Read Online Wonder by Dominique Fortier - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dominique Fortier
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truth.
“Can you tell me where the WC is?”
Bailey raised an eyebrow but Rochester, still grinning broadly, provided the information requested as kindly as a tourist guide questioned about the age of the Sphinx or the height of the Eiffel Tower. Terribly embarrassed, Baptiste thanked him, closed the door and never again set eyes on James Bailey, of whose collection he was one of the rarest gems.
When he went back to his compartment, Qiu was asleep, head nodding in time to the bumps, while Quan, eyes wide open, was gazing out at the night falling beyond the windows, drowning the fields in a bluish twilight thatwas gradually spreading to the cars. At the sight of them, at once identical and different, the same but given over to contrary states, Baptiste recalled the carnival masks, some of which, from a single physiognomy, expressed fury while on others could be read mirth or sorrow. And then, as the train was speeding towards the gold of the setting sun and plunging into the night. He did not take long to doze off to the muffled sound of wheels on rails and lulled by the swaying motion that reminded him of the sea.
T HE BIG TOP WHERE THE MAIN SHOW WAS TAKING place was itself an attraction because it was the most enormous tent ever made. This marvel was illuminated by more than a thousand electric bulbs – three employees had just one task, to check them every day, one at a time, to replace any that were burned out, and to make sure there were always enough spare bulbs. These were carefully wrapped in straw, like eggs, then lined up in wooden crates that almost filled an entire train car. On flat ground, the tent was visible for kilometres around, like a glittering ocean liner on the plain or some monstrous star fallen to earth.
The performances were introduced by lavish scenes from antiquity and biblical times: the Exodus from Egypt, the Massacre of the Innocents, the Wedding Feast at Cana – these religious tableaux needed dozens, even hundreds of extras, essentially interchangeable and for the most part staying a few weeks or months with the circus before leaving to try their luck elsewhere. Theytravelled together, piled into the most uncomfortable cars, slept crammed into tents they pitched themselves, preparing their own meals outside on small fires that glowed in the night.
Next came the presentation of the Phenomena – the publicity talked sometimes about Monsters, other times about Marvels – that Barnum & Bailey collected the way others accumulate butterflies or rare coins. The Phenomena received a different treatment from that of the extras, nearly as good as that enjoyed by the performers and the tamers. The two groups, however, were carefully kept apart and Baptiste, the bearded lady, and the other oddities of nature were always relegated to the periphery of the camp, not far from the animals.
Clowns, strongmen, acrobats, magicians, wild animals and tamers, elephants and horses were the first real act, sharing the ring in a dangerous ballet; hardly a week went by without complaints of squashed feet, broken hands, or dislocated knees, not to mention the fact that one night, a lion they’d forgotten to feed took a mouthful from the thigh of a horse. Both animals had to be put down before the eyes of the horrified crowd.
Whenever they arrived in a new town or village, while the workers, the stagehands and some of the extras were unloading the wagons and pitching tents and the big top,the procession swung into action, going down the main street to the sound of the brass band under the dazzled eyes of children and those – suspicious but bright with curiosity – of the housewives and passersby who soon flooded into the streets. The procession obviously gave only a general idea of the wonders of the Greatest Show on Earth that the spectators would discover later on, in return for a slight admission fee.
As he was one of the star attractions, Baptiste did not take part in this promotional parade; there
“Can you tell me where the WC is?”
Bailey raised an eyebrow but Rochester, still grinning broadly, provided the information requested as kindly as a tourist guide questioned about the age of the Sphinx or the height of the Eiffel Tower. Terribly embarrassed, Baptiste thanked him, closed the door and never again set eyes on James Bailey, of whose collection he was one of the rarest gems.
When he went back to his compartment, Qiu was asleep, head nodding in time to the bumps, while Quan, eyes wide open, was gazing out at the night falling beyond the windows, drowning the fields in a bluish twilight thatwas gradually spreading to the cars. At the sight of them, at once identical and different, the same but given over to contrary states, Baptiste recalled the carnival masks, some of which, from a single physiognomy, expressed fury while on others could be read mirth or sorrow. And then, as the train was speeding towards the gold of the setting sun and plunging into the night. He did not take long to doze off to the muffled sound of wheels on rails and lulled by the swaying motion that reminded him of the sea.
T HE BIG TOP WHERE THE MAIN SHOW WAS TAKING place was itself an attraction because it was the most enormous tent ever made. This marvel was illuminated by more than a thousand electric bulbs – three employees had just one task, to check them every day, one at a time, to replace any that were burned out, and to make sure there were always enough spare bulbs. These were carefully wrapped in straw, like eggs, then lined up in wooden crates that almost filled an entire train car. On flat ground, the tent was visible for kilometres around, like a glittering ocean liner on the plain or some monstrous star fallen to earth.
The performances were introduced by lavish scenes from antiquity and biblical times: the Exodus from Egypt, the Massacre of the Innocents, the Wedding Feast at Cana – these religious tableaux needed dozens, even hundreds of extras, essentially interchangeable and for the most part staying a few weeks or months with the circus before leaving to try their luck elsewhere. Theytravelled together, piled into the most uncomfortable cars, slept crammed into tents they pitched themselves, preparing their own meals outside on small fires that glowed in the night.
Next came the presentation of the Phenomena – the publicity talked sometimes about Monsters, other times about Marvels – that Barnum & Bailey collected the way others accumulate butterflies or rare coins. The Phenomena received a different treatment from that of the extras, nearly as good as that enjoyed by the performers and the tamers. The two groups, however, were carefully kept apart and Baptiste, the bearded lady, and the other oddities of nature were always relegated to the periphery of the camp, not far from the animals.
Clowns, strongmen, acrobats, magicians, wild animals and tamers, elephants and horses were the first real act, sharing the ring in a dangerous ballet; hardly a week went by without complaints of squashed feet, broken hands, or dislocated knees, not to mention the fact that one night, a lion they’d forgotten to feed took a mouthful from the thigh of a horse. Both animals had to be put down before the eyes of the horrified crowd.
Whenever they arrived in a new town or village, while the workers, the stagehands and some of the extras were unloading the wagons and pitching tents and the big top,the procession swung into action, going down the main street to the sound of the brass band under the dazzled eyes of children and those – suspicious but bright with curiosity – of the housewives and passersby who soon flooded into the streets. The procession obviously gave only a general idea of the wonders of the Greatest Show on Earth that the spectators would discover later on, in return for a slight admission fee.
As he was one of the star attractions, Baptiste did not take part in this promotional parade; there
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