Prevod
Angleška zasedba dežele, ki so jo kmalu zatem preimenovali v Novo Škotsko, je bila eden najokrutnejših dogodkov v zgodovini. V njej je živelo dobro in srečno ljudstvo, ki je imelo veliko vere in malo zakonov, obilo jedače in pijače, nobenih davkarjev in nobenih sodnikov; skratka, ljudstvo, ki se je upravičeno imenovalo Akadijci, saj je iz svoje dežele naredilo Arkadijo. Nanje so planile britanske ladje, jih zajele neoborožene in nedolžne, jih nagnetle na prevozne ladje — pri tem pogosto ločile moža od žene, starše od otrok — ter jih razkropile daleč naokrog, brez upanja na vrnitev, na razvalinah blaginje in miru pa postavile križ svetega Jurija. Na obali zaliva Minas je še vedno mogoče razločiti temelje številnih domov, ki so jih morali takrat prisilno zapustiti, med njimi pa so tudi razvaline kraja Grand Pre.
Tu sta živela Evangeline Bellefontaine in Gabriel Lajeunesse, ki sta se ob običajnem veselju zaročila tik pred prihodom Angležev. Ko so njune rojake prijeli, sta pričakovala, da ju bodo odpeljali skupaj; toda večino moških so zadržali pod stražo in Gabriel je bil že na morju, namenjen ne on ne ona nista vedela kam, ko je Evangeline ostala sama v očetovi hiši. Žalost in pretres sta bila namreč prehuda za njenega ostarelega očeta in pokopali so ga ob obali, tik preden so ženske iz kraja nagnetli na prevozno ladjo. Ko je ladja odplula, so se njene žalujoče potnice ozrle nazaj in videle, kako njihovi domovi izginjajo v plamenih in dimu, Akadija pa jih ni nikoli več videla. Angleži so premišljeno poskrbeli, da se ti ljudje ne bi mogli združiti v zaroti ali maščevanju: razkropili so jih po vsej Ameriki, od Nove Fundlandije do južnih savan.
Evangeline niso odpeljali daleč, le v Novo Anglijo; toda brez Gabriela so bile vse dežele puste in odpravila se ga je iskat. Tu in tam je delala, včasih se je plaho ozirala na nagrobnike na svežih grobovih, nato pa potovala naprej. Nekoč je slišala, da je na prerijah coureur des bois, drugič, da je voyageur v nižavah Louisiane; toda njegovi rojaki, ki so ostali v njeni bližini, so se radi ponorčevali iz njene vere vanj in jo nagovarjali, naj se poroči z Leblancom, notarjevim sinom, ki jo je resnično ljubil. Odgovarjala jim je le: »Ne morem.«
Po Ohiu in Mississippiju je potovala — na splavu — z majhno skupino ljudi, ki so iskali francoske naselbine, kjer so jezik, vera in preprostost življenja spominjali na Akadijo. Takšno naselbino so našli na bregovih reke Teche in do hiše živinorejca Gabriela prispeli prav tistega dne, ko je odšel na sever iskat Evangeline. Z dobrim duhovnikom, ki ji je bil v letu žalosti v oporo, sta se obrnila in krenila za njim. Dolge, utrujajoče mesece sta čez prerije in skozi gozdove, mimo gora in močvirij, neovirano med domorodci, sledila jalovim sledem in nazadnje prispela v Filadelfijo. Tedaj je bila v duhu zlomljena, vendar zaradi prestanega trpljenja nič manj blaga. Ona, ki je dobila ime po angelih, je postala služabnica usmiljenja in v črnem nunskem oblačilu hodila naokrog ter prinašala tolažbo bolnim in revnim. Po mestu je pustošila kuga in tiste, ki niso imeli ne prijateljev ne negovalcev, so odpeljali v ubožnico. Tja je Evangeline, kakor je bila vajena, nekega blagega nedeljskega jutra odšla mirit ljudi v vročici in vedrit srca umirajočih.
Nekaterih bolnikov prejšnjega dne ni bilo več in na njihovih mestih so ležali novi. Nenadoma je pobledela in ob neki postelji padla na kolena ter v uho prezgodaj ostarelega moža, ki je pred njo hlastal za zrakom v smrtnem boju, dahnila krik: »Gabriel, moj ljubljeni!« Počasi se je zdramil iz otopelosti in skušal izgovoriti njeno ime. Privila mu je glavo na prsi, ga poljubila in za trenutek sta bila srečna. Nato je luč v njegovih očeh ugasnila in toplina je zapustila njegovo srce. Zatisnila mu je veke in sklonila glavo, kajti njena pot je bila zdaj jasnejša, in zahvalila se je Bogu, da je bilo tako.
Izvirnik
The seizure by England of the country that soon afterward was rechristened Nova Scotia was one of the cruellest events in history. The land was occupied by a good and happy people who had much faith and few laws, plenty to eat and drink, no tax collectors nor magistrates, in brief, a people who were entitled to call themselves Acadians, for they made their land an Arcady. Upon them swooped the British ships, took them unarmed and unoffending, crowded them aboard their transports,--often separating husband and wife, parents and children,--scattered them far and wide, beyond hope of return, and set up the cross of St. George on the ruins of prosperity and peace. On the shore of the Basin of Minas can still be traced the foundations of many homes that were perforce deserted at that time, and among them are the ruins of Grand Pre.
Here lived Evangeline Bellefontaine and Gabriel Lajeunesse, who were betrothed with the usual rejoicings just before the coming of the English. They had expected, when their people were arrested, to be sent away together; but most of the men were kept under guard, and Gabriel was at sea, bound neither he nor she knew whither, when Evangeline found herself in her father's house alone, for grief and excitement had been more than her aged parent could bear, and he was buried at the shore just before the women of the place were crowded on board of a transport. As the ship set off her sorrowing passengers looked behind them to see their homes going up in flame and smoke, and Acadia knew them no more. The English had planned well to keep these people from coming together for conspiracy or revenge: they scattered them over all America, from Newfoundland to the southern savannas.
Evangeline was not taken far away, only to New England; but without Gabriel all lands were drear, and she set off in the search for him, working here and there, sometimes looking timidly at the headstones on new graves, then travelling on. Once she heard that he was a coureur des bois on the prairies, again that he was a voyageur in the Louisiana lowlands; but those of his people who kept near her inclined to jest at her faith and urged her to marry Leblanc, the notary's son, who truly loved her. To these she only replied, “I cannot.”
Down the Ohio and Mississippi she went--on a raft--with a little band of those who were seeking the French settlements, where the language, religion, and simplicity of life recalled Acadia. They found it on the banks of the Teche, and they reached the house of the herdsman Gabriel on the day that he had departed for the north to seek Evangeline. She and the good priest who had been her stay in a year of sorrow turned back in pursuit, and for weary months, over prairie and through forest, skirting mountain and morass, going freely among savages, they followed vain clues, and at last arrived in Philadelphia. Broken in spirit then, but not less sweet of nature for the suffering that she had known, she who had been named for the angels became a minister of mercy, and in the black robe of a nun went about with comforts to the sick and poor. A pestilence was sweeping through the city, and those who had no friends nor attendants were taken to the almshouse, whither, as her way was, Evangeline went on a soft Sabbath morning to calm the fevered and brighten the hearts of the dying.
Some of the patients of the day before had gone and new were in their places. Suddenly she turned white and sank on her knees at a bedside, with a cry of “Gabriel, my beloved!” breathed into the ears of a prematurely aged man who lay gasping in death before her. He came out of his stupor, slowly, and tried to speak her name. She drew his head to her bosom, kissed him, and for one moment they were happy. Then the light went out of his eyes and the warmth from his heart. She pressed his eyelids down and bowed her head, for her way was plainer now, and she thanked God that it was so.
