A strange, quiet morning

'The Last Lesson' by Alphonse Daudet is set in 1870-71. France has lost a war to Prussia, and the French districts of Alsace and Lorraine have passed into Prussian hands. The story is told by Franz, a young schoolboy in Alsace.

That morning Franz is very late for school, and afraid of a scolding, because his teacher, M. Hamel, has said he will question them on participles, and Franz does not know the first thing about them. For a moment he thinks of running away and spending the day outdoors: the weather is warm and bright, birds are chirping, and Prussian soldiers are drilling in the open field. But he resists, and hurries to school.

On the way he passes the town hall, where a crowd is reading the bulletin board. For the last two years, all the bad news (lost battles, the draft, orders of the commanding officer) has come from that board. He wonders, 'What can be the matter now?'

Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle that could be heard out in the street: desks opening and closing, lessons repeated loudly together, the teacher's great ruler rapping on the table. Franz had counted on that noise to slip in unseen. But today everything is as quiet as a Sunday morning. He has to walk in front of everybody, red with shame and frightened.

To his surprise, M. Hamel is not angry. He says, very kindly, 'Go to your place quickly, little Franz.' Then Franz notices that his teacher is wearing his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt and the little black silk cap, all embroidered, which he wore only on inspection and prize days. And on the back benches, which were always empty, sit village people: old Hauser with his three-cornered hat, the former mayor, the former postmaster and others, all looking sad. Hauser has brought an old primer, thumbed at the edges.

Then M. Hamel mounts his chair and says, in the same grave and gentle tone: 'My children, this is the last lesson I shall give you. The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master comes tomorrow. This is your last French lesson.' These words fall on Franz like a thunderclap.