Chapter25

theoddestofphilip’smasterswashisteacheroffrench.monsieurducrozwasacitizenofgeneva.hewasatalloldman,withasallowskinandhollowcheeks;hisgrayhairwasthinandlong.heworeshabbyblackclothes,withholesattheelbowsofhiscoatandfrayedtrousers.hislinenwasverydirty.philiphadneverseenhiminacleancollar.hewasamanoffewwords,whogavehislessonconscientiouslybutwithoutenthusiasm,arrivingastheclockstruckandleavingontheminute.hischargeswereverysmall.hewastaciturn,andwhatphiliplearntabouthimhelearntfromothers:itappearedthathehadfoughtwithgaribaldiagainstthepope,buthadleftitalyindisgustwhenitwasclearthatallhiseffortsforfreedom,bywhichhemeanttheestablishmentofarepublic,tendedtonomorethananexchangeofyokes;hehadbeenexpelledfromgenevaforitwasnotknownwhatpoliticaloffences.philiplookeduponhimwithpuzzledsurprise;forhewasveryunlikehisideaoftherevolutionary:hespokeinalowvoiceandwasextraordinarilypolite;heneversatdowntillhewasaskedto;andwhenonrareoccasionshemetphilipinthestreettookoffhishatwithanelaborategesture;heneverlaughed,heneverevensmiled.amorecompleteimaginationthanphilip’smighthavepicturedayouthofsplendidhope,forhemusthavebeenenteringuponmanhoodin1848whenkings,rememberingtheirbrotheroffrance,wentaboutwithanuneasycrickintheirnecks;andperhapsthatpassionforlibertywhichpassedthrougheurope,sweepingbeforeitwhatofabsolutismandtyrannyhadreareditsheadduringthereactionfromtherevolutionof1789,fillednobreastwithahotterfire.onemightfancyhim,passionatewiththeoriesofhumanequalityandhumanrights,discussing,arguing,fightingbehindbarricadesinparis,flyingbeforetheaustriancavalryinmilan,imprisonedhere,exiledfromthere,hopingonandupborneeverwiththewordwhichseemedsomagical,thewordliberty;tillatlast,brokenwithdiseaseandstarvation,old,withoutmeanstokeepbodyandsoultogetherbutsuchlessonsashecouldpickupfrompoorstudents,hefoundhimselfinthatlittleneattownundertheheelofapersonaltyrannygreaterthananyineurope.perhapshistaciturnityhidacontemptforthehumanracewhichhadabandonedthegreatdreamsofhisyouthandnowwallowedinishease;orperhapsthesethirtyyearsofrevolutionhadtaughthimthatmenareunfitforliberty,andhethoughtthathehadspenthislifeinthepursuitofthatwhichwasnotworththefinding.ormaybehewastiredoutandwaitedonlywithindifferenceforthereleaseofdeath.

onedayphilip,withthebluntnessofhisage,askedhimifitwastruehehadbeenwithgaribaldi.theoldmandidnotseemtoattachanyimportancetothequestion.heansweredquitequietlyinaslowavoiceasusual.

“oui,monsieur.”  “theysayyouwereinthecommune?”

“dothey?shallwegetonwithourwork?”

heheldthebookopenandphilip,intimidated,begantotranslatethepassagehehadprepared.

onedaymonsieurducrozseemedtobeingreatpain.hehadbeenscarcelyabletodraghimselfupthemanystairstophilip’sroom:andwhenhearrivedsatdownheavily,hissallowfacedrawn,withbeadsofsweatonhisforehead,tryingtorecoverhimself.

“i’mafraidyou’reill,”saidphilip.

“it’sofnoconsequence.”

butphilipsawthathewassuffering,andattheendofthehouraskedwhetherhewouldnotprefertogivenomorelessonstillhewasbetter.

“no,”saidtheoldman,inhisevenlowvoice.“iprefertogoonwhileiamable.”

philip,morbidlynervouswhenhehadtomakeanyreferencetomoney,reddened.“butitwon’tmakeanydifferencetoyou,”hesaid.“i’llpayforthelessonsjustthesame.ifyouwouldn’tmindi’dliketogiveyouthemoneyfornextweekinadvance.”

monsieurducrozchargedeighteenpenceanhour.philiptookaten-markpieceoutofhispocketandshylyputitonthetable.hecouldnotbringhimselftoofferitasiftheoldmanwereaar.

“inthatcaseithinkiwon’tcomeagaintilli’mbetter.”hetookthecoinand,withoutanythingmorethantheelaboratebowwithwhichhealwaystookhisleave,wentout.

“bonjour,monsieur.”

philipwasvaguelydisappointed.thinkinghehaddoneagenerousthing,hehadexpectedthatmonsieurducrozwouldoverwhelmhimwithexpressionsofgratitude.hewastakenabacktofindthattheoldteacheracceptedthepresentasthoughitwerehisdue.hewassoyoung,hedidnotrealisehowmuchlessisthesenseofobligationinthosewhoreceivefavoursthaninthosewhograntthem.monsieurducrozappearedagainfiveorsixdayslater.hetotteredalittlemoreandwasveryweak,butseemedtohaveovercometheseverityoftheattack.hewasnomorecommunicativethanhehadbeenbefore.heremainedmysterious,aloof,anddirty.hemadenoreferencetohisillnesstillafterthelesson:andthen,justashewasleaving,atthedoor,whichheheldopen,hepaused.hehesitated,asthoughtospeakweredifficult.

“ifithadn’tbeenforthemoneyyougavemeishouldhavestarved.itwasallihadtoliveon.”

hemadehissolemn,obsequiousbow,andwentout.philipfeltalittlelumpinhisthroat.heseemedtorealiseinafashionthehopelessbitternessoftheoldman’sle,andhowhardlifewasforhimwhentohimselfitwassopleasant.