Attheconclusionofhispoem，Jasminthrewhiswreathofflowerstotheyounglady，andinaninstantshewascoveredwithflowersbytheaudience。Mdlle。Roaldeswasdeeplymoved。
　　Shehadfacedapublicaudienceforthefirsttime；shehadbeenreceivedwithapplause，andfromthatmomentshefeltconfidenceinherperformancesaswellasinherlabouroflove。
　　Thepoet，withthesingerandharpist，madeatourinthesouthernprovinces，andthetwomuses，poetryandmusic，wentfromtowntotown，enliveningandenlighteningtheway。
　　Everyheartpraisedthepoetforgivinghisservicestohisyoungandbeautifulfriend。Theyapplaudedalsothelovelywomanwhomadeherharp-chordsvibratewithherminstrel’smusic。
　　ThepairwenttoMontauban，Albi，Toulouse，andNimes；
　　theywerewelcomedatAvignon，thecityofPetrarchandthePopes。Marseillesforgotforatimeherharbourandherships，andlistenedwithrapturetothemusicianandthepoet。
　　AtMarseillesJasminfelthimselfquiteathome。Intheintervalsbetweentheconcertsandrecitals，hemademanynewfriends，aswellasvisitedmanyoldones。Hisgayandgenialhumour，hislivelysallies，hisbrilliantrecitals，broughthimfriendsfromeverycircle。M。Merv，inapoliticaleffusion，welcomedtheGasconpoet。Hewasinvitedtoafeteofl’Athenee-OuviertheWorkman’sAthenaeum；afterseveralspeeches，Jasminroseandresponded：”Iamproud，”hesaid，”offindingmyselfamongthemembersofthissociety，andofbeingwelcomedbymenwhoaredoublymybrethren——bythelabourofthehandsandbythelabourofthehead。Youhavemovedmeandastonishedme，andIhaveincurredtol’Athenee-Ouvierapoeticaldebtwhichmymusecanonlyrepaywiththemosttenderrecollections。”
　　ManypleasantletterspassedbetweenJasminandMdlle。deRoaldes。Theladyentertainedtheliveliestgratitudetothepoet，whohadhelpedhersonoblyinhermisfortunes。OnthemorningafterherfirstsuccessfulappearanceatAgen，sheaddressedtohimaletterfullofpraiseandthankfulness。Sheendeditthus：”Mostamiablepoet，Iadoreyourheart，andIdohomagetoyourgenius。”Inafuturelettersheconfessedthattheraysofthesunwerenotlesswelcomethantheraysofhisgenius，andthathermusicwouldhavebeencomparativelyworthlessbutforhispoetry。
　　Towardstheendoftheirjointentertainmentsheagainwrotetohim：”Youhavebecome，mydearpoet，myshowerofgold，myheaven-sentmanna，whileyoucontinueyourdevotiontomypersonalinterests……Asapoet，Igiveyoualltheglory；
　　asafriend，Ioweyoutheaffectionofmyfilialheart，thehopesofabettertime，andtheconsolationofmyfuturedays……
　　Letitberememberedthatthisgooddeedonyourpartisduetoyourheartandwill。Mayitprotectyouduringyourlife，andmakeyoublestinthelifewhichistocome！”
　　WhileatNimes，thetwopoet-artisansmet——ReboulthebakerandJasminthebarber。Reboul，whoattendedthemusic-recitation，wentuptoJasminandcordiallyembracedhim，amidsttheenthusiasticcheersofthreethousandpeople。
　　JasminafterwardsvisitedReboulathisbakery，wheretheyhadapleasantinterviewwithrespecttothepatoisofProvenceandGascony。AtthesametimeitmustbeobservedthatRebouldidnotwriteinpatois，butinclassicalFrench。
　　ReboulhadpublishedavolumeofpoemswhichattractedthenoticeandpraiseofLamartineandAlexandreDumas。PerhapsthefinestpoeminthevolumeisentitledTheAngelandChild。
　　Reboulhadlosthiswifeandchild；hesorrowedgreatlyattheirdeath，andthispoemwastheresult。Theideaissimpleandbeautiful。Anangel，noticingalovelychildinitscradle，anddeemingittoopureforearth，bearsitsspiritawaytoHeaven。ThepoemhasbeenadmirablytranslatedbyLongfellow。
　　Dumas，in’PicturesofTravelintheSouthofFrance，’relatesaninterviewwiththebaker-poetofNimes。”Whatmadeyouapoet?”askedDumas。”Itwassorrow，”repliedReboul——”thelossofabelovedwifeandchild。Iwasingreatgrief；Isoughtsolitude，and，findingnoonewhocouldunderstandme，pouredforthmygrieftotheAlmighty。””Yes，”saidDumas，”Inowcomprehendyourfeelings。Itisthusthattruepoetsbecomeillustrious。Howmanymenoftalentonlywantagreatmisfortunetobecomemenofgenius！Youhavetoldmeinawordthesecretofyourlife；Iknowitnowaswellasyoudo。”AndyetJasmin，thecontemporaryofReboul，hadwrittenallhispoetrywithoutasorrow，andamidstpraiseandjoyfulness。
　　Chateaubriand，whenintheSouthofFrance，calleduponReboul。
　　Thebakermethimatthedoor。”AreyouM。Reboul?”inquiredtheauthorof’TheMartyrs。’”Which，sir——thebakerorthepoet?””Thepoet，ofcourse。””Thenthepoetcannotbeseenuntilmid-day。Atpresentthebakerisworkingattheoven。”
　　Chateaubriandaccordinglyretired，butreturnedatthetimeappointed，andhadalongandinterestingconversationwithReboul。
　　WhileatMontpellierJasminreceivedtwolettersfromMadameLafarge，theninprison。Thecircumstancesconnectedwithhercaseweremuchdiscussedinthejournalsofthetime。ShehadmarriedatseventeenaM。Lafarge，andfoundafterhermarriagethathehaddeceivedherastohisproperty。Ill-feelingarosebetweentheunhappypair，andeventuallyshewastriedforpoisoningherhusband。Shewascondemnedwithextenuatingcircumstances，andimprisonedatMontpellierin1839。
　　Shedeclaredthatshewasinnocentofthecrimeimputedtoher，andJasmin’sfaithinthevirtueofwomanhoodledhimtobelieveher。
　　HerletterstoJasminweretouching。”Manypens，”shesaid，”havecelebratedyourgenius；letminetouchyourheart！Oh，yes，sir，youaregood，noble，andgenerous！Ipreserveeverywordofyoursasadearconsolation；
　　Iguardeachofyourpromisesasaholyhope。VoltairehassavedCalas。Singforme，sir，andIwillblessyourmemorytothedayofmydeath。Iaminnocent！……ForeightlongyearsIhavesuffered；andIamstillsufferingfromthestainuponmyhonour。
　　Igrieveforasightofthesun，butIstilllovelife。Singforme。”
　　SheagainwrotetoJasmin，endeavouringtoexcitehisinterestbyherappreciationofhispoems。”Thespiritofyourwork，”shesaid，”vibratesthroughmeineveryform。WhatapearlofeulogyisMaltro！WhatagreatworkisL’Abuglo！Inthefirstofthesepoemsyoureachthesublimeoflovewithouttouchingasinglechordofpassion。Whatpurity，andatthesametimewhateaseandtenderness！Itisnotonlythefeveroftheheart；itislifeitself，itsreligion，itsvirtue。Thispoorlnnuocentodoesnotlivetolove；shelovestolive……Herlovediffusesitselflikeaperfume——likethescentofaflower……InwritingMaltroyourmusebecomesvirginandChristian；andtodictateL’Abugloisacrownofflowers，violetsmingledwithroses，likeTibullus，Anacreon，andHorace。”
　　Andagain：”Poet，behappy；singinthelanguageofyourmother，ofyourinfancy，ofyourloves，yoursorrows。TheGasconsongs，revivedbyyou，canneverbeforgotten。Poet，behappy！Thelanguagewhichyoulove，Francewilllearntoadmireandread，andyourbrother-poetswilllearntoimitateyou……Spiritspeakstospirit；geniusspeakstotheheart。Sing，poet，sing！
　　Envyjeersinvain；yourMuseisFrench；betterstill，itisChristian，andthelaurelattheendofyourcoursehastwocrowns——onefortheforeheadofthepoetandtheotherfortheheartoftheman。Grandactionsbringglory；gooddeedsbringhappiness。”
　　AlthoughJasminwroteaninterestinglettertoMadameLafarge，hedidnotventuretosingorreciteforherrelieffromprison。
　　Shediedbeforehim，in1852。
　　FootnotesforChapterXIV。
　　[1]WeadoptthetranslationofMissCostello。
　　CHAPTERXV。
　　JASMIN’SVINEYARD——’MARTHATHEINNOCENT。’
　　Agen，withitsnarrowandcrookedstreets，isnotaltogetherapleasanttown，excepting，perhaps，thebeautifulpromenadeoftheGravier，whereJasminlived。YettheneighbourhoodofAgenisexceedinglypicturesque，especiallythewoodedcragsoftheHermitageandtheprettyvillasneartheconventoftheCarmelites。FromtheseloftysitesasplendidviewoftheneighbouringcountryistobeseenalongthewindingsoftheGaronne，andfaroff，towardsthesouth，tothesnowypeaksofthePyrenees。
　　DownbeneaththeHermitageandthecragsaroadwindsupthevalleytowardsVerona，oncethehomeofthefamousScaligers。[1]
　　NearthisplaceJasminboughtalittlevineyard，andestablishedhisTivoli。Inthisprettyspothismusefoundpureair，liberty，andprivacy。Hecalledtheplace——likehisvolumeofpoems——his”Papillote，”his”Curlpaper。”Here，fornearlythirtyyears，hespentsomeofhispleasantesthours，inexercise，inreflection，andincomposition。Incommemorationofhisoccupationofthesite，hecomposedhisMaBigno——’MyVineyard’——oneofthemostsimpleandgracefulofhispoems。
　　JasmindedicatedMaBignotoMadameLouisVeill，ofParis。
　　HetoldherofhispurchaseofPapillote，apieceofgroundwhichhehadlongdesiredtohave，andwhichhehadnowbeenabletobuywiththemoneygainedbythesaleofhispoems。
　　Heproceedstodescribetheplace：”Inthistinylittlevineyard，”hesays，”myonlychamberisagrotto。Ninecherrytrees：suchismywood！Ihavesixrowsofvines，betweenwhichIwalkandmeditate。Thepeachesaremine；
　　thehazelnutsaremine！Ihavetwoelms，andtwofountains。
　　Iamindeedrich！Youmaylaugh，perhaps，atmyhappiness。
　　ButIwishyoutoknowthatIlovetheearthandthesky。
　　Itisalivingpicture，sparklinginthesunshine。Come，”
　　hesaid，”andpluckmypeachesfromthebranches；putthembetweenyourlovelyteeth，whiterthanthesnow。Pressthem：
　　fromtheskintothealmondtheymeltinthemouth——itishoney！”
　　Henextdescribeswhatheseesandhearsfromhisgrotto：
　　thebeautifulflowers，thefruitglowinginthesun，thelusciouspeaches，thenotesofthewoodlark，thezug-zugofthenightingale，thesuperbbeautyoftheheavens。”Theyallsinglove，andloveisalwaysnew。”
　　HecomparesParis，withitsgrandladiesanditsgrandopera，withhisvineyardandhisnightingales。”Paris，”hesays，”hasfineflowersandlawns，butsheistoomuchofthegrandedame。