Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 201 The curtain falls, the tide rises.

Archbishop Gibo, in his luxurious private box, felt the most complex and conflicted emotions.

Pierre's singing also moved him; the sacredness in his voice even made him momentarily dazed, as if he were hearing the chanting of angels.

The emotions evoked by music are real and intense.

However, the source of this emotion pierced his belief like a sharp knife!
This ultimate beauty, this sacred sense of redemption, does not derive from the "discipline and punishment of the church" represented by Dean Razzie—

It came from Mathieu, the "worldly" music teacher who was constantly belittled and rejected by Dean Lazie, and from his tolerance, patience and trust!
Dean Lazi stood helplessly to the side, looking utterly repulsive to the Archbishop! A complete clown!
The church has become the villain, hindering beauty and goodness and suppressing genius and humanity!

Redemption comes from an "outsider's" "worldly" means—music and education!

This play is not praising the church at all, but rather celebrating how "secular forces" can create miracles in a place ravaged by the rigid system of the church!

It nailed the church to the pillar of shame!

A dull thud echoed in the archbishop's box.

Archbishop Gibo could no longer contain his anger and the humiliation of being openly betrayed and fooled.

He slammed his fist on the armrest of the private room!
His face was ashen, his chest heaving violently, and the admiration and emotion in his eyes had long been replaced by a raging fire of anger.

But the performance on stage will not stop because of his anger.

The climax has arrived, and the curtain of the finale is about to be slowly drawn back in a tense manner.

The Countess's carriage, filled with "emotion," drove away from the "Pond Bottom Orphanage," leaving behind a huge donation.

On stage, Dean Lazi's fawning smile vanished almost the instant the carriage disappeared.

He turned back into the courtyard and bumped into Mr. Mathieu comforting the children who were still basking in the excitement of the successful performance.

Matthew wore a relieved smile, his eyes bright, as if all his efforts had been rewarded at that moment.

This harmonious scene between teachers and students was extremely jarring to Dean Lazi.

The children looked at Matthew with eyes full of dependence, love, and trust—things he could never earn through fear and punishment.

The credit is his, the donations are his, but the "people's hearts" are not!

Dean Lazzi: "Mr. Matthew, come to my office."

(Scene change: Dean's office)
Dean Lazzi: "Mr. Matthew, the Countess's generous donation is proof of the 'success' of our management model. However, I believe that this 'success' needs to return to its proper, pure path."

Matthew: "Mr. Headmaster, I don't understand what you mean. The children did very well; the music gave them..."

Dean Lazi: "Music? That's just a fleeting embellishment! A means to please those who give alms! True order and discipline don't need these sentimental, weak things that easily breed instability! Look at them now! Their hearts have become wild! They no longer respect the rules as they used to! This is all your influence!"

Matthew: "Director, the children need more than just fear; they need hope, they need to experience beauty..."

Dean Lazi: "Enough! I don't need philosophers or musicians here! What I need is absolute obedience and stability! Your contract is over. Go to the finance department to settle your salary and leave 'Pond Bottom' immediately. I don't want to see you again, nor do I want you to have any contact with any of the children here! Your 'hope' and 'beauty' will only destroy them and destroy the order here!"

The final verdict was cold and merciless; Matthew was about to leave the "Pond Bottom Institution."

Archbishop Gibo sat in his box, feeling a throbbing pain in his temples.

Lazie's words and actions are a perfect illustration of the church's negative image!
He clenched his fists, mentally rehearsing the "corrective speech" he would deliver at the end of the play. He had to salvage everything!
The lights dimmed briefly, and the theater staff quickly changed scenes.

When the curtain rises again, the scene returns to the heavy gates of the reformatory.

Just like when Matthew first arrived in the first act, he was gloomy and cold.

Matthew walked out alone, carrying his worn-out suitcase.

He turned around and looked at the gray building that had imprisoned countless childhood memories, yet also held his heart and hope.

A sorrowful and restrained monologue begins:

[Matthew: "That's it... over? Like a dream. I brought music, left a few songs... and then what? Dean Lazzi is still there, his rules are still there. The children... will eventually forget that teacher named Matthew, forget those notes, and revert to the 'rules' he wanted? Maybe... he was right? Here, trying to sow hope is itself... futile?"]

His confession was filled with the bitterness of failure, which made the audience feel heartbroken.

Many people's eyes welled up with tears again, grieving for the "failure" of this kind-hearted idealist.

The archbishop narrowed his eyes slightly. Perhaps Matthew's self-doubt could be the starting point for his speech later?
While emphasizing the limitations of individual experimentation, ultimately a return to "orthodox" guidance is still necessary?

Just as Matthew turned away in despair, ready to leave this place of sorrow forever, suddenly, a faint yet clear, heavenly singing voice drifted out from behind the high walls of the reformatory and from those windows!

It was a song full of farewells, gratitude, and blessings! It had appeared in a previous scene, but the children hadn't finished rehearsing it when Matthew left.

At this moment, they are interpreting this song with their hearts—

Kites flying in the wind
Please don't stop.

Fly to the sea, drift into the sky

A child is looking at you.
A carefree trip, an intoxicating journey
Pure love
Following your path, flying along your path.
kites flying in the wind

Please don't stop.

Fly to the sea, drift into the sky

A child is looking at you.
In the storm, you spread your wings high.
Don't forget to come back, come back to me. Matthew suddenly stopped and looked up at the tall windows in disbelief.

The audience was stunned and held their breath.

Then, a miracle happened.

Behind one, two, and countless tall windows, tiny hands reached out.

The children couldn't break through the door of the solitary confinement cell, but they squeezed to the window!
One, two, countless paper flowers, carefully folded from exercise book paper, fluttered down from the high windows like snowflakes, drifting towards Mr. Mathieu, who stood there stunned.

At the same time, countless paper flowers, each bearing a message, slowly drifted down from the dome of Richelieu Hall, like a warm snowfall, landing on the entire audience!

The audience members instinctively caught the paper flowers, and saw that they were written in childish handwriting:

Thank you, Mr. Matthew.

"We will never forget your songs." "You are our angel."

"Come back to see us"

Matthew, trembling, picked up the paper flowers that had fallen beside him and on his suitcase. Looking at the words on them, tears finally streamed down his face uncontrollably.

This was not in vain! His efforts, his love, and his music have already taken root and sprouted in the hearts of these children!
They could not be confined, they could not be deprived; in this way, they broke through the high walls and iron bars to see him off!

Another new song has been sung by the children—

Look at the road you've traveled.

The children got lost
Reach out to them
Give them a hand

Stepping into the days to come
Direction in the Dark
Light of Hope
Passion for life
The joy of childhood

Vanished in an instant and forgotten
A dazzling golden light

Shining at the end of the path

..."]

The lyrics are full of gratitude and hope, perfectly matching this scene.

On stage, Matthew stood in a rain of paper flowers, tears streaming down his face, yet revealing the most radiant, relieved, and content smile of the entire play.

He realized what he had changed.

The audience was completely captivated by this incredibly impactful scene.

Emotions surged forth like a flood bursting its banks.

The sobs and choked voices created a powerful resonance.

Many audience members also lowered their heads and wiped away tears, looking at the paper flowers in their hands filled with innocent messages, feeling this emotion that transcended the stage.

As the children began singing the second chorus, someone started a low, tentative humming from the audience.

Soon, the humming grew louder and louder, and more and more people joined in.

Nobles, bankers, professors, students, employees... people from different classes and backgrounds are miraculously brought together in this deeply moving music and atmosphere.

Look at the road you've traveled.

The children got lost
Reach out to them
Give them a hand

Stepping into the days to come
......"

The singing grew louder and louder, eventually culminating in a massive chorus of over a thousand people in the audience!
The Richelieu Hall of the Comédie-Française has never seen anything like it!

It is no longer just a theater for watching performances; it has become a giant choir, where all the audience members express their inner emotions and longing for a better life through song...

And of course, the highest tribute to "igniters of hope" like Matthew!
Archbishop Gibo sat frozen in his box.

The scene before him was completely beyond his expectations and control.

The confetti raining down and the deafening, heartfelt chorus of the entire audience swept away his prepared speech, leaving nothing behind.

His face was ashen, and his palms were ice-cold.

He knew all too well that in the face of such powerful emotional force, any preaching would appear pale and powerless, even laughable and detestable.

He felt like a fool trying to fight the sun with a candle.

What else could he say? He couldn't say anything more.

For the first time, he felt that something he was holding onto was so...fragile in the face of such a force.

Just as the entire audience was in a frenzy of excitement and the songs were lingering in the air, the curtain slowly and solemnly fell amidst a shower of confetti.

The show is over.

(End of this chapter)