But，modeststill，hissoulwasmoved；
Yetofhishamletwashisthought——
Offriendsathome，andherheloved，Whenbackhislaurelbranchhebrought。
Andpleasurebeaminginhiseyes，Enjoyedtheirwelcomeandsurprise。
’TwasthuswithmewhenBordeauxdeignedTolistentomyrusticsong：
Whosemusicpraiseandhonourgain’dMorethantoruralstrainsbelong。
Delighted，charm’d，IscarcelyknewWhencesprungthislifesofreshandnew，AndtomyheartIwhisperedlow，Whentomyfieldsreturnedagain，”IsnottheGasconPoetnowAshappyastheshepherdswain?”
Theminstrelnevercanforget，Thespotwherefirstsuccesshemet；
Buthe，theshepherdwho，ofyore，Hascharm’dsomanyalist’ingear，Cameback，andwasbelovednomore。
HefoundallchangedandcoldanddrearAskilfulhandhadtouch’dtheflute；
Hispipeandhewerescorn’d——weremute。
ButI，oncemoreIdaredappear，Andfoundoldfriendssotrueanddear。
Themem’ryofmyancientlaysLivedintheirhearts，awoketheirpraise。
Oh！theydidmore。Iwastheirguest；
Againwaswelcomedandcaress’t，And，twinedwiththeirmelodioustongue，Againmyrusticcarolrung；
AndmyoldlanguageproudlyfoundHerwordshadlist’nerspressinground。
Thus，thoughcondemn’dtheshepherd’sskill，TheGasconPoettriumph’dstill。
AttheendoftherecitalaprettylittleorphangirlcameforwardandpresentedJasminwithalaureladornedwitharuby，withthesewordsingoldenletters，ToJasmin，withtheorphans’gratitude。”Jasminfinallydescendedfromtherostrumandmixedwiththeaudience，whopressedroundhimandembracedhim。Theresultwasthecollectionofmorethanathousandfrancsfortheorphans’fund。
Nomatterwhattheinstitutionwas，orwhereitwassituated，ifitwasindifficulties，andJasminwasappealedto，provideditcommendeditselftohisjudgment，hewentfarandneartogivehishelp。ApriestataremoteplaceinPerigordhadforsometimeendeavouredtofoundanagriculturalcolonyforthebenefitofthelabourers，andatlastwrotetoJasminforassistance。
Theworkhadbeenpatronisedbymostofthewealthypeopleoftheprovince；butthecolonydidnotprosper。ThereremainednoonetohelpthembutthenoblebarberofAgen。Withoutappealinganymoretotherichforfurtheraid，thepriestappliedtoJasminthroughamutualfriend，oneofthepromotersoftheundertaking，whoexplainedtohimthenatureoftheenterprise。
ThefollowingwasJasmin’sanswer：——”MYDEARSIR，——IhavealreadyheardofthePiousWorkofthecurateofVedey，andshallbemosthappytogivehimmyservicesforoneortwoevenings，thoughIregretthatImustnecessarilydefermyvisituntilafterthemonthofFebruarynext。InMayI
havepromisedtogotwicetothehelpoftheAlbigenses，inaidoftheirhospitalandthepoorofAlba。Istartto-morrowforCahors，tohelpinaworkequallybenevolent，begunlongago。
IamengagedforthemonthofAugustforFoixandBagneresdeLuchon，inbehalfofachurchandanagriculturalsociety。
Allmysparetime，youwillobserve，isoccupied；andthoughI
maybetiredoutbymyjourneys，IwillendeavourtorallymyforcesanddoallthatIcanforyou。TellthecurateofVedey，therefore，thatashislabourhasbeenoflongcontinuance，myMusewillbehappytohelphisphilanthropicworkduringoneortwoeveningsatPerigueux，inthemonthofMarchnext。”Yoursfaithfully，”J。JASMIN。”
InduetimeJasminfulfilledhispromise，andaconsiderablesumwascollectedinaidoftheagriculturalcolony，which，tohisgreatjoy，waseventuallyestablishedandprospered。OnanotherandaverydifferentoccasiontheSocietyofArtsandLiteratureappealedtohim。Theirobjectwastoestablishafundfortheassistanceofthepoorermembersoftheircraft——somethingliketheRoyalLiteraryFundofLondon。TheletteraddressedtohimwassignedbyBaronTaylor，Ingres，AmbroiseThomas，Auber，Meyerbeer，AdolpheAdam，JulesSimon，Zimmermann，Halevy，andothers。Itseemedextraordinarythatmenofsuchdistinctioninartandliteratureshouldappealtoamanofsuchhumblecondition，livingatsoremoteaplaceasAgen。”Weaskyourhelp，”theysaid，”forourwork，whichhasonlybeenbegun，andiswaitingforassistance。Wedesiretohavetheencouragementandpowerfulsupportofmenofheartandintelligence。Donotbesurprised，sir，thatweaddressthisdemandtoyou。WehavenotyetappealedtothepartofFranceinwhichyoulive；butwereposeourhopesinyouradmirabletalent，inspiredasitiswithChristiancharity，whichhasalreadygivenbirthtomanybenefactions，forthehelpofchurches，schools，andcharitableinstitutions，andhasspreadamongstyourcompatriotstheideaofrelievingthepoorandnecessitous。”Incitedbytheseillustriousmen，Jasminatoncetookthefield，andbyhisexertionsdidmuchtowardsthefoundationoftheproposedinstitution。
Thestrengthofhisconstitutionseemedtobeinexhaustible。
OnoneoccasionhewentasfarasMarseilles。Heworked，hewalked，hetravelled，herecitedalmostwithoutend。Thoughhesometimescomplainedofbeingover-tired，herallied，andwentonasbefore。AtMarseilles，forinstance，hegotupearlyinthemorning，andat8A。M。hewaspresentataprivatecouncilinaschool。At11hepresidedatameetingoftheSocietyofSaintFrancisXavier，whereherecitedseveralofhispoemsbeforetwothousandpersons。At2o’clockhewaspresentatabanquetgiveninhishonour。Intheeveninghehadanothertriumphantreception。Inthemorninghespokeofcountry，religion，andworktothehumblerclasses，andintheeveninghespokeofloveandcharitytoacrowdedaudienceofdistinguishedladies。HewasentertainedatMarseilleslikeaprince，ratherthanlikeapoet。
Hesometimesgaveasmanyasthreehundredrecitationsofthissortinayear；visitingnearlyeverytownfromBordeauxtoMarseillesforallkindsofcharitableinstitutions。Ofcoursehistravelswereenlivenedbymanyadventures，andsomepeoplewereunwillingtoallowhimtoforgetthathewasabarber。
WhenatAuch，atownseveralmilestothesouthofAgen，heresidedwiththemayor。Thetimeforthemeetinghadnearlyarrived；butthemayorwasstillbusywithhistoilet。TheprefectofGerswasalsowaiting。Fearingtheimpatienceofhisguests，themayoropenedthedoorofhischambertoapologise，showinghisfacecoveredwithlather。”Justamoment，”hesaid；”Iamjustfinishingmyshaving。””Oh，”saidJasmin，”whydidyounotperformyourtoiletsooner?
Butnowletmehelpyou。”Jasminatoncedoffedhiscoat，gavethefinishingtouchtohisrazor，andshavedthemayorinatwinkling，withwhathecalledhis”handofvelvet。”Inafewminutesafter，Jasminwasreceivingtumultuousapplauseforhissplendidrecitations。
Thus，astimewaspressing，itwasapleasuretoJasmintomakehimselfusefultohisfriendthemayor。Butonanotheroccasionhetreatedarichsnobinthewayhedeserved。Jasminhadbeenrecitingforthebenefitofthepoor。Attheconclusionofthemeeting，theyoungpeopleofthetownimprovisedaprocessionofflambeauxandtriumphantlyescortedhimtohishotel。
Earlynextmorning，whileJasminwasstillasleep，hewasawakenedbysomeoneknockingathischamberdoor。Herose，openedit，andfoundhimselfinpresenceofoneofthemostopulentpersonsofthetown。Therearevulgarpeopleeverywhere，andthispersonhadmorewealththancourtesy。LikeJasmin，hewasamanofthepeople；buthehadneitherthegracenorthepolitenessoftheGasconbarber。Hewasbutaparvenu，andhisricheshadonlyproducedanaccumulationofsnobbishness。
Hepushedintotheroom，installedhimselfwithoutinvitationinachair，and，withoutfurtherceremony，proceeded：——”MydearJasmin，”hesaid，”Iamabanker——amillionaire，asyouknow；Iwishyoutoshavemewithyourownhand。
Pleasesettoworkatonce，forIampressedfortime。
Youcanaskwhatyoulikeforyourtrouble。””Pardonme，sir，”saidJasmin，withsomepride，”Ionlyshaveforpayathome。””Whatdoyousay?””Itistrue，sir；Ionlyshaveforpayathome。””Come，come——youarejesting！Icannotbeputoff。Makeyourchargeasmuchasyoulike——butshaveme。””AgainIsay，sir，itisimpossible。””Howimpossible?Itseemstomethatitisyourtrade！””Itisso；butatthismomentIamnotdisposedtoexerciseit。”
Thebankeragainpleaded；Jasminwasfirm；andthemillionairewentawayunshaved！
DuringoneofhisrecitationsatToulouse，hewasintroducedtoMdlle。Roaldes，ayoungandbeautifullady，withwhosefather，athrivingstockbroker，hestayedwhileinthatcity。Hishousewasmagnificentandsplendidlyfurnished。ManypersonsofinfluencewereinvitedtomeetJasmin，and，whilethere，hewasentertainedwithmuchhospitality。But，asoftenhappenswithstockbrokers，M。Roaldesstarfell；hesufferedmanylosses，andatlengthbecamepoorandalmostdestitute。
Oneday，whileJasminwassharpeninghisrazorsinhisshopinAgen，whoshouldappearbutMdlle。ThereseRoaldes，sadanddejected。Itwasthesameyoungladywhohadcharmedhim，notonlybyherintellectualconverse，butbyheradmirablemusicalability。Shehadsungbrilliantlyattheentertainmentgivenatherfather’shouse，andnowshecametolayhercasebeforetheAgenaisebarber！Shetoldherwholestory，endingwiththepresentdestitutionofherfather——formerlytherichstockbroker。”Whatcanwedonow?”askedJasmin；”somethingmustbedoneatonce。”
Mdlle。RoaldesjudgedrightlyofthegenerousheartofJasmin。
Hewasinstantlyreadyandwillingtohelpher。Theymightnotrestoreherfather’sfortunes，buttheymightrescuehimfromthepovertyandhumiliationsinwhichhissuddenreverseoffortunehadinvolvedhim。Theyoungladyhadonlyhervoiceandherharp，butJasminhadhis”Curl-papers。”Mdlle。Roaldeswasbeautiful；couldherbeautyhaveinfluencedJasmin?Forbeautyhasawonderfulpowerintheworld。Butgoodnessisfarbetter，anditwasthatandherfiliallovewhichprincipallyinfluencedJasmininnowofferingherhisassistance。
ThetwomadetheirfirstappearanceatAgen。Theygavetheirperformanceinthetheatre，whichwascrowded，ThenameofMdlle。Roaldesexcitedthegreatestsympathy，forthemisfortunesofherfatherwerewellknownintheSouth。ForthisbeautifulgirltodescendfromherbrillianthomeinToulousetotheboardsofatheatreatAgen，wasasadblow，buthercourageboreherup，andsheexcitedthesympatheticapplauseoftheaudience。Inthemidstofthegeneralenthusiasm，Jasminaddressedthecharmingladyinsomelineswhichhehadpreparedfortheoccasion。Holdinginhishandabouquetofflowers，hesaid——”Ohwelltheybloomforyou！Mothersanddaughters，Throwflowerstoher，thoughmoistenedwithyourtears。
Theseflowersreceivethem，forTheybeartheincenseofourhearts。
Daughterofheaven，oh，sing！yournameshinesbright，Theearthapplauds，andGodwillblessyouever。”