Mignon

by James Baldwin

　　

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Here is the story of Mignon as I remember having read it in a famousold book.A young man named Wil-helm was staying at an inn in the city. One dayas he was going up-stairs he met a little girl coming down. He wouldhave taken her for a boy, if it had not been for the long curls ofblack hair wound about her head. As she ran by, he caught her in hisarms and asked her to whom she belonged. He felt sure that she must beone of the rope-dan-cers who had just come to the inn. She gave him asharp, dark look, slipped out of his arms, and ran away withoutspeaking.The next time he saw her, Wil-helm spoke to her again."Do not be afraid of me, little one," he said kindly. "What is yourname?""They call me Mignon," said the child."How old are you?" he asked."No one has counted," the child an-swered.Wilhelm went on; but he could not help wondering about the child, andthinking of her dark eyes and strange ways.One day not long after that, there was a great outcry among the crowdthat was watching the rope-dan-cers. Wilhelm went down to find outwhat was the matter. He saw that the master of the dancers was beatinglittle Mignon with a stick. He ran and held the man by the collar."Let the child alone!" he cried. "If you touch her again, one of usshall never leave this spot."The man tried to get loose; but Wilhelm held him fast. The child creptaway, and hid herself in the crowd."Pay me what her clothes cost," cried the ropedancer at last, "and youmay take her."As soon as all was quiet, Wilhelm went to look for Mignon; for she nowbelonged to him. But he could not find her, and it was not until theropedancers had left the town that she came to him."Where have you been?" asked Wilhelm in his kindest tones; but thechild did not speak."You are to live with me now, and you must be a good child," he said."I will try," said Mignon gently.From that time she tried to do all that she could for Wilhelm and hisfriends. She would let no one wait on him but herself. She was oftenseen going to a basin of water to wash from her face the paint withwhich the ropedancers had red-dened her cheeks: indeed, she nearlyrubbed off the skin in trying to wash away its fine brown tint, whichshe thought was some deep dye.Mignon grew more lovely every day. She never walked up and down thestairs, but jumped. She would spring along by the railing, and beforeyou knew it, would be sitting quietly above on the landing.To each one she would speak in a different way. To Wilhelm it was withher arms crossed upon her breast. Often for a whole day she would notsay one word, and yet in waiting upon Wilhelm she never tired.One night he came home very weary and sad. Mignon was waiting for him.She carried the light before him up-stairs. She set the light downupon the table, and in a little while she asked him if she mightdance."It might ease your heart a little," she said.Wilhelm, to please her, told her that she might.Then she brought a little carpet, and spread it upon the floor. Ateach corner she placed a candle, and on the carpet she put a number ofeggs. She arranged the eggs in the form of certain figures. When thiswas done, she called to a man who was waiting with a violin. She tieda band about her eyes, and then the dancing began.How lightly, quickly, nimbly, wonderfully, she moved! She skipped sofast among the eggs, she trod so closely beside them, that you wouldhave thought she must crush them all. But not one of them did shetouch. With all kinds of steps she passed among them. Not one of themwas moved from its place.Wilhelm forgot all his cares. He watched every motion of the child. Healmost forgot who and where he was.When the dance was ended, Mignon rolled the eggs together with herfoot into a little heap. Not one was left behind, not one was harmed.Then she took the band from her eyes, and made a little bow.Wilhelm thanked her for showing him a dance that was so wonderful andpretty. He praised her, petted her, and hoped that she had not tiredherself too much.When she had gone from the room, the man with the violin told Wilhelmof the care she had taken to teach him the music of the dance. He toldhow she had sung it to him over and over again. He told how she hadeven wished to pay him with her own money for learning to play it forher.There was yet another way in which Mignon tried to please Wilhelm, andmake him forget his cares. She sang to him.The song which he liked best was one whose words he had never heardbefore. Its music, too, was strange to him, and yet it pleased himvery much. He asked her to speak the words over and over again. Hewrote them down; but the sweetness of the tune was more delightfulthan the words. The song began in this way:--"Do you know the land where citrons, lemons, grow,

　　And oranges under the green leaves glow?"

　　Once, when she had ended the song, she said again, "Do you know theland?""It must be Italy," said Wilhelm. "Have you ever been there?"The child did not answer.

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