to go to the bathroom sent him back outside. He suddenly realized that he had nothing to wipe with. Looking around, he found nothing but some small trees, so he pulled off some leaves. Thank God I remembered before I finished the job, he thought. It might be awhile before he could clean himself, he did not need to add to the smell. He briefly wondered what he would do in the city when he needed to go. Well, hopefully, he would find a room that was very cheap. One that had a privy on the property. He knew that public toilets were rare, even in Paris. When there was a public toilet it was usually over-flowing, and stank so awfully that you were lucky not to have stuff coming out of both ends before you were through!
He stretched a bit before securing the tarp to his back. He had slept a lot later than he had thought he would. It must have been quite late when he stopped. He needed to get on the road, now, if he dared to hope that a wagon heading to Paris would be coming his way.
Gastien started off down the road once again. He wondered how many more miles he had to go. He should have paid more attention to landmarks during the trips to Paris with his father. Well, knowing it would not make it any closer, he decided, so just keep moving. He did not let himself think past arriving in the city. The only goal right now was to get there.
XI
He had not been walking long when he heard a wagon and horses approaching behind him. Please let it be someone generous who will allow me to ride, Gastien thought. As the wagon approached, Gastien turned and waited. To Gastien’s delight, the wagon slowed down.
“Whooooaaaa!” Peering at Gastien, the man suddenly said, “Aren’t you Jean Beauchamp’s oldest?”
“ Oui , Monsieur , I am,” Gastien answered. He recognized the man from church.
“What are you doing so far away from home in the middle of the morning? And why do you have that contraption tied to your back?” queried the farmer.
“I am going to Paris, Monsieur . I am going to start a life of my own.”
“Oh, boy. That must not have made your father very happy. We expect our eldest son to take over for us as we age. By the way, I am sorry, but I can’t remember your name.” The farmer looked puzzled as to why anyone would leave the farm.
“Gastien, Monsieur . My name is Gastien. My father is very unhappy with me. He asked me to never return.”
“Oh, my. Well, Jean Beauchamp is a stubborn man for sure, but very well meaning. He is always so friendly to everyone at church! I can’t imagine why you would want to leave the farm.” The man shook his head, and then shrugged. “Well, at least he has other boys to take over. Your younger brothers aren’t as foolish as you, are they?”
Gastien smiled. “I would say perhaps they are more foolish, because I know that at least the next oldest wants to farm! No disrespect to you, Monsieur , but I do not have love for the land in any part of my body.”
The farmer thought for a few minutes. Then he snapped back to the present and said “Well, Gastien, what are you waiting for? Jump up here by me in the wagon. I don’t have all day.”
Gastien could not climb up fast enough. “ Merci beaucoup, Monsieur. Merci beaucoup !”
“Sure, Son, but take that bulk off of your back, and you will have an easier time sitting in the seat. Go ahead and throw it in behind you, there is room for it. I don’t think you want to sit for hours with that pressing against your back,” the farmer chuckled.
“ Merci, Monsieur, ” Gastien said as he unfastened the tarp, placed it in the back, and sat on the bench next to the farmer.
“Do you know my name, Son?”
“ Oui, Monsieur . It is Mathieu.”
“Then please call me Matt. You will drive me nuts if you continue to call me Monsieur for the next several hours.”
Gastien looked at him and smiled shyly. “Then Matt it is. I take it you are going all the way to Paris?”
“ Oui , I am. I have some supplies to pick up
He stretched a bit before securing the tarp to his back. He had slept a lot later than he had thought he would. It must have been quite late when he stopped. He needed to get on the road, now, if he dared to hope that a wagon heading to Paris would be coming his way.
Gastien started off down the road once again. He wondered how many more miles he had to go. He should have paid more attention to landmarks during the trips to Paris with his father. Well, knowing it would not make it any closer, he decided, so just keep moving. He did not let himself think past arriving in the city. The only goal right now was to get there.
XI
He had not been walking long when he heard a wagon and horses approaching behind him. Please let it be someone generous who will allow me to ride, Gastien thought. As the wagon approached, Gastien turned and waited. To Gastien’s delight, the wagon slowed down.
“Whooooaaaa!” Peering at Gastien, the man suddenly said, “Aren’t you Jean Beauchamp’s oldest?”
“ Oui , Monsieur , I am,” Gastien answered. He recognized the man from church.
“What are you doing so far away from home in the middle of the morning? And why do you have that contraption tied to your back?” queried the farmer.
“I am going to Paris, Monsieur . I am going to start a life of my own.”
“Oh, boy. That must not have made your father very happy. We expect our eldest son to take over for us as we age. By the way, I am sorry, but I can’t remember your name.” The farmer looked puzzled as to why anyone would leave the farm.
“Gastien, Monsieur . My name is Gastien. My father is very unhappy with me. He asked me to never return.”
“Oh, my. Well, Jean Beauchamp is a stubborn man for sure, but very well meaning. He is always so friendly to everyone at church! I can’t imagine why you would want to leave the farm.” The man shook his head, and then shrugged. “Well, at least he has other boys to take over. Your younger brothers aren’t as foolish as you, are they?”
Gastien smiled. “I would say perhaps they are more foolish, because I know that at least the next oldest wants to farm! No disrespect to you, Monsieur , but I do not have love for the land in any part of my body.”
The farmer thought for a few minutes. Then he snapped back to the present and said “Well, Gastien, what are you waiting for? Jump up here by me in the wagon. I don’t have all day.”
Gastien could not climb up fast enough. “ Merci beaucoup, Monsieur. Merci beaucoup !”
“Sure, Son, but take that bulk off of your back, and you will have an easier time sitting in the seat. Go ahead and throw it in behind you, there is room for it. I don’t think you want to sit for hours with that pressing against your back,” the farmer chuckled.
“ Merci, Monsieur, ” Gastien said as he unfastened the tarp, placed it in the back, and sat on the bench next to the farmer.
“Do you know my name, Son?”
“ Oui, Monsieur . It is Mathieu.”
“Then please call me Matt. You will drive me nuts if you continue to call me Monsieur for the next several hours.”
Gastien looked at him and smiled shyly. “Then Matt it is. I take it you are going all the way to Paris?”
“ Oui , I am. I have some supplies to pick up
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