第380章

A small entrance, opening on the corridor, led to a large room, on each side of which was a smaller chamber, destined for the family, when the boys and girls were too big to continue to sleep in the two dormitories, arranged after the fashion of a large school, and reserved for the children of both sexes.Every night the superintendence of these dormitories was entrusted to a father and mother of a family, belonging to the association.The lodging of which we speak, being, like all the others, disencumbered of the paraphernalia of a kitchen--for the cooking was done in common, and on a large scale, in another part of the building--was kept extremely clean.A pretty large piece of carpet, a comfortable arm-chair, some pretty-looking china on a stand of well-

polished wood, some prints hung against the walls, a clock of gilt bronze, a bed, a chest of drawers, and a mahogany secretary, announced that the inhabitants of this apartment enjoyed not only the necessaries, but some of the luxuries of life.Angela, who, from this time, might be called Agricola's betrothed, justified in every point the flattering portrait which the smith had drawn of her in his interview with poor Mother Bunch.The charming girl, seventeen years of age at most, dressed with as much simplicity as neatness, was seated by the side of her mother.When Agricola entered, she blushed slightly at seeing him.

"Mademoiselle," said Agricola, "I have come to keep my promise, if your mother has no objection."

"Certainly, M.Agricola," answered the mother of the young girl cordially."She would not go over the Common Dwelling-house with her father, her brother, or me, because she wished to have that pleasure with you today.It is quite right that you, who can talk so well, should do the honors of the house to the new-comer.She has been waiting for you an hour, and with such impatience!"

"Pray excuse me, mademoiselle," said Agricola, gayly; "in thinking of the pleasure of seeing you, I forgot the hour.That is my only excuse."

"Oh, mother!" said the young girl, in a tone of mild reproach, and becoming red as a cherry, "why did you say that?"

"Is it true, yes or no? I do not blame you for it; on the contrary.Go with M.Agricola, child, and he will tell you, better than I can, what all the workmen of the factory owe to M, Hardy."

"M.Agricola," said Angela, tying the ribbons of her pretty cap, "what a pity that your good little adopted sister is not with us."

"Mother Bunch?--yes, you are right, mademoiselle; but that is only a pleasure put off, and the visit she paid us yesterday will not be the last."

Having embraced her mother, the girl took Agricola's arm, and they went out together.

"Dear me, M.Agricola," said Angela; "if you knew how much I was surprised on entering this fine house, after being accustomed to see so much misery amongst the poor workmen in our country, and in which I too have had my share, whilst here everybody seems happy and contented.It is really like fairy-land; I think I am in a dream, and when I ask my mother the explanation of these wonders, she tells me, `M.Agricola will explain it all to you.'"

"Do you know why I am so happy to undertake that delightful task, mademoiselle?" said Agricola, with an accent at once grave and tender.

"Nothing could be more in season."

"Why so, M.Agricola?"

"Because, to show you this house, to make you acquainted with all the resources of our association, is to be able to say to you: `Here, the workman, sure of the present, sure of the future, is not, like so many of his poor brothers, obliged to renounce the sweetest want of the heart--

the desire of choosing a companion for life--in the fear of uniting misery to misery."'

Angela cast down her eyes, and blushed.

"Here the workman may safely yield to the hope of knowing the sweet joys of a family, sure of not having his heart torn hereafter by the sight of the horrible privations of those who are dear to him; here, thanks to order and industry, and the wise employment of the strength of all, men, women, and children live happy and contented.In a ward, to explain all this to you, mademoiselle," added Agricola, smiling with a still more tender air, "is to prove, that here we can do nothing more reasonable than love, nothing wiser than marry."

"M.Agricola," answered Angela, in a slightly agitated voice, and blushing still more as she spoke, "suppose we were to begin our walk."

"Directly, mademoiselle," replied the smith, pleased at the trouble he had excited in that ingenuous soul."But, come; we are near the dormitory of the little girls.The chirping birds have long left their nests.Let us go there."

"Willingly, M.Agricola."

The young smith and Angela soon entered a spacious dormitory, resembling that of a first-rate boarding school.The little iron bedsteads were arranged in symmetrical order; at each end were the beds of the two mothers of families, who took the superintendence by turns.

"Dear me! how well it is arranged, M.Agricola, and how neat and clean!

Who is it that takes such good care of it?"

"The children themselves; we have no servants here.There is an extraordinary emulation between these urchins--as to who shall make her bed most neatly, and it amuses them quite as much as making a bed for their dolls.Little girls, you know, delight in playing at keeping house.Well, here they play at it in good earnest, and the house is admirably kept in consequence."

"Oh! I understand.They turn to account their natural taste for all such kinds of amusement."

"That is the whole secret.You will see them everywhere usefully occupied, and delighted at the importance of the employments given them."

"Oh, M.Agricola!" said Angela, timidly, "only compare these fine dormitories, so warm and healthy, with the horrible icy garrets, where children are heaped pell-mell on a wretched straw-mattress, shivering with cold, as in the case with almost all the workmen's families in our country!"

"And in Paris, mademoiselle, it is even worse."