroublesofthiskindafflictedtheboy。
Theagedpriestlookedafterthewell-beingofhimselfandfamily。Hesentthembreadfromtimetotime，andkeptthewolffromtheirdoor。MeanwhileJasmindidwhathecouldtohelpthemathome。Duringthevintagetimehewaswellemployed；andalsoatfairtimes。Hewasahelpfulboy，andwasalwayswillingtoobligefriendsandneighbours。
Butthetimearrivedwhenhemustcometosomedeterminationastohisfuturecallinginlife。Hewasaversetobeingatailor，seeingthesadresultsofhisfather’stradeathome。
Afterconsultationwithhismother，heresolvedonbecomingabarberandhairdresser。Verylittlecapitalwasrequiredforcarryingonthattrade；onlyrazors，combs，andscissors。
Longafter，whenJasminwasacomparativelythrivingman，hesaid：”Yes，Ihaveeatenthebreadofcharity；mostofmyancestorsdiedatthehospital；mymotherpledgedhernuptialringtobuyaloafofbread。Allthisshowshowmuchmiserywehadtoendure，thefrightfulpictureofwhichIhaveplacedinthelightofdayinmySouvenirs。ButIamafraidofwearyingthepublic，asIdonotwishtobeaccusedofaimingtoomuchatcontrasts。Forwhenwearehappy，perfectlyhappy，thereisnothingfurtherfromwhatIam，andwhatIhavebeen，astomakemefearforanysuchmisconstructiononthepartofmyhearers。”
CHAPTERIII。
BARBERANDHAIRDRESSER。
JasminwassixteenyearsoldwhenhewasapprenticedtoabarberandhairdresseratAgen。Thebarber’sshopwasnearthePrefecture——theancientpalaceoftheBishop。ItwassituatedatthecornerofLamoureuxStreetandthealleyofthePrefecture。ThereJasminlearnttheartofcutting，curling，anddressinghair，andofdeftlyusingthecombandtherazor。
Themastergavehiminstructionsinthetrade，andwatchedhimwhileatwork。Jasminwaswillingandactive，andwassoonabletocurlandshavewithanyapprenticeinAgen。
Aftertheday’sworkwasover，theapprenticeretiredtohisgarretunderthetiles。Therehespenthisevenings，andtherehesleptatnight。Thoughthegarretwasinfestedbyrats，hethoughtnothingofthem；hehadknownthemfamiliarlyathome。
Theydidhimnoharm，andtheyevenlearnttoknowhim。
Hisgarretbecamehisparadise，forthereherenewedhisloveofreading。Thesolitarinessofhislifedidhimgood，bythrowinghismindinuponhimself，andshowingthementalstuffofwhichhewasmade。Allthegreatestandweightiestthingshavebeendoneinsolitude。
Thefirstbookshereadwereforthemostpartborrowed。
Customerswhocametotheshoptobeshavedorhavetheirhairdressed，tookaninterestintheconversationofthebright，cheerful，dark-eyedlad，andsomeofthemlenthimbookstoread。Whatjoypossessedhimwhenhetookrefugeinhisgarretwithanewbook！Openingthebookwaslikeopeningthedoorofanewworld。Whatenchantment！Whatmystery！Whatawonderfuluniverseaboutus！
InreadinganewbookJasminforgothisimpoverishedboyhood，hisgrandfatherBoeandhisdeathinthehospital，hisexpulsionfromtheSeminary，andhismother’ssaleofherwedding-ringtobuybreadforherchildren。Hehadnowleftthepastbehind，andanewworldlayentrancinglybeforehim。Heread，andthought，anddreamed，untilfaroninthemorning。
Thefirstbookshereadwereofcomparativelylittleimportance，thoughtheyfurnishedanopeningintoliterature。
’TheChildren’sMagazine’[1]heldhiminrapturesforatime。
Someofhisfriendlycustomerslenthimthe’FablesofFlorian，’
andafterwardsFlorian’spastoralromanceof’Estelle’——perhapshisbestwork。ThesingeroftheGardonentirelybewitchedJasmin。’Estelle’alluredhimintotherosy-fingeredregionsofblissandhappiness。ThenJasminhimselfbegantorhyme。
Florian’sworksencouragedhimtowritehisfirstversesintheharmoniousGasconpatois，towhichheafterwardsgavesuchwonderfulbrilliancy。
InhisafterlifeJasminwasoftenaskedhowandwhenhefirstbegantofeelhimselfapoet。Somethinkthatthepoeticalgiftbeginsatsomefixedhour，justasonebecomesabarrister，adoctor，oraprofessor。ButJasmincouldnotgiveananswer。”Ihaveoftensearchedintomypastlife，”hesaid，”butIhaveneveryetfoundthedaywhenIbeganmycareerofrhyming。”[2]
Therearecertaingiftswhichmencanneveracquirebywillandwork，ifGodhasnotputtheseedofthemintotheirsoulsatbirth；andpoetryisoneofthosegifts。