“pour moi, monsieur?”
We smiled at him and said “Prenez, monsieur.” His eyes opened. I have never seen eyes since. He remarked quietly, extending one hand with majestic delicacy:
“Merci, monsieur.”
… Before he left, B. gave him some socks and I presented him with a flannel shirt, which he took softly and slowly and simply and otherwise not as an American would take a million dollars.
“I will not forget you,” he said to us, as if in his own country he were a more than very great king … and I think I know where that country is, I think I know this; I, who never knew Surplice, know.
* * * * *
For he has the territory of harmonicas, the acres of flutes, the meadows of clarinets, the domain of violins. And God says: Why did they put you in prison? What did you do to the people? “I made them dance and they put me in prison. The soot-people hopped; and to twinkle like sparks on a chimney-back and I made eighty francs every dimanche, and beer and wine, and to eat well. Maintenant … c’est fini … Et tout de suite (gesture of cutting himself in two) la tête.” And He says: “O you who put the jerk into joys, come up hither. There’s a man up here called Christ who likes the violin.”
XI.
JEAN LE NÈGRE
On a certain day the ringing of the bell and accompanying rush of men to the window facing the entrance gate was supplemented by an unparalleled volley of enthusiastic exclamations in all the languages of La Ferté Macé—provoking in me a certainty that the queen of fair women had arrived. This certainty thrillingly withered when I heard the cry: “Il y a un noir!” Fritz was at the best peep-hole, resisting successfully the onslaught of a dozen fellow prisoners, and of him I demanded in English, “Who’s come?”—“Oh, a lot of girls,” he yelled, “and there’s a NIGGER too”—hereupon writhing with laughter.
I attempted to get a look, but in vain; for by this at least two dozen men were at the peep-hole, fighting and gesticulating and slapping each other’s back with joy. However, my curiosity was not long in being answered. I heard on the stairs the sound of mounting feet, and knew that a couple of plantons would before many minutes arrive at the door with their new prey. So did everyone else—and from the farthest beds uncouth figures sprang and rushed to the door, eager for the first glimpse of the nouveau; which was very significant, as the ordinary procedure on arrival of prisoners was for everybody to rush to his own bed and stand guard over it.