1669-1747
He got a little famous once
How it happened was the monks at Saint-Jean d’Amiens Abbey got tired of
their old building
And who else but their clever mute artist should draw up the plans and
take charge of its reconstruction
So the man who had learned at the abbey writing reading numbers geometry
mechanics drawing architecture history holy and profane especially of
France got busy
He went to the quarry with Brother Claude and Père Postel and squinted in
the sun and pointed here and there
After twelve years of drawing and squinting in the sun and explaining himself
very well to the workmen the abbey sparkled
Magnificent magnificent they all said the most beautiful house in the town
A memorable day was when Père Postel wrote in his diary March the eighth in
the year of Our Lord seventeen hundred eighteen the Bishop of Amiens graced
us with a visit
He wanted to see Monsieur de Fay our deaf mute boarder to witness himself
all the good things he had heard about him and after seeing his talent and
capabilities he ought to say that we had a true miracle among us
After smiling and nodding and bowing and explaining himself very well
Étienne de Fay hurried back to draw up the month’s lists of things he would
buy at market for the brothers
And always there were deaf children under his charge all of whom learned
everything and to explain themselves very well
One of the pupils was Azy d’Etavigny and he stayed with his master for eight years
But then his father heard of the oralist Pereire that he could make the mute speak
The oralist Pereire said yes yes your poor stricken son shall be a beneficiary of my
secret method and he shall be famous in all the land
Only the deaf pupils remembered their master and told their deaf friends about
him and for one hundred fifty years his French name was buried inside the house
he built and he was known only as old deaf mute there Amiens
