Whatwashetodonow?HesuddenlyrememberedthebarberofAgen，whowasalwayswillingtogivehisfriendlyhelp。HehadestablishedMdlle。Roaldesasamusicianafewyearsbefore；
　　hehadhelpedtobuildschools，orphanages，asylums，andsuchlike。Buthehadneverhelpedtobuildachurch。WouldhenowhelphimtorebuildthechurchofVergt?
　　TheAbbedidnotknowJasminpersonally，buthewentovertoAgen，andthrougharelative，madehisacquaintance。ThustheAbbeandthepoetcametogether。Afterthepriesthadmadeanexplanationofhisposition，andofhisdifficultiesinobtainingmoneyfortherebuildingofthechurchofVergt，Jasminatoncecompliedwiththerequestthathewouldcomeoverandhelphim。
　　Theyarrangedforacircuitofvisitsthroughoutthedistrict——
　　thepriestwithhisaddress，andJasminwithhispoems。
　　JasminsetoutforVergtinJanuary1843。HewasreceivedattheborderoftheCantonbyanumerousandbrilliantescortofcavalry，whichaccompaniedhimtothepresbytery。Heremainedtherefortwodays，conferringwiththeAbbe。ThenthetwosetouttogetherforPerigueux，thechiefcityoftheprovince，accompaniedontheirdeparturebythemembersoftheMunicipalCouncilandtheleadingmenofthetown。
　　ThefirstmeetingwasheldinthetheatreofPerigueux，whichwascrowdedfromfloortoceiling，andmanyremainedoutsidewhocouldnotobtainadmission。TheMayorandMunicipalCouncillorswerepresenttowelcomeandintroducethepoet。Onthisoccasion，Jasminrecitedforthefirsttime，”TheRuinedChurch”
　　inGascon：LaGleyzoDescapeladocomposedinoneofhishappiestmoments。JasmincomparedhimselftoAmphion，thesweetsingerofGreece，whobyhismusicalpowers，enabledacitytobebuilt；andnowthepoetinvokedthecitizensofPerigueuxtoenabletheAbbeMassontorebuildhischurch。Hispoemwasreceivedwithenthusiasm，andalmostwithtearsofjoyatthepleadingofJasmin。Therewasashowerofsilverandgold。
　　Thepriestwasoverjoyedatthepopularityofhiscolleague，andalsoathispurse，whichwasfilledwithofferings。
　　WhileatPerigueuxthepoetandthepriestenjoyedthehospitalityofM。AugustDupont，towhomJasmin，inthanks，dedicatedapieceofpoetry。Otherentertainmentsfollowed——
　　matineesandsoirees。Jasminrecitedsomeofhispoemsbeforetheprofessorsandstudentsatthecollege，andatotherplacesofpublicinstruction。Thencamebanquets——aristocraticandpopular——and，asusual，abanquetofthehair-dressers。
　　Therewasquiteanovationinthecitywhileheremainedthere。
　　ButothercallsawaitedJasmin。Hereceiveddeputationsfrommanyofthetownsinthedepartmentsolicitinghisappearance，andtherecitationofhispoems。Hehadtoportionouthistimewithcare，andtoarrangetheprogrammeofhisvisits。Whenthetwopilgrimsstartedontheirjourney，theywerefrequentlyinterruptedbycrowdsofpeople，whowouldnotallowJasmintopasswithoutrecitingsomeofhispoetry。JasminandMassontravelledbythepost-officecar——thecheapestofallconveyances——butatMontignactheywerestoppedbyacrowdofpeople，andJasminhadtoundergothesameprocess。Freeandhearty，hewasalwayswillingtocomplywiththeirrequests。
　　Thatdaythepostmanarrivedathisdestinationthreehoursafterhisappointedtime。
　　ItwasinthemonthofFebruary，whendarknesscomesonsoquickly，thatJasmininformedthemagistratesofSarlat，whitherhewasbound，thathewouldbetherebyfiveo’clock。Buttheywaited，andwaitedforhimandthepriestattheentrancetothetown，attendedbytheclergy，thesub-prefect，thetowncouncillors，andacrowdofpeople。Itwasacoldanddrearynight。StillnoJasmin！Theywaitedforthreelonghours。AtlastJasminappearedonthepost-officecar。”Therehecomesatlast！”wasthegeneralcry。Hisarrivalwasgreetedwithenthusiasticcheers。Itwasnowquitedark。ThepoetandthepriestenteredSarlatintriumph，amidsttheglareoftorchesandthejoyfulshoutsofthemultitude。Thencamethepriest’saddress，Jasmin’srecitations，andthefinalcollectionofofferings。
　　Itisunnecessarytorepeatthescenes，howeverimpressive，whichoccurredduringthejourneyofthepoetandthepriest。
　　TherewasthesameamountofenthusiasmatNontron，Bergerac，andtheothertownswhichtheyvisited。AtNontron，M。A。deCalvimont，thesub-prefect，welcomedJasminwiththefollowinglines：”ToJasmin，ourgrandpoet，Thepainterofhumanity；
　　Forhim，electofheaven，lifeisafeteEndinginimmortality。”
　　Jasminrepliedtothiswithsomeimpromptulines，’ToPoetry，’
　　dedicatedtothesub-prefect。AtBergerachewrotehisAdieutoPerigord，inwhichheconveyedhisthankstotheinhabitantsofthedepartmentforthekindnesswithwhichtheyhadreceivedhimandhiscompanion。This，theirfirstjourneythroughPerigord，wasbroughttoacloseattheendofFebruary，1843。
　　Theresultofthisbrilliantjourneywasverysuccessful。
　　ThepurseoftheAbbewasnowsufficientlywellfilledtoenablehimtoproceedwiththerebuildingofthechurchofVergt；andtheworkwassowelladvanced，thatbythe23rdofthefollowingmonthofJulyitwasreadyforconsecration。Asolemnceremonythentookplace。Sixbishops，includinganarchbishop，andthreehundredpriestswerepresent，withmorethanfifteenthousandpeopleofallranksandconditionsoflife。Neverhadsuchaceremonybeenseenbefore——atleastinsosmallatown。
　　TheCardinalGousset，ArchbishopofRheims，afterconsecratingthechurch，turnedtoJasmin，andsaid：”Poet，wecannotavoidtherecognitionofyourself-sacrificinglaboursintherebuildingofthischurch；andweshallbehappyifyouwillconsenttosayafewwordsbeforewepart。””Monseigneur，”repliedJasmin，”canyoubelievethatmymusehaslabouredforfifteendaysandfifteennights，thatIshouldinterruptthisdayofthefete?Vergtkeepsfeteto-dayforreligion，butnotforpoetry，thoughitwelcomesandlovesit。
　　Thechurchhassixpontiffs；thepoetisonlyasubdeacon；
　　butifImustsingmyhymnofficially，itmustbeelsewhere。”
　　TheArchbishop——amanofintelligencewhounderstoodthefeelingsofpoets——promised，atthecollationwhichfollowedtheconsecration，togiveJasmintheopportunityofrecitingtheverseswhichhehadcomposedfortheoccasion。Thepoemwasentitled’APriestwithoutaChurch’inGascon：LouPrestesansGlegzodedicatedtoM。Masson，theCureofVergt。Inhisversesthepoetdescribedtheinfluenceofanoblechurchupontheimaginationaswellasthereligionofthepeople。Buthesaidnothingofhisownlaboursincollectingthenecessaryfundsfortherebuildingofthechurch。Therecitationofthepoemwasreceivedwithenthusiasm。
　　MonseigneurBertaud，whopreachedintheafternoononthe”InfinityofGod，”touchinglyreferredtothepoemsofJasmin，anddevelopedthesubjectsohappilyreferredtobythepoet。”Suchexamplesashis，”hesaid，”suchdelicateandgeneroussentimentsmingledtogether，elevatepoetryandshowitsnobleorigin，sothatwecannotlistentohimwithoutthegravestemotion。”[1]
　　ItwasagreatdayforVergt，andalsoagreatdayforthepoet。
　　TheconsecrationofthechurchamidstsolargeanassemblageofclergyandpeopleoccasionedgreatexcitementintheSouth。
　　Itwasnoisedabroadinthepublicjournals，andevenintheforeignpress。Jasmin’sfamebecamegreaterthanever；andhisbarber’sshopatAgenbecame，asitwere，ashrine，wherepilgrims，passingthroughthedistrict，stoppedtovisithimandpraisehisalmostdivineeffortstohelpthecauseofreligionandcivilisation。
　　Thelocalenthusiasmwasnot，however，withoutitsdrawbacks。
　　ThesuccessofthecurateofVergtoccasionedagooddealofjealousy。WhyshouldhebepatronisedbyJasmin，andhavehispursefilledbyhisrecitations，whenthereweresomanyotherchurchestobebuiltandrepaired，somanyhospitalsandschoolstofoundandmaintain，somanyorphanagestoassist，somanypoortorelieve，somanygoodworkstobedone?WhyshouldnotJasmin，whocouldcoinmoneywithwordswhichcosthimnothing，cometothehelpoftheneedyandafflictedinthevariousdistrictsthroughouttheSouth?
　　ThusJasminwasconstantlyassailedbydeputations。Hemustleavehisrazorsandhiscurling-tongs，andgohere，there，andeverywheretoraisemoneybyhisrecitations。
　　ThemembersoftheSocietyofSaintVincentdePaulwere，asusual，fullofmanycharitabledesigns。Therehadbeenafire，aflood，anepidemic，aseverewinter，afailureofcrops，whichhadthrownhundredsoffamiliesintopovertyandmisery；
　　andJasminmustcomeimmediatelytotheirsuccour。”Come，Jasmin！Comequick，quick！”Hewasalwayswillingtogivehisassistance；butitwasaterriblestrainuponhismentalaswellashisphysicalpowers。
　　Inallseasons，atallhours，incold，inheat，inwind，inrain，hehastenedtogivehisrecitations——sometimesofmorethantwohours’duration，andoftentwiceorthriceinthesameday。
　　Hehastened，forfearlestthepoorshouldreceivetheirfoodandfiringtoolate。
　　Whatapicture！HadJasminlivedinthetimeofSt。VincentdePaul，thesaintwouldhaveembracedhimathousandtimes，andrejoicedtoseehimselfinonewaysurpassed；forinpleadingforthepoor，healsohelpedtherichbycelebratingthegreatdeedsoftheirancestors，ashedidatBeziers，Riquet，Albi，Lafeyrouse，andotherplaces。Thespectaclewhichhepresentedwassoextraordinary，thatallFrancewasstruckwithadmirationatthequalitiesofthisnoblebarberofAgen。
　　OnoneoccasionJasminwasrequestedbyacuratetocometohishelpandreconcilehimwithhisparishioners。Jasminsucceededinperformingthemiracle。Ithappenedthatin1846thecurateofSaint-Leger，nearPenne，intheTarn，hadcausedaball-roomtobeclosed。Thisgavegreatoffencetotheyoungpeople，whodesiredtheball-roomtobeopened，thattheymighthavetheirfillofdancing。Theylefthischurch，anddeclaredthattheywouldhavenothingfurthertodowithhim。Toreconcilethemalcontents，thecuratepromisedtoletthemhearJasmin。
　　accordingly，oneSundayafternoontheinhabitantsoffourparishesassembledinabeautifulwoodtolistentoJasmin。HerecitedhisCharityandsomeotherofhisseriouspoems。Whenhehadfinished，theyoungpeopleofSaint-Legerembracedfirstthepoet，andthenthecurate。Thereconciliationwascomplete。
　　ToreturntothechurchatVergt。Jasminwasapoet，notanarchitect。TheAbbeMassonknewnothingaboutstoneormortar。
　　Hewasmerelyanxioustohavehischurchrebuiltandconsecratedassoonaspossible。Thathadbeendonein1843。Butinthecourseofafewyearsitwasfoundthatthechurchhadbeenverybadlybuilt。Thelimewasbad，andthecarpentrywasbad。
　　Theconsequencewas，thatthemainwallsofthechurchbulgedout，andtheshoddybuildinghadtobesupportedbyoutsideabutments。Incourseoftimeitbecameclearthatthework，forthemostpart，hadtobedoneoveragain。
　　In1847theAbbeagainappealedtoJasmin。Thisnewtaskwasmoredifficultthanthefirst，foritwasnecessarytoappealtoalargercircleofcontributors；notconfiningthemselvestoPerigordonly，buttakingawiderrangethroughouttheSouthofFrance。Thepriestmadethenecessaryarrangementsforthejointtour。Theywouldfirsttakethenortherndistricts——Angouleme，Limoges，Tulle，andBrives——andthenproceedtowardsthesouth。