The
Last Lesson, Part 2
While
I was thinking of all this, I heard my name called. It was
my
turn to recite. What would I not have given to be able to say
that
dreadful rule for the participle all through, very loud and clear,
and
without one mistake? But I got mixed up on the first words
and
stood there, holding on to my desk, my heart beating, and not
daring
to look up. I heard M. Hamel say to me:
“I won’t scold you, little Franz; you must
feel bad enough. See how it is! Every day we have said to ourselves, ‘Bah! I’ve
plenty of time. I’ll learn it tomorrow.’ And now you see where we’ve come out.
Ah, that’s the great trouble with Alsace; she puts off learning till tomorrow.
Now those fellows out there will have the right to say to you, ‘How is it; you
pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?’
But you are not the worst, poor little Franz. We’ve all a great deal to
reproach ourselves with.”
“Your
parents were not anxious enough to have you learn. They
preferred
to put you to work on a farm or at the mills, so as to have
a
little more money. And I? I’ve been to blame also. Have I not often
sent
you to water my flowers instead of learning your lessons? And
when
I wanted to go fishing, did I not just give you a holiday?”
Then,
from one thing to another, M. Hamel went on to talk
of
the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful
language
in the world — the clearest, the most logical; that we must
guard
it among us and never forget it, because when a people are
enslaved,
as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to
their prison. Then he opened a grammar and read us our lesson. I was amazed to
see how well I understood it. All he said seemed so easy, so easy! I think,
too, that I had never listened so carefully, and that he had never explained everything
with so much patience. It seemed almost as if the poor man wanted to give us
all he knew before going away, and to put it all into our heads at one stroke.
After
the grammar, we had a lesson in writing. That day M. Hamel had new copies for
us, written in a beautiful round hand — France, Alsace, France, Alsace. They
looked like little flags floating everywhere in the school-room, hung from the
rod at the top of our desks. You ought to have seen how every one set to work,
and how quiet it was! The only sound was the scratching of the pens over the
paper. Once some beetles flew in; but nobody paid any attention to them, not
even the littlest ones, who worked right on tracing their fish-hooks, as if
that was French, too. On the roof the pigeons cooed very low, and I thought to
myself:
“Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”
Whenever
I looked up from my writing I saw M. Hamel sitting
motionless
in his chair and gazing first at one thing, then at another,
as
if he wanted to fix in his mind just how everything looked in that
little
school-room. Fancy! For forty years he had been there in the
same
place, with his garden outside the window and his class in
front
of him, just like that. Only the desks and benches had been
worn
smooth; the walnut-trees in the garden were taller, and the
hopvine
that he had planted himself twined about the windows to
the
roof. How it must have broken his heart to leave it all, poor
man;
to hear his sister moving about in the room above, packing
their
trunks! For they must leave the country next day.
But
he had the courage to hear every lesson to the very last.
After
the writing, we had a lesson in history, and then the babies
chanted
their ba, be bi, bo, bu. Down there at the back of the room
old
Hauser had put on his spectacles and, holding his primer inboth hands, spelled
the letters with them. You could see that he,
too,
was crying; his voice trembled with emotion, and it was so
funny
to hear him that we all wanted to laugh and cry. Ah, how
well
I remember it, that last lesson!
All
at once the church-clock struck twelve. Then the Angelus. At
the
same moment the trumpets of the Prussians, returning from drill,
sounded
under our windows. M. Hamel stood up, very pale, in his chair. I never saw him
look so tall.
“My
friends,” said he, “I—I—” But something choked him. He
could
not go on.
Then
he turned to the blackboard, took a piece of chalk, and,
bearing
on with all his might, he wrote as large as he could:
“Vive
La France!”
Then
he stopped and leaned his head against the wall, and, without a
word,
he made a gesture to us with his hand ; “School is dismissed — you may go.”
the
compact glossary for the extract, all difficult words included, no
blank spaces, format: English word – simple meaning – Hindi meaning
Glossary
Dreadful
– very bad or frightening – भयानक
Recite – say aloud from memory – सुनाना / दोहराना
Participle – verb-form used as adjective or tense – कृदन्त
Mixed up – confused – उलझ जाना
Daring – having courage to do something – हिम्मत करना
Scold – speak angrily – डांटना
Reproach – blame for a fault – दोष
देना
Anxious – worried – चिंतित
Preferred – liked more – अधिक पसंद किया
Logical – reasonable, clear – तार्किक
Enslaved – kept under control – गुलाम बनाया हुआ
Amazed – very surprised – चकित
Patience – ability to stay calm – धैर्य
Stroke – single quick act – एक
ही प्रयास
Round hand – neatly curved handwriting – गोल साफ़ अक्षर
Scratching – rough rubbing sound – खरोंचने की आवाज़
Tracing – drawing by following lines – नकल बनाना
Motionless – not moving – स्थिर
Twined – wrapped around – लिपटी हुई
Hopvine – climbing plant – होप
की बेल
Broken his heart – made extremely sad – दिल टूट जाना
Primer – beginner’s book – प्रारंभिक पुस्तक
Trembled – shook with emotion – काँपा
Angelus – church prayer bell – प्रार्थना की
घंटी
Trumpets – loud brass instruments – तुरही
Drill – military practice – अभ्यास / ड्रिल
Choked – unable to speak from emotion – गला रुँधना
Bearing on – pressing hard – ज़ोर
देकर
Dismissed – allowed to leave – छुट्टी दी
Gesture – movement of hand to signal – इशारा
MCQS
- Why was Franz afraid of going to school
that morning?
A. He lost his books
B. He had not prepared the lesson on participles
C. He fought with classmates
D. He overslept
Answer: B - What topic was M. Hamel going to question
the class on?
A. Pronouns
B. Participles
C. Adjectives
D. Verbs
Answer: B - What did Franz notice on the way to
school?
A. Birds chirping and soldiers drilling
B. Children playing
C. A festival
D. Shops closed
Answer: A - Where were the Prussian soldiers
drilling?
A. In the schoolyard
B. Behind the sawmill
C. Near the church
D. At the town hall
Answer: B - Why was there a crowd in front of the
town hall?
A. A wedding ceremony
B. A bulletin posted with news
C. A protest march
D. A market fair
Answer: B - What type of news usually appeared on the
bulletin-board?
A. School events
B. Bad news of the war
C. Local festivals
D. Birth announcements
Answer: B - Who called out to Franz as he hurried?
A. The mayor
B. The blacksmith, Wachter
C. M. Hamel
D. A soldier
Answer: B - What did Wachter say to Franz?
A. “Run faster!”
B. “You’ll reach school in plenty of time”
C. “Go back home”
D. “Pay attention to the bulletin”
Answer: B - Why did Franz think Wachter was teasing
him?
A. He laughed at him
B. He smiled
C. He said Franz had plenty of time
D. He waved his hand
Answer: C - How was the classroom that day?
A. Very noisy
B. Completely silent
C. Full of decorations
D. Empty
Answer: B - What did M. Hamel carry under his arm?
A. A notebook
B. His ruler
C. A book of songs
D. A cane
Answer: B - How did M. Hamel greet Franz when he
entered late?
A. Angrily
B. Kindly
C. Ignoring him
D. Critically
Answer: B - What special clothes did M. Hamel wear?
A. Green coat, frilled shirt, embroidered cap
B. Black suit
C. Brown jacket
D. Military uniform
Answer: A - Why were villagers sitting on the back
benches?
A. To monitor students
B. To honour and respect M. Hamel
C. To help in teaching
D. To punish the children
Answer: B - Who was Hauser?
A. A student
B. An old villager
C. A soldier
D. The mayor
Answer: B - What did M. Hamel announce as he began
the lesson?
A. School would close permanently
B. It was the last French lesson
C. Exams were postponed
D. He was going on leave
Answer: B - From where did the order to teach only
German come?
A. Paris
B. Berlin
C. Vienna
D. Rome
Answer: B - When would the new German teacher arrive?
A. The next week
B. The next day
C. Immediately
D. After a month
Answer: B - How did Franz feel upon hearing it was
the last French lesson?
A. Happy
B. Excited
C. Shocked and regretful
D. Indifferent
Answer: C - What did Franz regret?
A. Losing his books
B. Playing outdoors instead of learning
C. Arriving late
D. Not greeting the teacher
Answer: B - How did Franz feel about his books during
the last lesson?
A. Useless
B. Heavy
C. Like old friends
D. Boring
Answer: C - How did Franz feel about M. Hamel at that
moment?
A. Angry
B. Fond and respectful
C. Indifferent
D. Frightened
Answer: B - Why had M. Hamel worn his best clothes?
A. It was a festival
B. To honour the last lesson
C. It was inspection day
D. To impress the villagers
Answer: B - How long had M. Hamel taught in the
village?
A. 20 years
B. 30 years
C. 40 years
D. 50 years
Answer: C - Why did Franz wish to recite the
participle rule correctly?
A. To impress classmates
B. To avoid punishment
C. To make M. Hamel proud
D. To show he understood
Answer: C - What happened when Franz tried to recite?
A. He recited perfectly
B. He got mixed up
C. He refused
D. He asked for help
Answer: B - How did M. Hamel respond to Franz’s
mistake?
A. Scolded him
B. Ignored him
C. Spoke gently
D. Laughed at him
Answer: C - Who was blamed for neglecting studies?
A. Only Franz
B. Only parents
C. Both parents and M. Hamel
D. The villagers
Answer: C - Why did parents send children to work?
A. To keep them busy
B. To earn money
C. To teach discipline
D. To avoid school
Answer: B - How did M. Hamel sometimes give children
a holiday?
A. Sending them to water flowers or fishing
B. Cancelling school
C. Organizing a picnic
D. Giving candy
Answer: A - How did M. Hamel describe French
language?
A. Difficult and confusing
B. Most beautiful, clear, and logical
C. Useless
D. Simple but weak
Answer: B - Why is language important for an enslaved
people?
A. To pass exams
B. To write books
C. It is like having the key to their prison
D. To communicate with neighbours
Answer: C - How did Franz feel while listening to M.
Hamel’s grammar lesson?
A. Confused
B. Amazed
C. Bored
D. Sleepy
Answer: B - How did M. Hamel explain the lesson?
A. Quickly and roughly
B. With patience and clarity
C. Using only books
D. Without examples
Answer: B - How did Franz feel the teacher wanted to
teach everything?
A. He wanted to finish early
B. He wanted to put all knowledge into students’ heads before leaving
C. He wanted to write a book
D. He was testing students
Answer: B - What lesson came after grammar?
A. History
B. Geography
C. Writing
D. Science
Answer: C - What words were written in the new copies
for writing practice?
A. Germany, Berlin
B. France, Alsace
C. M. Hamel, School
D. Paris, Lorraine
Answer: B - How did students behave during writing
practice?
A. Loud and playful
B. Quiet and focused
C. Sleeping
D. Running around
Answer: B - What distracted the students briefly?
A. A teacher entered
B. Some beetles flew in
C. A bell rang
D. A fight
Answer: B - What did Franz wonder about the pigeons?
A. If they would sing in German
B. If they were alive
C. If they were hungry
D. If they would fly away
Answer: A - How did M. Hamel observe the classroom?
A. Talking loudly
B. Motionless, gazing carefully
C. Walking around
D. Laughing
Answer: B - What changes had M. Hamel noticed over 40
years?
A. Worn desks, taller walnut trees, hopvine twined around windows
B. New students only
C. New walls and roof
D. The teacher changed
Answer: A - How did M. Hamel feel about leaving the
school and village?
A. Happy
B. Heartbroken
C. Angry
D. Excited
Answer: B - What lesson came after writing?
A. Geography
B. History
C. Math
D. Science
Answer: B - What did the youngest students chant?
A. Numbers
B. Alphabet – ba, be, bi, bo, bu
C. Songs
D. Poems
Answer: B - How did old Hauser behave while spelling
letters?
A. Calmly
B. Trembled with emotion
C. Angry
D. Sleeping
Answer: B - What struck at the same time as the
Angelus?
A. School bell
B. Church clock struck twelve and Prussian trumpets sounded
C. Doors slammed
D. Wind blew
Answer: B - How did M. Hamel react when he tried to
speak near the end?
A. Spoke clearly
B. Choked with emotion
C. Laughed
D. Ignored students
Answer: B - What did M. Hamel write on the blackboard
at the end?
A. “Learn German”
B. “Vive La France!”
C. “Goodbye students”
D. “Study hard”
Answer: B - How did the class end that day?
A. Students stayed late
B. M. Hamel dismissed them with a gesture, they left quietly
C. Students protested
D. School closed for a week
Answer: B
ONE-MARK
QUESTIONS
- Q: Why was Franz afraid of going to
school that morning?
A: He feared a scolding for not knowing participles. - Q: What topic was M. Hamel going to
question the class on?
A: Participles - Q: What did Franz see birds doing on the
way to school?
A: Chirping at the edge of the woods - Q: Where were the Prussian soldiers
drilling?
A: In the open field behind the sawmill - Q: What did Franz notice at the town
hall?
A: A crowd reading the bulletin board - Q: Why did the bulletin-board frighten
Franz?
A: It always brought bad news - Q: Who called out to Franz as he hurried
to school?
A: The blacksmith, Wachter - Q: What did Wachter tell Franz?
A: Not to go so fast; he would reach in time - Q: Why did Franz think Wachter was
teasing him?
A: Because he said Franz had plenty of time - Q: How was the classroom unusually quiet
that day?
A: There was no commotion; it was as quiet as Sunday morning - Q: What was M. Hamel carrying under his
arm?
A: His iron ruler - Q: How did M. Hamel greet Franz when he
entered late?
A: Kindly, telling him to go to his seat quickly - Q: What special clothes did M. Hamel wear
that day?
A: Green coat, frilled shirt, embroidered cap - Q: Why were villagers sitting on the back
benches?
A: To show respect and regret for not learning French earlier - Q: Who was sitting with spectacles and a
primer at the back?
A: Old Hauser - Q: What did M. Hamel announce to the
class?
A: That it was the last French lesson - Q: Where did the order to teach only
German come from?
A: Berlin - Q: When would the new German master
arrive?
A: The next day - Q: How did Franz feel upon hearing it was
the last French lesson?
A: Shocked and regretful - Q: What did Franz regret doing in the
past?
A: Wasting time instead of learning, playing outdoors - Q: How did Franz feel about his books
during the last lesson?
A: They felt like old friends - Q: How did Franz feel about M. Hamel at
that moment?
A: Kind and lovable, forgetting his crankiness - Q: Why had M. Hamel worn his best
clothes?
A: To honour the last lesson - Q: How long had M. Hamel taught in the
village?
A: Forty years - Q: Why did Franz wish to recite the
participle rule correctly?
A: To avoid mistakes and impress M. Hamel - Q: What happened when Franz tried to
recite?
A: He got mixed up on the first words - Q: How did M. Hamel respond to Franz’s
mistake?
A: He did not scold him, spoke gently - Q: What did M. Hamel blame for students’
neglect of learning?
A: Both parents and himself - Q: Why did parents prefer sending
children to work?
A: To earn more money - Q: How did M. Hamel sometimes give
children a holiday?
A: By sending them to water flowers or go fishing - Q: How did M. Hamel describe the French
language?
A: Most beautiful, clear, logical - Q: Why did he say language is important
for an enslaved people?
A: Because it is like having the key to their prison - Q: How did Franz feel while listening to
M. Hamel’s grammar lesson?
A: Amazed at how well he understood - Q: What was different about how M. Hamel
explained the lesson?
A: He was patient and thorough - Q: How did Franz feel the teacher
wanted to give the students his knowledge?
A: He wanted to put it all into their heads before leaving - Q: What lesson came after grammar?
A: Writing lesson - Q: What words were written in the new
copies for writing practice?
A: France, Alsace, France, Alsace - Q: How did the students behave during
writing practice?
A: Quietly, concentrating on their work - Q: What distracted the students briefly
during writing?
A: Some beetles flying in the classroom - Q: What did Franz wonder about the
pigeons on the roof?
A: If they would make them sing in German too - Q: How did M. Hamel sit while observing
the classroom?
A: Motionless, gazing carefully - Q: What changes had he noticed in the
school and garden over 40 years?
A: Worn desks, taller walnut trees, hopvine twined around windows - Q: How did M. Hamel feel about leaving
the school and village?
A: Heartbroken, sad to leave his home - Q: What lesson came after writing?
A: History - Q: What did the youngest students chant
after history?
A: Ba, be, bi, bo, bu - Q: How did old Hauser behave while
spelling letters?
A: Trembled with emotion, cried quietly - Q: What struck at the same time as the
Angelus?
A: Church clock struck twelve and Prussian trumpets sounded - Q: How did M. Hamel react when he tried
to speak to the class near the end?
A: He choked and could not continue - Q: What did M. Hamel write on the
blackboard?
A: “Vive La France!” - Q: How did the class end that day?
A: M. Hamel gestured, dismissed the students, and they left quietly
1.
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