Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

flowers: let him find, on his return, his garden in better order, and you more learned."

“I will try, at all events," said Ambrose.

And he set to work, and was soon bidding fair to be a good gardener. And Florence contrived to find occupation for Bernard also. He did not care about gardening; but a basketmaker, a friend of his, came to settle in the neighbourhood, and Bernard was soon able to exhibit a straw-basket, his own handiwork. Florence was delighted. No more gambling, no more visits to the tavern, no more lounging and losing of time. Even Rose at last, seeing every one occupied, got tired of having no object; and one fine day she came with a petition to Florence to teach her to read. This was a great and unexpected conquest.

M. Duhamel was not slow in perceiving the reform in his household. When he came into the garden with his children, he was glad to praise the labours of Ambrose, and to question him about the culture of particular plants. Ambrose showed both intelligence and considerable knowledge in his answers. Once M. Duhamel began grafting a tree under the direction of Ambrose, and he was not a little proud of being thus a more learned man, on at least one point, than his master.

But we must return to the special duties to which Florence devoted herself. She began as lady's-maid, and for some time had little to do with the children, further than being a companion to the elder. An incident occurred which tended materially to alter her position.

Eugene, less studious than his sister, was at times a cause of great uneasiness to his father. He was very inattentive at his lessons; he was quite tired of studying by himself, and wished for some companion with whom he might talk of the Caesars of Rome and the gods of Greece. Above all, he utterly disliked learning languages-he saw no use in it; and it was only at the positive command of his father that he ever took a lesson. His absurd reasoning on this point, and his indolence, led to irritation in his father, the expression of which did but increase the boy's distaste to study. All this was great grief to Madame Duhamel. "His father and I wish him to learn Latin, and German, and English. No man can be a gentleman, or rise to distinction in France, without these languages." This she said one day in Florence's hearing.

"if you

"Pardon, madame," modestly observed Florence; like, I shall try to teach Eugene German; for I speak that language the same as French; it is the language of my father." Madame Duhamel was delighted. "By all means, good Florence, begin to teach Eugene German; speak to him as much as possible in that tongue."

Here by an accident and is human life not full of such accidents?-Florence again found herself in a position to be useful. And never did poor girl exert herself with more patience or more

ingenuity. Eugene was one of those brisk boys who would not settle to regular study. Florence, therefore, did not at first trouble him with books; she told him stories, excited his imagination, and gradually inspired him with a taste for learning. Constantly speaking to him in German, he soon learned that language, scarcely knowing how; and, delighted with his new accomplishment, he fell to other languages with avidity.

V.

The Duhamels could not remain unconscious of the great service which Florence had done them; and for this, we are glad to say, they were not ungrateful. Florence was no longer treated as the humble attendant. She had shown herself to be fit for being a permanent companion and governess of the children; and to this honourable post she was accordingly promoted. In this new capacity Florence had many opportunities of improvement; and these, with her usual good sense, she did not let slip. She acquired a moderate proficiency in music; and, from being present at the lessons of the English master, she learned to speak and read English-an accomplishment valuable for its rarity among French nursery governesses.

Step by step as Florence rose in the esteem of her employers, receiving from them at the same time solid tokens of their approbation, so was she the more able to show kindness to her parents, with whom she constantly corresponded. "How happy, my dear child, are we to hear of your advancement," wrote old Hans to her; " and how still more happy to know that your heart is uncontaminated with the frivolities which beset you. Go on in the path of duty. Put your trust in God, and he will continue to bless you."

66

It would be a long story to tell how Florence rose in the world. There was nothing startling or surprising in any of her movements, taking them singly. And it is pretty much the same with every one in like circumstances,, and with similar aims. One thing leads to another very tranquilly and naturally. "Mademoiselle Keller," said Madame Duhamel one day-for Florence had now got the length of mademoiselle or miss"would you like to go to Angleterre?"

The idea of going to England almost took away Florence's

breath.

66 'Yes, madame: but no-my father and mother; what would come of them? Ah! I cannot leave my father and mother; they have nobody in the world but me."

"True; but you need not do the less for your parents by being in England; you may indeed do a great deal more. Listen. M. Tremonille is appointed to fill a high official situation in connexion with the embassy to the British court. His family, who

are young, and go with him, require a governess who speaks English. Madame Tremonille has just been writing a note to me on the subject. If you like, I shall recommend you?"

Florence's bursting heart and panting bosom could not, for a moment, permit her to speak her thanks. She was overwhelmed with the magnificence of the offer, and the prospects it opened up; and, when she was able to speak, it was to pour out her gratitude, and state her fears of not being competent for the duties of this new and brilliant situation.

Madame Duhamel, however, allayed these feelings, and interested herself so effectually, that Florence was accepted by Madame Tremonille.

In a short time Florence left France with the Tremonilles; and London, like a new world, burst on her senses.

Kind reader, you will not be able to guess where and who Florence now is; and I fear I must not satisfy your very reasonable curiosity. The once poor girl of Nancy, by the force of her simple yet energetic character, rose to be the wife of a learned professor in one of our northern universities; and no lady is more esteemed or admired in the circle in which she has been received. Her parents, I believe, are still living in France, supported in comfort by her munificence; and old Hans is repeatedly heard to say, that although all cannot rise in the world as his dear Florence has done, it may be generally observed that those who aim well end well.

[graphic][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]
[graphic][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][merged small]

HE strange race of people, of whom we propose to give an account in the following Tract, are found scattered to the number, it is believed, of about 700,000 souls in all over the whole of Europe, and are distinguished by different names in different countries. In Great Britain they are called Gipsies, from the idea of their Egyptian origin, for the same reason the Spaniards call them Gitanos; in France they were long termed Bohemians, because the first European country in which they appeared was Bohemia; in Russia they are styled Zigani; in Turkey Zingarri; and in Germany Zigeuner-words conceived to be derived from the term Zincali, by which the gipsies sometimes designate themselves, and which is understood to signify "The Black men of Zend or Ind." The characteristic name, however, applied by the gipsies to their own race and language, is said by Mr Borrow to be Rommani, a word of Sanscrit origin, which means Husbands."

[graphic]

ORIGIN OF THE GIPSIES-THEIR FIRST APPEARANCE

IN EUROPE.

"The

Although, in all countries, native outcasts and criminals have adopted the habits and occupations of gipsies, and have been even known to associate with them, yet it is established beyond a doubt th at the real gipsies constitute a single race, distinct from any other in Europe, and using a language peculiar to themselves. Thus far all are agreed; but when we come to inquire what

No. 139.

1

that stock is from which the gipsies have all sprung, we find different opinions entertained by different authorities. Some Spanish writers have asserted them to be the relics of the Moors who once inhabited Spain; others have believed them to be of Tartar origin; others, again, have endeavoured to prove them to be Persians; while there have not been wanting persons to maintain that they arose in some eastern part of Europe, and thence branched off into the western nations. None of these opinions, however, gained so wide credence as that which supposed the original country of the gipsies to be Egypt. This idea, which was propagated, and firmly believed, on the first appearance of the gipsies in Europe, and which is still held by the gipsies of the present day, is proved, however, to be quite untenable. Not only is the gipsy language different from the Coptic, and the gipsy manners different from those of the natives of Egypt, but, what is still more decisive, gipsies are found wandering through Egypt as through other countries, and are there treated as foreigners, just as with us. On the whole, the supposition which is supported by the greatest amount of evidence, and which, indeed, has already displaced all others, is that which assigns an Indian or Hindoo origin to the gipsies. Of the many proofs adduced in favour of this view, the most convincing is that derived from the wonderful similarity between the gipsy language and the Sanscrit or the Hindoostanee. For a long time it was believed that the gipsy language was a mere jargon or slang, resembling the cant language of thieves, and invented for similar purposes. This, however, is a mistake, as could be very conclusively shown. By the industry of various inquirers, a vocabulary has been drawn up of several hundreds of gipsy words; and the number of these which have been found to be pure Hindoostanee, is perfectly decisive as to the Indian origin of the gipsies. The following table may serve to illustrate this, as well as to exhibit the similarity of all the European dialects of the gipsy language :—

[blocks in formation]

The conclusion of the Indian origin of the gipsies, to which

we are led by a consideration of their language, is remarkably

« ForrigeFortsæt »