Attheconclusionofhispoem，Jasminthrewhiswreathofflowerstotheyounglady，andinaninstantshewascoveredwithflowersbytheaudience。Mdlle。Roaldeswasdeeplymoved。
Shehadfacedapublicaudienceforthefirsttime；shehadbeenreceivedwithapplause，andfromthatmomentshefeltconfidenceinherperformancesaswellasinherlabouroflove。
Thepoet，withthesingerandharpist，madeatourinthesouthernprovinces，andthetwomuses，poetryandmusic，wentfromtowntotown，enliveningandenlighteningtheway。
Everyheartpraisedthepoetforgivinghisservicestohisyoungandbeautifulfriend。Theyapplaudedalsothelovelywomanwhomadeherharp-chordsvibratewithherminstrel’smusic。
ThepairwenttoMontauban，Albi，Toulouse，andNimes；
theywerewelcomedatAvignon，thecityofPetrarchandthePopes。Marseillesforgotforatimeherharbourandherships，andlistenedwithrapturetothemusicianandthepoet。
AtMarseillesJasminfelthimselfquiteathome。Intheintervalsbetweentheconcertsandrecitals，hemademanynewfriends，aswellasvisitedmanyoldones。Hisgayandgenialhumour，hislivelysallies，hisbrilliantrecitals，broughthimfriendsfromeverycircle。M。Merv，inapoliticaleffusion，welcomedtheGasconpoet。Hewasinvitedtoafeteofl’Athenee-OuviertheWorkman’sAthenaeum；afterseveralspeeches，Jasminroseandresponded：”Iamproud，”hesaid，”offindingmyselfamongthemembersofthissociety，andofbeingwelcomedbymenwhoaredoublymybrethren——bythelabourofthehandsandbythelabourofthehead。Youhavemovedmeandastonishedme，andIhaveincurredtol’Athenee-Ouvierapoeticaldebtwhichmymusecanonlyrepaywiththemosttenderrecollections。”
ManypleasantletterspassedbetweenJasminandMdlle。deRoaldes。Theladyentertainedtheliveliestgratitudetothepoet，whohadhelpedhersonoblyinhermisfortunes。OnthemorningafterherfirstsuccessfulappearanceatAgen，sheaddressedtohimaletterfullofpraiseandthankfulness。Sheendeditthus：”Mostamiablepoet，Iadoreyourheart，andIdohomagetoyourgenius。”Inafuturelettersheconfessedthattheraysofthesunwerenotlesswelcomethantheraysofhisgenius，andthathermusicwouldhavebeencomparativelyworthlessbutforhispoetry。
Towardstheendoftheirjointentertainmentsheagainwrotetohim：”Youhavebecome，mydearpoet，myshowerofgold，myheaven-sentmanna，whileyoucontinueyourdevotiontomypersonalinterests……Asapoet，Igiveyoualltheglory；
asafriend，Ioweyoutheaffectionofmyfilialheart，thehopesofabettertime，andtheconsolationofmyfuturedays……
Letitberememberedthatthisgooddeedonyourpartisduetoyourheartandwill。Mayitprotectyouduringyourlife，andmakeyoublestinthelifewhichistocome！”
WhileatNimes，thetwopoet-artisansmet——ReboulthebakerandJasminthebarber。Reboul，whoattendedthemusic-recitation，wentuptoJasminandcordiallyembracedhim，amidsttheenthusiasticcheersofthreethousandpeople。
JasminafterwardsvisitedReboulathisbakery，wheretheyhadapleasantinterviewwithrespecttothepatoisofProvenceandGascony。AtthesametimeitmustbeobservedthatRebouldidnotwriteinpatois，butinclassicalFrench。
ReboulhadpublishedavolumeofpoemswhichattractedthenoticeandpraiseofLamartineandAlexandreDumas。PerhapsthefinestpoeminthevolumeisentitledTheAngelandChild。
Reboulhadlosthiswifeandchild；hesorrowedgreatlyattheirdeath，andthispoemwastheresult。Theideaissimpleandbeautiful。Anangel，noticingalovelychildinitscradle，anddeemingittoopureforearth，bearsitsspiritawaytoHeaven。ThepoemhasbeenadmirablytranslatedbyLongfellow。
Dumas，in’PicturesofTravelintheSouthofFrance，’relatesaninterviewwiththebaker-poetofNimes。”Whatmadeyouapoet?”askedDumas。”Itwassorrow，”repliedReboul——”thelossofabelovedwifeandchild。Iwasingreatgrief；Isoughtsolitude，and，findingnoonewhocouldunderstandme，pouredforthmygrieftotheAlmighty。””Yes，”saidDumas，”Inowcomprehendyourfeelings。Itisthusthattruepoetsbecomeillustrious。Howmanymenoftalentonlywantagreatmisfortunetobecomemenofgenius！Youhavetoldmeinawordthesecretofyourlife；Iknowitnowaswellasyoudo。”AndyetJasmin，thecontemporaryofReboul，hadwrittenallhispoetrywithoutasorrow，andamidstpraiseandjoyfulness。
Chateaubriand，whenintheSouthofFrance，calleduponReboul。
Thebakermethimatthedoor。”AreyouM。Reboul?”inquiredtheauthorof’TheMartyrs。’”Which，sir——thebakerorthepoet?””Thepoet，ofcourse。””Thenthepoetcannotbeseenuntilmid-day。Atpresentthebakerisworkingattheoven。”
Chateaubriandaccordinglyretired，butreturnedatthetimeappointed，andhadalongandinterestingconversationwithReboul。
WhileatMontpellierJasminreceivedtwolettersfromMadameLafarge，theninprison。Thecircumstancesconnectedwithhercaseweremuchdiscussedinthejournalsofthetime。ShehadmarriedatseventeenaM。Lafarge，andfoundafterhermarriagethathehaddeceivedherastohisproperty。Ill-feelingarosebetweentheunhappypair，andeventuallyshewastriedforpoisoningherhusband。Shewascondemnedwithextenuatingcircumstances，andimprisonedatMontpellierin1839。
Shedeclaredthatshewasinnocentofthecrimeimputedtoher，andJasmin’sfaithinthevirtueofwomanhoodledhimtobelieveher。
HerletterstoJasminweretouching。”Manypens，”shesaid，”havecelebratedyourgenius；letminetouchyourheart！Oh，yes，sir，youaregood，noble，andgenerous！Ipreserveeverywordofyoursasadearconsolation；
Iguardeachofyourpromisesasaholyhope。VoltairehassavedCalas。Singforme，sir，andIwillblessyourmemorytothedayofmydeath。Iaminnocent！……ForeightlongyearsIhavesuffered；andIamstillsufferingfromthestainuponmyhonour。
Igrieveforasightofthesun，butIstilllovelife。Singforme。”
SheagainwrotetoJasmin，endeavouringtoexcitehisinterestbyherappreciationofhispoems。”Thespiritofyourwork，”shesaid，”vibratesthroughmeineveryform。WhatapearlofeulogyisMaltro！WhatagreatworkisL’Abuglo！Inthefirstofthesepoemsyoureachthesublimeoflovewithouttouchingasinglechordofpassion。Whatpurity，andatthesametimewhateaseandtenderness！Itisnotonlythefeveroftheheart；itislifeitself，itsreligion，itsvirtue。Thispoorlnnuocentodoesnotlivetolove；shelovestolive……Herlovediffusesitselflikeaperfume——likethescentofaflower……InwritingMaltroyourmusebecomesvirginandChristian；andtodictateL’Abugloisacrownofflowers，violetsmingledwithroses，likeTibullus，Anacreon，andHorace。”
Andagain：”Poet，behappy；singinthelanguageofyourmother，ofyourinfancy，ofyourloves，yoursorrows。TheGasconsongs，revivedbyyou，canneverbeforgotten。Poet，behappy！Thelanguagewhichyoulove，Francewilllearntoadmireandread，andyourbrother-poetswilllearntoimitateyou……Spiritspeakstospirit；geniusspeakstotheheart。Sing，poet，sing！
Envyjeersinvain；yourMuseisFrench；betterstill，itisChristian，andthelaurelattheendofyourcoursehastwocrowns——onefortheforeheadofthepoetandtheotherfortheheartoftheman。Grandactionsbringglory；gooddeedsbringhappiness。”
AlthoughJasminwroteaninterestinglettertoMadameLafarge，hedidnotventuretosingorreciteforherrelieffromprison。
Shediedbeforehim，in1852。
FootnotesforChapterXIV。
[1]WeadoptthetranslationofMissCostello。
CHAPTERXV。
JASMIN’SVINEYARD——’MARTHATHEINNOCENT。’
Agen，withitsnarrowandcrookedstreets，isnotaltogetherapleasanttown，excepting，perhaps，thebeautifulpromenadeoftheGravier，whereJasminlived。YettheneighbourhoodofAgenisexceedinglypicturesque，especiallythewoodedcragsoftheHermitageandtheprettyvillasneartheconventoftheCarmelites。FromtheseloftysitesasplendidviewoftheneighbouringcountryistobeseenalongthewindingsoftheGaronne，andfaroff，towardsthesouth，tothesnowypeaksofthePyrenees。
DownbeneaththeHermitageandthecragsaroadwindsupthevalleytowardsVerona，oncethehomeofthefamousScaligers。[1]
NearthisplaceJasminboughtalittlevineyard，andestablishedhisTivoli。Inthisprettyspothismusefoundpureair，liberty，andprivacy。Hecalledtheplace——likehisvolumeofpoems——his”Papillote，”his”Curlpaper。”Here，fornearlythirtyyears，hespentsomeofhispleasantesthours，inexercise，inreflection，andincomposition。Incommemorationofhisoccupationofthesite，hecomposedhisMaBigno——’MyVineyard’——oneofthemostsimpleandgracefulofhispoems。
JasmindedicatedMaBignotoMadameLouisVeill，ofParis。
HetoldherofhispurchaseofPapillote，apieceofgroundwhichhehadlongdesiredtohave，andwhichhehadnowbeenabletobuywiththemoneygainedbythesaleofhispoems。
Heproceedstodescribetheplace：”Inthistinylittlevineyard，”hesays，”myonlychamberisagrotto。Ninecherrytrees：suchismywood！Ihavesixrowsofvines，betweenwhichIwalkandmeditate。Thepeachesaremine；
thehazelnutsaremine！Ihavetwoelms，andtwofountains。
Iamindeedrich！Youmaylaugh，perhaps，atmyhappiness。
ButIwishyoutoknowthatIlovetheearthandthesky。
Itisalivingpicture，sparklinginthesunshine。Come，”
hesaid，”andpluckmypeachesfromthebranches；putthembetweenyourlovelyteeth，whiterthanthesnow。Pressthem：
fromtheskintothealmondtheymeltinthemouth——itishoney！”
Henextdescribeswhatheseesandhearsfromhisgrotto：
thebeautifulflowers，thefruitglowinginthesun，thelusciouspeaches，thenotesofthewoodlark，thezug-zugofthenightingale，thesuperbbeautyoftheheavens。”Theyallsinglove，andloveisalwaysnew。”
HecomparesParis，withitsgrandladiesanditsgrandopera，withhisvineyardandhisnightingales。”Paris，”hesays，”hasfineflowersandlawns，butsheistoomuchofthegrandedame。