byflattery
;
a
fourth
—
a
timid
man
—
she
kept
in
awe
by
a
sort
of
austere
decision
of
mien
;
me
,
she
still
watched
,
still
tried
by
the
most
ingenious
tests
—
she
roved
round
me
,
baffled
,
yet
persevering
;
I
believe
she
thought
I
was
like
a
smooth
and
bare
precipice
,
which
offered
neither
jutting
stone
nor
tree-root
,
nor
tuft
of
grass
to
aid
the
climber
.
Now
she
flattered
with
exquisite
tact
,
now
she
moralized
,
now
she
tried
how
far
I
was
accessible
to
mercenary
motives
,
then
she
disported
on
the
brink
of
affection
—
knowing
that
some
men
are
won
by
weakness
—
anon
,
she
talked
excellent
sense
,
aware
that
others
have
the
folly
to
admire
judgment
.
I
found
it
at
once
pleasant
and
easy
to
evade
all
these
efforts
;
it
was
sweet
,
when
she
thought
me
nearly
won
,
to
turn
round
and
to
smile
in
her
very
eyes
,
half
scornfully
,
and
then
to
witness
her
scarcely
veiled
,
though
mute
mortification
.
Still
she
persevered
,
and
at
last
,
I
am
bound
to
confess
it
,
her
finger
,
essaying
,
proving
every
atom
of
the
casket
,
touched
its
secret
spring
,
and
for
a
moment
the
lid
sprung
open
;
she
laid
her
hand
on
the
jewel
within
;
whether
she
stole
and
broke
it
,
or
whether
the
lid
shut
again
with
a
snap
on
her
fingers
,
read
on
,
and
you
shall
know
.
It
happened
that
I
came
one
day
to
give
a
lesson
when
I
was
indisposed
;
I
had
a
bad
cold
and
a
cough
;
two
hours’
incessant
talking
left
me
very
hoarse
and
tired
;
as
I
quitted
the
schoolroom
,
and
was
passing
along
the
corridor
,
I
met
Mdlle
.
Reuter
;
she
remarked
,
with
an
anxious
air
,
that
I
looked
very
pale
and
tired
.
“
Yes
,
”
I
said
,
“
I
was
fatigued
;
”
and
then
,
with
increased
interest
,
she
rejoined
,
“
You
shall
not
go
away
till
you
have
had
some
refreshment
.
”
She
persuaded
me
to
step
into
the
parlour
,
and
was
very
kind
and
gentle
while
I
stayed
.
The
next
day
she
was
kinder
still
;
she
came
herself
into
the
class
to
see
that
the
windows
were
closed
,
and
that
there
was
no
draught
;
she
exhorted
me
with
friendly
earnestness
not
to
over-exert
myself
;
when
I
went
away
,
she
gave
me
her
hand
unasked
,
and
I
could
not
but
mark
,
by
a
respectful
and
gentle
pressure
,
that
I
was
sensible
of
the
favour
,
and
grateful
for
it
.
My
modest
demonstration
kindled
a
little
merry
smile
on
her
countenance
;
I
thought
her
almost
charming
.
During
the
remainder
of
the
evening
,
my
mind
was
full
of
impatience
for
the
afternoon
of
the
next
day
to
arrive
,
that
I
might
see
her
again
.
I
was
not
disappointed
,
for
she
sat
in
the
class
during
the
whole
of
my
subsequent
lesson
,
and
often
looked
at
me
almost
with
affection
.
At
four
o’clock
she
accompanied
me
out
of
the
schoolroom
,
asking
with
solicitude
after
my
health
,
then
scolding
me
sweetly
because
I
spoke
too
loud
and
gave
myself
too
much
trouble
;
I
stopped
at
the
glass-door
which
led
into
the
garden
,
to
hear
her
lecture
to
the
end
;
the
door
was
open
,
it
was
a
very
fine
day
,
and
while
I
listened
to
the
soothing
reprimand
,
I
looked
at
the
sunshine
and
flowers
,
and
felt
very
happy
.
The
day-scholars
began
to
pour
from
the
schoolrooms
into
the
passage
.
“
Will
you
go
into
the
garden
a
minute
or
two
,
”
asked
she
,
“
till
they
are
gone
?
”
I
descended
the
steps
without
answering
,
but
I
looked
back
as
much
as
to
say
—
“
You
will
come
with
me
?
”
In
another
minute
I
and
the
directress
were
walking
side
by
side
down
the
alley
bordered
with
fruit-trees
,
whose
white
blossoms
were
then
in
full
blow
as
well
as
their
tender
green
leaves
.
The
sky
was
blue
,
the
air
still
,
the
May
afternoon
was
full
of
brightness
and
fragrance
.
Released
from
the
stifling
class
,
surrounded
with
flowers
and
foliage
,
with
a
pleasing
,
smiling
,
affable
woman
at
my
side
—
how
did
I
feel
?
Why
,
very
enviably
.
It
seemed
as
if
the
romantic
visions
my
imagination
had
suggested
of
this
garden
,
while
it
was
yet
hidden
from
me
by
the
jealous
boards
,
were
more
than
realized
;
and
,
when
a
turn
in
the
alley
shut
out
the
view
of
the
house
,
and
some
tall
shrubs
excluded
M
.
Pelet’s
mansion
,
and
screened
us
momentarily
from
the
other
houses
,
rising
amphitheatre-like
round
this
green
spot
,
I
gave
my
arm
to
Mdlle
.
Reuter
,
and
led
her
to
a
garden-chair
,
nestled
under
some
lilacs
near
.
She
sat
down
;
I
took
my
place
at
her
side
.
She
went
on
talking
to
me
with
that
ease
which
communicates
ease
,
and
,
as
I
listened
,
a
revelation
dawned
in
my
mind
that
I
was
on
the
brink
of
falling
in
love
.
The
dinner-bell
rang
,
both
at
her
house
and
M
.
Pelet’s
;
we
were
obliged
to
part
;
I
detained
her
a
moment
as
she
was
moving
away
.
“
I
want
something
,
”
said
I
.
“
What
?
”
asked
Zoraide
naively
.
“
Only
a
flower
.
”
“
Gather
it
then
—
or
two
,
or
twenty
,
if
you
like
.
”
“
No
—
one
will
do--but
you
must
gather
it
,
and
give
it
to
me
.
”
“
What
a
caprice
!
”
she
exclaimed
,
but
she
raised
herself
on
her
tip-toes
,
and
,
plucking
a
beautiful
branch
of
lilac
,
offered
it
to
me
with
grace
.
I
took
it
,
and
went
away
,
satisfied
for
the
present
,
and
hopeful
for
the
future
.
Certainly
that
May
day
was
a
lovely
one
,
and
it
closed
in
moonlight
night
of
summer
warmth
and
serenity
.
I
remember
this
well
;
for
,
having
sat
up
late
that
evening
,
correcting
devoirs
,
and
feeling
weary
and
a
little
oppressed
with
the
closeness
of
my
small
room
,
I
opened
the
often-mentioned
boarded
window
,
whose
boards
,
however
,
I
had
persuaded
old
Madame
Pelet
to
have
removed
since
I
had
filled
the
post
of
professor
in
the
pensionnat
de
demoiselles
,
as
,
from
that
time
,
it
was
no
longer
“
inconvenient
”
for
me
to
overlook
my
own
pupils
at
their
sports
.
I
sat
down
in
the
window-seat
,
rested
my
arm
on
the
sill
,
and
leaned
out
:
above
me
was
the
clear-obscure
of
a
cloudless
night
sky
—
splendid
moonlight
subdued
the
tremulous
sparkle
of
the
stars
—
below
lay
the
garden
,
varied
with
silvery
lustre
and
deep
shade
,
and
all
fresh
with
dew
—
a
grateful
perfume
exhaled
from
the
closed
blossoms
of
the
fruit-trees
—
not
a
leaf
stirred
,
the
night
was
breezeless
.
My
window
looked
directly
down
upon
a
certain
walk
of
Mdlle
.
Reuter’s
garden
,
called
“
l’allee
defendue
,
”
so
named
because
the
pupils
were
forbidden
to
enter
it
on
account
of
its
proximity
to
the
boys’
school
.
It
was
here
that
the
lilacs
and
laburnums
grew
especially
thick
;
this
was
the
most
sheltered
nook
in
the
enclosure
,
its
shrubs
screened
the
garden-chair
where
that
afternoon
I
had
sat
with
the
young
directress
.
I
need
not
say
that
my
thoughts
were
chiefly
with
her
as
I
leaned
from
the
lattice
,
and
let
my
eye
roam
,
now
over
the
walks
and
borders
of
the
garden
,
now
along
the
many-windowed
front
of
the
house
which
rose
white
beyond
the
masses
of
foliage
.
I
wondered
in
what
part
of
the
building
was
situated
her
apartment
;
and
a
single
light
,
shining
through
the
persiennes
of
one
croisee
,
seemed
to
direct
me
to
it
.
“
She
watches
late
,
”
thought
I
,
“
for
it
must
be
now
near
midnight
.
She
is
a
fascinating
little
woman
,
”
I
continued
in
voiceless
soliloquy
;
“
her
image
forms
a
pleasant
picture
in
memory
;
I
know
she
is
not
what
the
world
calls
pretty
—
no
matter
,
there
is
harmony
in
her
aspect
,
and
I
like
it
;
her
brown
hair
,
her
blue
eye
,
the
freshness
of
her
cheek
,
the
whiteness
of
her
neck
,
all
suit
my
taste
.
Then
I
respect
her
talent
;
the
idea
of
marrying
a
doll
or
a
fool
was
always
abhorrent
to
me
:
I
know
that
a
pretty
doll
,
a
fair
fool
,
might
do
well
enough
for
the
honeymoon
;
but
when
passion
cooled
,
how
dreadful
to
find
a
lump
of
wax
and
wood
laid
in
my
bosom
,
a
half
idiot
clasped
in
my
arms
,
and
to
remember
that
I
had
made
of
this
my
equal
—
nay
,
my
idol
—
to
know
that
I
must
pass
the
rest
of
my
dreary
life
with
a
creature
incapable
of
understanding
what
I
said
,
of
appreciating
what
I
thought
,
or
of
sympathizing
with
what
I
felt
!
“
Now
,
Zoraide
Reuter
,
”
thought
I
,
“
has
tact
,
caractère
,
judgment
,
discretion
;
has
she
heart
?
What
a
good
,
simple
little
smile
played
about
her
lips
when
she
gave
me
the
branch
of
lilacs
!
I
have
thought
her
crafty
,
dissembling
,
interested
sometimes
,
it
is
true
;
but
may
not
much
that
looks
like
cunning
and
dissimulation
in
her
conduct
be
only
the
efforts
made
by
a
bland
temper
to
traverse
quietly
perplexing
difficulties
?
And
as
to
interest
,
she
wishes
to
make
her
way
in
the
world
,
no
doubt
,
and
who
can
blame
her
?
Even
if
she
be
truly
deficient
in
sound
principle
,
is
it
not
rather
her
misfortune
than
her
fault
?
She
has
been
brought
up
a
Catholic
:
had
she
been
born
an
Englishwoman
,
and
reared
a
Protestant
,
might
she
not
have
added
straight
integrity
to
all
her
other
excellences
?
Supposing
she
were
to
marry
an
English
and
Protestant
husband
,
would
she
not
,
rational
,
sensible
as
she
is
,
quickly
acknowledge
the
superiority
of
right
over
expediency
,
honesty
over
policy
?
It
would
be
worth
a
man’s
while
to
try
the
experiment
;
to-morrow
I
will
renew
my
observations
.
She
knows
that
I
watch
her
:
how
calm
she
is
under
scrutiny
!
it
seems
rather
to
gratify
than
annoy
her
.
”
Here
a
strain
of
music
stole
in
upon
my
monologue
,
and
suspended
it
;
it
was
a
bugle
,
very
skilfully
played
,
in
the
neighbourhood
of
the
park
,
I
thought
,
or
on
the
Place
Royale
.
So
sweet
were
the
tones
,
so
subduing
their
effect
at
that
hour
,
in
the
midst
of
silence
and
under
the
quiet
reign
of
moonlight
,
I
ceased
to
think
,
that
I
might
listen
more
intently
.
The
strain
retreated
,
its
sound
waxed
fainter
and
was
soon
gone
;
my
ear
prepared
to
repose
on
the
absolute
hush
of
midnight
once
more
.
No.
What
murmur
was
that
which
,
low
,
and
yet
near
and
approaching
nearer
,
frustrated
the
expectation
of
total
silence
?
It
was
some
one
conversing
—
yes
,
evidently
,
an
audible
,
though
subdued
voice
spoke
in
the
garden
immediately
below
me
.
Another
answered
;
the
first
voice
was
that
of
a
man
,
the
second
that
of
a
woman
;
and
a
man
and
a
woman
I
saw
coming
slowly
down
the
alley
.
Their
forms
were
at
first
in
shade
,
I
could
but
discern
a
dusk
outline
of
each
,
but
a
ray
of
moonlight
met
them
at
the
termination
of
the
walk
,
when
they
were
under
my
very
nose
,
and
revealed
very
plainly
,
very
unequivocally
,
Mdlle
.
Zoraide
Reuter
,
arm-in-arm
,
or
hand-in-hand
(
I
forget
which
)
with
my
principal
,
confidant
,
and
counsellor
,
M
.
Francois
Pelet
.
And
M
.
Pelet
was
saying
—
“
A
quand
donc
le
jour
des
noces
,
ma
bien-aimee
?
”
And
Mdlle
.
Reuter
answered
—
“
Mais
,
Francois
,
tu
sais
bien
qu’il
me
serait
impossible
de
me
marier
avant
les
vacances
.
”
“
June
,
July
,
August
,
a
whole
quarter
!
”
exclaimed
the
director
.
“
How
can
I
wait
so
long
?
—
I
who
am
ready
,
even
now
,
to
expire
at
your
feet
with
impatience
!
”
“
Ah
!
if
you
die
,
the
whole
affair
will
be
settled
without
any
trouble
about
notaries
and
contracts
;
I
shall
only
have
to
order
a
slight
mourning
dress
,
which
will
be
much
sooner
prepared
than
the
nuptial
trousseau
.
”
“
Cruel
Zoraide
!
you
laugh
at
the
distress
of
one
who
loves
you
so
devotedly
as
I
do
:
my
torment
is
your
sport
;
you
scruple
not
to
stretch
my
soul
on
the
rack
of
jealousy
;
for
,
deny
it
as
you
will
,
I
am
certain
you
have
cast
encouraging
glances
on
that
school-boy
,
Crimsworth
;
he
has
presumed
to
fall
in
love
,
which
he
dared
not
have
done
unless
you
had
given
him
room
to
hope
.
”
“
What
do
you
say
,
Francois
?
Do
you
say
Crimsworth
is
in
love
with
me
?
”
“
Over
head
and
ears
.
”
“
Has
he
told
you
so
?
”
“
No
—
but
I
see
it
in
his
face
:
he
blushes
whenever
your
name
is
mentioned
.
”
A
little
laugh
of
exulting
coquetry
announced
Mdlle
.
Reuter’s
gratification
at
this
piece
of
intelligence
(
which
was
a
lie
,
by-the-by
—
I
had
never
been
so
far
gone
as
that
,
after
all
)
.
M
.
Pelet
proceeded
to
ask
what
she
intended
to
do
with
me
,
intimating
pretty
plainly
,
and
not
very
gallantly
,
that
it
was
nonsense
for
her
to
think
of
taking
such
a
“
blanc-bec
”
as
a
husband
,
since
she
must
be
at
least
ten
years
older
than
I
(
was
she
then
thirty-two
?
I
should
not
have
thought
it
)
.
I
heard
her
disclaim
any
intentions
on
the
subject
—
the
director
,
however
,
still
pressed
her
to
give
a
definite
answer
.
“
Francois
,
”
said
she
,
“
you
are
jealous
,
”
and
still
she
laughed
;
then
,
as
if
suddenly
recollecting
that
this
coquetry
was
not
consistent
with
the
character
for
modest
dignity
she
wished
to
establish
,
she
proceeded
,
in
a
demure
voice
:
“
Truly
,
my
dear
Francois
,
I
will
not
deny
that
this
young
Englishman
may
have
made
some
attempts
to
ingratiate
himself
with
me
;
but
,
so
far
from
giving
him
any
encouragement
,
I
have
always
treated
him
with
as
much
reserve
as
it
was
possible
to
combine
with
civility
;
affianced
as
I
am
to
you
,
I
would
give
no
man
false
hopes
;
believe
me
,
dear
friend
.
”
Still
Pelet
uttered
murmurs
of
distrust
—
so
I
judged
,
at
least
,
from
her
reply
.
“
What
folly
!
How
could
I
prefer
an
unknown
foreigner
to
you
?
And
then
—
not
to
flatter
your
vanity
—
Crimsworth
could
not
bear
comparison
with
you
either
physically
or
mentally
;
he
is
not
a
handsome
man
at
all
;
some
may
call
him
gentleman-like
and
intelligent-looking
,
but
for
my
part
—
”
The
rest
of
the
sentence
was
lost
in
the
distance
,
as
the
pair
,
rising
from
the
chair
in
which
they
had
been
seated
,
moved
away
.
I
waited
their
return
,
but
soon
the
opening
and
shutting
of
a
door
informed
me
that
they
had
re-entered
the
house
;
I
listened
a
little
longer
,
all
was
perfectly
still
;
I
listened
more
than
an
hour
—
at
last
I
heard
M
.
Pelet
come
in
and
ascend
to
his
chamber
.
Glancing
once
more
towards
the
long
front
of
the
garden-house
,
I
perceived
that
its
solitary
light
was
at
length
extinguished
;
so
,
for
a
time
,
was
my
faith
in
love
and
friendship
.
I
went
to
bed
,
but
something
feverish
and
fiery
had
got
into
my
veins
which
prevented
me
from
sleeping
much
that
night
.
CHAPTER
XIII
.
NEXT
morning
I
rose
with
the
dawn
,
and
having
dressed
myself
and
stood
half-an-hour
,
my
elbow
leaning
on
the
chest
of
drawers
,
considering
what
means
I
should
adopt
to
restore
my
spirits
,
fagged
with
sleeplessness
,
to
their
ordinary
tone
—
for
I
had
no
intention
of
getting
up
a
scene
with
M
.
Pelet
,
reproaching
him
with
perfidy
,
sending
him
a
challenge
,
or
performing
other
gambadoes
of
the
sort
—
I
hit
at
last
on
the
expedient
of
walking
out
in
the
cool
of
the
morning
to
a
neighbouring
establishment
of
baths
,
and
treating
myself
to
a
bracing
plunge
.
The
remedy
produced
the
desired
effect
.
I
came
back
at
seven
o’clock
steadied
and
invigorated
,
and
was
able
to
greet
M
.
Pelet
,
when
he
entered
to
breakfast
,
with
an
unchanged
and
tranquil
countenance
;
even
a
cordial
offering
of
the
hand
and
the
flattering
appellation
of
“
mon
fils
,
”
pronounced
in
that
caressing
tone
with
which
Monsieur
had
,
of
late
days
especially
,
been
accustomed
to
address
me
,
did
not
elicit
any
external
sign
of
the
feeling
which
,
though
subdued
,
still
glowed
at
my
heart
.
Not
that
I
nursed
vengeance
—
no
;
but
the
sense
of
insult
and
treachery
lived
in
me
like
a
kindling
,
though
as
yet
smothered
coal
.
God
knows
I
am
not
by
nature
vindictive
;
I
would
not
hurt
a
man
because
I
can
no
longer
trust
or
like
him
;
but
neither
my
reason
nor
feelings
are
of
the
vacillating
order
—
they
are
not
of
that
sand-like
sort
where
impressions
,
if
soon
made
,
are
as
soon
effaced
.
Once
convinced
that
my
friend’s
disposition
is
incompatible
with
my
own
,
once
assured
that
he
is
indelibly
stained
with
certain
defects
obnoxious
to
my
principles
,
and
I
dissolve
the
connection
.
I
did
so
with
Edward
.
As
to
Pelet
,
the
discovery
was
yet
new
;
should
I
act
thus
with
him
?
It
was
the
question
I
placed
before
my
mind
as
I
stirred
my
cup
of
coffee
with
a
half-pistolet
(
we
never
had
spoons
)
,
Pelet
meantime
being
seated
opposite
,
his
pallid
face
looking
as
knowing
and
more
haggard
than
usual
,
his
blue
eye
turned
,
now
sternly
on
his
boys
and
ushers
,
and
now
graciously
on
me
.
“
Circumstances
must
guide
me
,
”
said
I
;
and
meeting
Pelet’s
false
glance
and
insinuating
smile
,
I
thanked
heaven
that
I
had
last
night
opened
my
window
and
read
by
the
light
of
a
full
moon
the
true
meaning
of
that
guileful
countenance
.
I
felt
half
his
master
,
because
the
reality
of
his
nature
was
now
known
to
me
;
smile
and
flatter
as
he
would
,
I
saw
his
soul
lurk
behind
his
smile
,
and
heard
in
every
one
of
his
smooth
phrases
a
voice
interpreting
their
treacherous
import
.
But
Zoraide
Reuter
?
Of
course
her
defection
had
cut
me
to
the
quick
?
That
stint
must
have
gone
too
deep
for
any
consolations
of
philosophy
to
be
available
in
curing
its
smart
?
Not
at
all
.
The
night
fever
over
,
I
looked
about
for
balm
to
that
wound
also
,
and
found
some
nearer
home
than
at
Gilead
.
Reason
was
my
physician
;
she
began
by
proving
that
the
prize
I
had
missed
was
of
little
value
:
she
admitted
that
,
physically
,
Zoraide
might
have
suited
me
,
but
affirmed
that
our
souls
were
not
in
harmony
,
and
that
discord
must
have
resulted
from
the
union
of
her
mind
with
mine
.
She
then
insisted
on
the
suppression
of
all
repining
,
and
commanded
me
rather
to
rejoice
that
I
had
escaped
a
snare
.
Her
medicament
did
me
good
.
I
felt
its
strengthening
effect
when
I
met
the
directress
the
next
day
;
its
stringent
operation
on
the
nerves
suffered
no
trembling
,
no
faltering
;
it
enabled
me
to
face
her
with
firmness
,
to
pass
her
with
ease
.
She
had
held
out
her
hand
to
me
—
that
I
did
not
choose
to
see
.
She
had
greeted
me
with
a
charming
smile
—
it
fell
on
my
heart
like
light
on
stone
.
I
passed
on
to
the
estrade
,
she
followed
me
;
her
eye
,
fastened
on
my
face
,
demanded
of
every
feature
the
meaning
of
my
changed
and
careless
manner
.
“
I
will
give
her
an
answer
,
”
thought
I
;
and
,
meeting
her
gaze
full
,
arresting
,
fixing
her
glance
,
I
shot
into
her
eyes
,
from
my
own
,
a
look
,
where
there
was
no
respect
,
no
love
,
no
tenderness
,
no
gallantry
;
where
the
strictest
analysis
could
detect
nothing
but
scorn
,
hardihood
,
irony
.
I
made
her
bear
it
,
and
feel
it
;
her
steady
countenance
did
not
change
,
but
her
colour
rose
,
and
she
approached
me
as
if
fascinated
.
She
stepped
on
to
the
estrade
,
and
stood
close
by
my
side
;
she
had
nothing
to
say
.
I
would
not
relieve
her
embarrassment
,
and
negligently
turned
over
the
leaves
of
a
book
.
“
I
hope
you
feel
quite
recovered
to-day
,
”
at
last
she
said
,
in
a
low
tone
.
“
And
I
,
mademoiselle
,
hope
that
you
took
no
cold
last
night
in
consequence
of
your
late
walk
in
the
garden
.
”
Quick
enough
of
comprehension
,
she
understood
me
directly
;
her
face
became
a
little
blanched
—
a
very
little
—
but
no
muscle
in
her
rather
marked
features
moved
;
and
,
calm
and
self-possessed
,
she
retired
from
the
estrade
,
taking
her
seat
quietly
at
a
little
distance
,
and
occupying
herself
with
netting
a
purse
.
I
proceeded
to
give
my
lesson
;
it
was
a
“
Composition
,
”
i.e.
,
I
dictated
certain
general
questions
,
of
which
the
pupils
were
to
compose
the
answers
from
memory
,
access
to
books
being
forbidden
.
While
Mdlle
.
Eulalie
,
Hortense
,
Caroline
,
etc.
,
were
pondering
over
the
string
of
rather
abstruse
grammatical
interrogatories
I
had
propounded
,
I
was
at
liberty
to
employ
the
vacant
half
hour
in
further
observing
the
directress
herself
.
The
green
silk
purse
was
progressing
fast
in
her
hands
;
her
eyes
were
bent
upon
it
;
her
attitude
,
as
she
sat
netting
within
two
yards
of
me
,
was
still
yet
guarded
;
in
her
whole
person
were
expressed
at
once
,
and
with
equal
clearness
,
vigilance
and
repose
—
a
rare
union
!
Looking
at
her
,
I
was
forced
,
as
I
had
often
been
before
,
to
offer
her
good
sense
,
her
wondrous
self-control
,
the
tribute
of
involuntary
admiration
.
She
had
felt
that
I
had
withdrawn
from
her
my
esteem
;
she
had
seen
contempt
and
coldness
in
my
eye
,
and
to
her
,
who
coveted
the
approbation
of
all
around
her
,
who
thirsted
after
universal
good
opinion
,
such
discovery
must
have
been
an
acute
wound
.
I
had
witnessed
its
effect
in
the
momentary
pallor
of
her
cheek--cheek
unused
to
vary
;
yet
how
quickly
,
by
dint
of
self-control
,
had
she
recovered
her
composure
!
With
what
quiet
dignity
she
now
sat
,
almost
at
my
side
,
sustained
by
her
sound
and
vigorous
sense
;
no
trembling
in
her
somewhat
lengthened
,
though
shrewd
upper
lip
,
no
coward
shame
on
her
austere
forehead
!
“
There
is
metal
there
,
”
I
said
,
as
I
gazed
.
“
Would
that
there
were
fire
also
,
living
ardour
to
make
the
steel
glow
—
then
I
could
love
her
.
”
Presently
I
discovered
that
she
knew
I
was
watching
her
,
for
she
stirred
not
,
she
lifted
not
her
crafty
eyelid
;
she
had
glanced
down
from
her
netting
to
her
small
foot
,
peeping
from
the
soft
folds
of
her
purple
merino
gown
;
thence
her
eye
reverted
to
her
hand
,
ivory
white
,
with
a
bright
garnet
ring
on
the
forefinger
,
and
a
light
frill
of
lace
round
the
wrist
;
with
a
scarcely
perceptible
movement
she
turned
her
head
,
causing
her
nut-brown
curls
to
wave
gracefully
.
In
these
slight
signs
I
read
that
the
wish
of
her
heart
,
the
design
of
her
brain
,
was
to
lure
back
the
game
she
had
scared
.
A
little
incident
gave
her
the
opportunity
of
addressing
me
again
.
While
all
was
silence
in
the
class
—
silence
,
but
for
the
rustling
of
copy-books
and
the
travelling
of
pens
over
their
pages
—
a
leaf
of
the
large
folding-door
,
opening
from
the
hall
,
unclosed
,
admitting
a
pupil
who
,
after
making
a
hasty
obeisance
,
ensconced
herself
with
some
appearance
of
trepidation
,
probably
occasioned
by
her
entering
so
late
,
in
a
vacant
seat
at
the
desk
nearest
the
door
.
Being
seated
,
she
proceeded
,
still
with
an
air
of
hurry
and
embarrassment
,
to
open
her
cabas
,
to
take
out
her
books
;
and
,
while
I
was
waiting
for
her
to
look
up
,
in
order
to
make
out
her
identity
—
for
,
shortsighted
as
I
was
,
I
had
not
recognized
her
at
her
entrance
—
Mdlle
.
Reuter
,
leaving
her
chair
,
approached
the
estrade
.
“
Monsieur
Creemsvort
,
”
said
she
,
in
a
whisper
:
for
when
the
schoolrooms
were
silent
,
the
directress
always
moved
with
velvet
tread
,
and
spoke
in
the
most
subdued
key
,
enforcing
order
and
stillness
fully
as
much
by
example
as
precept
:
“
Monsieur
Creemsvort
,
that
young
person
,
who
has
just
entered
,
wishes
to
have
the
advantage
of
taking
lessons
with
you
in
English
;
she
is
not
a
pupil
of
the
house
;
she
is
,
indeed
,
in
one
sense
,
a
teacher
,
for
she
gives
instruction
in
lace-mending
,
and
in
little
varieties
of
ornamental
needle-work
.
She
very
properly
proposes
to
qualify
herself
for
a
higher
department
of
education
,
and
has
asked
permission
to
attend
your
lessons
,
in
order
to
perfect
her
knowledge
of
English
,
in
which
language
she
has
,
I
believe
,
already
made
some
progress
;
of
course
it
is
my
wish
to
aid
her
in
an
effort
so
praiseworthy
;
you
will
permit
her
then
to
benefit
by
your
instruction
—
n’est
ce
pas
,
monsieur
?
”
And
Mdlle
.
Reuter’s
eyes
were
raised
to
mine
with
a
look
at
once
naive
,
benign
,
and
beseeching
.
I
replied
,
“
Of
course
,
”
very
laconically
,
almost
abruptly
.
“
Another
word
,
”
she
said
,
with
softness
:
“
Mdlle
.
Henri
has
not
received
a
regular
education
;
perhaps
her
natural
talents
are
not
of
the
highest
order
:
but
I
can
assure
you
of
the
excellence
of
her
intentions
,
and
even
of
the
amiability
of
her
disposition
.
Monsieur
will
then
,
I
am
sure
,
have
the
goodness
to
be
considerate
with
her
at
first
,
and
not
expose
her
backwardness
,
her
inevitable
deficiencies
,
before
the
young
ladies
,
who
,
in
a
sense
,
are
her
pupils
.
Will
Monsieur
Creemsvort
favour
me
by
attending
to
this
hint
?
”
I
nodded
.
She
continued
with
subdued
earnestness
—
“
Pardon
me
,
monsieur
,
if
I
venture
to
add
that
what
I
have
just
said
is
of
importance
to
the
poor
girl
;
she
already
experiences
great
difficulty
in
impressing
these
giddy
young
things
with
a
due
degree
of
deference
for
her
authority
,
and
should
that
difficulty
be
increased
by
new
discoveries
of
her
incapacity
,
she
might
find
her
position
in
my
establishment
too
painful
to
be
retained
;
a
circumstance
I
should
much
regret
for
her
sake
,
as
she
can
ill
afford
to
lose
the
profits
of
her
occupation
here
.
”
Mdlle
.
Reuter
possessed
marvellous
tact
;
but
tact
the
most
exclusive
,
unsupported
by
sincerity
,
will
sometimes
fail
of
its
effect
;
thus
,
on
this
occasion
,
the
longer
she
preached
about
the
necessity
of
being
indulgent
to
the
governess
pupil
,
the
more
impatient
I
felt
as
I
listened
.
I
discerned
so
clearly
that
while
her
professed
motive
was
a
wish
to
aid
the
dull
,
though
well-meaning
Mdlle
.
Henri
,
her
real
one
was
no
other
than
a
design
to
impress
me
with
an
idea
of
her
own
exalted
goodness
and
tender
considerateness
;
so
having
again
hastily
nodded
assent
to
her
remarks
,
I
obviated
their
renewal
by
suddenly
demanding
the
compositions
,
in
a
sharp
accent
,
and
stepping
from
the
estrade
,
I
proceeded
to
collect
them
.
As
I
passed
the
governess-pupil
,
I
said
to
her
—
“
You
have
come
in
too
late
to
receive
a
lesson
to-day
;
try
to
be
more
punctual
next
time
.
”
I
was
behind
her
,
and
could
not
read
in
her
face
the
effect
of
my
not
very
civil
speech
.
Probably
I
should
not
have
troubled
myself
to
do
so
,
had
I
been
full
in
front
;
but
I
observed
that
she
immediately
began
to
slip
her
books
into
her
cabas
again
;
and
,
presently
,
after
I
had
returned
to
the
estrade
,
while
I
was
arranging
the
mass
of
compositions
,
I
heard
the
folding-door
again
open
and
close
;
and
,
on
looking
up
,
I
perceived
her
place
vacant
.
I
thought
to
myself
,
“
She
will
consider
her
first
attempt
at
taking
a
lesson
in
English
something
of
a
failure
;
”
and
I
wondered
whether
she
had
departed
in
the
sulks
,
or
whether
stupidity
had
induced
her
to
take
my
words
too
literally
,
or
,
finally
,
whether
my
irritable
tone
had
wounded
her
feelings
.
The
last
notion
I
dismissed
almost
as
soon
as
I
had
conceived
it
,
for
not
having
seen
any
appearance
of
sensitiveness
in
any
human
face
since
my
arrival
in
Belgium
,
I
had
begun
to
regard
it
almost
as
a
fabulous
quality
.
Whether
her
physiognomy
announced
it
I
could
not
tell
,
for
her
speedy
exit
had
allowed
me
no
time
to
ascertain
the
circumstance
.
I
had
,
indeed
,
on
two
or
three
previous
occasions
,
caught
a
passing
view
of
her
(
as
I
believe
has
been
mentioned
before
)
;
but
I
had
never
stopped
to
scrutinize
either
her
face
or
person
,
and
had
but
the
most
vague
idea
of
her
general
appearance
.
Just
as
I
had
finished
rolling
up
the
compositions
,
the
four
o’clock
bell
rang
;
with
my
accustomed
alertness
in
obeying
that
signal
,
I
grasped
my
hat
and
evacuated
the
premises
.
CHAPTER
XIV
.
IF
I
was
punctual
in
quitting
Mdlle
.
Reuter’s
domicile
,
I
was
at
least
equally
punctual
in
arriving
there
;
I
came
the
next
day
at
five
minutes
before
two
,
and
on
reaching
the
schoolroom
door
,
before
I
opened
it
,
I
heard
a
rapid
,
gabbling
sound
,
which
warned
me
that
the
“
priere
du
midi
”
was
not
yet
concluded
.
I
waited
the
termination
thereof
;
it
would
have
been
impious
to
intrude
my
heretical
presence
during
its
progress
.
How
the
repeater
of
the
prayer
did
cackle
and
splutter
!
I
never
before
or
since
heard
language
enounced
with
such
steam-engine
haste
.
“
Notre
Pere
qui
etes
au
ciel
”
went
off
like
a
shot
;
then
followed
an
address
to
Marie
“
vierge
celeste
,
reine
des
anges
,
maison
d’or
,
tour
d’ivoire
!
”
and
then
an
invocation
to
the
saint
of
the
day
;
and
then
down
they
all
sat
,
and
the
solemn
(
?
)
rite
was
over
;
and
I
entered
,
flinging
the
door
wide
and
striding
in
fast
,
as
it
was
my
wont
to
do
now
;
for
I
had
found
that
in
entering
with
aplomb
,
and
mounting
the
estrade
with
emphasis
,
consisted
the
grand
secret
of
ensuring
immediate
silence
.
The
folding-doors
between
the
two
classes
,
opened
for
the
prayer
,
were
instantly
closed
;
a
maitresse
,
work-box
in
hand
,
took
her
seat
at
her
appropriate
desk
;
the
pupils
sat
still
with
their
pens
and
books
before
them
;
my
three
beauties
in
the
van
,
now
well
humbled
by
a
demeanour
of
consistent
coolness
,
sat
erect
with
their
hands
folded
quietly
on
their
knees
;
they
had
given
up
giggling
and
whispering
to
each
other
,
and
no
longer
ventured
to
utter
pert
speeches
in
my
presence
;
they
now
only
talked
to
me
occasionally
with
their
eyes
,
by
means
of
which
organs
they
could
still
,
however
,
say
very
audacious
and
coquettish
things
.
Had
affection
,
goodness
,
modesty
,
real
talent
,
ever
employed
those
bright
orbs
as
interpreters
,
I
do
not
think
I
could
have
refrained
from
giving
a
kind
and
encouraging
,
perhaps
an
ardent
reply
now
and
then
;
but
as
it
was
,
I
found
pleasure
in
answering
the
glance
of
vanity
with
the
gaze
of
stoicism
.
Youthful
,
fair
,
brilliant
,
as
were
many
of
my
pupils
,
I
can
truly
say
that
in
me
they
never
saw
any
other
bearing
than
such
as
an
austere
,
though
just
guardian
,
might
have
observed
towards
them
.
If
any
doubt
the
accuracy
of
this
assertion
,
as
inferring
more
conscientious
self-denial
or
Scipio-like
self-control
than
they
feel
disposed
to
give
me
credit
for
,
let
them
take
into
consideration
the
following
circumstances
,
which
,
while
detracting
from
my
merit
,
justify
my
veracity
.
Know
,
O
incredulous
reader
!
that
a
master
stands
in
a
somewhat
different
relation
towards
a
pretty
,
light-headed
,
probably
ignorant
girl
,
to
that
occupied
by
a
partner
at
a
ball
,
or
a
gallant
on
the
promenade
.
A
professor
does
not
meet
his
pupil
to
see
her
dressed
in
satin
and
muslin
,
with
hair
perfumed
and
curled
,
neck
scarcely
shaded
by
aerial
lace
,
round
white
arms
circled
with
bracelets
,
feet
dressed
for
the
gliding
dance
.
It
is
not
his
business
to
whirl
her
through
the
waltz
,
to
feed
her
with
compliments
,
to
heighten
her
beauty
by
the
flush
of
gratified
vanity
.
Neither
does
he
encounter
her
on
the
smooth-rolled
,
tree
shaded
Boulevard
,
in
the
green
and
sunny
park
,
whither
she
repairs
clad
in
her
becoming
walking
dress
,
her
scarf
thrown
with
grace
over
her
shoulders
,
her
little
bonnet
scarcely
screening
her
curls
,
the
red
rose
under
its
brim
adding
a
new
tint
to
the
softer
rose
on
her
cheek
;
her
face
and
eyes
,
too
,
illumined
with
smiles
,
perhaps
as
transient
as
the
sunshine
of
the
gala-day
,
but
also
quite
as
brilliant
;
it
is
not
his
office
to
walk
by
her
side
,
to
listen
to
her
lively
chat
,
to
carry
her
parasol
,
scarcely
larger
than
a
broad
green
leaf
,
to
lead
in
a
ribbon
her
Blenheim
spaniel
or
Italian
greyhound
.
No
:
he
finds
her
in
the
schoolroom
,
plainly
dressed
,
with
books
before
her
.
Owing
to
her
education
or
her
nature
books
are
to
her
a
nuisance
,
and
she
opens
them
with
aversion
,
yet
her
teacher
must
instil
into
her
mind
the
contents
of
these
books
;
that
mind
resists
the
admission
of
grave
information
,
it
recoils
,
it
grows
restive
,
sullen
tempers
are
shown
,
disfiguring
frowns
spoil
the
symmetry
of
the
face
,
sometimes
coarse
gestures
banish
grace
from
the
deportment
,
while
muttered
expressions
,
redolent
of
native
and
ineradicable
vulgarity
,
desecrate
the
sweetness
of
the
voice
.
Where
the
temperament
is
serene
though
the
intellect
be
sluggish
,
an
unconquerable
dullness
opposes
every
effort
to
instruct
.
Where
there
is
cunning
but
not
energy
,
dissimulation
,
falsehood
,
a
thousand
schemes
and
tricks
are
put
in
play
to
evade
the
necessity
of
application
;
in
short
,
to
the
tutor
,
female
youth
,
female
charms
are
like
tapestry
hangings
,
of
which
the
wrong
side
is
continually
turned
towards
him
;
and
even
when
he
sees
the
smooth
,
neat
external
surface
he
so
well
knows
what
knots
,
long
stitches
,
and
jagged
ends
are
behind
that
he
has
scarce
a
temptation
to
admire
too
fondly
the
seemly
forms
and
bright
colours
exposed
to
general
view
.
Our
likings
are
regulated
by
our
circumstances
.
The
artist
prefers
a
hilly
country
because
it
is
picturesque
;
the
engineer
a
flat
one
because
it
is
convenient
;
the
man
of
pleasure
likes
what
he
calls
“
a
fine
woman
”
—
she
suits
him
;
the
fashionable
young
gentleman
admires
the
fashionable
young
lady
—
she
is
of
his
kind
;
the
toil-worn
,
fagged
,
probably
irritable
tutor
,
blind
almost
to
beauty
,
insensible
to
airs
and
graces
,
glories
chiefly
in
certain
mental
qualities
:
application
,
love
of
knowledge
,
natural
capacity
,
docility
,
truthfulness
,
gratefulness
,
are
the
charms
that
attract
his
notice
and
win
his
regard
.
These
he
seeks
,
but
seldom
meets
;
these
,
if
by
chance
he
finds
,
he
would
fain
retain
for
ever
,
and
when
separation
deprives
him
of
them
he
feels
as
if
some
ruthless
hand
had
snatched
from
him
his
only
ewe-lamb
.
Such
being
the
case
,
and
the
case
it
is
,
my
readers
will
agree
with
me
that
there
was
nothing
either
very
meritorious
or
very
marvellous
in
the
integrity
and
moderation
of
my
conduct
at
Mdlle
.
Reuter’s
pensionnat
de
demoiselles
.
My
first
business
this
afternoon
consisted
in
reading
the
list
of
places
for
the
month
,
determined
by
the
relative
correctness
of
the
compositions
given
the
preceding
day
.
The
list
was
headed
,
as
usual
,
by
the
name
of
Sylvie
,
that
plain
,
quiet
little
girl
I
have
described
before
as
being
at
once
the
best
and
ugliest
pupil
in
the
establishment
;
the
second
place
had
fallen
to
the
lot
of
a
certain
Leonie
Ledru
,
a
diminutive
,
sharp-featured
,
and
parchment-skinned
creature
of
quick
wits
,
frail
conscience
,
and
indurated
feelings
;
a
lawyer-like
thing
,
of
whom
I
used
to
say
that
,
had
she
been
a
boy
,
she
would
have
made
a
model
of
an
unprincipled
,
clever
attorney
.
Then
came
Eulalie
,
the
proud
beauty
,
the
Juno
of
the
school
,
whom
six
long
years
of
drilling
in
the
simple
grammar
of
the
English
language
had
compelled
,
despite
the
stiff
phlegm
of
her
intellect
,
to
acquire
a
mechanical
acquaintance
with
most
of
its
rules
.
No
smile
,
no
trace
of
pleasure
or
satisfaction
appeared
in
Sylvie’s
nun-like
and
passive
face
as
she
heard
her
name
read
first
.
I
always
felt
saddened
by
the
sight
of
that
poor
girl’s
absolute
quiescence
on
all
occasions
,
and
it
was
my
custom
to
look
at
her
,
to
address
her
,
as
seldom
as
possible
;
her
extreme
docility
,
her
assiduous
perseverance
,
would
have
recommended
her
warmly
to
my
good
opinion
;
her
modesty
,
her
intelligence
,
would
have
induced
me
to
feel
most
kindly
—
most
affectionately
towards
her
,
notwithstanding
the
almost
ghastly
plainness
of
her
features
,
the
disproportion
of
her
form
,
the
corpse-like
lack
of
animation
in
her
countenance
,
had
I
not
been
aware
that
every
friendly
word
,
every
kindly
action
,
would
be
reported
by
her
to
her
confessor
,
and
by
him
misinterpreted
and
poisoned
.
Once
I
laid
my
hand
on
her
head
,
in
token
of
approbation
;
I
thought
Sylvie
was
going
to
smile
,
her
dim
eye
almost
kindled
;
but
,
presently
,
she
shrank
from
me
;
I
was
a
man
and
a
heretic
;
she
,
poor
child
!
a
destined
nun
and
devoted
Catholic
:
thus
a
four-fold
wall
of
separation
divided
her
mind
from
mine
.
A
pert
smirk
,
and
a
hard
glance
of
triumph
,
was
Leonie’s
method
of
testifying
her
gratification
;
Eulalie
looked
sullen
and
envious
—
she
had
hoped
to
be
first
.
Hortense
and
Caroline
exchanged
a
reckless
grimace
on
hearing
their
names
read
out
somewhere
near
the
bottom
of
the
list
;
the
brand
of
mental
inferiority
was
considered
by
them
as
no
disgrace
,
their
hopes
for
the
future
being
based
solely
on
their
personal
attractions
.
This
affair
arranged
,
the
regular
lesson
followed
.
During
a
brief
interval
,
employed
by
the
pupils
in
ruling
their
books
,
my
eye
,
ranging
carelessly
over
the
benches
,
observed
,
for
the
first
time
,
that
the
farthest
seat
in
the
farthest
row
—
a
seat
usually
vacant
—
was
again
filled
by
the
new
scholar
,
the
Mdlle
.
Henri
so
ostentatiously
recommended
to
me
by
the
directress
.
To-day
I
had
on
my
spectacles
;
her
appearance
,
therefore
,
was
clear
to
me
at
the
first
glance
;
I
had
not
to
puzzle
over
it
.
She
looked
young
;
yet
,
had
I
been
required
to
name
her
exact
age
,
I
should
have
been
somewhat
nonplussed
;
the
slightness
of
her
figure
might
have
suited
seventeen
;
a
certain
anxious
and
pre-occupied
expression
of
face
seemed
the
indication
of
riper
years
.
She
was
dressed
,
like
all
the
rest
,
in
a
dark
stuff
gown
and
a
white
collar
;
her
features
were
dissimilar
to
any
there
,
not
so
rounded
,
more
defined
,
yet
scarcely
regular
.
The
shape
of
her
head
too
was
different
,
the
superior
part
more
developed
,
the
base
considerably
less
.
I
felt
assured
,
at
first
sight
,
that
she
was
not
a
Belgian
;
her
complexion
,
her
countenance
,
her
lineaments
,
her
figure
,
were
all
distinct
from
theirs
,
and
,
evidently
,
the
type
of
another
race
—
of
a
race
less
gifted
with
fullness
of
flesh
and
plenitude
of
blood
;
less
jocund
,
material
,
unthinking
.
When
I
first
cast
my
eyes
on
her
,
she
sat
looking
fixedly
down
,
her
chin
resting
on
her
hand
,
and
she
did
not
change
her
attitude
till
I
commenced
the
lesson
.
None
of
the
Belgian
girls
would
have
retained
one
position
,
and
that
a
reflective
one
,
for
the
same
length
of
time
.
Yet
,
having
intimated
that
her
appearance
was
peculiar
,
as
being
unlike
that
of
her
Flemish
companions
,
I
have
little
more
to
say
respecting
it
;
I
can
pronounce
no
encomiums
on
her
beauty
,
for
she
was
not
beautiful
;
nor
offer
condolence
on
her
plainness
,
for
neither
was
she
plain
;
a
careworn
character
of
forehead
,
and
a
corresponding
moulding
of
the
mouth
,
struck
me
with
a
sentiment
resembling
surprise
,
but
these
traits
would
probably
have
passed
unnoticed
by
any
less
crotchety
observer
.
Now
,
reader
,
though
I
have
spent
more
than
a
page
in
describing
Mdlle
.
Henri
,
I
know
well
enough
that
I
have
left
on
your
mind’s
eye
no
distinct
picture
of
her
;
I
have
not
painted
her
complexion
,
nor
her
eyes
,
nor
her
hair
,
nor
even
drawn
the
outline
of
her
shape
.
You
cannot
tell
whether
her
nose
was
aquiline
or
retrousse
,
whether
her
chin
was
long
or
short
,
her
face
square
or
oval
;
nor
could
I
the
first
day
,
and
it
is
not
my
intention
to
communicate
to
you
at
once
a
knowledge
I
myself
gained
by
little
and
little
.
I
gave
a
short
exercise
:
which
they
all
wrote
down
.
I
saw
the
new
pupil
was
puzzled
at
first
with
the
novelty
of
the
form
and
language
;
once
or
twice
she
looked
at
me
with
a
sort
of
painful
solicitude
,
as
not
comprehending
at
all
what
I
meant
;
then
she
was
not
ready
when
the
others
were
,
she
could
not
write
her
phrases
so
fast
as
they
did
;
I
would
not
help
her
,
I
went
on
relentless
.
She
looked
at
me
;
her
eye
said
most
plainly
,
“
I
cannot
follow
you
.
”
I
disregarded
the
appeal
,
and
,
carelessly
leaning
back
in
my
chair
,
glancing
from
time
to
time
with
a
nonchalant
air
out
of
the
window
,
I
dictated
a
little
faster
.
On
looking
towards
her
again
,
I
perceived
her
face
clouded
with
embarrassment
,
but
she
was
still
writing
on
most
diligently
;
I
paused
a
few
seconds
;
she
employed
the
interval
in
hurriedly
re-perusing
what
she
had
written
,
and
shame
and
discomfiture
were
apparent
in
her
countenance
;
she
evidently
found
she
had
made
great
nonsense
of
it
.
In
ten
minutes
more
the
dictation
was
complete
,
and
,
having
allowed
a
brief
space
in
which
to
correct
it
,
I
took
their
books
;
it
was
with
a
reluctant
hand
Mdlle
.
Henri
gave
up
hers
,
but
,
having
once
yielded
it
to
my
possession
,
she
composed
her
anxious
face
,
as
if
,
for
the
present
she
had
resolved
to
dismiss
regret
,
and
had
made
up
her
mind
to
be
thought
unprecedentedly
stupid
.
Glancing
over
her
exercise
,
I
found
that
several
lines
had
been
omitted
,
but
what
was
written
contained
very
few
faults
;
I
instantly
inscribed
“
Bon
”
at
the
bottom
of
the
page
,
and
returned
it
to
her
;
she
smiled
,
at
first
incredulously
,
then
as
if
reassured
,
but
did
not
lift
her
eyes
;
she
could
look
at
me
,
it
seemed
,
when
perplexed
and
bewildered
,
but
not
when
gratified
;
I
thought
that
scarcely
fair
.
CHAPTER
XV
.
SOME
time
elapsed
before
I
again
gave
a
lesson
in
the
first
class
;
the
holiday
of
Whitsuntide
occupied
three
days
,
and
on
the
fourth
it
was
the
turn
of
the
second
division
to
receive
my
instructions
.
As
I
made
the
transit
of
the
carré
,
I
observed
,
as
usual
,
the
band
of
sewers
surrounding
Mdlle
.
Henri
;
there
were
only
about
a
dozen
of
them
,
but
they
made
as
much
noise
as
might
have
sufficed
for
fifty
;
they
seemed
very
little
under
her
control
;
three
or
four
at
once
assailed
her
with
importunate
requirements
;
she
looked
harassed
,
she
demanded
silence
,
but
in
vain
.
She
saw
me
,
and
I
read
in
her
eye
pain
that
a
stranger
should
witness
the
insubordination
of
her
pupils
;
she
seemed
to
entreat
order
—
her
prayers
were
useless
;
then
I
remarked
that
she
compressed
her
lips
and
contracted
her
brow
;
and
her
countenance
,
if
I
read
it
correctly
,
said
—
“
I
have
done
my
best
;
I
seem
to
merit
blame
notwithstanding
;
blame
me
then
who
will
.
”
I
passed
on
;
as
I
closed
the
school-room
door
,
I
heard
her
say
,
suddenly
and
sharply
,
addressing
one
of
the
eldest
and
most
turbulent
of
the
lot
—
“
Amelie
Mullenberg
,
ask
me
no
question
,
and
request
of
me
no
assistance
,
for
a
week
to
come
;
during
that
space
of
time
I
will
neither
speak
to
you
nor
help
you
.
”
The
words
were
uttered
with
emphasis
—
nay
,
with
vehemence
—
and
a
comparative
silence
followed
;
whether
the
calm
was
permanent
,
I
know
not
;
two
doors
now
closed
between
me
and
the
carré
.
Next
day
was
appropriated
to
the
first
class
;
on
my
arrival
,
I
found
the
directress
seated
,
as
usual
,
in
a
chair
between
the
two
estrades
,
and
before
her
was
standing
Mdlle
.
Henri
,
in
an
attitude
(
as
it
seemed
to
me
)
of
somewhat
reluctant
attention
.
The
directress
was
knitting
and
talking
at
the
same
time
.
Amidst
the
hum
of
a
large
school-room
,
it
was
easy
so
to
speak
in
the
ear
of
one
person
,
as
to
be
heard
by
that
person
alone
,
and
it
was
thus
Mdlle
.
Reuter
parleyed
with
her
teacher
.
The
face
of
the
latter
was
a
little
flushed
,
not
a
little
troubled
;
there
was
vexation
in
it
,
whence
resulting
I
know
not
,
for
the
directress
looked
very
placid
indeed
;
she
could
not
be
scolding
in
such
gentle
whispers
,
and
with
so
equable
a
mien
;
no
,
it
was
presently
proved
that
her
discourse
had
been
of
the
most
friendly
tendency
,
for
I
heard
the
closing
words
—
“
C’est
assez
,
ma
bonne
amie
;
a
present
je
ne
veux
pas
vous
retenir
davantage
.
”
Without
reply
,
Mdlle
.
Henri
turned
away
;
dissatisfaction
was
plainly
evinced
in
her
face
,
and
a
smile
,
slight
and
brief
,
but
bitter
,
distrustful
,
and
,
I
thought
,
scornful
,
curled
her
lip
as
she
took
her
place
in
the
class
;
it
was
a
secret
,
involuntary
smile
,
which
lasted
but
a
second
;
an
air
of
depression
succeeded
,
chased
away
presently
by
one
of
attention
and
interest
,
when
I
gave
the
word
for
all
the
pupils
to
take
their
reading-books
.
In
general
I
hated
the
reading-lesson
,
it
was
such
a
torture
to
the
ear
to
listen
to
their
uncouth
mouthing
of
my
native
tongue
,
and
no
effort
of
example
or
precept
on
my
part
ever
seemed
to
effect
the
slightest
improvement
in
their
accent
.
To-day
,
each
in
her
appropriate
key
,
lisped
,
stuttered
,
mumbled
,
and
jabbered
as
usual
;
about
fifteen
had
racked
me
in
turn
,
and
my
auricular
nerve
was
expecting
with
resignation
the
discords
of
the
sixteenth
,
when
a
full
,
though
low
voice
,
read
out
,
in
clear
correct
English
.
“
On
his
way
to
Perth
,
the
king
was
met
by
a
Highland
woman
,
calling
herself
a
prophetess
;
she
stood
at
the
side
of
the
ferry
by
which
he
was
about
to
travel
to
the
north
,
and
cried
with
a
loud
voice
,
‘My
lord
the
king
,
if
you
pass
this
water
you
will
never
return
again
alive
!
’
”
—
(
vide
the
History
of
Scotland
)
I
looked
up
in
amazement
;
the
voice
was
a
voice
of
Albion
;
the
accent
was
pure
and
silvery
;
it
only
wanted
firmness
,
and
assurance
,
to
be
the
counterpart
of
what
any
well-educated
lady
in
Essex
or
Middlesex
might
have
enounced
,
yet
the
speaker
or
reader
was
no
other
than
Mdlle
.
Henri
,
in
whose
grave
,
joyless
face
I
saw
no
mark
of
consciousness
that
she
had
performed
any
extraordinary
feat
.
No
one
else
evinced
surprise
either
.
Mdlle
.
Reuter
knitted
away
assiduously
;
I
was
aware
,
however
,
that
at
the
conclusion
of
the
paragraph
,
she
had
lifted
her
eyelid
and
honoured
me
with
a
glance
sideways
;
she
did
not
know
the
full
excellency
of
the
teacher’s
style
of
reading
,
but
she
perceived
that
her
accent
was
not
that
of
the
others
,
and
wanted
to
discover
what
I
thought
;
I
masked
my
visage
with
indifference
,
and
ordered
the
next
girl
to
proceed
.
When
the
lesson
was
over
,
I
took
advantage
of
the
confusion
caused
by
breaking
up
,
to
approach
Mdlle
.
Henri
;
she
was
standing
near
the
window
and
retired
as
I
advanced
;
she
thought
I
wanted
to
look
out
,
and
did
not
imagine
that
I
could
have
anything
to
say
to
her
.
I
took
her
exercise-book
out
of
her
hand
;
as
I
turned
over
the
leaves
I
addressed
her
:
—
“
You
have
had
lessons
in
English
before
?
”
I
asked
.
“
No
,
sir
.
”
“
No
!
you
read
it
well
;
you
have
been
in
England
?
”
“
Oh
,
no
!
”
with
some
animation
.
“
You
have
been
in
English
families
?
”
Still
the
answer
was
“
No.
”
Here
my
eye
,
resting
on
the
flyleaf
of
the
book
,
saw
written
,
“
Frances
Evan
Henri
.
”
“
Your
name
?
”
I
asked
“
Yes
,
sir
.
”
My
interrogations
were
cut
short
;
I
heard
a
little
rustling
behind
me
,
and
close
at
my
back
was
the
directress
,
professing
to
be
examining
the
interior
of
a
desk
.
“
Mademoiselle
,
”
said
she
,
looking
up
and
addressing
the
teacher
,
“
Will
you
have
the
goodness
to
go
and
stand
in
the
corridor
,
while
the
young
ladies
are
putting
on
their
things
,
and
try
to
keep
some
order
?
”
Mdlle
.
Henri
obeyed
.
“
What
splendid
weather
!
”
observed
the
directress
cheerfully
,
glancing
at
the
same
time
from
the
window
.
I
assented
and
was
withdrawing
.
“
What
of
your
new
pupil
,
monsieur
?
”
continued
she
,
following
my
retreating
steps
.
“
Is
she
likely
to
make
progress
in
English
?
”
“
Indeed
I
can
hardly
judge
.
She
possesses
a
pretty
good
accent
;
of
her
real
knowledge
of
the
language
I
have
as
yet
had
no
opportunity
of
forming
an
opinion
.
”
“
And
her
natural
capacity
,
monsieur
?
I
have
had
my
fears
about
that
:
can
you
relieve
me
by
an
assurance
at
least
of
its
average
power
?
”
“
I
see
no
reason
to
doubt
its
average
power
,
mademoiselle
,
but
really
I
scarcely
know
her
,
and
have
not
had
time
to
study
the
calibre
of
her
capacity
.
I
wish
you
a
very
good
afternoon
.
”
She
still
pursued
me
.
“
You
will
observe
,
monsieur
,
and
tell
me
what
you
think
;
I
could
so
much
better
rely
on
your
opinion
than
on
my
own
;
women
cannot
judge
of
these
things
as
men
can
,
and
,
excuse
my
pertinacity
,
monsieur
,
but
it
is
natural
I
should
feel
interested
about
this
poor
little
girl
(
pauvre
petite
)
;
she
has
scarcely
any
relations
,
her
own
efforts
are
all
she
has
to
look
to
,
her
acquirements
must
be
her
sole
fortune
;
her
present
position
has
once
been
mine
,
or
nearly
so
;
it
is
then
but
natural
I
should
sympathize
with
her
;
and
sometimes
when
I
see
the
difficulty
she
has
in
managing
pupils
,
I
feel
quite
chagrined
.
I
doubt
not
she
does
her
best
,
her
intentions
are
excellent
;
but
,
monsieur
,
she
wants
tact
and
firmness
.
I
have
talked
to
her
on
the
subject
,
but
I
am
not
fluent
,
and
probably
did
not
express
myself
with
clearness
;
she
never
appears
to
comprehend
me
.
Now
,
would
you
occasionally
,
when
you
see
an
opportunity
,
slip
in
a
word
of
advice
to
her
on
the
subject
;
men
have
so
much
more
influence
than
women
have
—
they
argue
so
much
more
logically
than
we
do
;
and
you
,
monsieur
,
in
particular
,
have
so
paramount
a
power
of
making
yourself
obeyed
;
a
word
of
advice
from
you
could
not
but
do
her
good
;
even
if
she
were
sullen
and
headstrong
(
which
I
hope
she
is
not
)
,
she
would
scarcely
refuse
to
listen
to
you
;
for
my
own
part
,
I
can
truly
say
that
I
never
attend
one
of
your
lessons
without
deriving
benefit
from
witnessing
your
management
of
the
pupils
.
The
other
masters
are
a
constant
source
of
anxiety
to
me
;
they
cannot
impress
the
young
ladies
with
sentiments
of
respect
,
nor
restrain
the
levity
natural
to
youth
:
in
you
,
monsieur
,
I
feel
the
most
absolute
confidence
;
try
then
to
put
this
poor
child
into
the
way
of
controlling
our
giddy
,
high-spirited
Brabantoises
.
But
,
monsieur
,
I
would
add
one
word
more
;
don’t
alarm
her
amour
propre
;
beware
of
inflicting
a
wound
there
.
I
reluctantly
admit
that
in
that
particular
she
is
blameably
—
some
would
say
ridiculously
—
susceptible
.
I
fear
I
have
touched
this
sore
point
inadvertently
,
and
she
cannot
get
over
it
.
”
During
the
greater
part
of
this
harangue
my
hand
was
on
the
lock
of
the
outer
door
;
I
now
turned
it
.
“
Au
revoir
,
mademoiselle
,
”
said
I
,
and
I
escaped
.
I
saw
the
directress’s
stock
of
words
was
yet
far
from
exhausted
.
She
looked
after
me
,
she
would
fain
have
detained
me
longer
.
Her
manner
towards
me
had
been
altered
ever
since
I
had
begun
to
treat
her
with
hardness
and
indifference
:
she
almost
cringed
to
me
on
every
occasion
;
she
consulted
my
countenance
incessantly
,
and
beset
me
with
innumerable
little
officious
attentions
.
Servility
creates
despotism
.
This
slavish
homage
,
instead
of
softening
my
heart
,
only
pampered
whatever
was
stern
and
exacting
in
its
mood
.
The
very
circumstance
of
her
hovering
round
me
like
a
fascinated
bird
,
seemed
to
transform
me
into
a
rigid
pillar
of
stone
;
her
flatteries
irritated
my
scorn
,
her
blandishments
confirmed
my
reserve
.
At
times
I
wondered
what
she
meant
by
giving
herself
such
trouble
to
win
me
,
when
the
more
profitable
Pelet
was
already
in
her
nets
,
and
