Autumn Glory; Or, The Toilers of the Field

stripped it, sweeping over the vast grassy plain, brought no sound of work in its train, no creak of plough, no ring of hammer, spade, or axe. The bells alone were he

of eternal promises. The tones rang out into space and interlocked with a vibration, and were as garlands flung from one belfry to another. Among the toilers of the fields, cattle drivers, sowers, there were but few who did not obey the summons. Along roads deserted all the week were to be seen fami

sun. Universal silence reigned over the land. Quiet as it was on working-days, at the close of the week it seemed sunk in meditation and silence; dominical tr

uiet was to be o

ull-length on the grass was reading the paper aloud, pausing every now and then to make his comments on the news, and, as a travelled man, to explain the whereabouts of places and countries-Clermont Ferrand, India, Japan, the while twirling his little fair moustache, a very youthful and ingenuous self-sufficiency showing itself in his frank, merry face. At abo

other, "they are out this after

,'" returned André, a light in his eyes. "I recognise

erd in Fief; he served hi

ith eyes fixed on the distant marshland was seeing in imagination a white town, with narrow streets, and a t

still with the regiment." For an instant his features distended, his eyes dilate

ed after a while, "

uld th

egret the

I don't. N

s the attract

is brother's face as though to say, why

ark! that's the

ices struck up "Le chant du départ." Occasional words reached the listeners where they

elms, each pursuing the train of thought evoked by the first notes of the bug

e of a fowl, had acquired his name of "Le Glorieux" from a nervous twitch he had, which caused his chin to jerk upwards at every instant; Lumineau and he were discussing the latest events of La Fromentière. The two men represented the age and

hey are bugling and singing, poor boys! But the

with a twitch of the chin, "

f Grand Paiement; you, of Juch-Pie; you, of Linotteries; and you, of Belle-Blanche, I recognise your boys' voices. May it not do the sam

Pin?onnière," s

Lever

arée-d

; Massonneau hearing the voices at t

e said, "they are going up

s, carried afar by the wind, like grains of seed falling everywhere. And everywhere, without apparent reason, emotions were stirred, old sorrows awoke

o had been following the sounds, and with his marvellous sense

wo years they have started calling at all the houses where there is a young girl of their own age, to ask her for a fowl as co

and springing up with a bound. "I'm of

our farewell dinners out of th

y and white, rising and falling on the grass as he walked. At the same moment a blast on the bugle was heard at the foot of the dwarf orchard; Mathurin half-raised himself upon the harrow, his hands clasping the cross-bars, his arms extended, his shaggy head ben

ed their heads; they were girls from Sallertaine, but the light was behind them, and only Mathurin could recognise in the centre one Félicité Gauvrit. A few paces in the rear came the bugler, a standard-bearer, and five young men walking a

thers Lumineau

their march and the muscadet they had drunk on the way

nced slightly in front of them, and was gazing with a pleased expr

hat it is to have to do with intelligent boys. Her

from among the others and took the fowl. But from the mocking attitude of André, and his studied silence, Félic

here, who belong to the class, were called upon to go the round to collect; they are shy and dared not go alone, and so it must have b

en a pity!" said th

so, that I am not often see

Fromentière, the stables, the hayricks, sighed

r dances, will you not, And

ns of approval to the

o long since I was at a dance in S

ime seemed to be aware of the presence of Mathurin, who w

ent, not altogether feigned,

e.... If it were not too fatiguing for you?... I was glad to see you a

imself clearly when he had time to

e uttered her name with a kind of adoration that seemed to t

ent, Mathurin?" aske

rd Cuira

irassiers in honour of Mathu

left the shade of the elms, and went on their way towards Quatre-Moulins, raising clouds of d

and willows that bordered the road, Mathurin said to his brot

this is the first time for six

lied, too

n. Better take care that she

away. The sun was rapidly sinking in the lowland, only a red crescent broken by shadows remained of the fiery globe, against which some dark object in the horizon, a willow, or a group of rushes, stood out like a crown of thorns. It faded away; a fresh bree

ding motionless among the trees wrapt in contemplation of th

go in together; supper will be waiting." Then

you home again from t