Whatwashetodonow?HesuddenlyrememberedthebarberofAgen，whowasalwayswillingtogivehisfriendlyhelp。HehadestablishedMdlle。Roaldesasamusicianafewyearsbefore；
hehadhelpedtobuildschools，orphanages，asylums，andsuchlike。Buthehadneverhelpedtobuildachurch。WouldhenowhelphimtorebuildthechurchofVergt?
TheAbbedidnotknowJasminpersonally，buthewentovertoAgen，andthrougharelative，madehisacquaintance。ThustheAbbeandthepoetcametogether。Afterthepriesthadmadeanexplanationofhisposition，andofhisdifficultiesinobtainingmoneyfortherebuildingofthechurchofVergt，Jasminatoncecompliedwiththerequestthathewouldcomeoverandhelphim。
Theyarrangedforacircuitofvisitsthroughoutthedistrict——
thepriestwithhisaddress，andJasminwithhispoems。
JasminsetoutforVergtinJanuary1843。HewasreceivedattheborderoftheCantonbyanumerousandbrilliantescortofcavalry，whichaccompaniedhimtothepresbytery。Heremainedtherefortwodays，conferringwiththeAbbe。ThenthetwosetouttogetherforPerigueux，thechiefcityoftheprovince，accompaniedontheirdeparturebythemembersoftheMunicipalCouncilandtheleadingmenofthetown。
ThefirstmeetingwasheldinthetheatreofPerigueux，whichwascrowdedfromfloortoceiling，andmanyremainedoutsidewhocouldnotobtainadmission。TheMayorandMunicipalCouncillorswerepresenttowelcomeandintroducethepoet。Onthisoccasion，Jasminrecitedforthefirsttime，”TheRuinedChurch”
inGascon：LaGleyzoDescapeladocomposedinoneofhishappiestmoments。JasmincomparedhimselftoAmphion，thesweetsingerofGreece，whobyhismusicalpowers，enabledacitytobebuilt；andnowthepoetinvokedthecitizensofPerigueuxtoenabletheAbbeMassontorebuildhischurch。Hispoemwasreceivedwithenthusiasm，andalmostwithtearsofjoyatthepleadingofJasmin。Therewasashowerofsilverandgold。
Thepriestwasoverjoyedatthepopularityofhiscolleague，andalsoathispurse，whichwasfilledwithofferings。
WhileatPerigueuxthepoetandthepriestenjoyedthehospitalityofM。AugustDupont，towhomJasmin，inthanks，dedicatedapieceofpoetry。Otherentertainmentsfollowed——
matineesandsoirees。Jasminrecitedsomeofhispoemsbeforetheprofessorsandstudentsatthecollege，andatotherplacesofpublicinstruction。Thencamebanquets——aristocraticandpopular——and，asusual，abanquetofthehair-dressers。
Therewasquiteanovationinthecitywhileheremainedthere。
ButothercallsawaitedJasmin。Hereceiveddeputationsfrommanyofthetownsinthedepartmentsolicitinghisappearance，andtherecitationofhispoems。Hehadtoportionouthistimewithcare，andtoarrangetheprogrammeofhisvisits。Whenthetwopilgrimsstartedontheirjourney，theywerefrequentlyinterruptedbycrowdsofpeople，whowouldnotallowJasmintopasswithoutrecitingsomeofhispoetry。JasminandMassontravelledbythepost-officecar——thecheapestofallconveyances——butatMontignactheywerestoppedbyacrowdofpeople，andJasminhadtoundergothesameprocess。Freeandhearty，hewasalwayswillingtocomplywiththeirrequests。
Thatdaythepostmanarrivedathisdestinationthreehoursafterhisappointedtime。
ItwasinthemonthofFebruary，whendarknesscomesonsoquickly，thatJasmininformedthemagistratesofSarlat，whitherhewasbound，thathewouldbetherebyfiveo’clock。Buttheywaited，andwaitedforhimandthepriestattheentrancetothetown，attendedbytheclergy，thesub-prefect，thetowncouncillors，andacrowdofpeople。Itwasacoldanddrearynight。StillnoJasmin！Theywaitedforthreelonghours。AtlastJasminappearedonthepost-officecar。”Therehecomesatlast！”wasthegeneralcry。Hisarrivalwasgreetedwithenthusiasticcheers。Itwasnowquitedark。ThepoetandthepriestenteredSarlatintriumph，amidsttheglareoftorchesandthejoyfulshoutsofthemultitude。Thencamethepriest’saddress，Jasmin’srecitations，andthefinalcollectionofofferings。
Itisunnecessarytorepeatthescenes，howeverimpressive，whichoccurredduringthejourneyofthepoetandthepriest。
TherewasthesameamountofenthusiasmatNontron，Bergerac，andtheothertownswhichtheyvisited。AtNontron，M。A。deCalvimont，thesub-prefect，welcomedJasminwiththefollowinglines：”ToJasmin，ourgrandpoet，Thepainterofhumanity；
Forhim，electofheaven，lifeisafeteEndinginimmortality。”
Jasminrepliedtothiswithsomeimpromptulines，’ToPoetry，’
dedicatedtothesub-prefect。AtBergerachewrotehisAdieutoPerigord，inwhichheconveyedhisthankstotheinhabitantsofthedepartmentforthekindnesswithwhichtheyhadreceivedhimandhiscompanion。This，theirfirstjourneythroughPerigord，wasbroughttoacloseattheendofFebruary，1843。
Theresultofthisbrilliantjourneywasverysuccessful。
ThepurseoftheAbbewasnowsufficientlywellfilledtoenablehimtoproceedwiththerebuildingofthechurchofVergt；andtheworkwassowelladvanced，thatbythe23rdofthefollowingmonthofJulyitwasreadyforconsecration。Asolemnceremonythentookplace。Sixbishops，includinganarchbishop，andthreehundredpriestswerepresent，withmorethanfifteenthousandpeopleofallranksandconditionsoflife。Neverhadsuchaceremonybeenseenbefore——atleastinsosmallatown。
TheCardinalGousset，ArchbishopofRheims，afterconsecratingthechurch，turnedtoJasmin，andsaid：”Poet，wecannotavoidtherecognitionofyourself-sacrificinglaboursintherebuildingofthischurch；andweshallbehappyifyouwillconsenttosayafewwordsbeforewepart。””Monseigneur，”repliedJasmin，”canyoubelievethatmymusehaslabouredforfifteendaysandfifteennights，thatIshouldinterruptthisdayofthefete?Vergtkeepsfeteto-dayforreligion，butnotforpoetry，thoughitwelcomesandlovesit。
Thechurchhassixpontiffs；thepoetisonlyasubdeacon；
butifImustsingmyhymnofficially，itmustbeelsewhere。”
TheArchbishop——amanofintelligencewhounderstoodthefeelingsofpoets——promised，atthecollationwhichfollowedtheconsecration，togiveJasmintheopportunityofrecitingtheverseswhichhehadcomposedfortheoccasion。Thepoemwasentitled’APriestwithoutaChurch’inGascon：LouPrestesansGlegzodedicatedtoM。Masson，theCureofVergt。Inhisversesthepoetdescribedtheinfluenceofanoblechurchupontheimaginationaswellasthereligionofthepeople。Buthesaidnothingofhisownlaboursincollectingthenecessaryfundsfortherebuildingofthechurch。Therecitationofthepoemwasreceivedwithenthusiasm。
MonseigneurBertaud，whopreachedintheafternoononthe”InfinityofGod，”touchinglyreferredtothepoemsofJasmin，anddevelopedthesubjectsohappilyreferredtobythepoet。”Suchexamplesashis，”hesaid，”suchdelicateandgeneroussentimentsmingledtogether，elevatepoetryandshowitsnobleorigin，sothatwecannotlistentohimwithoutthegravestemotion。”[1]
ItwasagreatdayforVergt，andalsoagreatdayforthepoet。
TheconsecrationofthechurchamidstsolargeanassemblageofclergyandpeopleoccasionedgreatexcitementintheSouth。
Itwasnoisedabroadinthepublicjournals，andevenintheforeignpress。Jasmin’sfamebecamegreaterthanever；andhisbarber’sshopatAgenbecame，asitwere，ashrine，wherepilgrims，passingthroughthedistrict，stoppedtovisithimandpraisehisalmostdivineeffortstohelpthecauseofreligionandcivilisation。
Thelocalenthusiasmwasnot，however，withoutitsdrawbacks。
ThesuccessofthecurateofVergtoccasionedagooddealofjealousy。WhyshouldhebepatronisedbyJasmin，andhavehispursefilledbyhisrecitations，whenthereweresomanyotherchurchestobebuiltandrepaired，somanyhospitalsandschoolstofoundandmaintain，somanyorphanagestoassist，somanypoortorelieve，somanygoodworkstobedone?WhyshouldnotJasmin，whocouldcoinmoneywithwordswhichcosthimnothing，cometothehelpoftheneedyandafflictedinthevariousdistrictsthroughouttheSouth?
ThusJasminwasconstantlyassailedbydeputations。Hemustleavehisrazorsandhiscurling-tongs，andgohere，there，andeverywheretoraisemoneybyhisrecitations。
ThemembersoftheSocietyofSaintVincentdePaulwere，asusual，fullofmanycharitabledesigns。Therehadbeenafire，aflood，anepidemic，aseverewinter，afailureofcrops，whichhadthrownhundredsoffamiliesintopovertyandmisery；
andJasminmustcomeimmediatelytotheirsuccour。”Come，Jasmin！Comequick，quick！”Hewasalwayswillingtogivehisassistance；butitwasaterriblestrainuponhismentalaswellashisphysicalpowers。
Inallseasons，atallhours，incold，inheat，inwind，inrain，hehastenedtogivehisrecitations——sometimesofmorethantwohours’duration，andoftentwiceorthriceinthesameday。
Hehastened，forfearlestthepoorshouldreceivetheirfoodandfiringtoolate。
Whatapicture！HadJasminlivedinthetimeofSt。VincentdePaul，thesaintwouldhaveembracedhimathousandtimes，andrejoicedtoseehimselfinonewaysurpassed；forinpleadingforthepoor，healsohelpedtherichbycelebratingthegreatdeedsoftheirancestors，ashedidatBeziers，Riquet，Albi，Lafeyrouse，andotherplaces。Thespectaclewhichhepresentedwassoextraordinary，thatallFrancewasstruckwithadmirationatthequalitiesofthisnoblebarberofAgen。
OnoneoccasionJasminwasrequestedbyacuratetocometohishelpandreconcilehimwithhisparishioners。Jasminsucceededinperformingthemiracle。Ithappenedthatin1846thecurateofSaint-Leger，nearPenne，intheTarn，hadcausedaball-roomtobeclosed。Thisgavegreatoffencetotheyoungpeople，whodesiredtheball-roomtobeopened，thattheymighthavetheirfillofdancing。Theylefthischurch，anddeclaredthattheywouldhavenothingfurthertodowithhim。Toreconcilethemalcontents，thecuratepromisedtoletthemhearJasmin。
accordingly，oneSundayafternoontheinhabitantsoffourparishesassembledinabeautifulwoodtolistentoJasmin。HerecitedhisCharityandsomeotherofhisseriouspoems。Whenhehadfinished，theyoungpeopleofSaint-Legerembracedfirstthepoet，andthenthecurate。Thereconciliationwascomplete。
ToreturntothechurchatVergt。Jasminwasapoet，notanarchitect。TheAbbeMassonknewnothingaboutstoneormortar。
Hewasmerelyanxioustohavehischurchrebuiltandconsecratedassoonaspossible。Thathadbeendonein1843。Butinthecourseofafewyearsitwasfoundthatthechurchhadbeenverybadlybuilt。Thelimewasbad，andthecarpentrywasbad。
Theconsequencewas，thatthemainwallsofthechurchbulgedout，andtheshoddybuildinghadtobesupportedbyoutsideabutments。Incourseoftimeitbecameclearthatthework，forthemostpart，hadtobedoneoveragain。
In1847theAbbeagainappealedtoJasmin。Thisnewtaskwasmoredifficultthanthefirst，foritwasnecessarytoappealtoalargercircleofcontributors；notconfiningthemselvestoPerigordonly，buttakingawiderrangethroughouttheSouthofFrance。Thepriestmadethenecessaryarrangementsforthejointtour。Theywouldfirsttakethenortherndistricts——Angouleme，Limoges，Tulle，andBrives——andthenproceedtowardsthesouth。