THE POLICE

We were obliged to join again the throng of people who were going through the dark streets towards the Higher Elementary School. But now we understood everything. The tall white shadow which Meaulnes had seen hurrying amongst the trees, on the last evening of the fête, was Booby, who, having rescued the disconsolate fiancé, was running away with him. The latter had accepted this wild life, full of risks, games, and adventures. It had seemed to him like starting his childhood over again....

Frantz de Galais had, so far, hidden his name from us and pretended not to know the way to the manor, for fear of being forced to go back home; but why had he, this evening, suddenly wished to reveal himself, letting us guess the whole truth?...

No end of plans went through Admiral Meaulnes’ head while the crowd slowly dispersed across the village. He decided that early next day, which was a Thursday, he would go to see Frantz, and together they would start for that place! What a lovely journey on the dewy road! Frantz would explain everything; all would be put right, and the glorious adventure would begin again from where it left off....

As for me, that night, I walked with an indescribable elation of heart. Everything contributed to my joy, from the paltry pleasure of awaiting the Thursday holiday to the great discovery we had just made and the fine piece of luck befalling us. And I remember that, with sudden generosity of heart, I went up to the ugliest of the notary’s daughters, to whom I was often forced to offer my arm, and spontaneously held my hand out to her.

Bitter memories! Great hopes crushed!

The next day at eight o’clock, as we both emerged on the church square, our shoes well polished, the buckles of our belts shining bright, and our caps brand-new, Meaulnes, who so far had repressed a smile whenever he looked at me, gave a shout and rushed towards the empty square.... At the place where the tent and the vans had stood were only a broken jug and some rags. The gipsies had gone!...

A light wind was blowing which felt icy to us. It seemed as if at every step we were about to stumble and fall on the hard stony ground of the square. Meaulnes, enraged, twice made as if he would rush off, first along the road to Vieux-Nançay, then along the road to Saint-Loup-des-Bois. One hand over his eyes, he scanned the neighbourhood hoping our people had only just left. But what could be done? The tracks of some ten carriages were all mixed up on the square and then effaced on the hard road. We were stuck there, powerless.

And as we were coming back across the village where the life of a Thursday morning was beginning, four mounted policemen, warned the evening before by Delouche, arrived at a gallop on the square and scattered in the by-streets to block all issues, exactly as a patrol of dragoons sent to reconnoitre a village.... But it was too late. Booby, the chicken-snatcher, had escaped with his companion. The policemen found nobody, neither Booby himself nor the fellows who had loaded the carts with the birds he had strangled. Warned in time by the incautious remark of Jasmin, Frantz must have suddenly understood what trade kept his companion and himself alive when the cash-box was empty; full of shame and anger, he had at once mapped out the route and decided to make off before the police came. But, no longer fearing to be taken back to his father, he had shown himself to us without a bandage before he disappeared.

One thing alone remained a puzzle: how could Booby, both at once rob the poultry-yards and fetch the nun for his feverish friend? But did not that sum up the whole story of the poor devil? Thief and tramp on the one hand, a kind-hearted chap on the other....