My parents I had never known, for they had died in my infancy, both
about the same time, of the small-pox. But the curé had been a good
father to me. At the age of sixteen I was wild and foolish, but I knew a
little Latin and much about music, and was, moreover, a fairly skilful
gardener. My life was a very happy one, for it was passed at the side of
Pierrette.
One day, as I was engaged in lopping off the branches of one of the
beeches in the park and tying them together into a small bundle,
Pierrette suddenly exclaimed:--
"Oh, Mathurin! I am so frightened! Look at those fine ladies coming
towards us through the alley? What can they be going to do?"
Looking in the direction she indicated, I saw two young women, who were
walking at a rapid pace over the dead leaves. One, who was a trifle
taller than the other, wore a gown of rose-coloured silk. She ran rather
than walked, and her companion kept just a little behind. Like the poor
peasant lad I was, I was seized with a kind of instinctive panic, and
said to Pierrette:--
"Let us hide ourselves!"
But for that there was now no time, and my terror was redoubled when I
saw the rose-coloured lady making signs to my blushing Pierrette, who
remained as if rooted to the spot, grasping my hand tightly. I pulled
off my cap, and stood leaning against the tree.
This lady came straight up to Pierrette, and, touching her under the
chin, as if to show her to her friend, said:--
"Was I not right? Is this not the very thing for my milkmaid's costume
on Thursday? What a pretty little girl it is! My child, will you give
all your clothes, just as they are now, to the servants whom I will send
for them? I will send you mine in exchange."
"Oh, madame!" was all that Pierrette could say.
The other young lady now came forward, and, laying her hand upon
Pierrette's bare arm, encouraged her with gentle words, telling her
that, this lady was one whom everybody obeyed. Then Madame Rose-colour
spoke again:--
"Be sure that you alter nothing in your costume, little one," said she,
shaking at the girl her dainty Malacca cane. "See! Here is a handsome
fellow who will be a soldier, and to whom I will marry you."
So beautiful was she that I almost went on my knees to her. She had the
appearance of a little, good fairy.
She talked fast and gaily. Bestowing a playful pat upon Pierrette's
cheek, she turned and tripped away, followed by her companion.
Hand-in-hand, according to our custom, we returned home, in silence, but
with happy hearts.
I went straight to the curé, and said to him: "_Monsieur le curé_, I
wish to be a soldier."
The good man was astounded.
"How is it, my dear child," said he, "that you desire to leave me? Do
you no longer love me? Do you no longer love Pierrette? What have we
done to you that you have grown tired of us? And is all the education I
have given you to be thrown away? Answer, you naughty boy!" he
commanded, with a shake of my arm.