account.
”
“
If
the
wind
sits
that
way
,
I’m
satisfied
.
I
thought
my
unexampled
generosity
in
turning
you
out
of
that
accursed
counting-house
would
be
duly
appreciated
some
day
:
‘Cast
your
bread
on
the
waters
,
and
it
shall
be
found
after
many
days
,
’
say
the
Scriptures
.
Yes
,
that’s
right
,
lad
—
make
much
of
me
—
I’m
a
nonpareil
:
there’s
nothing
like
me
in
the
common
herd
.
In
the
meantime
,
to
put
all
humbug
aside
and
talk
sense
for
a
few
moments
,
you
would
be
greatly
the
better
of
a
situation
,
and
what
is
more
,
you
are
a
fool
if
you
refuse
to
take
one
from
any
hand
that
offers
it
.
”
“
Very
well
,
Mr.
Hunsden
;
now
you
have
settled
that
point
,
talk
of
something
else
.
What
news
from
X
—
—
?
”
“
I
have
not
settled
that
point
,
or
at
least
there
is
another
to
settle
before
we
get
to
X
—
—
.
Is
this
Miss
Zenobie
”
(
Zoraide
,
interposed
I
)
—
“
well
,
Zoraide
—
is
she
really
married
to
Pelet
?
”
“
I
tell
you
yes
—
and
if
you
don’t
believe
me
,
go
and
ask
the
cure
of
St.
Jacques
.
”
“
And
your
heart
is
broken
?
”
“
I
am
not
aware
that
it
is
;
it
feels
all
right
—
beats
as
usual
.
”
“
Then
your
feelings
are
less
superfine
than
I
took
them
to
be
;
you
must
be
a
coarse
,
callous
character
,
to
bear
such
a
thwack
without
staggering
under
it
.
”
“
Staggering
under
it
?
What
the
deuce
is
there
to
stagger
under
in
the
circumstance
of
a
Belgian
schoolmistress
marrying
a
French
schoolmaster
?
The
progeny
will
doubtless
be
a
strange
hybrid
race
;
but
that’s
their
look-out
—
not
mine
.
”
“
He
indulges
in
scurrilous
jests
,
and
the
bride
was
his
affianced
one
!
”
“
Who
said
so
?
”
“
Brown
.
”
“
I’ll
tell
you
what
,
Hunsden
—
Brown
is
an
old
gossip
.
”
“
He
is
;
but
in
the
meantime
,
if
his
gossip
be
founded
on
less
than
fact
—
if
you
took
no
particular
interest
in
Miss
Zoraide
—
why
,
O
youthful
pedagogue
!
did
you
leave
your
place
in
consequence
of
her
becoming
Madame
Pelet
?
”
“
Because
—
”
I
felt
my
face
grow
a
little
hot
;
“
because
—
in
short
,
Mr.
Hunsden
,
I
decline
answering
any
more
questions
,
”
and
I
plunged
my
hands
deep
in
my
breeches
pocket
.
Hunsden
triumphed
:
his
eyes
—
his
laugh
announced
victory
.
“
What
the
deuce
are
you
laughing
at
,
Mr.
Hunsden
?
”
“
At
your
exemplary
composure
.
Well
,
lad
,
I’ll
not
bore
you
;
I
see
how
it
is
:
Zoraide
has
jilted
you
—
married
some
one
richer
,
as
any
sensible
woman
would
have
done
if
she
had
had
the
chance
.
”
I
made
no
reply
—
I
let
him
think
so
,
not
feeling
inclined
to
enter
into
an
explanation
of
the
real
state
of
things
,
and
as
little
to
forge
a
false
account
;
but
it
was
not
easy
to
blind
Hunsden
;
my
very
silence
,
instead
of
convincing
him
that
he
had
hit
the
truth
,
seemed
to
render
him
doubtful
about
it
;
he
went
on
:
—
“
I
suppose
the
affair
has
been
conducted
as
such
affairs
always
are
amongst
rational
people
:
you
offered
her
your
youth
and
your
talents
—
such
as
they
are
—
in
exchange
for
her
position
and
money
:
I
don’t
suppose
you
took
appearance
,
or
what
is
called
love
,
into
the
account
—
for
I
understand
she
is
older
than
you
,
and
Brown
says
,
rather
sensible-looking
than
beautiful
.
She
,
having
then
no
chance
of
making
a
better
bargain
,
was
at
first
inclined
to
come
to
terms
with
you
,
but
Pelet
—
the
head
of
a
flourishing
school
—
stepped
in
with
a
higher
bid
;
she
accepted
,
and
he
has
got
her
:
a
correct
transaction
—
perfectly
so
—
business-like
and
legitimate
.
And
now
we’ll
talk
of
something
else
.
”
“
Do
,
”
said
I
,
very
glad
to
dismiss
the
topic
,
and
especially
glad
to
have
baffled
the
sagacity
of
my
cross-questioner
—
if
,
indeed
,
I
had
baffled
it
;
for
though
his
words
now
led
away
from
the
dangerous
point
,
his
eyes
,
keen
and
watchful
,
seemed
still
preoccupied
with
the
former
idea
.
“
You
want
to
hear
news
from
X
—
—
?
And
what
interest
can
you
have
in
X
—
—
?
You
left
no
friends
there
,
for
you
made
none
.
Nobody
ever
asks
after
you
—
neither
man
nor
woman
;
and
if
I
mention
your
name
in
company
,
the
men
look
as
if
I
had
spoken
of
Prester
John
;
and
the
women
sneer
covertly
.
Our
X
—
—
belles
must
have
disliked
you
.
How
did
you
excite
their
displeasure
?
”
“
I
don’t
know
.
I
seldom
spoke
to
them
—
they
were
nothing
to
me
.
I
considered
them
only
as
something
to
be
glanced
at
from
a
distance
;
their
dresses
and
faces
were
often
pleasing
enough
to
the
eye
:
but
I
could
not
understand
their
conversation
,
nor
even
read
their
countenances
.
When
I
caught
snatches
of
what
they
said
,
I
could
never
make
much
of
it
;
and
the
play
of
their
lips
and
eyes
did
not
help
me
at
all
.
”
“
That
was
your
fault
,
not
theirs
.
There
are
sensible
,
as
well
as
handsome
women
in
X
—
—
;
women
it
is
worth
any
man’s
while
to
talk
to
,
and
with
whom
I
can
talk
with
pleasure
:
but
you
had
and
have
no
pleasant
address
;
there
is
nothing
in
you
to
induce
a
woman
to
be
affable
.
I
have
remarked
you
sitting
near
the
door
in
a
room
full
of
company
,
bent
on
hearing
,
not
on
speaking
;
on
observing
,
not
on
entertaining
;
looking
frigidly
shy
at
the
commencement
of
a
party
,
confusingly
vigilant
about
the
middle
,
and
insultingly
weary
towards
the
end
.
Is
that
the
way
,
do
you
think
,
ever
to
communicate
pleasure
or
excite
interest
?
No
;
and
if
you
are
generally
unpopular
,
it
is
because
you
deserve
to
be
so
.
”
“
Content
!
”
I
ejaculated
.
“
No
,
you
are
not
content
;
you
see
beauty
always
turning
its
back
on
you
;
you
are
mortified
and
then
you
sneer
.
I
verily
believe
all
that
is
desirable
on
earth
—
wealth
,
reputation
,
love
—
will
for
ever
to
you
be
the
ripe
grapes
on
the
high
trellis
:
you’ll
look
up
at
them
;
they
will
tantalize
in
you
the
lust
of
the
eye
;
but
they
are
out
of
reach
:
you
have
not
the
address
to
fetch
a
ladder
,
and
you’ll
go
away
calling
them
sour
.
”
Cutting
as
these
words
might
have
been
under
some
circumstances
,
they
drew
no
blood
now
.
My
life
was
changed
;
my
experience
had
been
varied
since
I
left
X
—
—
,
but
Hunsden
could
not
know
this
;
he
had
seen
me
only
in
the
character
of
Mr.
Crimsworth’s
clerk
—
a
dependant
amongst
wealthy
strangers
,
meeting
disdain
with
a
hard
front
,
conscious
of
an
unsocial
and
unattractive
exterior
,
refusing
to
sue
for
notice
which
I
was
sure
would
be
withheld
,
declining
to
evince
an
admiration
which
I
knew
would
be
scorned
as
worthless
.
He
could
not
be
aware
that
since
then
youth
and
loveliness
had
been
to
me
everyday
objects
;
that
I
had
studied
them
at
leisure
and
closely
,
and
had
seen
the
plain
texture
of
truth
under
the
embroidery
of
appearance
;
nor
could
he
,
keen-sighted
as
he
was
,
penetrate
into
my
heart
,
search
my
brain
,
and
read
my
peculiar
sympathies
and
antipathies
;
he
had
not
known
me
long
enough
,
or
well
enough
,
to
perceive
how
low
my
feelings
would
ebb
under
some
influences
,
powerful
over
most
minds
;
how
high
,
how
fast
they
would
flow
under
other
influences
,
that
perhaps
acted
with
the
more
intense
force
on
me
,
because
they
acted
on
me
alone
.
Neither
could
he
suspect
for
an
instant
the
history
of
my
communications
with
Mdlle
.
Reuter
;
secret
to
him
and
to
all
others
was
the
tale
of
her
strange
infatuation
;
her
blandishments
,
her
wiles
had
been
seen
but
by
me
,
and
to
me
only
were
they
known
;
but
they
had
changed
me
,
for
they
had
proved
that
I
could
impress
.
A
sweeter
secret
nestled
deeper
in
my
heart
;
one
full
of
tenderness
and
as
full
of
strength
:
it
took
the
sting
out
of
Hunsden’s
sarcasm
;
it
kept
me
unbent
by
shame
,
and
unstirred
by
wrath
.
But
of
all
this
I
could
say
nothing
—
nothing
decisive
at
least
;
uncertainty
sealed
my
lips
,
and
during
the
interval
of
silence
by
which
alone
I
replied
to
Mr.
Hunsden
,
I
made
up
my
mind
to
be
for
the
present
wholly
misjudged
by
him
,
and
misjudged
I
was
;
he
thought
he
had
been
rather
too
hard
upon
me
,
and
that
I
was
crushed
by
the
weight
of
his
upbraidings
;
so
to
re-assure
me
he
said
,
doubtless
I
should
mend
some
day
;
I
was
only
at
the
beginning
of
life
yet
;
and
since
happily
I
was
not
quite
without
sense
,
every
false
step
I
made
would
be
a
good
lesson
.
Just
then
I
turned
my
face
a
little
to
the
light
;
the
approach
of
twilight
,
and
my
position
in
the
window-seat
,
had
,
for
the
last
ten
minutes
,
prevented
him
from
studying
my
countenance
;
as
I
moved
,
however
,
he
caught
an
expression
which
he
thus
interpreted
:
—
“
Confound
it
!
How
doggedly
self-approving
the
lad
looks
!
I
thought
he
was
fit
to
die
with
shame
,
and
there
he
sits
grinning
smiles
,
as
good
as
to
say
,
‘Let
the
world
wag
as
it
will
,
I’ve
the
philosopher’s
stone
in
my
waist-coat
pocket
,
and
the
elixir
of
life
in
my
cupboard
;
I’m
independent
of
both
Fate
and
Fortune.’
”
“
Hunsden
—
you
spoke
of
grapes
;
I
was
thinking
of
a
fruit
I
like
better
than
your
X
—
—
hot-house
grapes
—
an
unique
fruit
,
growing
wild
,
which
I
have
marked
as
my
own
,
and
hope
one
day
to
gather
and
taste
.
It
is
of
no
use
your
offering
me
the
draught
of
bitterness
,
or
threatening
me
with
death
by
thirst
:
I
have
the
anticipation
of
sweetness
on
my
palate
;
the
hope
of
freshness
on
my
lips
;
I
can
reject
the
unsavoury
,
and
endure
the
exhausting
.
”
“
For
how
long
?
”
“
Till
the
next
opportunity
for
effort
;
and
as
the
prize
of
success
will
be
a
treasure
after
my
own
heart
,
I’ll
bring
a
bull’s
strength
to
the
struggle
.
”
“
Bad
luck
crushes
bulls
as
easily
as
bullaces
;
and
,
I
believe
,
the
fury
dogs
you
:
you
were
born
with
a
wooden
spoon
in
your
mouth
,
depend
on
it
.
”
“
I
believe
you
;
and
I
mean
to
make
my
wooden
spoon
do
the
work
of
some
people’s
silver
ladles
:
grasped
firmly
,
and
handled
nimbly
,
even
a
wooden
spoon
will
shovel
up
broth
.
”
Hunsden
rose
:
“
I
see
,
”
said
he
;
“
I
suppose
you’re
one
of
those
who
develop
best
unwatched
,
and
act
best
unaided
—
work
your
own
way
.
Now
,
I’ll
go
.
”
And
,
without
another
word
,
he
was
going
;
at
the
door
he
turned
:
—
“
Crimsworth
Hall
is
sold
,
”
said
he
.
“
Sold
!
”
was
my
echo
.
“
Yes
;
you
know
,
of
course
,
that
your
brother
failed
three
months
ago
?
”
“
What
!
Edward
Crimsworth
?
”
“
Precisely
;
and
his
wife
went
home
to
her
father’s
;
when
affairs
went
awry
,
his
temper
sympathized
with
them
;
he
used
her
ill
;
I
told
you
he
would
be
a
tyrant
to
her
some
day
;
as
to
him
—
”
“
Ay
,
as
to
him
—
what
is
become
of
him
?
”
“
Nothing
extraordinary
—
don’t
be
alarmed
;
he
put
himself
under
the
protection
of
the
court
,
compounded
with
his
creditors
—
tenpence
in
the
pound
;
in
six
weeks
set
up
again
,
coaxed
back
his
wife
,
and
is
flourishing
like
a
green
bay-tree
.
”
“
And
Crimsworth
Hall
—
was
the
furniture
sold
too
?
”
“
Everything
—
from
the
grand
piano
down
to
the
rolling-pin
.
”
“
And
the
contents
of
the
oak
dining-room
—
were
they
sold
?
”
“
Of
course
;
why
should
the
sofas
and
chairs
of
that
room
be
held
more
sacred
than
those
of
any
other
?
”
“
And
the
pictures
?
”
“
What
pictures
?
Crimsworth
had
no
special
collection
that
I
know
of
—
he
did
not
profess
to
be
an
amateur
.
”
“
There
were
two
portraits
,
one
on
each
side
the
mantelpiece
;
you
cannot
have
forgotten
them
,
Mr.
Hunsden
;
you
once
noticed
that
of
the
lady
—
”
“
Oh
,
I
know
!
the
thin-faced
gentlewoman
with
a
shawl
put
on
like
drapery
.
—
Why
,
as
a
matter
of
course
,
it
would
be
sold
among
the
other
things
.
If
you
had
been
rich
,
you
might
have
bought
it
,
for
I
remember
you
said
it
represented
your
mother
:
you
see
what
it
is
to
be
without
a
sou
.
”
I
did
.
“
But
surely
,
”
I
thought
to
myself
,
“
I
shall
not
always
be
so
poverty-stricken
;
I
may
one
day
buy
it
back
yet
.
—
Who
purchased
it
?
do
you
know
?
”
I
asked
.
“
How
is
it
likely
?
I
never
inquired
who
purchased
anything
;
there
spoke
the
unpractical
man
—
to
imagine
all
the
world
is
interested
in
what
interests
himself
!
Now
,
good
night
—
I’m
off
for
Germany
to-morrow
morning
;
I
shall
be
back
here
in
six
weeks
,
and
possibly
I
may
call
and
see
you
again
;
I
wonder
whether
you’ll
be
still
out
of
place
!
”
he
laughed
,
as
mockingly
,
as
heartlessly
as
Mephistopheles
,
and
so
laughing
,
vanished
.
Some
people
,
however
indifferent
they
may
become
after
a
considerable
space
of
absence
,
always
contrive
to
leave
a
pleasant
impression
just
at
parting
;
not
so
Hunsden
,
a
conference
with
him
affected
one
like
a
draught
of
Peruvian
bark
;
it
seemed
a
concentration
of
the
specially
harsh
,
stringent
,
bitter
;
whether
,
like
bark
,
it
invigorated
,
I
scarcely
knew
.
A
ruffled
mind
makes
a
restless
pillow
;
I
slept
little
on
the
night
after
this
interview
;
towards
morning
I
began
to
doze
,
but
hardly
had
my
slumber
become
sleep
,
when
I
was
roused
from
it
by
hearing
a
noise
in
my
sitting
room
,
to
which
my
bed-room
adjoined
—
a
step
,
and
a
shoving
of
furniture
;
the
movement
lasted
barely
two
minutes
;
with
the
closing
of
the
door
it
ceased
.
I
listened
;
not
a
mouse
stirred
;
perhaps
I
had
dreamt
it
;
perhaps
a
locataire
had
made
a
mistake
,
and
entered
my
apartment
instead
of
his
own
.
It
was
yet
but
five
o’clock
;
neither
I
nor
the
day
were
wide
awake
;
I
turned
,
and
was
soon
unconscious
.
When
I
did
rise
,
about
two
hours
later
,
I
had
forgotten
the
circumstance
;
the
first
thing
I
saw
,
however
,
on
quitting
my
chamber
,
recalled
it
;
just
pushed
in
at
the
door
of
my
sitting-room
,
and
still
standing
on
end
,
was
a
wooden
packing-case
—
a
rough
deal
affair
,
wide
but
shallow
;
a
porter
had
doubtless
shoved
it
forward
,
but
seeing
no
occupant
of
the
room
,
had
left
it
at
the
entrance
.
“
That
is
none
of
mine
,
”
thought
I
,
approaching
;
“
it
must
be
meant
for
somebody
else
.
”
I
stooped
to
examine
the
address
:
—
“
Wm
.
Crimsworth
,
Esq.
,
No
—
,
—
St.
,
Brussels
.
”
I
was
puzzled
,
but
concluding
that
the
best
way
to
obtain
information
was
to
ask
within
,
I
cut
the
cords
and
opened
the
case
.
Green
baize
enveloped
its
contents
,
sewn
carefully
at
the
sides
;
I
ripped
the
pack-thread
with
my
pen-knife
,
and
still
,
as
the
seam
gave
way
,
glimpses
of
gilding
appeared
through
the
widening
interstices
.
Boards
and
baize
being
at
length
removed
,
I
lifted
from
the
case
a
large
picture
,
in
a
magnificent
frame
;
leaning
it
against
a
chair
,
in
a
position
where
the
light
from
the
window
fell
favourably
upon
it
,
I
stepped
back
—
already
I
had
mounted
my
spectacles
.
A
portrait-painter’s
sky
(
the
most
sombre
and
threatening
of
welkins
)
,
and
distant
trees
of
a
conventional
depth
of
hue
,
raised
in
full
relief
a
pale
,
pensive-looking
female
face
,
shadowed
with
soft
dark
hair
,
almost
blending
with
the
equally
dark
clouds
;
large
,
solemn
eyes
looked
reflectively
into
mine
;
a
thin
cheek
rested
on
a
delicate
little
hand
;
a
shawl
,
artistically
draped
,
half
hid
,
half
showed
a
slight
figure
.
A
listener
(
had
there
been
one
)
might
have
heard
me
,
after
ten
minutes’
silent
gazing
,
utter
the
word
“
Mother
!
”
I
might
have
said
more
—
but
with
me
,
the
first
word
uttered
aloud
in
soliloquy
rouses
consciousness
;
it
reminds
me
that
only
crazy
people
talk
to
themselves
,
and
then
I
think
out
my
monologue
,
instead
of
speaking
it
.
I
had
thought
a
long
while
,
and
a
long
while
had
contemplated
the
intelligence
,
the
sweetness
,
and
—
alas
!
the
sadness
also
of
those
fine
,
grey
eyes
,
the
mental
power
of
that
forehead
,
and
the
rare
sensibility
of
that
serious
mouth
,
when
my
glance
,
travelling
downwards
,
fell
on
a
narrow
billet
,
stuck
in
the
corner
of
the
picture
,
between
the
frame
and
the
canvas
.
Then
I
first
asked
,
“
Who
sent
this
picture
?
Who
thought
of
me
,
saved
it
out
of
the
wreck
of
Crimsworth
Hall
,
and
now
commits
it
to
the
care
of
its
natural
keeper
?
”
I
took
the
note
from
its
niche
;
thus
it
spoke
:
—
“
There
is
a
sort
of
stupid
pleasure
in
giving
a
child
sweets
,
a
fool
his
bells
,
a
dog
a
bone
.
You
are
repaid
by
seeing
the
child
besmear
his
face
with
sugar
;
by
witnessing
how
the
fool’s
ecstasy
makes
a
greater
fool
of
him
than
ever
;
by
watching
the
dog’s
nature
come
out
over
his
bone
.
In
giving
William
Crimsworth
his
mother’s
picture
,
I
give
him
sweets
,
bells
,
and
bone
all
in
one
;
what
grieves
me
is
,
that
I
cannot
behold
the
result
;
I
would
have
added
five
shillings
more
to
my
bid
if
the
auctioneer
could
only
have
promised
me
that
pleasure
.
“
H
.
Y
.
H
.
“
P.S.
—
You
said
last
night
you
positively
declined
adding
another
item
to
your
account
with
me
;
don’t
you
think
I’ve
saved
you
that
trouble
?
”
I
muffled
the
picture
in
its
green
baize
covering
,
restored
it
to
the
case
,
and
having
transported
the
whole
concern
to
my
bed-room
,
put
it
out
of
sight
under
my
bed
.
My
pleasure
was
now
poisoned
by
pungent
pain
;
I
determined
to
look
no
more
till
I
could
look
at
my
ease
.
If
Hunsden
had
come
in
at
that
moment
,
I
should
have
said
to
him
,
“
I
owe
you
nothing
,
Hunsden
—
not
a
fraction
of
a
farthing
:
you
have
paid
yourself
in
taunts
!
”
Too
anxious
to
remain
any
longer
quiescent
,
I
had
no
sooner
breakfasted
,
than
I
repaired
once
more
to
M
.
Vandenhuten’s
,
scarcely
hoping
to
find
him
at
home
;
for
a
week
had
barely
elapsed
since
my
first
call
:
but
fancying
I
might
be
able
to
glean
information
as
to
the
time
when
his
return
was
expected
.
A
better
result
awaited
me
than
I
had
anticipated
,
for
though
the
family
were
yet
at
Ostend
,
M
.
Vandenhuten
had
come
over
to
Brussels
on
business
for
the
day
.
He
received
me
with
the
quiet
kindness
of
a
sincere
though
not
excitable
man
.
I
had
not
sat
five
minutes
alone
with
him
in
his
bureau
,
before
I
became
aware
of
a
sense
of
ease
in
his
presence
,
such
as
I
rarely
experienced
with
strangers
.
I
was
surprised
at
my
own
composure
,
for
,
after
all
,
I
had
come
on
business
to
me
exceedingly
painful
—
that
of
soliciting
a
favour
.
I
asked
on
what
basis
the
calm
rested
—
I
feared
it
might
be
deceptive
.
Ere
long
I
caught
a
glimpse
of
the
ground
,
and
at
once
I
felt
assured
of
its
solidity
;
I
knew
where
it
was
.
M
.
Vandenhuten
was
rich
,
respected
,
and
influential
;
I
,
poor
,
despised
and
powerless
;
so
we
stood
to
the
world
at
large
as
members
of
the
world’s
society
;
but
to
each
other
,
as
a
pair
of
human
beings
,
our
positions
were
reversed
.
The
Dutchman
(
he
was
not
Flamand
,
but
pure
Hollandais
)
was
slow
,
cool
,
of
rather
dense
intelligence
,
though
sound
and
accurate
judgment
;
the
Englishman
far
more
nervous
,
active
,
quicker
both
to
plan
and
to
practise
,
to
conceive
and
to
realize
.
The
Dutchman
was
benevolent
,
the
Englishman
susceptible
;
in
short
our
characters
dovetailed
,
but
my
mind
having
more
fire
and
action
than
his
,
instinctively
assumed
and
kept
the
predominance
.
This
point
settled
,
and
my
position
well
ascertained
,
I
addressed
him
on
the
subject
of
my
affairs
with
that
genuine
frankness
which
full
confidence
can
alone
inspire
.
It
was
a
pleasure
to
him
to
be
so
appealed
to
;
he
thanked
me
for
giving
him
this
opportunity
of
using
a
little
exertion
in
my
behalf
.
I
went
on
to
explain
to
him
that
my
wish
was
not
so
much
to
be
helped
,
as
to
be
put
into
the
way
of
helping
myself
;
of
him
I
did
not
want
exertion
—
that
was
to
be
my
part
—
but
only
information
and
recommendation
.
Soon
after
I
rose
to
go
.
He
held
out
his
hand
at
parting
—
an
action
of
greater
significance
with
foreigners
than
with
Englishmen
.
As
I
exchanged
a
smile
with
him
,
I
thought
the
benevolence
of
his
truthful
face
was
better
than
the
intelligence
of
my
own
.
Characters
of
my
order
experience
a
balm-like
solace
in
the
contact
of
such
souls
as
animated
the
honest
breast
of
Victor
Vandenhuten
.
The
next
fortnight
was
a
period
of
many
alternations
;
my
existence
during
its
lapse
resembled
a
sky
of
one
of
those
autumnal
nights
which
are
specially
haunted
by
meteors
and
falling
stars
.
Hopes
and
fears
,
expectations
and
disappointments
,
descended
in
glancing
showers
from
zenith
to
horizon
;
but
all
were
transient
,
and
darkness
followed
swift
each
vanishing
apparition
.
M
.
Vandenhuten
aided
me
faithfully
;
he
set
me
on
the
track
of
several
places
,
and
himself
made
efforts
to
secure
them
for
me
;
but
for
a
long
time
solicitation
and
recommendation
were
vain
—
the
door
either
shut
in
my
face
when
I
was
about
to
walk
in
,
or
another
candidate
,
entering
before
me
,
rendered
my
further
advance
useless
.
Feverish
and
roused
,
no
disappointment
arrested
me
;
defeat
following
fast
on
defeat
served
as
stimulants
to
will
.
I
forgot
fastidiousness
,
conquered
reserve
,
thrust
pride
from
me
:
I
asked
,
I
persevered
,
I
remonstrated
,
I
dunned
.
It
is
so
that
openings
are
forced
into
the
guarded
circle
where
Fortune
sits
dealing
favours
round
.
My
perseverance
made
me
known
;
my
importunity
made
me
remarked
.
I
was
inquired
about
;
my
former
pupils’
parents
,
gathering
the
reports
of
their
children
,
heard
me
spoken
of
as
talented
,
and
they
echoed
the
word
:
the
sound
,
bandied
about
at
random
,
came
at
last
to
ears
which
,
but
for
its
universality
,
it
might
never
have
reached
;
and
at
the
very
crisis
when
I
had
tried
my
last
effort
and
knew
not
what
to
do
,
Fortune
looked
in
at
me
one
morning
,
as
I
sat
in
drear
and
almost
desperate
deliberation
on
my
bedstead
,
nodded
with
the
familiarity
of
an
old
acquaintance
—
though
God
knows
I
had
never
met
her
before
—
and
threw
a
prize
into
my
lap
.
In
the
second
week
of
October
,
18
—
,
I
got
the
appointment
of
English
professor
to
all
the
classes
of
—
—
College
,
Brussels
,
with
a
salary
of
three
thousand
francs
per
annum
;
and
the
certainty
of
being
able
,
by
dint
of
the
reputation
and
publicity
accompanying
the
position
,
to
make
as
much
more
by
private
means
.
The
official
notice
,
which
communicated
this
information
,
mentioned
also
that
it
was
the
strong
recommendation
of
M
.
Vandenhuten
,
negociant
,
which
had
turned
the
scale
of
choice
in
my
favour
.
No
sooner
had
I
read
the
announcement
than
I
hurried
to
M
.
Vandenhuten’s
bureau
,
pushed
the
document
under
his
nose
,
and
when
he
had
perused
it
,
took
both
his
hands
,
and
thanked
him
with
unrestrained
vivacity
.
My
vivid
words
and
emphatic
gesture
moved
his
Dutch
calm
to
unwonted
sensation
.
He
said
he
was
happy
—
glad
to
have
served
me
;
but
he
had
done
nothing
meriting
such
thanks
.
He
had
not
laid
out
a
centime
—
only
scratched
a
few
words
on
a
sheet
of
paper
.
Again
I
repeated
to
him
—
“
You
have
made
me
quite
happy
,
and
in
a
way
that
suits
me
;
I
do
not
feel
an
obligation
irksome
,
conferred
by
your
kind
hand
;
I
do
not
feel
disposed
to
shun
you
because
you
have
done
me
a
favour
;
from
this
day
you
must
consent
to
admit
me
to
your
intimate
acquaintance
,
for
I
shall
hereafter
recur
again
and
again
to
the
pleasure
of
your
society
.
”
“
Ainsi
soit-il
,
”
was
the
reply
,
accompanied
by
a
smile
of
benignant
content
.
I
went
away
with
its
sunshine
in
my
heart
.
CHAPTER
XXIII
IT
was
two
o’clock
when
I
returned
to
my
lodgings
;
my
dinner
,
just
brought
in
from
a
neighbouring
hotel
,
smoked
on
the
table
;
I
sat
down
thinking
to
eat
—
had
the
plate
been
heaped
with
potsherds
and
broken
glass
,
instead
of
boiled
beef
and
haricots
,
I
could
not
have
made
a
more
signal
failure
:
appetite
had
forsaken
me
.
Impatient
of
seeing
food
which
I
could
not
taste
,
I
put
it
all
aside
into
a
cupboard
,
and
then
demanded
,
“
What
shall
I
do
till
evening
?
”
for
before
six
P.M.
it
would
be
vain
to
seek
the
Rue
Notre
Dame
aux
Neiges
;
its
inhabitant
(
for
me
it
had
but
one
)
was
detained
by
her
vocation
elsewhere
.
I
walked
in
the
streets
of
Brussels
,
and
I
walked
in
my
own
room
from
two
o’clock
till
six
;
never
once
in
that
space
of
time
did
I
sit
down
.
I
was
in
my
chamber
when
the
last-named
hour
struck
;
I
had
just
bathed
my
face
and
feverish
hands
,
and
was
standing
near
the
glass
;
my
cheek
was
crimson
,
my
eye
was
flame
,
still
all
my
features
looked
quite
settled
and
calm
.
Descending
swiftly
the
stair
and
stepping
out
,
I
was
glad
to
see
Twilight
drawing
on
in
clouds
;
such
shade
was
to
me
like
a
grateful
screen
,
and
the
chill
of
latter
Autumn
,
breathing
in
a
fitful
wind
from
the
north-west
,
met
me
as
a
refreshing
coolness
.
Still
I
saw
it
was
cold
to
others
,
for
the
women
I
passed
were
wrapped
in
shawls
,
and
the
men
had
their
coats
buttoned
close
.
When
are
we
quite
happy
?
Was
I
so
then
?
No
;
an
urgent
and
growing
dread
worried
my
nerves
,
and
had
worried
them
since
the
first
moment
good
tidings
had
reached
me
.
How
was
Frances
?
It
was
ten
weeks
since
I
had
seen
her
,
six
since
I
had
heard
from
her
,
or
of
her
.
I
had
answered
her
letter
by
a
brief
note
,
friendly
but
calm
,
in
which
no
mention
of
continued
correspondence
or
further
visits
was
made
.
At
that
hour
my
bark
hung
on
the
topmost
curl
of
a
wave
of
fate
,
and
I
knew
not
on
what
shoal
the
onward
rush
of
the
billow
might
hurl
it
;
I
would
not
then
attach
her
destiny
to
mine
by
the
slightest
thread
;
if
doomed
to
split
on
the
rock
,
or
run
aground
on
the
sand-bank
,
I
was
resolved
no
other
vessel
should
share
my
disaster
:
but
six
weeks
was
a
long
time
;
and
could
it
be
that
she
was
still
well
and
doing
well
?
Were
not
all
sages
agreed
in
declaring
that
happiness
finds
no
climax
on
earth
?
Dared
I
think
that
but
half
a
street
now
divided
me
from
the
full
cup
of
contentment
—
the
draught
drawn
from
waters
said
to
flow
only
in
heaven
?
I
was
at
the
door
;
I
entered
the
quiet
house
;
I
mounted
the
stairs
;
the
lobby
was
void
and
still
,
all
the
doors
closed
;
I
looked
for
the
neat
green
mat
;
it
lay
duly
in
its
place
.
“
Signal
of
hope
!
”
I
said
,
and
advanced
.
“
But
I
will
be
a
little
calmer
;
I
am
not
going
to
rush
in
,
and
get
up
a
scene
directly
.
”
Forcibly
staying
my
eager
step
,
I
paused
on
the
mat
.
“
What
an
absolute
hush
!
Is
she
in
?
Is
anybody
in
?
”
I
demanded
to
myself
.
A
little
tinkle
,
as
of
cinders
falling
from
a
grate
,
replied
;
a
movement
—
a
fire
was
gently
stirred
;
and
the
slight
rustle
of
life
continuing
,
a
step
paced
equably
backwards
and
forwards
,
backwards
and
forwards
,
in
the
apartment
.
Fascinated
,
I
stood
,
more
fixedly
fascinated
when
a
voice
rewarded
the
attention
of
my
strained
ear
—
so
low
,
so
self-addressed
,
I
never
fancied
the
speaker
otherwise
than
alone
;
solitude
might
speak
thus
in
a
desert
,
or
in
the
hall
of
a
forsaken
house
.
“
‘And
ne’er
but
once
,
my
son
,
’
he
said
,
‘Was
yon
dark
cavern
trod
;
In
persecution’s
iron
days
,
When
the
land
was
left
by
God
.
From
Bewley’s
bog
,
with
slaughter
red
,
A
wanderer
hither
drew
;
And
oft
he
stopp’d
and
turn’d
his
head
,
As
by
fits
the
night-winds
blew
.
For
trampling
round
by
Cheviot-edge
Were
heard
the
troopers
keen
;
And
frequent
from
the
Whitelaw
ridge
The
death-shot
flash’d
between.’
”
etc.
etc.
The
old
Scotch
ballad
was
partly
recited
,
then
dropt
;
a
pause
ensued
;
then
another
strain
followed
,
in
French
,
of
which
the
purport
,
translated
,
ran
as
follows
:
—
I
gave
,
at
first
,
attention
close
;
Then
interest
warm
ensued
;
From
interest
,
as
improvement
rose
,
Succeeded
gratitude
.
Obedience
was
no
effort
soon
,
And
labour
was
no
pain
;
If
tired
,
a
word
,
a
glance
alone
Would
give
me
strength
again
.
From
others
of
the
studious
band
,
Ere
long
he
singled
me
;
But
only
by
more
close
demand
,
And
sterner
urgency
.
The
task
he
from
another
took
,
From
me
he
did
reject
;
He
would
no
slight
omission
brook
,
And
suffer
no
defect
.
If
my
companions
went
astray
,
He
scarce
their
wanderings
blam’d
;
If
I
but
falter’d
in
the
way
,
His
anger
fiercely
flam’d
.
Something
stirred
in
an
adjoining
chamber
;
it
would
not
do
to
be
surprised
eaves-dropping
;
I
tapped
hastily
,
and
as
hastily
entered
.
Frances
was
just
before
me
;
she
had
been
walking
slowly
in
her
room
,
and
her
step
was
checked
by
my
advent
:
Twilight
only
was
with
her
,
and
tranquil
,
ruddy
Firelight
;
to
these
sisters
,
the
Bright
and
the
Dark
,
she
had
been
speaking
,
ere
I
entered
,
in
poetry
.
Sir
Walter
Scott’s
voice
,
to
her
a
foreign
,
far-off
sound
,
a
mountain
echo
,
had
uttered
itself
in
the
first
stanzas
;
the
second
,
I
thought
,
from
the
style
and
the
substance
,
was
the
language
of
her
own
heart
.
Her
face
was
grave
,
its
expression
concentrated
;
she
bent
on
me
an
unsmiling
eye
—
an
eye
just
returning
from
abstraction
,
just
awaking
from
dreams
:
well-arranged
was
her
simple
attire
,
smooth
her
dark
hair
,
orderly
her
tranquil
room
;
but
what
—
with
her
thoughtful
look
,
her
serious
self-reliance
,
her
bent
to
meditation
and
haply
inspiration
—
what
had
she
to
do
with
love
?
“
Nothing
,
”
was
the
answer
of
her
own
sad
,
though
gentle
countenance
;
it
seemed
to
say
,
“
I
must
cultivate
fortitude
and
cling
to
poetry
;
one
is
to
be
my
support
and
the
other
my
solace
through
life
.
Human
affections
do
not
bloom
,
nor
do
human
passions
glow
for
me
.
”
Other
women
have
such
thoughts
.
Frances
,
had
she
been
as
desolate
as
she
deemed
,
would
not
have
been
worse
off
than
thousands
of
her
sex
.
Look
at
the
rigid
and
formal
race
of
old
maids
—
the
race
whom
all
despise
;
they
have
fed
themselves
,
from
youth
upwards
,
on
maxims
of
resignation
and
endurance
.
Many
of
them
get
ossified
with
the
dry
diet
;
self-control
is
so
continually
their
thought
,
so
perpetually
their
object
,
that
at
last
it
absorbs
the
softer
and
more
agreeable
qualities
of
their
nature
;
and
they
die
mere
models
of
austerity
,
fashioned
out
of
a
little
parchment
and
much
bone
.
Anatomists
will
tell
you
that
there
is
a
heart
in
the
withered
old
maid’s
carcass
—
the
same
as
in
that
of
any
cherished
wife
or
proud
mother
in
the
land
.
Can
this
be
so
?
I
really
don’t
know
;
but
feel
inclined
to
doubt
it
.
I
came
forward
,
bade
Frances
“
good
evening
,
”
and
took
my
seat
.
The
chair
I
had
chosen
was
one
she
had
probably
just
left
;
it
stood
by
a
little
table
where
were
her
open
desk
and
papers
.
I
know
not
whether
she
had
fully
recognized
me
at
first
,
but
she
did
so
now
;
and
in
a
voice
,
soft
but
quiet
,
she
returned
my
greeting
.
I
had
shown
no
eagerness
;
she
took
her
cue
from
me
,
and
evinced
no
surprise
.
We
met
as
we
had
always
met
,
as
master
and
pupil
—
nothing
more
.
I
proceeded
to
handle
the
papers
;
Frances
,
observant
and
serviceable
,
stepped
into
an
inner
room
,
brought
a
candle
,
lit
it
,
placed
it
by
me
;
then
drew
the
curtain
over
the
lattice
,
and
having
added
a
little
fresh
fuel
to
the
already
bright
fire
,
she
drew
a
second
chair
to
the
table
and
sat
down
at
my
right
hand
,
a
little
removed
.
The
paper
on
the
top
was
a
translation
of
some
grave
French
author
into
English
,
but
underneath
lay
a
sheet
with
stanzas
;
on
this
I
laid
hands
.
Frances
half
rose
,
made
a
movement
to
recover
the
captured
spoil
,
saying
,
that
was
nothing
—
a
mere
copy
of
verses
.
I
put
by
resistance
with
the
decision
I
knew
she
never
long
opposed
;
but
on
this
occasion
her
fingers
had
fastened
on
the
paper
.
I
had
quietly
to
unloose
them
;
their
hold
dissolved
to
my
touch
;
her
hand
shrunk
away
;
my
own
would
fain
have
followed
it
,
but
for
the
present
I
forbade
such
impulse
.
The
first
page
of
the
sheet
was
occupied
with
the
lines
I
had
overheard
;
the
sequel
was
not
exactly
the
writer’s
own
experience
,
but
a
composition
by
portions
of
that
experience
suggested
.
Thus
while
egotism
was
avoided
,
the
fancy
was
exercised
,
and
the
heart
satisfied
.
I
translate
as
before
,
and
my
translation
is
nearly
literal
;
it
continued
thus
:
—
When
sickness
stay’d
awhile
my
course
,
He
seem’d
impatient
still
,
Because
his
pupil’s
flagging
force
Could
not
obey
his
will
.
One
day
when
summoned
to
the
bed
Where
pain
and
I
did
strive
,
I
heard
him
,
as
he
bent
his
head
,
Say
,
“
God
,
she
must
revive
!
”
I
felt
his
hand
,
with
gentle
stress
,
A
moment
laid
on
mine
,
And
wished
to
mark
my
consciousness
By
some
responsive
sign
.
But
pow’rless
then
to
speak
or
move
,
I
only
felt
,
within
,
The
sense
of
Hope
,
the
strength
of
Love
,
Their
healing
work
begin
.
And
as
he
from
the
room
withdrew
,
My
heart
his
steps
pursued
;
I
long’d
to
prove
,
by
efforts
new
;
My
speechless
gratitude
.
When
once
again
I
took
my
place
,
Long
vacant
,
in
the
class
,
Th’
unfrequent
smile
across
his
face
Did
for
one
moment
pass
.
The
lessons
done
;
the
signal
made
Of
glad
release
and
play
,
He
,
as
he
passed
,
an
instant
stay’d
,
One
kindly
word
to
say
.
“
Jane
,
till
to-morrow
you
are
free
From
tedious
task
and
rule
;
This
afternoon
I
must
not
see
That
yet
pale
face
in
school
.
“
Seek
in
the
garden-shades
a
seat
,
Far
from
the
play-ground
din
;
The
sun
is
warm
,
the
air
is
sweet
:
Stay
till
I
call
you
in
.
”
A
long
and
pleasant
afternoon
I
passed
in
those
green
bowers
;
All
silent
,
tranquil
,
and
alone
With
birds
,
and
bees
,
and
flowers
.
Yet
,
when
my
master’s
voice
I
heard
Call
,
from
the
window
,
“
Jane
!
”
I
entered
,
joyful
,
at
the
word
,
The
busy
house
again
.
He
,
in
the
hall
,
paced
up
and
down
;
He
paused
as
I
passed
by
;
His
forehead
stern
relaxed
its
frown
:
He
raised
his
deep-set
eye
.
“
Not
quite
so
pale
,
”
he
murmured
low
.
“
Now
Jane
,
go
rest
awhile
.
”
And
as
I
smiled
,
his
smoothened
brow
Returned
as
glad
a
smile
.
My
perfect
health
restored
,
he
took
His
mien
austere
again
;
And
,
as
before
,
he
would
not
brook
The
slightest
fault
from
Jane
.
The
longest
task
,
the
hardest
theme
Fell
to
my
share
as
erst
,
And
still
I
toiled
to
place
my
name
In
every
study
first
.
He
yet
begrudged
and
stinted
praise
,
But
I
had
learnt
to
read
The
secret
meaning
of
his
face
,
And
that
was
my
best
meed
.
Even
when
his
hasty
temper
spoke
In
tones
that
sorrow
stirred
,
My
grief
was
lulled
as
soon
as
woke
By
some
relenting
word
.
And
when
he
lent
some
precious
book
,
Or
gave
some
fragrant
flower
,
I
did
not
quail
to
Envy’s
look
,
Upheld
by
Pleasure’s
power
.
At
last
our
school
ranks
took
their
ground
,
The
hard-fought
field
I
won
;
The
prize
,
a
laurel-wreath
,
was
bound
My
throbbing
forehead
on
.
Low
at
my
master’s
knee
I
bent
,
The
offered
crown
to
meet
;
Its
green
leaves
through
my
temples
sent
A
thrill
as
wild
as
sweet
.
The
strong
pulse
of
Ambition
struck
In
every
vein
I
owned
;
At
the
same
instant
,
bleeding
broke
A
secret
,
inward
wound
.
The
hour
of
triumph
was
to
me
The
hour
of
sorrow
sore
;
A
day
hence
I
must
cross
the
sea
,
Ne’er
to
recross
it
more
.
An
hour
hence
,
in
my
master’s
room
I
with
him
sat
alone
,
And
told
him
what
a
dreary
gloom
O’er
joy
had
parting
thrown
.
He
little
said
;
the
time
was
brief
,
The
ship
was
soon
to
sail
,
And
while
I
sobbed
in
bitter
grief
,
My
master
but
looked
pale
.
They
called
in
haste
;
he
bade
me
go
,
Then
snatched
me
back
again
;
He
held
me
fast
and
murmured
low
,
“
Why
will
they
part
us
,
Jane
?
”
“
Were
you
not
happy
in
my
care
?
Did
I
not
faithful
prove
?
Will
others
to
my
darling
bear
As
true
,
as
deep
a
love
?
“
O
God
,
watch
o’er
my
foster
child
!
O
guard
her
gentle
head
!
When
minds
are
high
and
tempests
wild
Protection
round
her
spread
!
“
They
call
again
;
leave
then
my
breast
;
Quit
thy
true
shelter
,
Jane
;
But
when
deceived
,
repulsed
,
opprest
,
Come
home
to
me
again
!
”
I
read
—
then
dreamily
made
marks
on
the
margin
with
my
pencil
;
thinking
all
the
while
of
other
things
;
thinking
that
“
Jane
”
was
now
at
my
side
;
no
child
,
but
a
girl
of
nineteen
;
and
she
might
be
mine
,
so
my
heart
affirmed
;
Poverty’s
curse
was
taken
off
me
;
Envy
and
Jealousy
were
far
away
,
and
unapprized
of
this
our
quiet
meeting
;
the
frost
of
the
Master’s
manner
might
melt
;
I
felt
the
thaw
coming
fast
,
whether
I
would
or
not
;
no
further
need
for
the
eye
to
practise
a
hard
look
,
for
the
brow
to
compress
its
expanse
into
a
stern
fold
:
it
was
now
permitted
to
suffer
the
outward
revelation
of
the
inward
glow
—
to
seek
,
demand
,
elicit
an
answering
ardour
.
While
musing
thus
,
I
thought
that
the
grass
on
Hermon
never
drank
the
fresh
dews
of
sunset
more
gratefully
than
my
feelings
drank
the
bliss
of
this
hour
.
Frances
rose
,
as
if
restless
;
she
passed
before
me
to
stir
the
fire
,
which
did
not
want
stirring
;
she
lifted
and
put
down
the
little
ornaments
on
the
mantelpiece
;
her
dress
waved
within
a
yard
of
me
;
slight
,
straight
,
and
elegant
,
she
stood
erect
on
the
hearth
.
There
are
impulses
we
can
control
;
but
there
are
others
which
control
us
,
because
they
attain
us
with
a
tiger-leap
,
and
are
our
masters
ere
we
have
seen
them
.
Perhaps
,
though
,
such
impulses
are
seldom
altogether
bad
;
perhaps
Reason
,
by
a
process
as
brief
as
quiet
,
a
process
that
is
finished
ere
felt
,
has
ascertained
the
sanity
of
the
deed
.
Instinct
meditates
,
and
feels
justified
in
remaining
passive
while
it
is
performed
.
I
know
I
did
not
reason
,
I
did
not
plan
or
intend
,
yet
,
whereas
one
moment
I
was
sitting
solus
on
the
chair
near
the
table
,
the
next
,
I
held
Frances
on
my
knee
,
placed
there
with
sharpness
and
decision
,
and
retained
with
exceeding
tenacity
.
“
Monsieur
!
”
cried
Frances
,
and
was
still
:
not
another
word
escaped
her
lips
;
sorely
confounded
she
seemed
during
the
lapse
of
the
first
few
moments
;
but
the
amazement
soon
subsided
;
terror
did
not
succeed
,
nor
fury
:
after
all
,
she
was
only
a
little
nearer
than
she
had
ever
been
before
,
to
one
she
habitually
respected
and
trusted
;
embarrassment
might
have
impelled
her
to
contend
,
but
self-respect
checked
resistance
where
resistance
was
useless
.
“
Frances
,
how
much
regard
have
you
for
me
?
”
was
my
demand
.
No
answer
;
the
situation
was
yet
too
new
and
surprising
to
permit
speech
.
On
this
consideration
,
I
compelled
myself
for
some
seconds
to
tolerate
her
silence
,
though
impatient
of
it
:
presently
,
I
repeated
the
same
question
—
probably
,
not
in
the
calmest
of
tones
;
she
looked
at
me
;
my
face
,
doubtless
,
was
no
model
of
composure
,
my
eyes
no
still
wells
of
tranquillity
.
“
Do
speak
,
”
I
urged
;
and
a
very
low
,
hurried
,
yet
still
arch
voice
said
—
“
Monsieur
,
vous
me
faites
mal
;
de
grace
lachez
un
peu
ma
main
droite
.
”
In
truth
I
became
aware
that
I
was
holding
the
said
“
main
droite
”
in
a
somewhat
ruthless
grasp
:
I
did
as
desired
;
and
,
for
the
third
time
,
asked
more
gently
—
“
Frances
,
how
much
regard
have
you
for
me
?
”
“
Mon
maitre
,
j’en
ai
beaucoup
,
”
was
the
truthful
rejoinder
.
“
Frances
,
have
you
enough
to
give
yourself
to
me
as
my
wife
?
—
to
accept
me
as
your
husband
?
”
I
felt
the
agitation
of
the
heart
,
I
saw
“
the
purple
light
of
love
”
cast
its
glowing
reflection
on
cheeks
,
temples
,
neck
;
I
desired
to
consult
the
eye
,
but
sheltering
lash
and
lid
forbade
.
“
Monsieur
,
”
said
the
soft
voice
at
last
,
—
“
Monsieur
desire
savoir
si
je
consens
—
si
—
enfin
,
si
je
veux
me
marier
avec
lui
?
”
“
Justement
.
”
“
Monsieur
sera-t-il
aussi
bon
mari
qu’il
a
ete
bon
maitre
?
”
“
I
will
try
,
Frances
.
”
A
pause
;
then
with
a
new
,
yet
still
subdued
inflexion
of
the
voice
—
an
inflexion
which
provoked
while
it
pleased
me
—
accompanied
,
too
,
by
a
“
sourire
a
la
fois
fin
et
timide
”
in
perfect
harmony
with
the
tone
:
—
“
C’est
a
dire
,
monsieur
sera
toujours
un
peu
entete
exigeant
,
volontaire
—
?
”
“
Have
I
been
so
,
Frances
?
”
“
Mais
oui
;
vous
le
savez
bien
.
”
“
Have
I
been
nothing
else
?
”
“
Mais
oui
;
vous
avez
ete
mon
meilleur
ami
.
”
“
And
what
,
Frances
,
are
you
to
me
?
”
“
Votre
devouee
eleve
,
qui
vous
aime
de
tout
son
coeur
.
”
“
Will
my
pupil
consent
to
pass
her
life
with
me
?
Speak
English
now
,
Frances
.
”
Some
moments
were
taken
for
reflection
;
the
answer
,
pronounced
slowly
,
ran
thus
:
—
“
You
have
always
made
me
happy
;
I
like
to
hear
you
speak
;
I
like
to
see
you
;
I
like
to
be
near
you
;
I
believe
you
are
very
good
,
and
very
superior
;
I
know
you
are
stern
to
those
who
are
careless
and
idle
,
but
you
are
kind
,
very
kind
to
the
attentive
and
industrious
,
even
if
they
are
not
clever
.
Master
,
I
should
be
glad
to
live
with
you
always
;
”
and
she
made
a
sort
of
movement
,
as
if
she
would
have
clung
to
me
,
but
restraining
herself
she
only
added
with
earnest
emphasis
—
“
Master
,
I
consent
to
pass
my
life
with
you
.
”
“
Very
well
,
Frances
.
”
I
drew
her
a
little
nearer
to
my
heart
;
I
took
a
first
kiss
from
her
lips
,
thereby
sealing
the
compact
,
now
framed
between
us
;
afterwards
she
and
I
were
silent
,
nor
was
our
silence
brief
.
Frances’
thoughts
,
during
this
interval
,
I
know
not
,
nor
did
I
attempt
to
guess
them
;
I
was
not
occupied
in
searching
her
countenance
,
nor
in
otherwise
troubling
her
composure
.
The
peace
I
felt
,
I
wished
her
to
feel
;
my
arm
,
it
is
true
,
still
detained
her
;
but
with
a
restraint
that
was
gentle
enough
,
so
long
as
no
opposition
tightened
it
.
My
gaze
was
on
the
red
fire
;
my
heart
was
measuring
its
own
content
;
it
sounded
and
sounded
,
and
found
the
depth
fathomless
.
“
Monsieur
,
”
at
last
said
my
quiet
companion
,
as
stirless
in
her
happiness
as
a
mouse
in
its
terror
.
Even
now
in
speaking
she
scarcely
lifted
her
head
.
“
Well
,
Frances
?
”
I
like
unexaggerated
intercourse
;
it
is
not
my
way
to
overpower
with
amorous
epithets
,
any
more
than
to
worry
with
selfishly
importunate
caresses
.
“
Monsieur
est
raisonnable
,
n’est-ce
pas
?
”
“
Yes
;
especially
when
I
am
requested
to
be
so
in
English
:
but
why
do
you
ask
me
?
You
see
nothing
vehement
or
obtrusive
in
my
manner
;
am
I
not
tranquil
enough
?
”
“
Ce
n’est
pas
cela
—
”
began
Frances
.
“
English
!
”
I
reminded
her
.
“
Well
,
monsieur
,
I
wished
merely
to
say
,
that
I
should
like
,
of
course
,
to
retain
my
employment
of
teaching
.
You
will
teach
still
,
I
suppose
,
monsieur
?
”
“
Oh
,
yes
!
It
is
all
I
have
to
depend
on
.
”
“
Bon
!
—
I
mean
good
.
Thus
we
shall
have
both
the
same
profession
.
I
like
that
;
and
my
efforts
to
get
on
will
be
as
unrestrained
as
yours
—
will
they
not
,
monsieur
?
”
“
You
are
laying
plans
to
be
independent
of
me
,
”
said
I
.
“
Yes
,
monsieur
;
I
must
be
no
incumbrance
to
you
—
no
burden
in
any
way
.
”
“
But
,
Frances
,
I
have
not
yet
told
you
what
my
prospects
are
.
I
have
left
M
.
Pelet’s
;
and
after
nearly
a
month’s
seeking
,
I
have
got
another
place
,
with
a
salary
of
three
thousand
francs
a
year
,
which
I
can
easily
double
by
a
little
additional
exertion
.
Thus
you
see
it
would
be
useless
for
you
to
fag
yourself
by
going
out
to
give
lessons
;
on
six
thousand
francs
you
and
I
can
live
,
and
live
well
.
”
Frances
seemed
to
consider
.
There
is
something
flattering
to
man’s
strength
,
something
consonant
to
his
honourable
pride
,
in
the
idea
of
becoming
the
providence
of
what
he
loves
—
feeding
and
clothing
it
,
as
God
does
the
lilies
of
the
field
.
So
,
to
decide
her
resolution
,
I
went
on
:
—
“
Life
has
been
painful
and
laborious
enough
to
you
so
far
,
Frances
;
you
require
complete
rest
;
your
twelve
hundred
francs
would
not
form
a
very
important
addition
to
our
income
,
and
what
sacrifice
of
comfort
to
earn
it
!
Relinquish
your
labours
:
you
must
be
weary
,
and
let
me
have
the
happiness
of
giving
you
rest
.
”
I
am
not
sure
whether
Frances
had
accorded
due
attention
to
my
harangue
;
instead
of
answering
me
with
her
usual
respectful
promptitude
,
she
only
sighed
and
said
,
—
“
How
rich
you
are
,
monsieur
!
”
and
then
she
stirred
uneasy
in
my
arms
.
“
Three
thousand
francs
!
”
she
murmured
,
“
While
I
get
only
twelve
hundred
!
”
She
went
on
faster
.
“
However
,
it
must
be
so
for
the
present
;
and
,
monsieur
,
were
you
not
saying
something
about
my
giving
up
my
place
?
Oh
no
!
I
shall
hold
it
fast
;
”
and
her
little
fingers
emphatically
tightened
on
mine
.
“
Think
of
my
marrying
you
to
be
kept
by
you
,
monsieur
!
I
could
not
do
it
;
and
how
dull
my
days
would
be
!
You
would
be
away
teaching
in
close
,
noisy
school-rooms
,
from
morning
till
evening
,
and
I
should
be
lingering
at
home
,
unemployed
and
solitary
;
I
should
get
depressed
and
sullen
,
and
you
would
soon
tire
of
me
.
”
“
Frances
,
you
could
read
and
study
—
two
things
you
like
so
well
.
”
“
Monsieur
,
I
could
not
;
I
like
a
contemplative
life
,
but
I
like
an
active
life
better
;
I
must
act
in
some
way
,
and
act
with
you
.
I
have
taken
notice
,
monsieur
,
that
people
who
are
only
in
each
other’s
company
for
amusement
,
never
really
like
each
other
so
well
,
or
esteem
each
other
so
highly
,
as
those
who
work
together
,
and
perhaps
suffer
together
.
”
“
You
speak
God’s
truth
,
”
said
I
at
last
,
“
and
you
shall
have
your
own
way
,
for
it
is
the
best
way
.
Now
,
as
a
reward
for
such
ready
consent
,
give
me
a
voluntary
kiss
.
”
After
some
hesitation
,
natural
to
a
novice
in
the
art
of
kissing
,
she
brought
her
lips
into
very
shy
and
gentle
contact
with
my
forehead
;
I
took
the
small
gift
as
a
loan
,
and
repaid
it
promptly
,
and
with
generous
interest
.
I
know
not
whether
Frances
was
really
much
altered
since
the
time
I
first
saw
her
;
but
,
as
I
looked
at
her
now
,
I
felt
that
she
was
singularly
changed
for
me
;
the
sad
eye
,
the
pale
cheek
,
the
dejected
and
joyless
countenance
I
remembered
as
her
early
attributes
,
were
quite
gone
,
and
now
I
saw
a
face
dressed
in
graces
;
smile
,
dimple
,
and
rosy
tint
rounded
its
contours
and
brightened
its
hues
.
I
had
been
accustomed
to
nurse
a
flattering
idea
that
my
strong
attachment
to
her
proved
some
particular
perspicacity
in
my
nature
;
she
was
not
handsome
,
she
was
not
rich
,
she
was
not
even
accomplished
,
yet
was
she
my
life’s
treasure
;
I
must
then
be
a
man
of
peculiar
discernment
.
To-night
my
eyes
opened
on
the
mistake
I
had
made
;
I
began
to
suspect
that
it
was
only
my
tastes
which
were
unique
,
not
my
power
of
discovering
and
appreciating
the
superiority
of
moral
worth
over
physical
charms
.
For
me
Frances
had
physical
charms
:
in
her
there
was
no
deformity
to
get
over
;
none
of
those
prominent
defects
of
eyes
,
teeth
,
complexion
,
shape
,
which
hold
at
bay
the
admiration
of
the
boldest
male
champions
of
intellect
(
for
women
can
love
a
downright
ugly
man
if
he
be
but
talented
)
;
had
she
been
either
“
edentee
,
myope
,
rugueuse
,
ou
bossue
,
”
my
feelings
towards
her
might
still
have
been
kindly
,
but
they
could
never
have
been
impassioned
;
I
had
affection
for
the
poor
little
misshapen
Sylvie
,
but
for
her
I
could
never
have
had
love
.
It
is
true
Frances’
mental
points
had
been
the
first
to
interest
me
,
and
they
still
retained
the
strongest
hold
on
my
preference
;
but
I
liked
the
graces
of
her
person
too
.
I
derived
a
pleasure
,
purely
material
,
from
contemplating
the
clearness
of
her
brown
eyes
,
the
fairness
of
her
fine
skin
,
the
purity
of
her
well-set
teeth
,
the
proportion
of
her
delicate
form
;
and
that
pleasure
I
could
ill
have
dispensed
with
.
It
appeared
,
then
,
that
I
too
was
a
sensualist
,
in
my
temperate
and
fastidious
way
.
Now
,
reader
,
during
the
last
two
pages
I
have
been
giving
you
honey
fresh
from
flowers
,
but
you
must
not
live
entirely
on
food
so
luscious
;
taste
then
a
little
gall
—
just
a
drop
,
by
way
of
change
.
At
a
somewhat
late
hour
I
returned
to
my
lodgings
:
having
temporarily
forgotten
that
man
had
any
such
coarse
cares
as
those
of
eating
and
drinking
,
I
went
to
bed
fasting
.
I
had
been
excited
and
in
action
all
day
,
and
had
tasted
no
food
since
eight
that
morning
;
besides
,
for
a
fortnight
past
,
I
had
known
no
rest
either
of
body
or
mind
;
the
last
few
hours
had
been
a
sweet
delirium
,
it
would
not
subside
now
,
and
till
long
after
midnight
,
broke
with
troubled
ecstacy
the
rest
I
so
much
needed
.
At
last
I
dozed
,
but
not
for
long
;
it
was
yet
quite
dark
when
I
awoke
,
and
my
waking
was
like
that
of
Job
when
a
spirit
passed
before
his
face
,
and
like
him
,
“
the
hair
of
my
flesh
stood
up
.
”
I
might
continue
the
parallel
,
for
in
truth
,
though
I
saw
nothing
,
yet
“
a
thing
was
secretly
brought
unto
me
,
and
mine
ear
received
a
little
thereof
;
there
was
silence
