--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Back then we were better-behaved than you…" description: "\"Back then we were better-behaved than you young boystoday; we were better instructed; so I start in my bestest French:Mademoiselle, from the first time..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9d/jacques-roumain-30832_first-time_back-then-we-were-better-behaved-than-yo_2493259.jpg" --- # Back then we were better-behaved than you young boystoday… ![“Back then we were better-behaved than you young boystoday; we were better instructed; so I start in my bestest French:Mademoiselle, from the first time I seen you, on the presbytery patio, I have been transported with the feeling of love for thee. I have already cut down poles, planks and straw in…” quote by Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9d/jacques-roumain-30832_first-time_back-then-we-were-better-behaved-than-yo_2493259.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9d/jacques-roumain-30832_first-time_back-then-we-were-better-behaved-than-yo_2493259.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9d/jacques-roumain-30832_first-time_back-then-we-were-better-behaved-than-yo_2493259.jpg) > “Back then we were better-behaved than you young boystoday; we were better instructed; so I start in my bestest French:Mademoiselle, from the first time I seen you, on the presbytery patio, I have been transported with the feeling of love for thee. I have already cut down poles, planks and straw in order for to build this house for you. The day we wed, the rats will come out of their ratholes and Sister Minnaine's goats will come bray at our door. So then, to assure our franchise of love, Mademoiselle, I ask your permission for a little fresh behavior.” [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A lover declares devotion, promising grand gestures and a future together despite obstacles. **In simple terms:** A lover promises great deeds for love. Key Takeaway Commit fully to love and act on promises. Themes love commitment promise obstacles Mood passionate hopeful dramatic Type romantic declarative When to use this quote - courtship - building a home - overcoming doubts - celebrating love Key Concepts romantic devotion heroic effort future building Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can you take to show love? - How do you balance romance with practicality? A Different Perspective The grand promises may be unrealistic or unsustainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“I have searched all over the world but failed to see a virtue better than being well-behaved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-have-searched-all-over-the-world-but-failed-to-see-a-virtue-better/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Really, trees are nearly as important as men, and much better behaved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/really-trees-are-nearly-as-important-as-men-and-much-better-behaved/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [The poorer children were, to her mind, often better behaved, less whiny, more creative in making use of their own time, and have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-poorer-children-were-to-her-mind-often-better-behaved-less-whiny/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Rochester: I am to take mademoiselle to the moon, and there I shall seek a cave in one of the white valleys among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/rochester-i-am-to-take-mademoiselle-to-the-moon-and-there-i-shall/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“I am to take mademoiselle to the moon, and there I shall seek a cave in one of the white valleys among the volcano-tops,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/i-am-to-take-mademoiselle-to-the-moon-and-there-i-shall-seek-a-cave/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“The very act of accepting her position at Mademoiselle was an act of open defiance against Dick Norton, his entire family, and the gendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-winder/the-very-act-of-accepting-her-position-at-mademoiselle-was-an-act-of/) [Elizabeth Winder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-winder/) > [Words, mademoiselle, are only the outer clothing of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/words-mademoiselle-are-only-the-outer-clothing-of-ideas/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“They’re in the book I gave you, you criminally-minded mademoiselle.” “Oh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-shea/they-re-in-the-book-i-gave-you-you-criminally-minded-mademoiselle-oh/) [K.M. Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-m-shea/) > [Mademoiselle is a fairy," he said, whispering mysteriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/mademoiselle-is-a-fairy-he-said-whispering-mysteriously/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [Mademoiselle? Se�orita? Just a moment! -Grand Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinderella/mademoiselle-se-orita-just-a-moment-grand-duke/) [Cinderella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinderella/) > [“Ah, mais c'est Anglais ca," he murmured, "everything in black and white, everything clear cut and well defined. But life, it is not like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/ah-mais-c-est-anglais-ca-he-murmured-everything-in-black-and-white/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Some folks say That he’s my son! I guess it’s possible, you know. I’ve had so many one-night stands, So many whams and bams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-elliott/some-folks-say-that-he-s-my-son-i-guess-it-s-possible-you-know-i-ve/) [David Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-elliott/) > [“I'm here to do whatever Mademoiselle might desire me to do for her," Ayesha said, in her soft voice. "It will be my pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-rogers/i-m-here-to-do-whatever-mademoiselle-might-desire-me-to-do-for-her/) [Rosemary Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-rogers/) > [“was unrecognizable. “Mademoiselle?” Maggie tore her eyes from the amorphous, feature-less face, cheeks bloated beyond anyone’s ability to discern identity, only the drab brown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-kiernan-lewis/was-unrecognizable-mademoiselle-maggie-tore-her-eyes-from-the/) [Susan Kiernan-Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-kiernan-lewis/) > [“If I’m a monster, mademoiselle, it’s because man’s cruelty has made me so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-l-demeter/if-i-m-a-monster-mademoiselle-it-s-because-man-s-cruelty-has-made-me/) [Rachel L. Demeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-l-demeter/) ## More by Jacques Roumain > [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. At midnight she comes out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-old-men-of-the-village-of-mahoti-re-say-that-the-mistress-of-the/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [She sang a song that sounds like life; I mean it was sad. Délira knew no other types ofsongs. She didn't sing loud, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/she-sang-a-song-that-sounds-like-life-i-mean-it-was-sad-d-lira-knew/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [As they say, when a man begins to have bad luck, even clabber can break his head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/as-they-say-when-a-man-begins-to-have-bad-luck-even-clabber-can-break/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [Misfortune is never invited. And it comes and sits at the table without permission and it eats, leaving nothing but bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/misfortune-is-never-invited-and-it-comes-and-sits-at-the-table/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [And at dawn, the drums still beat on the sleepless plain like an unstoppable heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/and-at-dawn-the-drums-still-beat-on-the-sleepless-plain-like-an/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [The sacrifice to Legba was completed; the Master of the Crossroads had taken the loas' mysterious routes back to his native Guinea. Meanwhile, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/the-sacrifice-to-legba-was-completed-the-master-of-the-crossroads-had/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [Experience is the cane of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/experience-is-the-cane-of-the-blind/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [You cannot eat a cluster of grapes at once, but it is very easy if you eat them one by one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/you-cannot-eat-a-cluster-of-grapes-at-once-but-it-is-very-easy-if-you/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [A tree is made to live in peace in the color of day and in friendship with the sun, the wind and the rain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/a-tree-is-made-to-live-in-peace-in-the-color-of-day-and-in-friendship/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [Peasants are a rude lot, and hard: life has hardened their hearts, but they are thick and awkward only in appearance; you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/peasants-are-a-rude-lot-and-hard-life-has-hardened-their-hearts-but/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [Water. Its sunny track in the plain; its splashing in the garden canal, the sound it makes when in its course it meets the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/water-its-sunny-track-in-the-plain-its-splashing-in-the-garden-canal/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [At noon, you walk across a river. It is dry, with not this much water: it is just stones and pebbles. But it rains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/at-noon-you-walk-across-a-river-it-is-dry-with-not-this-much-water-it/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) > [Heaven has its business and earth has its business: those are two separate things. Heaven, that's the angels' pasture; they are happy; they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-roumain/heaven-has-its-business-and-earth-has-its-business-those-are-two/) [Jacques Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) [Explore all 14 Jacques Roumain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-roumain/) ## More First time quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [“I’m so stressed that a weird Olympic-style commentary starts up in my head. 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And for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/i-m-waiting-for-you-he-murmured-smiling-a-slow-familiar-grin-that/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [“Treat every natural beauty you met as if you see them for the first and last time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/treat-every-natural-beauty-you-met-as-if-you-see-them-for-the-first/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I won’t break your heart. For the first time in my life, I’ve found something worth fighting for, someone more important than me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelle-bliss/i-won-t-break-your-heart-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-ve-found/) [Chelle Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelle-bliss/) > [Life is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-parachute-jump-you-have-to-get-it-right-the-first-time/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [When my kids were in the school play for the first time, I decided I had to make the costumes from scratch and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-alexander/when-my-kids-were-in-the-school-play-for-the-first-time-i-decided-i/) [Sarah Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-alexander/) > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) Mennah al refaey > [“Or maybe your magic isn't that destructive after all. The rain of Doritos, the bed thing,this...Maybe it's just that you create too big, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/or-maybe-your-magic-isn-t-that-destructive-after-all-the-rain-of/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I don't know why, but everybody thinks that I'm short. When they see me for the first time, women are always surprised to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-don-t-know-why-but-everybody-thinks-that-i-m-short-when-they-see-me/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [“I met Suffering on a quiet road, just as the sun was setting behind me. Its presence was heavy, like an old coat I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/i-met-suffering-on-a-quiet-road-just-as-the-sun-was-setting-behind-me/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [“You never talk to the pitcher when…” He shook his head. “You just never talk to the pitcher when--” “I just wanted to congratulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/you-never-talk-to-the-pitcher-when-he-shook-his-head-you-just-never/) [Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/) Browse all 9,309 First time quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Back then we were better-behaved than you young boystoday; we were better instructed; so I start in my bestest French:Mademoiselle, from the first time I seen you, on the presbytery patio, I have been transported with the feeling of love for thee. 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