"Alas! regardless of their doom, The little victims play: No sense have they of ills to come, No care beyond to-day."--GRAY.
Good legislators always attend to the habits, and what is called thegenius, of the people they have to govern. From youth to age, the tastefor whatever is called _une fete_ pervades the whole French nation.Madame de Fleury availed herself judiciously of this powerful motive, andconnected it with the feelings of affection more than with the passionfor show. For instance, when any of her little people had done anythingparticularly worthy of reward, she gave them leave to invite theirparents to a _fete_ prepared for them by their children, assisted by thekindness of Sister Frances.
One day--it was a holiday obtained by Victoire's good conduct--all thechildren prepared in their garden a little feast for their parents.Sister Frances spread the table with a bountiful hand, the happy fathersand mothers were waited upon by their children, and each in their turnheard with delight from the benevolent nun some instance of theirdaughter's improvement. Full of hope for the future and of gratitude forthe past, these honest people ate and talked, whilst in imagination theysaw their children all prosperously and usefully settled in the world.They blessed Madame de Fleury in her absence, and they wished ardentlyfor her presence.
"The sun is setting, and Madame de Fleury is not yet come," criedVictoire; "she said she would be here this evening--What can be thematter?"
"Nothing is the matter, you may be sure," said Babet; "but that she hasforgotten us--she has so many things to think of."
"Yes; but I know she never forgets us," said Victoire; "and she loves somuch to see us all happy together, that I am sure it must be somethingvery extraordinary that detains her."
Babet laughed at Victoire's fears; but presently even she began to growimpatient; for they waited long after sunset, expecting every moment thatMadame de Fleury would arrive. At last she appeared, but with a dejectedcountenance, which seemed to justify Victoire's foreboding. When she sawthis festive company, each child sitting between her parents, and all ather entrance looking up with affectionate pleasure, a faint smileenlivened her countenance for a moment; but she did not speak to themwith her usual ease. Her mind seemed preoccupied by some disagreeablebusiness of importance. It appeared that it had some connection withthem; for as she walked round the table with Sister Frances, she said,with a voice and look of great tenderness, "Poor children! how happy theyare at this moment!--Heaven only knows how soon they may be rendered, ormay render themselves, miserable!"
None of the children could imagine what this meant; but their parentsguessed that it had some allusion to the state of public affairs. Aboutthis time some of those discontents had broken out which preceded theterrible days of the Revolution. As yet, most of the common people, whowere honestly employed in earning their own living, neither understoodwhat was going on nor foresaw what was to happen. Many of theirsuperiors were not in such happy ignorance--they had information of theintrigues that were forming; and the more penetration they possessed, themore they feared the consequences of events which they could not control.At the house of a great man, with whom she had dined this day, Madame deFleury had heard alarming news. Dreadful public disturbances, she saw,were inevitable; and whilst she trembled for the fate of all who weredear to her, these poor children had a share in her anxiety. She foresawthe temptations, the dangers, to which they must be exposed, whether theyabandoned, or whether they abided by the principles their education hadinstilled. She feared that the labour of years would perhaps be lost inan instant, or that her innocent pupils would fall victims even to theirvirtues.
Many of these young people were now of an age to understand and to governthemselves by reason; and with these she determined to use thosepreventive measures which reason affords. Without meddling withpolitics, in which no amiable or sensible woman can wish to interfere,the influence of ladies in the higher ranks of life may always be exertedwith perfect propriety, and with essential advantage to the public, inconciliating the inferior classes of society, explaining to them theirduties and their interests, and impressing upon the minds of the childrenof the poor sentiments of just subordination and honest independence. Howhappy would it have been for France if women of fortune and abilities hadalways exerted their talents and activity in this manner, instead ofwasting their powers in futile declamations, or in the intrigues ofparty!