FullReads

“It is so for two years; and den dey say dat Mathurin he go to die. He cannot come on his knees to de church; and de men whose life he save, dey come to de Cure and ask him to take de penance from Mathurin. De Cure say: ‘Wait till nex’ Sunday.’ So nex’ Sunday Mathurin is carry to de church–he is too weak to walk on his knees. De Cure he stan’ at de altar, and he read a letter from de Pope, which say dat Mathurin his penance is over, and he is forgive; dat de Pope himself pray for Mathurin, to save his soul. So Mathurin, all at once he stan’ up, and his face it smile and smile, and he stretch out his arms as if dey are on a cross, and he say, ‘Lord, I am ready to go,’ and he fall down. But de Cure catch him as he fall, and Mathurin say: ‘De children–let dem come to me dat I teach dem before I die.’ And all de children in de church dey come close to him, and he sit up and smile at dem, and he say:

“‘It is de class in ‘rithmetic. How much is three times four?’ And dem all answer: ‘T’ree times four is twelve.’ And he say: ‘May de Twelve Apostles pray for me!’ Den he ask: ‘Class in geography–how far is it roun’ de world?’ And dey answer: ‘Twenty-four t’ousand miles.’ He say: ‘Good; it is not so far to God! De school is over all de time,’ he say. And dat is only everything of poor Mathurin. He is dead.

“When de Cure lay him down, after he make de Sign upon him, he kiss his face and say: ‘Mathurin, now you are a priest unto God.'”

That was Angele Rouvier’s story of Mathurin, the Master of the School, for whom the women and the children pray in the parish of Pontiac, though the school has been dismissed these hundred years and more.