Tales and Sketches.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1245, 2 December 1882, Page 2 (Supplement)

Tales and Sketches.

PERE PERRAULT. p} HOW HE' SPENT- HIS.: LEGAOY-rA-PARISIAN STORY. . The husband nnd wife paid a mysterious visit to Pere la Chaise.next day,, They, kept their project close As to tho promised treat to his mates Pere Pcrraultwas as silent' as the grave about; it, After awhile the scheme oozed out, however, and the Mquffetardikhs received the information first with incredulous laughter, then with boisterous derision,. The unconcern of the couple at the sallies they provoked had a damping effect their brilliancy, and brought to the perpetrators thereof a humiliating sense of'wasted powder and shot, • ''' ' : '' After a while it became apparent that the community was growing accustomed to the idea, that somo'of Its membefsjwero eyen discussing it with something'like interest, Pero Perrault was.silent. before a mocking spirit, but at any manifestation of sympathy his tongue was unloosed., Pere Biot, who had been the first to approach the theme! in a spirit of friendly inquiry, was, taken into his confidence, He came back one day and : explained to his comrades assembled'at Pere Michel's gargolte Wmt lie had been,to P?re. la Chaiso; that.he had seen the, site of the tomb; that tho ground was actually bought, It was, in tho. second row lof graves, tho place on the first row having proved too expensive., Pere Biot having explained with lucid gesticulations that tho tomb would be easily seen from the pathway, it being placed between, tho obelisk' and pyramid, in the foreground^.he further' told that tho remainder of the 3000 francs had been divided into.portions to pay for the headstone and ..expenses of the„two funerals, and that Monsieur lo Cure ; had the charge of it. "I find,", concluded. Pere Biot, bringing his hand.down on the table, "that Perrault has had a good thought; in buying this grave; it is not he only who will profit by it j for if a fine tomb is put overj a chiffonier's body, in a> place where everybody will see it and talk about it, I say all' of his trade gain respect by it.". ; ' '" In a small community a decided attitude of mind is catching; Pere Biot made converts there and then, < A certain elation

might be noticable in tho deportment'and glance of the Mouffetardians, :who adopted this doctrine and acknowledged - the scheme worthy one. It seemed as if these despised pariahs felt vaguely the oheer of the redeeming sacredness of the body, By the time the tombstone was to be designed the Quartier Mouffetardi had taken the matter in hand as one 1 of personal interest, For the better display, of the inscriptions it' was decided that there should be two headstones, The character of the letters was a question of muoh noisy discussion, Tho majority, headed by Mere Perrault, considered that an amount of flourishes gave dignity to the signs. Pere Perrault inclined to plain and honest letters. A compromise was at last effected, The

names of the two occupants would be recorded with duo ornamentation, but the word " Chiffonier"—the word that, placed there, was to be a glorification, an apotheosis of the craft-was ,to be carved in characters that Pere Perrault said would "skip" to the eyes at a distance of any one who could read. Tho epitaph was recognised to bo second only in importance to that word, Mere Perrault, and not a few with her, were swayed by the stone-cutter's offer to put " Requieseat in pace." Latin would have a good effect, a little air cossu. But Pere Perrault, ambitious of a wider immortality than that which he could share with the learned only, ruled that every word should be "all French." After this decision the company proceeded to tho composition of the epitaph. • The following may pass as a specimen of some submitted:

" Cy git Jean Desire Perrault, Chiffonier, who for forty years worked in dirt, and who now rests in humble hope of a country whero no refuso exists,"

After some discussion such inscriptionsfelt to be derogatory to the trade—were put aside, and two not strikingly original phrases were substituted, Over Mere Perrault's grave, as belonging, to the sentimental sex, it was decided to exhort'the passer-by to drop a tear; on Pere Perrault's to ask the passer-by to offer up a prayer; " After all," remarked Pere Perrault, complacently, puffing away at his stump of a pipe, "a prayer,, some tears, are all one can give to the dead; those fine Mies and gentlemen in their coach can't have more," Spaco will not allow us to dwell upon the delighted appreciation by the chiffoniers of the stone-cutter's representation of the'two battered baskets and of Medor's- portrait. On his 'master's torrib he was shown trotting' in apparent pursuance of his callingIthe 1 the , carved, similitude, of his .inquiring nose and depressed tail, that,in'their discordant, expression seemed scarcely to belong to the same individual, were : voted exact copies of • these two appendages,. On his mistress' tomb Medor was Bhown reposing,' 'During theao discussions''the plot of' ground in Pere la Chaise, bloomed like a, : garden under the upon it by • its future occupants; nor were they the'only ones wli'o prided themselves 1 , upon, its beauty. Contributions were brought to ;it by various members of the„tribe;.in the shape of roots anil seeds., Pere Biot, ..one uignt picking up a withered rose: bush, • thrown out in a broken -pot, brought it home, nursed it and tended it until it put forth tender leaves and buds; then, with' some solemnity, it was planted in the place of honor, Over,the spot where it was. calculated Pere' Perrault's head would rest, By a singular, process the tomb had, become a rallying point ,of interest to the rough-. Bohemians, .giving 3 soft of ianticipated triumph to the close of their earthly wanderings. ■ 1 Ofton the husband and wife .wondered which should precede the other to the ground. Mere Perrault'considered that, being a woman, it was likely she would be the first to enter into the blitheness and calm; but Pere Perrault,, who hazily remembered that in his youth he,had been older; than his wife; maintained that seniority would probably entitle him to the .privilege, and 1 the Quartier Mouffetard supported his claim. * * ■*. * ,

The following winter proved a aoyero one, To' more observant oyes thfiil those of the Moutfetardians it would have 'been apparent that- Mere Perrault's.'; rough 'healthwas breaking. Her energoticgesticulatiohs ( 'grew lanquid, The animation oi. her wrinkled countenance, faded. It became difficult for her to get,through] her task. She. had a racking cough; But ailments she and all her tribe considered one : of the accessories ;of winter; to strive against' them Would show a fine ignoranceof the laws of .nature; and; so she .went regularly ,6h ;'toitli Spring.came, the crocuses were beginniiag!t6 bloom on the grave, and stiirahe' Jan'g'ujished.' One night,, when the bour arrived, for their setting forth, Pere Peirault strapped, on his holteHe.had acquired the .punctuality!of ; a man whose life swings. .between ever-re-curring occurrence's with the exactitude.of a pendulum, Still Pere > Perrault 'remained crouching over tjie fire, "Ehj old; womip, one must hurry; it is the hour of work," remarked Pere,Perrault, briskly. i'" "Ido not think,' my man,' l ean do, any work to night," she.said. • i Pere Perrault remained, a moipent standing stock still,, rigid with amazement, , Iten he walked rapidly over to her,;. " It is your side that is hurting you, eh?";he asked'hastily, bending upon her a glance of indistinct apprehension.' : .' ! "

i'|l:tiink cimk-'siie replied' ,gently, -. 1 ■'Perd'Peirraulfe looked at hefcdumbfoundedj then a little spasm contraoted his feature's, "It is^ not true," he said roughly;'" you are a bit tired—you rest. .1-1 am stfongr i "can-do" tliis worfi of two," ' ' She raised her withered hand and put it into his hand, "Jfon ami, it is I will occupy tho protty. grave first,!! B be said with" a smile, - ; :, .But for ' the first tihie tho thouglit .of 'the' tomb' brought no answering gleam to'her liusband's' countenance, He held her haiid;' 'simply gazing down into her sunkenleaturea., . The eyes of the old couple riiet,' Perhaps lie recognised in Hers the message it. required no learning to read, , 'Pere Perrault's pale face grdw a 1 tinge' .paler, He let' her hand fall, 1 ! and repeating,' "I-1 am strong. 1 can ido, 'the work of two," he-made his way r 'out, and sSt'oflf alone on his' midbight'tramp'J : ' The next morning Mere Perrault coiiid n6t getup, andafterafew hours it became evident that, the end was not far off. The stouthearted old woman had not given in until' she had' walked! the last step of the rough path it had been given her to tread, Monsieur le Cure, who had kept up friendly re* lations with her and Pero Perrault since the day of ■ the consultation ■ concerning the legacy, and who had made soihe progress; iti the estimation of the chiffoniers,' one day ■warned the old man that the time had come for the parting, That night Pere Perrault did not go on his grounds, Some of his comrades arranged to take an extra turn to supply his place. Through her illness the dying woman 'vainly tried to revive her husband 8 spirits by .leading his- thoughts |to cluster round tbe beautiful grave. She bad flashes of her old merriment, She essayed' little jokes, It would not be like an empty' house now. "Itis my wife who'lios there," Bat these contemplations,.onee bo animating, had apparently, at this supreme crisis, lost their power to comfort Pere'Perrault, It seemed'rather as',if the joy'and pride that' had kindled his life had quickened • there .a new power of silfleriri&, .' ; ' Toward; midnight, Mere Perrault, who had lain still a long time, suddenly opened 1 her eyes and beckoned to him,'' He stooped over her/' " That will ' Every one will know we're husband arid wife;" shd said, with a little'laugh,'' ' "Well, and I—l'tell you," he replied, roughly breaking,the silence in which he had taken refuge—"l find that when two people have worked, together and walked together, like you and me, and had their good and bad luck together for y'6ars and years—l tell you. as they should'die together," "Bah I we'll soon rest together," the old woman said, cheerily; and so quietly pasjed away. . i'■

The rude atfd uncouth attempts of the Mouffetardians to console their mate after' the fashion of Mere Perrault failed to lift the desolateness from his face and manner. " Where two has lived together, two Bhould die together," he repeated truculently, addressing nobody in particular, but as if the assertion of a distinct sentiment was a relief to him in his confused mystery. The arrangements for the funeral had been so fully settled beforehand that it needed no supervision for the details to be carried out, There was a mourning coach for Monsieur le Cure, Pere Perrault had always contemplated walking, should it fall to his lot to be chief mourner, As he found himself olad in black, following bareheaded just behind the sable car, with its beautiful ornaments, drawn by two plumed horses, and preceded by officials carrying silver sticks, a waft of the old comfort and the old pride stole into his heart, The Mouffetardians filed behind, .To those trudgers on foot it was a triumphal procession, An extra sum had been paid to secure a long march round by the boulevards. It was a sunshiny afternoon, all the world was Out of doors, and men and women turned to look at the strange sight of that fine hearse and the long file patched and tattered folk, With the gentlo respect paid to the dead in Catholic lands, men bared their heads and women crossed themselves, At all these tokens of regard Pere Perrault's heart swelled within him; his bent form dilated, "Ah, she is lucky—the old woman—she is lucky," he kept saying.to himself. An unlooked-for incident brought to a climax the triumph of the ragged pedestrians. The Emperor's carriage, with four horses mounted by postilions, met the cortege and fell aside to let it pass. The Emperor removed his hat, and the little Prince didtthe same, the Empress crossed herself. Then the glory of the situation almost overcame Pere Perrault. He felt suffocated, Something seemed to clutch him by the throat, He could have sobbed, but he would not for the world have wept at this grand 'redeeming moment of his life, To relieve the strangling that choked him, he repeated for the hundredth time in an unresonant and labored •utterance. " Ah, she is lucky —the old woman—she is lucky," . When the magnificent dream was over, Mere Perrault was laid in : the grave* and the flowers replanted that zealous hands had removed the day before, Pere Perrault and his friends, supped at Pere Michel's,. It was d frugal feast, but the talt. was. gloyiiig. ' The 'cMpaiiy enumerated ohe by- one the 'glories of that day; Every incident of the pageant was dwelt upon. Pere Perrault alone was silent, Still, he was aeeing vividly there before him, printed on the dark, each detail of that eventful journey .to. the.cemetery; the beauitiful car- in front of him drawn, by horsey, •covered with black.drapery, the silver fringe of which'.nearly; .'swept the ground,, the tributes, of respect paid, the surprise of the crowd, the .-imperial carriage drawn aside, the. Sovereign doing homage ; then the procession to the cemetery, the priests and the. enfaitts.de chtsitr in their white robes, when to the tingling of the bells the voices swelled: in. prayer; and*, the ..coffin with, the. two crowns of immortelles laid upon it. Seeing all this so plain, Pere. Perrault could , not join in the talk ; but still, he would mutter with a little,trembling of the lips, "She is lucky—the old woman—she is lucky."' A year elapsed, and Mere Perrault's headBtone stood alone amid the flowers tended by. -her husband and his mates. The .appearance of that., brilliantly ..blossoming grave, dedicated to the memory of a chiffonier, attracted the attention of .visitors ,to Pere la Chaise, and Pere Perrault,.who, haunted'the spot as a bird haunts its nest, would hear the comments, of the., strangers. , Returning, he should relate them \yith animation to his friends of the Rue Mouffetard, . ''Thoy were •walking about like, thaWnot seeing, anything , that interested thepawhen sa jrisli, at sight of the old woman's grave, they stopped, ' Uin they said, 'impossible \—une chiffonkre!' and then they , -remained staring, with their mouths wide open." Pere Perrault would wind up his -tale by imitating the astounded attitude and .expression of the visitors. The story! was repeated, and its- closing pose gone through until; all -the quarter knew it and had .chuckled over it with sympathetic pride, There could be no question about it, The Mouffetardians felt they had gone up in the world,; ' ,

1 Perhaps/as time went 'on, the thought of the dead so continually present in his life begnn to ■ affect Pere Perrault's mind, He had dreamy fancies, when he would apparently forget, that hiß wife was not active and about; : He would mutter and talk to himself. Once or twice,: a& he strapped on his'Mfe, he had been heard to call, "Hurry, old woman 1 Hurry, time for work," Owing to his confused state of brain, one morning Pere Perr'ault, after having sorted and disposed of his pickings) went into Pere Michael's-gargotle, and instead of drinking soup on 1 the premises,

had, nowtbeppme his habit, carried home .two portions lii jug, as in his old deys. he had poured out the soup into twOxracked bowls that he suddenly recognized his mistake, He sat down for a few, .blank, mouieftta,. 'touching his meal, went out, As ho turned out of the Kue Mouffetyr'd' tho fivjsrjstysejiiie of his wife's presence gradually again came to.him, 'duUing.his senses- to outward' sights and sounds t 'He ,was not dependent upon his. eyes,' however, for; finding 'to',way to: the 1 goal!" Crossing' the. Place ;de la Bastille, the "old-man had a feudden- iiripresSibri of excited shouts'and clattering,of : wheels." He started up .to the 1 consciousness'o£' fast-driving-horses just upon him'/, He made an instinctive plunge forvvfird,' lost his Ming and the next'moment horses and cart went overhim, . ~ , '' The insehaible'body was brought to a newhospital at : some distance,. That, night and; the next day Pere Perraalt'remained.unconsciou's. For a passing, moment*' he 1 would wake, and Would seem struggling to speak -in a feeble manner,'' The doctor and the kind sisters bending over him disccrn such-Word's,hs,cmtttcre/la-bas." They couidnot understand, but the straining expression of the fast-glazing eyes seemed to,, indicate that ,there was something on the dying man's mind, 1 ' ; No human', help could restore the mangled body to activity, On the second day,' toward •night, Pere Perrault raised his head from his pillow, saying," Off there I . I told you so. It is like a garden, Every one knows it by the .flowers." He ■ would have risen from his bed but for the restraint of the sister praying by his pillow since his agony had begun, ' He struggled'and went oil, "There, round the : corner,'just-behind the pyramid.' Yes,' and there'iß the old woman coming a-latigh-. ihg, her face a' rested and shining petuite a prp'itmli" and'so he died, Thp sister had' witnessed: those'de'ath'-bed'visions before—when .from'the shadowy'land the., loved ones c6m'e ,: to guide.-, those starting' for the journey; ' She remained' some "moments! 'iii' : prayer, theii shfe irose .to perform.the last offices," ' ' ' ;r "■■''

The dead man appeared to her to be it member of thai;fiiendleqs'and. belated tribe, theexistence of yblcli ia one of the,piteous secrets' in' the heart of a great 'city;- No one had come'to claim kinship with or make'inquiries'concerning him,. He-seemed,well 1 fitted to' demand 'as a right the State's', last charity of a : pauper furiej-al, to take him to tbat trysting-place of the poor—the fosse commune,''■' ■' 1

, Pere Perrault's body was put into a humble shell, the lid'of which was not nailed down, lis a formality to give alast chance of identification. It was .placed, in the mortuary chapel- of the hospital, there to 1 await, the' time imposed by law before imminent, The morning'came and in- the wan light, before the city was astir, the officials in rusty black entered, There were removing the coffin, in order to close it outside the precincts, when there came a shuffle and scuffle of feet, and a number of ragged and excited figures entered, It was Pere Biot, followed by some chiffoniers; when their eyes fell on the cold and pulseless form in the shell a cry like a cheer burst from their lips,

Some months later I went one afternoon to Pere la Chaise. On a former occasion I had seen the grave of Mere Perrault, and I knew something of its history, My thoughts had occasionally wandered with a sort of mournful interest to that solitary headstone, and I sometimes wondered when the husband would come to lie by the wife's side, And now, with melancholy pleasure, I saw the other headstone, standing there with the

name Jean Desire Perrault and the inscription upon it, The day was full of the serene poetry of autumn, and the light fell with a large and restful radiance on the two tombstones. Tho grave, with its rows of double daisies, geraniums and pansies, had an air of fete. An old man was picking the weeds and trimming the plants, It was Pere Biot, He told me the whole story.. " Ah! Madame, I could not tell you what it was to us when we missed Perrault, When we made sure that afternoon he had not come home the night before, welooked for.him everywhere that day and the next, first at the cemetery, then atone hospital, then at another, then at the Morgue, Madame, 'he was nowhere. We had sad hearts. It' seemed.to us that the good God>had said lip there in, his sky, 1 The chiffoniers are a degraded race; let them be forgotten after death as one forgets the refuse flung into the street,' That is what it seemed to us, That hospital was out of the way; we djd not know it like the others; but, Madame, when he came to it, when we were shown into the chapel, and when lying before us iti,that shell of ft coffin we recognized-Perrault—rigid, cold, dead, biit'. enfin Perrault—Heaven forgive us, Madame—we gave a cheer like, We, were reproached for it; but, you see, they could not-telfwhat it was to us to have come upon our mate in time,- . We took him away, and the next day we buried him, and here now lie lies by the side of his miti'—Belgravla,