and had replaced them by the coarse garments and heavy footwear of
the school? I wept with rage.

Having told you of the first impressions which I experienced on my
entry into the college, I shall spare you the recital of all the
torments to which I was exposed during the next six months. I had been
too pampered by the mesdames Mongalvi not to suffer mentally and
physically in my new position. I became very depressed, and had my
constitution been less robust, I should have become ill. This period
was one of the most unhappy in my life. In the long run, however,
work and familiarity enabled me to cope with the situation. I was
very fond of the lessons in French literature, in geography, and
above all, in history, and I made progress in these subjects. I
became passable at Latin and mathematics and at horsemanship and
fencing. I was an expert at fire-arms drill and took much pleasure in
the manoeuvres of the school battalion which was commanded by a
retired captain.

At the time when I entered the college, the convention was
imposing its blood-stained sceptre over France. Representatives of
the people, on various missions, infested the provinces, and almost
all of these who were of any importance in the Midi came to visit
Sorèze, whose title of "Military Academy" sounded pleasing to their
ears.

Citizen Ferlus had a particular talent for persuading them that
they must maintain an establishment devoted to educating a numerous
youth, "The hope of the country". So he obtained all that he wanted.
Often they would send us great bundles of brushwood, destined to
supply the army, our Principal having persuaded them that we were a