Free L'or by Blaise Cendrars

discovery of gold.
    Frau Sutter is staying at the famous 'Stork Hotel'. Her three tall sons and her young daughter are with her. A devoted friend, tutor to her children during the long absence and even longer silence of their father, accompanies her. Frau Anna Sutter, née Dübeid, is a tall, dark-haired woman who hides her excessive sweetness beneath an air of severity. Round her neck, in a gold locket, she carries a daguerrotype of John Augustus, taken at the time when the couple were engaged.
    Anna Sutter has taken a long time to make up her mind. A letter addressed from New Helvetia and dated end of December 1847, summons her to California. Detailed instructions for the embarkation and voyage are attached, as well as an important letter-of-credit on the Passavant, Sarrazin and Co. Bank in Basle. The fact that Anna Sutter is undertaking this voyage today is thanks to her father, the old pastor of Grenzach, who has urged her to it in the name of Christian charity and for the honour of her children; it is also thanks to the devoted care of Martin Birmann, the tutor, who has handled all the travel arrangements and legal formalities, who has made the journey to the bank in Basle several times to obtain the necessary information, and has just brought back from there not only a large sum of money, but sensational news. Today, Frau Sutter feels reassured, she knows that her husband, John Augustus Sutter, is a man of honourable reputation, accredited in the most important banks in Europe and that he is one of the largest colonists in America, the owner of an estate vaster than the entire canton of Basle, the founder of a country, the developer of a region, something like William Tell, for she cannot quite realize what New Helvetia is, and she has heard talk of war and battles; but what do her fears and her secret tremblings matter? She has been able to pay off all her husband's old debts and wipe out the infamous judgement of earlier times. Now, her duty calls her to a foreign land. She will obey that call. The Chief Clerk of the Passavant, Sarrazin and Co. Bank has come to the hotel to bring her letters-of-credit on the banking houses of Dardel the Elder in Paris, and Pury, Pury and Son in Le Havre. He wishes Frau Sutter a pleasant journey on behalf of his directors and takes advantage of the occasion to speak to her about a cousin of his whom he would dearly like to see settled in America. The coachman is cracking his whip outside the front door. The proprietors of the 'Stork', Herr and Frau Freitag, are giving a farewell party in her honour and there is quite a gathering of worthy citizens, who are touched at the sight of this poor woman-setting off on such a long journey. They overwhelm her with recommendations and good advice. Lost in a huge, high-backed armchair, Martin Birmann is weeping and sneezing into his handkerchief. On his knees, he holds a tapestry travelling-bag fastened with a heavy padlock. At last, the whole family is installed in the post-chaise and Martin Birmann bestows the precious bag on Frau Sutter, giving her a complete list, once again, of all it contains.
    The coach jerks forward. There are cries of 'Hurrah!' The children laugh. The mother feels a great wrench at her heart. Martin Birmann takes a double pinch of snuff to hide his emotion.
    Bon voyage!
    Bon voyage!
    39
    The journey is swiftly accomplished. The post-chaise travels hell-for-leather. The family spends the night at Délémont. Next day, at Saint-Ursanne, they eat trout for lunch, and while the children go into ecstasies over the little town, which has preserved its medieval ramparts, Frau Sutter feels her heart contract at the thought that she is about to enter a Catholic country. That night they sleep in Porrentruy. Then, next day, into the land of the heathen, through the valleys of the Joye and the Allaine to Boncourt, Delle and Belfort, where they board the coach that comes from Mulhouse.
    Now they gallop at full speed along thegreat