雨果 悲惨世界 英文版1-第104部分

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　　It　was　new；　it　gave　them　a　change。
　　Candid　reasons　of　childhood；　which　do　not；　however；　succeed　in　making　us　worldlings　prehend　the　felicity　of　holding　a　holy　water　sprinkler　in　one's　hand　and　standing　for　hours　together　singing　hard　enough　for　four　in　front　of　a　reading…desk。
　　The　pupils　conformed；　with　the　exception　of　the　austerities；　to　all　the　practices　of　the　convent。
　　There　was　a　certain　young　woman　who　entered　the　world；　and　who　after　many　years　of　married　life　had　not　succeeded　in　breaking　herself　of　the　habit　of　saying　in　great　haste　whenever　any　one　knocked　at　her　door；　〃forever！〃　Like　the　nuns；　the　pupils　saw　their　relatives　only　in　the　parlor。　Their　very　mothers　did　not　obtain　permission　to　embrace　them。　The　following　illustrates　to　what　a　degree　severity　on　that　point　was　carried。
　　One　day　a　young　girl　received　a　visit　from　her　mother；　who　was　acpanied　by　a　little　sister　three　years　of　age。　The　young　girl　wept；　for　she　wished　greatly　to　embrace　her　sister。　Impossible。
　　She　begged　that；　at　least；　the　child　might　be　permitted　to　pass　her　little　hand　through　the　bars　so　that　she　could　kiss　it。　This　was　almost　indignantly　refused。


BOOK　SIXTH。LE　PETIT…PICPUS
CHAPTER　IV　
　　GAYETIES
　　　None　the　less；　these　young　girls　filled　this　grave　house　with　charming　souvenirs。
　　At　certain　hours　childhood　sparkled　in　that　cloister。
　　The　recreation　hour　struck。
　　A　door　swung　on　its　hinges。
　　The　birds　said；　〃Good；　here　e　the　children！〃
　　An　irruption　of　youth　inundated　that　garden　intersected　with　a　cross　like　a　shroud。
　　Radiant　faces；　white　foreheads；　innocent　eyes；　full　of　merry　light；　all　sorts　of　auroras；　were　scattered　about　amid　these　shadows。
　　After　the　psalmodies；　the　bells；　the　peals；　and　knells　and　offices；　the　sound　of　these　little　girls　burst　forth　on　a　sudden　more　sweetly　than　the　noise　of　bees。　The　hive　of　joy　was　opened；　and　each　one　brought　her　honey。　They　played；　they　called　to　each　other；　they　formed　into　groups；　they　ran　about；　pretty　little　white　teeth　chattered　in　the　corners；　
the　veils　superintended　the　laughs　from　a　distance；　shades　kept　watch　of　the　sunbeams；　but　what　mattered　it？
　　Still　they　beamed　and　laughed。　Those　four　lugubrious　walls　had　their　moment　of　dazzling　brilliancy。　They　looked　on；　vaguely　blanched　with　the　reflection　of　so　much　joy　at　this　sweet　swarming　of　the　hives。
　　It　was　like　a　shower　of　roses　falling　athwart　this　house　of　mourning。
　　The　young　girls　frolicked　beneath　the　eyes　of　the　nuns；　the　gaze　of　impeccability　does　not　embarrass　innocence。
　　Thanks　to　these　children；　there　was；　among　so　many　austere　hours；　one　hour　of　ingenuousness。
　　The　little　ones　skipped　about；　the　elder　ones　danced。
　　In　this　cloister　play　was　mingled　with　heaven。
　　Nothing　is　so　delightful　and　so　august　as　all　these　fresh；　expanding　young　souls。
　　Homer　would　have　e　thither　to　laugh　with　Perrault；　and　there　was　in　that　black　garden；　youth；　health；　noise；　cries；　giddiness；　pleasure；　happiness　enough　to　smooth　out　the　wrinkles　of　all　their　ancestresses；　those　of　the　epic　as　well　as　those　of　the　fairy…tale；　those　of　the　throne　as　well　as　those　of　the　thatched　cottage　from　Hecuba　to　la　Mere…Grand。
　　In　that　house　more　than　anywhere　else；　perhaps；　arise　those　children's　sayings　which　are　so　graceful　and　which　evoke　a　smile　that　is　full　of　thoughtfulness。
　　It　was　between　those　four　gloomy　walls　that　a　child　of　five　years　exclaimed　one　day：　〃Mother！　one　of　the　big　girls　has　just　told　me　that　I　have　only　nine　years　and　ten　months　longer　to　remain　here。
　　What　happiness！〃
　　It　was　here；　too；　that　this　memorable　dialogue　took　place：
　　A　Vocal　Mother。
　　Why　are　you　weeping；　my　child？
　　The　child　（aged　six）。　I　told　Alix　that　I　knew　my　French　history。　She　says　that　I　do　not　know　it；　but　I　do。
　　Alix；　the　big　girl　（aged　nine）。　No；　she　does　not　know　it。
　　The　Mother。
　　How　is　that；　my　child？
　　Alix。
　　She　told　me　to　open　the　book　at　random　and　to　ask　her　any　question　in　the　book；　and　she　would　answer　it。
　　〃Well？〃
　　〃She　did　not　answer　it。〃
　　〃Let　us　see　about　it。
　　What　did　you　ask　her？〃
　　〃I　opened　the　book　at　random；　as　she　proposed；　and　I　put　the　first　question　that　I　came　across。〃
　　〃And　what　was　the　question？〃
　　〃It　was；　‘What　happened　after　that？'〃
　　It　was　there　that　that　profound　remark　was　made　anent　a　rather　greedy　paroquet　which　belonged　to　a　lady　boarder：
　　〃How　well　bred！　it　eats　the　top　of　the　slice　of　bread　and　butter　just　like　a　person！〃
　　It　was　on　one　of　the　flagstones　of　this　cloister　that　there　was　once　picked　up　a　confession　which　had　been　written　out　in　advance；　in　order　that　she　might　not　forget　it；　by　a　sinner　of　seven　years：
　　〃Father；　I　accuse　myself　of　having　been　avaricious。
　　〃Father；　I　accuse　myself　of　having　been　an　adulteress。
　　〃Father；　I　accuse　myself　of　having　raised　my　eyes　to　the　gentlemen。〃
　　It　was　on　one　of　the　turf　benches　of　this　garden　that　a　rosy　mouth　six　years　of　age　improvised　the　following　tale；　which　was　listened　to　by　blue　eyes　aged　four　and　five　years：
　　〃There　were　three　little　cocks　who　owned　a　country　where　there　were　a　great　many　flowers。
　　They　plucked　the　flowers　and　put　them　in　their　pockets。
　　After　that　they　plucked　the　leaves　and　put　them　in　their　playthings。
　　There　was　a　wolf　in　that　country；　there　was　a　great　deal　of　forest；　and　the　wolf　was　in　the　forest；　and　he　ate　the　little　cocks。〃
　　And　this　other　poem：
　　〃There　came　a　blow　with　a　stick。
　　〃It　was　Punchinello　who　bestowed　it　on　the　cat。
　　〃It　was　not　good　for　her；　it　hurt　her。
　　〃Then　a　lady　put　Punchinello　in　prison。〃
　　It　was　there　that　a　little　abandoned　child；　a　foundling　whom　the　convent　was　bringing　up　out　of　charity；　uttered　this　sweet　and　heart…breaking　saying。
　　She　heard　the　others　talking　of　their　mothers；　and　she　murmured　in　her　corner：
　　〃As　for　me；　my　mother　was　not　there　when　I　was　born！〃
　　There　was　a　stout　portress　who　could　always　be　seen　hurrying　through　the　corridors　with　her　bunch　of　keys；　and　whose　name　was　Sister　Agatha。
　　The　big　big　girlsthose　over　ten　years　of　age　called　her　Agathocles。
　　The　refectory；　a　large　apartment　of　an　oblong　square　form；　which　received　no　light　except　through　a　vaulted　cloister　on　a　level　with　the　garden；　was　dark　and　damp；　and；　as　the　children　say；　full　of　beasts。　All　the　places　round　about　furnished　their　contingent　of　insects。
　　Each　of　its　four　corners　had　received；　in　the　language　of　the　pupils；　a　special　and　expressive　name。
　　There　was　Spider　corner；　Caterpillar　corner；　Wood…louse　corner；　and　Cricket　corner。
　　Cricket　corner　was　near　the　kitchen　and　was　highly　esteemed。　It　was　not　so　cold　there　as　elsewhere。
　　From　the　refectory　the　names　had　passed　to　the　boarding…school；　and　there　served　as　in　the　old　College　Mazarin　to　distinguish　four　nations。
　　Every　pupil　belonged　to　one　of　these　four　nations　according　to　the　corner　of　the　refectory　in　which　she　sat　at　meals。
　　One　day　Monseigneur　the　Archbishop　while　making　his　pastoral　visit　saw　a　pretty　little　rosy　girl　with　beautiful　golden　hair　enter　the　class…room　through　which　he　was　passing。
　　He　inquired　of　another　pupil；　a　charming　brunette　with　rosy　cheeks；　who　stood　near　him：
　　〃Who　is　that？〃
　　〃She　is　a　spider；　Monseigneur。〃
　　〃Bah！
　　And　that　one　yonder？〃
　　〃She　is　a　cricket。〃
　　〃And　that　one？〃
　　〃She　is　a　caterpillar。〃
　　〃Really！　and　yourself？〃
　　〃I　am　a　wood…louse；　Monseigneur。〃
　　Every　house　of　this　sort　has　its　own　peculiarities。
　　At　the　beginning　of　this　century　Ecouen　was　one　of　those　strict　and　graceful　places　where　young　girls　pass　their　childhood　in　a　shadow　that　is　almost　august。　At　Ecouen；　in　order　to　take　rank　in　the　procession　of　the　Holy　Sacrament；　a　distinction　was　made　between　virgins　and　florists。　There　were　also　the　〃dais〃　and　the　〃censors；〃the　first　who　held　the　cords　of　the　dais；　and　the　others　who　carried　incense　before　the　Holy　Sacrament。
　　The　flowers　belonged　by　right　to　the　florists。　Four　〃virgins〃　walked　in　advance。
　　On　the　morning　of　that　great　day　it　was　no　rare　thing　to　hear　the　question　put　in　the　dormitory；　〃Who　is　a　virgin？〃
　　Madame　Campan　used　to　quote　this　saying　of　a　〃little　one〃　of　seven　years；　to　a　〃big　girl〃　of　sixteen；　who　took　the　head　of　the　procession；　while　she；　the　little　one；　remained　at　the　rear；　〃You　are　a　virgin；　but　I　am　not。〃


BOOK　SIXTH。LE　PETIT…PICPUS
CHAPTER　V　
　　DISTRACTIONS
　　　Above　the　door　of　the　refectory　this　prayer；　which　was　called　the　white　Paternoster；　and　which　possessed　the　property　of　bearing　people　straight　to　paradise；　was　inscribed　in　large　black　letters：
　　〃Little　white　Paternoster；　which　God　made；　which　God　said；　which　God　placed　in　paradise。
　　In　the　evening；　when　I　went　to　bed；　I　found　three　angels　sitting　on　my　bed；　one　at　the　foot；　two　at　the　head；　the　good　Virgin　Mary　in　the　middle；　who　told　me　to　lie　down　without　hesitation。
　　The　good　God　is　my　father；　the　good　Virgin　is　my　mother；　the　three　apostles　are　my　brothers；　the　three　virgins　are　my　sisters。
　　The　shirt　in　which　God　was　born　envelopes　my　body；　Saint　Margaret's　cross　is　written　on　my　breast。　Madame　the　Virgin　was　walking　through　the　meadows；　weeping　for　God；　when　she　met　M。　Saint　John。
　　‘Monsieur　Saint　John；　whence　e　you？'　‘I　e　from　Ave　Salus。'
　　‘You　have　not　seen　the　good　God；　where　is　he？'　‘He　is　on　the　tree　of　the　Cross；　his　feet　hanging；　his　hands　nailed；　a　little　cap　of　white　thorns　on　his　head。'
　　Whoever　shall　say　this　thrice　at　eventide；　thrice　in　the　morning；　shall　win　paradise　at　the　last。〃
　　In　1827　this　characteristic　orison　had　disappeared　from　the　wall　under　a　triple　coating　of　daubing　paint。
　　At　the　present　time　it　is　finally　disappearing　from　the　memories　of　several　who　were　young　girls　then；　and　who　are　old　women　now。
　　A　large　crucifix　fastened　to　the　wall　pleted　the　decoration　of　this　refectory；　whose　only　door；　as　we　think　we　have　mentioned；　opened　on　the　garden。
　　Two　narrow　tables；　each　flanked　by　two　wooden　benches；　formed　two　long　parallel　lines　from　one　end　to　the　other　of　the　refectory。
　　The　walls　were　white；　the　tables　were　black；　these　two　mourning　colors　constitute　the　only　variety　in　convents。
　　The　meals　were　plain；　and　the　food　of　the　children　themselves　severe。
　　A　single　dish　of　meat　and　vegetables　bined；　or　salt　fishsuch　was　their　luxury。
　　This　meagre　fare；　which　was　reserved　for　the　pupils　alone；　was；　nevertheless；　an　exception。　The　children　ate　in　silence；　under　the　eye　of　the　mother　whose　turn　it　was；　who；　if　a　fly　took　a　notion　to　fly　or　to　hum　against　the　rule；　opened　and　shut　a　wooden　book　from　time　to　time。　This　silence　was　seasoned　with　the　lives　of　the　saints；　read　aloud　from　a　little　pulpit　with　a　desk；　which　was　situated　at　the　foot　of　the　crucifix。
　　The　reader　was　one　of　the　big　girls；　in　weekly　turn。　At　regular　distances；　on　the　bare　tables；　there　were　large；　varnished　bowls　in　which　the　pupils　washed　their　own　silver　cups　and　knives　and　forks；　and　into　which　they　sometimes　threw　some　scrap　of　tough　meat　or　spoiled　fish；　this　was　punished。
　　These　bowls　were　called　ronds　d'eau。　The　child　who　b