,and
I
heard
a
voice
,
”
saying
—
“
In
the
midst
of
life
we
are
in
death
.
”
That
sound
,
and
the
sensation
of
chill
anguish
accompanying
it
,
many
would
have
regarded
as
supernatural
;
but
I
recognized
it
at
once
as
the
effect
of
reaction
.
Man
is
ever
clogged
with
his
mortality
,
and
it
was
my
mortal
nature
which
now
faltered
and
plained
;
my
nerves
,
which
jarred
and
gave
a
false
sound
,
because
the
soul
,
of
late
rushing
headlong
to
an
aim
,
had
overstrained
the
body’s
comparative
weakness
.
A
horror
of
great
darkness
fell
upon
me
;
I
felt
my
chamber
invaded
by
one
I
had
known
formerly
,
but
had
thought
for
ever
departed
.
I
was
temporarily
a
prey
to
hypochondria
.
She
had
been
my
acquaintance
,
nay
,
my
guest
,
once
before
in
boyhood
;
I
had
entertained
her
at
bed
and
board
for
a
year
;
for
that
space
of
time
I
had
her
to
myself
in
secret
;
she
lay
with
me
,
she
ate
with
me
,
she
walked
out
with
me
,
showing
me
nooks
in
woods
,
hollows
in
hills
,
where
we
could
sit
together
,
and
where
she
could
drop
her
drear
veil
over
me
,
and
so
hide
sky
and
sun
,
grass
and
green
tree
;
taking
me
entirely
to
her
death-cold
bosom
,
and
holding
me
with
arms
of
bone
.
What
tales
she
would
tell
me
at
such
hours
!
What
songs
she
would
recite
in
my
ears
!
How
she
would
discourse
to
me
of
her
own
country
—
the
grave
—
and
again
and
again
promise
to
conduct
me
there
ere
long
;
and
,
drawing
me
to
the
very
brink
of
a
black
,
sullen
river
,
show
me
,
on
the
other
side
,
shores
unequal
with
mound
,
monument
,
and
tablet
,
standing
up
in
a
glimmer
more
hoary
than
moonlight
.
“
Necropolis
!
”
she
would
whisper
,
pointing
to
the
pale
piles
,
and
add
,
“
It
contains
a
mansion
prepared
for
you
.
”
But
my
boyhood
was
lonely
,
parentless
;
uncheered
by
brother
or
sister
;
and
there
was
no
marvel
that
,
just
as
I
rose
to
youth
,
a
sorceress
,
finding
me
lost
in
vague
mental
wanderings
,
with
many
affections
and
few
objects
,
glowing
aspirations
and
gloomy
prospects
,
strong
desires
and
slender
hopes
,
should
lift
up
her
illusive
lamp
to
me
in
the
distance
,
and
lure
me
to
her
vaulted
home
of
horrors
.
No
wonder
her
spells
then
had
power
;
but
now
,
when
my
course
was
widening
,
my
prospect
brightening
;
when
my
affections
had
found
a
rest
;
when
my
desires
,
folding
wings
,
weary
with
long
flight
,
had
just
alighted
on
the
very
lap
of
fruition
,
and
nestled
there
warm
,
content
,
under
the
caress
of
a
soft
hand
—
why
did
hypochondria
accost
me
now
?
I
repulsed
her
as
one
would
a
dreaded
and
ghastly
concubine
coming
to
embitter
a
husband’s
heart
toward
his
young
bride
;
in
vain
;
she
kept
her
sway
over
me
for
that
night
and
the
next
day
,
and
eight
succeeding
days
.
Afterwards
,
my
spirits
began
slowly
to
recover
their
tone
;
my
appetite
returned
,
and
in
a
fortnight
I
was
well
.
I
had
gone
about
as
usual
all
the
time
,
and
had
said
nothing
to
anybody
of
what
I
felt
;
but
I
was
glad
when
the
evil
spirit
departed
from
me
,
and
I
could
again
seek
Frances
,
and
sit
at
her
side
,
freed
from
the
dreadful
tyranny
of
my
demon
.
CHAPTER
XXIV
.
ONE
fine
,
frosty
Sunday
in
November
,
Frances
and
I
took
a
long
walk
;
we
made
the
tour
of
the
city
by
the
Boulevards
;
and
,
afterwards
,
Frances
being
a
little
tired
,
we
sat
down
on
one
of
those
wayside
seats
placed
under
the
trees
,
at
intervals
,
for
the
accommodation
of
the
weary
.
Frances
was
telling
me
about
Switzerland
;
the
subject
animated
her
;
and
I
was
just
thinking
that
her
eyes
spoke
full
as
eloquently
as
her
tongue
,
when
she
stopped
and
remarked
—
“
Monsieur
,
there
is
a
gentleman
who
knows
you
.
”
I
looked
up
;
three
fashionably
dressed
men
were
just
then
passing
—
Englishmen
,
I
knew
by
their
air
and
gait
as
well
as
by
their
features
;
in
the
tallest
of
the
trio
I
at
once
recognized
Mr.
Hunsden
;
he
was
in
the
act
of
lifting
his
hat
to
Frances
;
afterwards
,
he
made
a
grimace
at
me
,
and
passed
on
.
“
Who
is
he
?
”
“
A
person
I
knew
in
England
.
”
“
Why
did
he
bow
to
me
?
He
does
not
know
me
.
”
“
Yes
,
he
does
know
you
,
in
his
way
.
”
“
How
,
monsieur
?
”
(
She
still
called
me
“
monsieur
”
;
I
could
not
persuade
her
to
adopt
any
more
familiar
term
.
)
“
Did
you
not
read
the
expression
of
his
eyes
?
”
“
Of
his
eyes
?
No.
What
did
they
say
?
”
“
To
you
they
said
,
‘How
do
you
do
,
Wilhelmina
Crimsworth
?
’
To
me
,
‘So
you
have
found
your
counterpart
at
last
;
there
she
sits
,
the
female
of
your
kind
!
’
”
“
Monsieur
,
you
could
not
read
all
that
in
his
eyes
;
he
was
so
soon
gone
.
”
“
I
read
that
and
more
,
Frances
;
I
read
that
he
will
probably
call
on
me
this
evening
,
or
on
some
future
occasion
shortly
;
and
I
have
no
doubt
he
will
insist
on
being
introduced
to
you
;
shall
I
bring
him
to
your
rooms
?
”
“
If
you
please
,
monsieur
—
I
have
no
objection
;
I
think
,
indeed
,
I
should
rather
like
to
see
him
nearer
;
he
looks
so
original
.
”
As
I
had
anticipated
,
Mr.
Hunsden
came
that
evening
.
The
first
thing
he
said
was
:
—
“
You
need
not
begin
boasting
,
Monsieur
le
Professeur
;
I
know
about
your
appointment
to
—
—
College
,
and
all
that
;
Brown
has
told
me
.
”
Then
he
intimated
that
he
had
returned
from
Germany
but
a
day
or
two
since
;
afterwards
,
he
abruptly
demanded
whether
that
was
Madame
Pelet-Reuter
with
whom
he
had
seen
me
on
the
Boulevards
.
I
was
going
to
utter
a
rather
emphatic
negative
,
but
on
second
thoughts
I
checked
myself
,
and
,
seeming
to
assent
,
asked
what
he
thought
of
her
?
“
As
to
her
,
I’ll
come
to
that
directly
;
but
first
I’ve
a
word
for
you
.
I
see
you
are
a
scoundrel
;
you’ve
no
business
to
be
promenading
about
with
another
man’s
wife
.
I
thought
you
had
sounder
sense
than
to
get
mixed
up
in
foreign
hodge-podge
of
this
sort
.
”
“
But
the
lady
?
”
“
She’s
too
good
for
you
evidently
;
she
is
like
you
,
but
something
better
than
you
—
no
beauty
,
though
;
yet
when
she
rose
(
for
I
looked
back
to
see
you
both
walk
away
)
I
thought
her
figure
and
carriage
good
.
These
foreigners
understand
grace
.
What
the
devil
has
she
done
with
Pelet
?
She
has
not
been
married
to
him
three
months
—
he
must
be
a
spoon
!
”
I
would
not
let
the
mistake
go
too
far
;
I
did
not
like
it
much
.
“
Pelet
?
How
your
head
runs
on
Mons
.
and
Madame
Pelet
!
You
are
always
talking
about
them
.
I
wish
to
the
gods
you
had
wed
Mdlle
.
Zoraide
yourself
!
”
“
Was
that
young
gentlewoman
not
Mdlle
.
Zoraide
?
”
“
No
;
nor
Madame
Zoraide
either
.
”
“
Why
did
you
tell
a
lie
,
then
?
”
“
I
told
no
lie
;
but
you
are
is
such
a
hurry
.
She
is
a
pupil
of
mine
—
a
Swiss
girl
.
”
“
And
of
course
you
are
going
to
be
married
to
her
?
Don’t
deny
that
.
”
“
Married
!
I
think
I
shall
—
if
Fate
spares
us
both
ten
weeks
longer
.
That
is
my
little
wild
strawberry
,
Hunsden
,
whose
sweetness
made
me
careless
of
your
hothouse
grapes
.
”
“
Stop
!
No
boasting
—
no
heroics
;
I
won’t
hear
them
.
What
is
she
?
To
what
caste
does
she
belong
?
”
I
smiled
.
Hunsden
unconsciously
laid
stress
on
the
word
caste
,
and
,
in
fact
,
republican
,
lord-hater
as
he
was
,
Hunsden
was
as
proud
of
his
old
—
—
shire
blood
,
of
his
descent
and
family
standing
,
respectable
and
respected
through
long
generations
back
,
as
any
peer
in
the
realm
of
his
Norman
race
and
Conquest-dated
title
.
Hunsden
would
as
little
have
thought
of
taking
a
wife
from
a
caste
inferior
to
his
own
,
as
a
Stanley
would
think
of
mating
with
a
Cobden
.
I
enjoyed
the
surprise
I
should
give
;
I
enjoyed
the
triumph
of
my
practice
over
his
theory
;
and
leaning
over
the
table
,
and
uttering
the
words
slowly
but
with
repressed
glee
,
I
said
concisely
—
“
She
is
a
lace-mender
.
”
Hunsden
examined
me
.
He
did
not
say
he
was
surprised
,
but
surprised
he
was
;
he
had
his
own
notions
of
good
breeding
.
I
saw
he
suspected
I
was
going
to
take
some
very
rash
step
;
but
repressing
declamation
or
remonstrance
,
he
only
answered
—
“
Well
,
you
are
the
best
judge
of
your
own
affairs
.
A
lace-mender
may
make
a
good
wife
as
well
as
a
lady
;
but
of
course
you
have
taken
care
to
ascertain
thoroughly
that
since
she
has
not
education
,
fortune
or
station
,
she
is
well
furnished
with
such
natural
qualities
as
you
think
most
likely
to
conduce
to
your
happiness
.
Has
she
many
relations
?
”
“
None
in
Brussels
.
”
“
That
is
better
.
Relations
are
often
the
real
evil
in
such
cases
.
I
cannot
but
think
that
a
train
of
inferior
connections
would
have
been
a
bore
to
you
to
your
life’s
end
.
”
After
sitting
in
silence
a
little
while
longer
,
Hunsden
rose
,
and
was
quietly
bidding
me
good
evening
;
the
polite
,
considerate
manner
in
which
he
offered
me
his
hand
(
a
thing
he
had
never
done
before
)
,
convinced
me
that
he
thought
I
had
made
a
terrible
fool
of
myself
;
and
that
,
ruined
and
thrown
away
as
I
was
,
it
was
no
time
for
sarcasm
or
cynicism
,
or
indeed
for
anything
but
indulgence
and
forbearance
.
“
Good
night
,
William
,
”
he
said
,
in
a
really
soft
voice
,
while
his
face
looked
benevolently
compassionate
.
“
Good
night
,
lad
.
I
wish
you
and
your
future
wife
much
prosperity
;
and
I
hope
she
will
satisfy
your
fastidious
soul
.
”
I
had
much
ado
to
refrain
from
laughing
as
I
beheld
the
magnanimous
pity
of
his
mien
;
maintaining
,
however
,
a
grave
air
,
I
said
:
—
“
I
thought
you
would
have
liked
to
have
seen
Mdlle
.
Henri
?
”
“
Oh
,
that
is
the
name
!
Yes
—
if
it
would
be
convenient
,
I
should
like
to
see
her
—
but
—
—
.
”
He
hesitated
.
“
Well
?
”
“
I
should
on
no
account
wish
to
intrude
.
”
“
Come
,
then
,
”
said
I
.
We
set
out
.
Hunsden
no
doubt
regarded
me
as
a
rash
,
imprudent
man
,
thus
to
show
my
poor
little
grisette
sweetheart
,
in
her
poor
little
unfurnished
grenier
;
but
he
prepared
to
act
the
real
gentleman
,
having
,
in
fact
,
the
kernel
of
that
character
,
under
the
harsh
husk
it
pleased
him
to
wear
by
way
of
mental
mackintosh
.
He
talked
affably
,
and
even
gently
,
as
we
went
along
the
street
;
he
had
never
been
so
civil
to
me
in
his
life
.
We
reached
the
house
,
entered
,
ascended
the
stair
;
on
gaining
the
lobby
,
Hunsden
turned
to
mount
a
narrower
stair
which
led
to
a
higher
story
;
I
saw
his
mind
was
bent
on
the
attics
.
“
Here
,
Mr.
Hunsden
,
”
said
I
quietly
,
tapping
at
Frances’
door
.
He
turned
;
in
his
genuine
politeness
he
was
a
little
disconcerted
at
having
made
the
mistake
;
his
eye
reverted
to
the
green
mat
,
but
he
said
nothing
.
We
walked
in
,
and
Frances
rose
from
her
seat
near
the
table
to
receive
us
;
her
mourning
attire
gave
her
a
recluse
,
rather
conventual
,
but
withal
very
distinguished
look
;
its
grave
simplicity
added
nothing
to
beauty
,
but
much
to
dignity
;
the
finish
of
the
white
collar
and
manchettes
sufficed
for
a
relief
to
the
merino
gown
of
solemn
black
;
ornament
was
forsworn
.
Frances
curtsied
with
sedate
grace
,
looking
,
as
she
always
did
,
when
one
first
accosted
her
,
more
a
woman
to
respect
than
to
love
;
I
introduced
Mr.
Hunsden
,
and
she
expressed
her
happiness
at
making
his
acquaintance
in
French
.
The
pure
and
polished
accent
,
the
low
yet
sweet
and
rather
full
voice
,
produced
their
effect
immediately
;
Hunsden
spoke
French
in
reply
;
I
had
not
heard
him
speak
that
language
before
;
he
managed
it
very
well
.
I
retired
to
the
window-seat
;
Mr.
Hunsden
,
at
his
hostess’s
invitation
,
occupied
a
chair
near
the
hearth
;
from
my
position
I
could
see
them
both
,
and
the
room
too
,
at
a
glance
.
The
room
was
so
clean
and
bright
,
it
looked
like
a
little
polished
cabinet
;
a
glass
filled
with
flowers
in
the
centre
of
the
table
,
a
fresh
rose
in
each
china
cup
on
the
mantelpiece
gave
it
an
air
of
fête
.
Frances
was
serious
,
and
Mr.
Hunsden
subdued
,
but
both
mutually
polite
;
they
got
on
at
the
French
swimmingly
:
ordinary
topics
were
discussed
with
great
state
and
decorum
;
I
thought
I
had
never
seen
two
such
models
of
propriety
,
for
Hunsden
(
thanks
to
the
constraint
of
the
foreign
tongue
)
was
obliged
to
shape
his
phrases
,
and
measure
his
sentences
,
with
a
care
that
forbade
any
eccentricity
.
At
last
England
was
mentioned
,
and
Frances
proceeded
to
ask
questions
.
Animated
by
degrees
,
she
began
to
change
,
just
as
a
grave
night-sky
changes
at
the
approach
of
sunrise
:
first
it
seemed
as
if
her
forehead
cleared
,
then
her
eyes
glittered
,
her
features
relaxed
,
and
became
quite
mobile
;
her
subdued
complexion
grew
warm
and
transparent
;
to
me
,
she
now
looked
pretty
;
before
,
she
had
only
looked
ladylike
.
She
had
many
things
to
say
to
the
Englishman
just
fresh
from
his
island-country
,
and
she
urged
him
with
an
enthusiasm
of
curiosity
,
which
ere
long
thawed
Hunsden’s
reserve
as
fire
thaws
a
congealed
viper
.
I
use
this
not
very
flattering
comparison
because
he
vividly
reminded
me
of
a
snake
waking
from
torpor
,
as
he
erected
his
tall
form
,
reared
his
head
,
before
a
little
declined
,
and
putting
back
his
hair
from
his
broad
Saxon
forehead
,
showed
unshaded
the
gleam
of
almost
savage
satire
which
his
interlocutor’s
tone
of
eagerness
and
look
of
ardour
had
sufficed
at
once
to
kindle
in
his
soul
and
elicit
from
his
eyes
:
he
was
himself
;
as
Frances
was
herself
,
and
in
none
but
his
own
language
would
he
now
address
her
.
“
You
understand
English
?
”
was
the
prefatory
question
.
“
A
little
.
”
“
Well
,
then
,
you
shall
have
plenty
of
it
;
and
first
,
I
see
you’ve
not
much
more
sense
than
some
others
of
my
acquaintance
”
(
indicating
me
with
his
thumb
)
,
“
or
else
you’d
never
turn
rabid
about
that
dirty
little
country
called
England
;
for
rabid
,
I
see
you
are
;
I
read
Anglophobia
in
your
looks
,
and
hear
it
in
your
words
.
Why
,
mademoiselle
,
is
it
possible
that
anybody
with
a
grain
of
rationality
should
feel
enthusiasm
about
a
mere
name
,
and
that
name
England
?
I
thought
you
were
a
lady-abbess
five
minutes
ago
,
and
respected
you
accordingly
;
and
now
I
see
you
are
a
sort
of
Swiss
sibyl
,
with
high
Tory
and
high
Church
principles
!
”
“
England
is
your
country
?
”
asked
Frances
.
“
Yes
.
”
“
And
you
don’t
like
it
?
”
“
I’d
be
sorry
to
like
it
!
A
little
corrupt
,
venal
,
lord-and-king-cursed
nation
,
full
of
mucky
pride
(
as
they
say
in
—
—
shire
)
,
and
helpless
pauperism
;
rotten
with
abuses
,
worm-eaten
with
prejudices
!
”
“
You
might
say
so
of
almost
every
state
;
there
are
abuses
and
prejudices
everywhere
,
and
I
thought
fewer
in
England
than
in
other
countries
.
”
“
Come
to
England
and
see
.
Come
to
Birmingham
and
Manchester
;
come
to
St.
Giles’
in
London
,
and
get
a
practical
notion
of
how
our
system
works
.
Examine
the
footprints
of
our
august
aristocracy
;
see
how
they
walk
in
blood
,
crushing
hearts
as
they
go
.
Just
put
your
head
in
at
English
cottage
doors
;
get
a
glimpse
of
Famine
crouched
torpid
on
black
hearthstones
;
of
Disease
lying
bare
on
beds
without
coverlets
,
of
Infamy
wantoning
viciously
with
Ignorance
,
though
indeed
Luxury
is
her
favourite
paramour
,
and
princely
halls
are
dearer
to
her
than
thatched
hovels
—
—
”
“
I
was
not
thinking
of
the
wretchedness
and
vice
in
England
;
I
was
thinking
of
the
good
side
—
of
what
is
elevated
in
your
character
as
a
nation
.
”
“
There
is
no
good
side
—
none
at
least
of
which
you
can
have
any
knowledge
;
for
you
cannot
appreciate
the
efforts
of
industry
,
the
achievements
of
enterprise
,
or
the
discoveries
of
science
:
narrowness
of
education
and
obscurity
of
position
quite
incapacitate
you
from
understanding
these
points
;
and
as
to
historical
and
poetical
associations
,
I
will
not
insult
you
,
mademoiselle
,
by
supposing
that
you
alluded
to
such
humbug
.
”
“
But
I
did
partly
.
”
Hunsden
laughed
—
his
laugh
of
unmitigated
scorn
.
“
I
did
,
Mr.
Hunsden
.
Are
you
of
the
number
of
those
to
whom
such
associations
give
no
pleasure
?
”
“
Mademoiselle
,
what
is
an
association
?
I
never
saw
one
.
What
is
its
length
,
breadth
,
weight
,
value
—
ay
,
value
?
What
price
will
it
bring
in
the
market
?
”
“
Your
portrait
,
to
any
one
who
loved
you
,
would
,
for
the
sake
of
association
,
be
without
price
.
”
That
inscrutable
Hunsden
heard
this
remark
and
felt
it
rather
acutely
,
too
,
somewhere
;
for
he
coloured
—
a
thing
not
unusual
with
him
,
when
hit
unawares
on
a
tender
point
.
A
sort
of
trouble
momentarily
darkened
his
eye
,
and
I
believe
he
filled
up
the
transient
pause
succeeding
his
antagonist’s
home-thrust
,
by
a
wish
that
some
one
did
love
him
as
he
would
like
to
be
loved
—
some
one
whose
love
he
could
unreservedly
return
.
The
lady
pursued
her
temporary
advantage
.
“
If
your
world
is
a
world
without
associations
,
Mr.
Hunsden
,
I
no
longer
wonder
that
you
hate
England
so
.
I
don’t
clearly
know
what
Paradise
is
,
and
what
angels
are
;
yet
taking
it
to
be
the
most
glorious
region
I
can
conceive
,
and
angels
the
most
elevated
existences
—
if
one
of
them
—
if
Abdiel
the
Faithful
himself
”
(
she
was
thinking
of
Milton
)
“
were
suddenly
stripped
of
the
faculty
of
association
,
I
think
he
would
soon
rush
forth
from
‘the
ever-during
gates
,
’
leave
heaven
,
and
seek
what
he
had
lost
in
hell
.
Yes
,
in
the
very
hell
from
which
he
turned
‘with
retorted
scorn.’
”
Frances’
tone
in
saying
this
was
as
marked
as
her
language
,
and
it
was
when
the
word
“
hell
”
twanged
off
from
her
lips
,
with
a
somewhat
startling
emphasis
,
that
Hunsden
deigned
to
bestow
one
slight
glance
of
admiration
.
He
liked
something
strong
,
whether
in
man
or
woman
;
he
liked
whatever
dared
to
clear
conventional
limits
.
He
had
never
before
heard
a
lady
say
“
hell
”
with
that
uncompromising
sort
of
accent
,
and
the
sound
pleased
him
from
a
lady’s
lips
;
he
would
fain
have
had
Frances
to
strike
the
string
again
,
but
it
was
not
in
her
way
.
The
display
of
eccentric
vigour
never
gave
her
pleasure
,
and
it
only
sounded
in
her
voice
or
flashed
in
her
countenance
when
extraordinary
circumstances
—
and
those
generally
painful
—
forced
it
out
of
the
depths
where
it
burned
latent
.
To
me
,
once
or
twice
,
she
had
in
intimate
conversation
,
uttered
venturous
thoughts
in
nervous
language
;
but
when
the
hour
of
such
manifestation
was
past
,
I
could
not
recall
it
;
it
came
of
itself
and
of
itself
departed
.
Hunsden’s
excitations
she
put
by
soon
with
a
smile
,
and
recurring
to
the
theme
of
disputation
,
said
—
“
Since
England
is
nothing
,
why
do
the
continental
nations
respect
her
so
?
”
“
I
should
have
thought
no
child
would
have
asked
that
question
,
”
replied
Hunsden
,
who
never
at
any
time
gave
information
without
reproving
for
stupidity
those
who
asked
it
of
him
.
“
If
you
had
been
my
pupil
,
as
I
suppose
you
once
had
the
misfortune
to
be
that
of
a
deplorable
character
not
a
hundred
miles
off
,
I
would
have
put
you
in
the
corner
for
such
a
confession
of
ignorance
.
Why
,
mademoiselle
,
can’t
you
see
that
it
is
our
gold
which
buys
us
French
politeness
,
German
good-will
,
and
Swiss
servility
?
”
And
he
sneered
diabolically
.
“
Swiss
?
”
said
Frances
,
catching
the
word
“
servility
.
”
“
Do
you
call
my
countrymen
servile
?
”
and
she
started
up
.
I
could
not
suppress
a
low
laugh
;
there
was
ire
in
her
glance
and
defiance
in
her
attitude
.
“
Do
you
abuse
Switzerland
to
me
,
Mr.
Hunsden
?
Do
you
think
I
have
no
associations
?
Do
you
calculate
that
I
am
prepared
to
dwell
only
on
what
vice
and
degradation
may
be
found
in
Alpine
villages
,
and
to
leave
quite
out
of
my
heart
the
social
greatness
of
my
countrymen
,
and
our
blood-earned
freedom
,
and
the
natural
glories
of
our
mountains
?
You’re
mistaken
—
you’re
mistaken
.
”
“
Social
greatness
?
Call
it
what
you
will
,
your
countrymen
are
sensible
fellows
;
they
make
a
marketable
article
of
what
to
you
is
an
abstract
idea
;
they
have
,
ere
this
,
sold
their
social
greatness
and
also
their
blood-earned
freedom
to
be
the
servants
of
foreign
kings
.
”
“
You
never
were
in
Switzerland
?
”
“
Yes
—
I
have
been
there
twice
.
”
“
You
know
nothing
of
it
.
”
“
I
do
.
”
“
And
you
say
the
Swiss
are
mercenary
,
as
a
parrot
says
‘Poor
Poll
,
’
or
as
the
Belgians
here
say
the
English
are
not
brave
,
or
as
the
French
accuse
them
of
being
perfidious
:
there
is
no
justice
in
your
dictums
.
”
“
There
is
truth
.
”
“
I
tell
you
,
Mr.
Hunsden
,
you
are
a
more
unpractical
man
than
I
am
an
unpractical
woman
,
for
you
don’t
acknowledge
what
really
exists
;
you
want
to
annihilate
individual
patriotism
and
national
greatness
as
an
atheist
would
annihilate
God
and
his
own
soul
,
by
denying
their
existence
.
”
“
Where
are
you
flying
to
?
You
are
off
at
a
tangent
—
I
thought
we
were
talking
about
the
mercenary
nature
of
the
Swiss
.
”
“
We
were
—
and
if
you
proved
to
me
that
the
Swiss
are
mercenary
to-morrow
(
which
you
cannot
do
)
I
should
love
Switzerland
still
.
”
“
You
would
be
mad
,
then
—
mad
as
a
March
hare
—
to
indulge
in
a
passion
for
millions
of
shiploads
of
soil
,
timber
,
snow
,
and
ice
.
”
“
Not
so
mad
as
you
who
love
nothing
.
”
“
There’s
a
method
in
my
madness
;
there’s
none
in
yours
.
”
“
Your
method
is
to
squeeze
the
sap
out
of
creation
and
make
manure
of
the
refuse
,
by
way
of
turning
it
to
what
you
call
use
.
”
“
You
cannot
reason
at
all
,
”
said
Hunsden
;
“
there
is
no
logic
in
you
.
”
“
Better
to
be
without
logic
than
without
feeling
,
”
retorted
Frances
,
who
was
now
passing
backwards
and
forwards
from
her
cupboard
to
the
table
,
intent
,
if
not
on
hospitable
thoughts
,
at
least
on
hospitable
deeds
,
for
she
was
laying
the
cloth
,
and
putting
plates
,
knives
and
forks
thereon
.
“
Is
that
a
hit
at
me
,
mademoiselle
?
Do
you
suppose
I
am
without
feeling
?
”
“
I
suppose
you
are
always
interfering
with
your
own
feelings
,
and
those
of
other
people
,
and
dogmatizing
about
the
irrationality
of
this
,
that
,
and
the
other
sentiment
,
and
then
ordering
it
to
be
suppressed
because
you
imagine
it
to
be
inconsistent
with
logic
.
”
“
I
do
right
.
”
Frances
had
stepped
out
of
sight
into
a
sort
of
little
pantry
;
she
soon
reappeared
.
“
You
do
right
?
Indeed
,
no
!
You
are
much
mistaken
if
you
think
so
.
Just
be
so
good
as
to
let
me
get
to
the
fire
,
Mr.
Hunsden
;
I
have
something
to
cook
.
”
(
An
interval
occupied
in
settling
a
casserole
on
the
fire
;
then
,
while
she
stirred
its
contents
:
)
“
Right
!
as
if
it
were
right
to
crush
any
pleasurable
sentiment
that
God
has
given
to
man
,
especially
any
sentiment
that
,
like
patriotism
,
spreads
man’s
selfishness
in
wider
circles
”
(
fire
stirred
,
dish
put
down
before
it
)
.
“
Were
you
born
in
Switzerland
?
”
“
I
should
think
so
,
or
else
why
should
I
call
it
my
country
?
”
“
And
where
did
you
get
your
English
features
and
figure
?
”
“
I
am
English
,
too
;
half
the
blood
in
my
veins
is
English
;
thus
I
have
a
right
to
a
double
power
of
patriotism
,
possessing
an
interest
in
two
noble
,
free
,
and
fortunate
countries
.
”
“
You
had
an
English
mother
?
”
“
Yes
,
yes
;
and
you
,
I
suppose
,
had
a
mother
from
the
moon
or
from
Utopia
,
since
not
a
nation
in
Europe
has
a
claim
on
your
interest
?
”
“
On
the
contrary
,
I’m
a
universal
patriot
,
if
you
could
understand
me
rightly
:
my
country
is
the
world
.
”
“
Sympathies
so
widely
diffused
must
be
very
shallow
:
will
you
have
the
goodness
to
come
to
table
.
Monsieur
”
(
to
me
who
appeared
to
be
now
absorbed
in
reading
by
moonlight
)
—
“
Monsieur
,
supper
is
served
.
”
This
was
said
in
quite
a
different
voice
to
that
in
which
she
had
been
bandying
phrases
with
Mr.
Hunsden
—
not
so
short
,
graver
and
softer
.
“
Frances
,
what
do
you
mean
by
preparing
,
supper
?
we
had
no
intention
of
staying
.
”
“
Ah
,
monsieur
,
but
you
have
stayed
,
and
supper
is
prepared
;
you
have
only
the
alternative
of
eating
it
.
”
The
meal
was
a
foreign
one
,
of
course
;
it
consisted
in
two
small
but
tasty
dishes
of
meat
prepared
with
skill
and
served
with
nicety
;
a
salad
and
“
fromage
francais
,
”
completed
it
.
The
business
of
eating
interposed
a
brief
truce
between
the
belligerents
,
but
no
sooner
was
supper
disposed
of
than
they
were
at
it
again
.
The
fresh
subject
of
dispute
ran
on
the
spirit
of
religious
intolerance
which
Mr.
Hunsden
affirmed
to
exist
strongly
in
Switzerland
,
notwithstanding
the
professed
attachment
of
the
Swiss
to
freedom
.
Here
Frances
had
greatly
the
worst
of
it
,
not
only
because
she
was
unskilled
to
argue
,
but
because
her
own
real
opinions
on
the
point
in
question
happened
to
coincide
pretty
nearly
with
Mr.
Hunsden’s
,
and
she
only
contradicted
him
out
of
opposition
.
At
last
she
gave
in
,
confessing
that
she
thought
as
he
thought
,
but
bidding
him
take
notice
that
she
did
not
consider
herself
beaten
.
“
No
more
did
the
French
at
Waterloo
,
”
said
Hunsden
.
“
There
is
no
comparison
between
the
cases
,
”
rejoined
Frances
;
“
mine
was
a
sham
fight
.
”
“
Sham
or
real
,
it’s
up
with
you
.
”
“
No
;
though
I
have
neither
logic
nor
wealth
of
words
,
yet
in
a
case
where
my
opinion
really
differed
from
yours
,
I
would
adhere
to
it
when
I
had
not
another
word
to
say
in
its
defence
;
you
should
be
baffled
by
dumb
determination
.
You
speak
of
Waterloo
;
your
Wellington
ought
to
have
been
conquered
there
,
according
to
Napoleon
;
but
he
persevered
in
spite
of
the
laws
of
war
,
and
was
victorious
in
defiance
of
military
tactics
.
I
would
do
as
he
did
.
”
“
I’ll
be
bound
for
it
you
would
;
probably
you
have
some
of
the
same
sort
of
stubborn
stuff
in
you
.
”
“
I
should
be
sorry
if
I
had
not
;
he
and
Tell
were
brothers
,
and
I’d
scorn
the
Swiss
,
man
or
woman
,
who
had
none
of
the
much-enduring
nature
of
our
heroic
William
in
his
soul
.
”
“
If
Tell
was
like
Wellington
,
he
was
an
ass
.
”
“
Does
not
ass
mean
baudet
?
”
asked
Frances
,
turning
to
me
.
“
No
,
no
,
”
replied
I
,
“
it
means
an
esprit-fort
;
and
now
,
”
I
continued
,
as
I
saw
that
fresh
occasion
of
strife
was
brewing
between
these
two
,
“
it
is
high
time
to
go
.
”
Hunsden
rose
.
“
Good
bye
,
”
said
he
to
Frances
;
“
I
shall
be
off
for
this
glorious
England
to-morrow
,
and
it
may
be
twelve
months
or
more
before
I
come
to
Brussels
again
;
whenever
I
do
come
I’ll
seek
you
out
,
and
you
shall
see
if
I
don’t
find
means
to
make
you
fiercer
than
a
dragon
.
You’ve
done
pretty
well
this
evening
,
but
next
interview
you
shall
challenge
me
outright
.
Meantime
you’re
doomed
to
become
Mrs.
William
Crimsworth
,
I
suppose
;
poor
young
lady
?
but
you
have
a
spark
of
spirit
;
cherish
it
,
and
give
the
Professor
the
full
benefit
thereof
.
”
“
Are
you
married
.
Mr.
Hunsden
?
”
asked
Frances
,
suddenly
.
“
No.
I
should
have
thought
you
might
have
guessed
I
was
a
Benedict
by
my
look
.
”
“
Well
,
whenever
you
marry
don’t
take
a
wife
out
of
Switzerland
;
for
if
you
begin
blaspheming
Helvetia
,
and
cursing
the
cantons
—
above
all
,
if
you
mention
the
word
ass
in
the
same
breath
with
the
name
Tell
(
for
ass
is
baudet
,
I
know
;
though
Monsieur
is
pleased
to
translate
it
esprit-fort
)
your
mountain
maid
will
some
night
smother
her
Breton-bretonnant
,
even
as
your
own
Shakspeare’s
Othello
smothered
Desdemona
.
”
“
I
am
warned
,
”
said
Hunsden
;
“
and
so
are
you
,
lad
,
”
(
nodding
to
me
)
.
“
I
hope
yet
to
hear
of
a
travesty
of
the
Moor
and
his
gentle
lady
,
in
which
the
parts
shall
be
reversed
according
to
the
plan
just
sketched
—
you
,
however
,
being
in
my
nightcap
.
Farewell
,
mademoiselle
!
”
He
bowed
on
her
hand
,
absolutely
like
Sir
Charles
Grandison
on
that
of
Harriet
Byron
;
adding
—
“
Death
from
such
fingers
would
not
be
without
charms
.
”
“
Mon
Dieu
!
”
murmured
Frances
,
opening
her
large
eyes
and
lifting
her
distinctly
arched
brows
;
“
c’est
qu’il
fait
des
compliments
!
je
ne
m’y
suis
pas
attendu
.
”
She
smiled
,
half
in
ire
,
half
in
mirth
,
curtsied
with
foreign
grace
,
and
so
they
parted
.
No
sooner
had
we
got
into
the
street
than
Hunsden
collared
me
.
“
And
that
is
your
lace-mender
?
”
said
he
;
“
and
you
reckon
you
have
done
a
fine
,
magnanimous
thing
in
offering
to
marry
her
?
You
,
a
scion
of
Seacombe
,
have
proved
your
disdain
of
social
distinctions
by
taking
up
with
an
ouvriere
!
And
I
pitied
the
fellow
,
thinking
his
feelings
had
misled
him
,
and
that
he
had
hurt
himself
by
contracting
a
low
match
!
”
“
Just
let
go
my
collar
,
Hunsden
.
”
On
the
contrary
,
he
swayed
me
to
and
fro
;
so
I
grappled
him
round
the
waist
.
It
was
dark
;
the
street
lonely
and
lampless
.
We
had
then
a
tug
for
it
;
and
after
we
had
both
rolled
on
the
pavement
,
and
with
difficulty
picked
ourselves
up
,
we
agreed
to
walk
on
more
soberly
.
“
Yes
,
that’s
my
lace-mender
,
”
said
I
;
“
and
she
is
to
be
mine
for
life
—
God
willing
.
”
“
God
is
not
willing
—
you
can’t
suppose
it
;
what
business
have
you
to
be
suited
so
well
with
a
partner
?
And
she
treats
you
with
a
sort
of
respect
,
too
,
and
says
,
‘Monsieur’
and
modulates
her
tone
in
addressing
you
,
actually
,
as
if
you
were
something
superior
!
She
could
not
evince
more
deference
to
such
a
one
as
I
,
were
she
favoured
by
fortune
to
the
supreme
extent
of
being
my
choice
instead
of
yours
.
”
“
Hunsden
,
you’re
a
puppy
.
But
you’ve
only
seen
the
title-page
of
my
happiness
;
you
don’t
know
the
tale
that
follows
;
you
cannot
conceive
the
interest
and
sweet
variety
and
thrilling
excitement
of
the
narrative
.
”
Hunsden
—
speaking
low
and
deep
,
for
we
had
now
entered
a
busier
street
—
desired
me
to
hold
my
peace
,
threatening
to
do
something
dreadful
if
I
stimulated
his
wrath
further
by
boasting
.
I
laughed
till
my
sides
ached
.
We
soon
reached
his
hotel
;
before
he
entered
it
,
he
said
—
“
Don’t
be
vainglorious
.
Your
lace-mender
is
too
good
for
you
,
but
not
good
enough
for
me
;
neither
physically
nor
morally
does
she
come
up
to
my
ideal
of
a
woman
.
No
;
I
dream
of
something
far
beyond
that
pale-faced
,
excitable
little
Helvetian
(
by-the-by
she
has
infinitely
more
of
the
nervous
,
mobile
Parisienne
in
her
than
of
the
the
robust
‘jungfrau’
)
.
Your
Mdlle
.
Henri
is
in
person
“
chetive
”
,
in
mind
“
sans
caractere
”
,
compared
with
the
queen
of
my
visions
.
You
,
indeed
,
may
put
up
with
that
“
minois
chiffone
”
;
but
when
I
marry
I
must
have
straighter
and
more
harmonious
features
,
to
say
nothing
of
a
nobler
and
better
developed
shape
than
that
perverse
,
ill-thriven
child
can
boast
.
”
“
Bribe
a
seraph
to
fetch
you
a
coal
of
fire
from
heaven
,
if
you
will
,
”
said
I
,
“
and
with
it
kindle
life
in
the
tallest
,
fattest
,
most
boneless
,
fullest-blooded
of
Ruben’s
painted
women
—
leave
me
only
my
Alpine
peri
,
and
I’ll
not
envy
you
.
”
With
a
simultaneous
movement
,
each
turned
his
back
on
the
other
.
Neither
said
“
God
bless
you
;
”
yet
on
the
morrow
the
sea
was
to
roll
between
us
.
CHAPTER
XXV
.
IN
two
months
more
Frances
had
fulfilled
the
time
of
mourning
for
her
aunt
.
One
January
morning
—
the
first
of
the
new
year
holidays
—
I
went
in
a
fiacre
,
accompanied
only
by
M
.
Vandenhuten
,
to
the
Rue
Notre
Dame
aux
Neiges
,
and
having
alighted
alone
and
walked
upstairs
,
I
found
Frances
apparently
waiting
for
me
,
dressed
in
a
style
scarcely
appropriate
to
that
cold
,
bright
,
frosty
day
.
Never
till
now
had
I
seen
her
attired
in
any
other
than
black
or
sad-coloured
stuff
;
and
there
she
stood
by
the
window
,
clad
all
in
white
,
and
white
of
a
most
diaphanous
texture
;
her
array
was
very
simple
,
to
be
sure
,
but
it
looked
imposing
and
festal
because
it
was
so
clear
,
full
,
and
floating
;
a
veil
shadowed
her
head
,
and
hung
below
her
knee
;
a
little
wreath
of
pink
flowers
fastened
it
to
her
thickly
tressed
Grecian
plait
,
and
thence
it
fell
softly
on
each
side
of
her
face
.
Singular
to
state
,
she
was
,
or
had
been
crying
;
when
I
asked
her
if
she
were
ready
,
she
said
“
Yes
,
monsieur
,
”
with
something
very
like
a
checked
sob
;
and
when
I
took
a
shawl
,
which
lay
on
the
table
,
and
folded
it
round
her
,
not
only
did
tear
after
tear
course
unbidden
down
her
cheek
,
but
she
shook
to
my
ministration
like
a
reed
.
I
said
I
was
sorry
to
see
her
in
such
low
spirits
,
and
requested
to
be
allowed
an
insight
into
the
origin
thereof
.
She
only
said
,
“
It
was
impossible
to
help
it
,
”
and
then
voluntarily
,
though
hurriedly
,
putting
her
hand
into
mine
,
accompanied
me
out
of
the
room
,
and
ran
downstairs
with
a
quick
,
uncertain
step
,
like
one
who
was
eager
to
get
some
formidable
piece
of
business
over
.
I
put
her
into
the
fiacre
.
M
.
Vandenhuten
received
her
,
and
seated
her
beside
himself
;
we
drove
all
together
to
the
Protestant
chapel
,
went
through
a
certain
service
in
the
Common
Prayer
Book
,
and
she
and
I
came
out
married
.
M
.
Vandenhuten
had
given
the
bride
away
.
We
took
no
bridal
trip
;
our
modesty
,
screened
by
the
peaceful
obscurity
of
our
station
,
and
the
pleasant
isolation
of
our
circumstances
,
did
not
exact
that
additional
precaution
.
We
repaired
at
once
to
a
small
house
I
had
taken
in
the
faubourg
nearest
to
that
part
of
the
city
where
the
scene
of
our
avocations
lay
.
Three
or
four
hours
after
the
wedding
ceremony
,
Frances
,
divested
of
her
bridal
snow
,
and
attired
in
a
pretty
lilac
gown
of
warmer
materials
,
a
piquant
black
silk
apron
,
and
a
lace
collar
with
some
finishing
decoration
of
lilac
ribbon
,
was
kneeling
on
the
carpet
of
a
neatly
furnished
though
not
spacious
parlour
,
arranging
on
the
shelves
of
a
chiffoniere
some
books
,
which
I
handed
to
her
from
the
table
.
It
was
snowing
fast
out
of
doors
;
the
afternoon
had
turned
out
wild
and
cold
;
the
leaden
sky
seemed
full
of
drifts
,
and
the
street
was
already
ankle-deep
in
the
white
downfall
.
Our
fire
burned
bright
,
our
new
habitation
looked
brilliantly
clean
and
fresh
,
the
furniture
was
all
arranged
,
and
there
were
but
some
articles
of
glass
,
china
,
books
,
etc.
,
to
put
in
order
.
Frances
found
in
this
business
occupation
till
tea-time
,
and
then
,
after
I
had
distinctly
instructed
her
how
to
make
a
cup
of
tea
in
rational
English
style
,
and
after
she
had
got
over
the
dismay
occasioned
by
seeing
such
an
extravagant
amount
of
material
put
into
the
pot
,
she
administered
to
me
a
proper
British
repast
,
at
which
there
wanted
neither
candles
nor
urn
,
firelight
nor
comfort
.
Our
week’s
holiday
glided
by
,
and
we
readdressed
ourselves
to
labour
.
Both
my
wife
and
I
began
in
good
earnest
with
the
notion
that
we
were
working
people
,
destined
to
earn
our
bread
by
exertion
,
and
that
of
the
most
assiduous
kind
.
Our
days
were
thoroughly
occupied
;
we
used
to
part
every
morning
at
eight
o’clock
,
and
not
meet
again
till
five
P.M.
;
but
into
what
sweet
rest
did
the
turmoil
of
each
busy
day
decline
!
Looking
down
the
vista
of
memory
,
I
see
the
evenings
passed
in
that
little
parlour
like
a
long
string
of
rubies
circling
the
dusky
brow
of
the
past
.
Unvaried
were
they
as
each
cut
gem
,
and
like
each
gem
brilliant
and
burning
.
A
year
and
a
half
passed
.
One
morning
(
it
was
a
fête
,
and
we
had
the
day
to
ourselves
)
Frances
said
to
me
,
with
a
suddenness
peculiar
to
her
when
she
had
been
thinking
long
on
a
subject
,
and
at
last
,
having
come
to
a
conclusion
,
wished
to
test
its
soundness
by
the
touchstone
of
my
judgment
:
—
“
I
don’t
work
enough
.
”
“
What
now
?
”
demanded
I
,
looking
up
from
my
coffee
,
which
I
had
been
deliberately
stirring
while
enjoying
,
in
anticipation
,
a
walk
I
proposed
to
take
with
Frances
,
that
fine
summer
day
(
it
was
June
)
,
to
a
certain
farmhouse
in
the
country
,
where
we
were
to
dine
.
“
What
now
?
”
and
I
saw
at
once
,
in
the
serious
ardour
of
her
face
,
a
project
of
vital
importance
.
“
I
am
not
satisfied
,
”
returned
she
;
“
you
are
now
earning
eight
thousand
francs
a
year
”
(
it
was
true
;
my
efforts
,
punctuality
,
the
fame
of
my
pupils’
progress
,
the
publicity
of
my
station
,
had
so
far
helped
me
on
)
,
“
while
I
am
still
at
my
miserable
twelve
hundred
francs
.
I
can
do
better
,
and
I
will
.
”
“
You
work
as
long
and
as
diligently
as
I
do
,
Frances
.
”
“
Yes
,
monsieur
,
but
I
am
not
working
in
the
right
way
,
and
I
am
convinced
of
it
.
”
“
You
wish
to
change
—
you
have
a
plan
for
progress
in
your
mind
;
go
and
put
on
your
bonnet
;
and
,
while
we
take
our
walk
,
you
shall
tell
me
of
it
.
”
“
Yes
,
monsieur
.
”
She
went
—
as
docile
as
a
well-trained
child
;
she
was
a
curious
mixture
of
tractability
and
firmness
:
I
sat
thinking
about
her
,
and
wondering
what
her
plan
could
be
,
when
she
re-entered
.
“
Monsieur
,
I
have
given
Minnie
”
(
our
bonne
)
“
leave
to
go
out
too
,
as
it
is
so
very
fine
;
so
will
you
be
kind
enough
to
lock
the
door
,
and
take
the
key
with
you
?
”
“
Kiss
me
,
Mrs.
Crimsworth
,
”
was
my
not
very
apposite
reply
;
but
she
looked
so
engaging
in
her
light
summer
dress
and
little
cottage
bonnet
,
and
her
manner
in
speaking
to
me
was
then
,
as
always
,
so
unaffectedly
and
suavely
respectful
,
that
my
heart
expanded
at
the
sight
of
her
,
and
a
kiss
seemed
necessary
to
content
its
importunity
.
“
There
,
monsieur
.
”
“
Why
do
you
always
call
me
‘Monsieur’
?
Say
,
‘William.’
”
“
I
cannot
pronounce
your
W
;
besides
,
‘Monsieur’
belongs
to
you
;
I
like
it
best
.
”
Minnie
having
departed
in
clean
cap
and
smart
shawl
,
we
,
too
,
set
out
,
leaving
the
house
solitary
and
silent
—
silent
,
at
least
,
but
for
the
ticking
of
the
clock
.
We
were
soon
clear
of
Brussels
;
the
fields
received
us
,
and
then
the
lanes
,
remote
from
carriage-resounding
chaussées
.
Ere
long
we
came
upon
a
nook
,
so
rural
,
green
,
and
secluded
,
it
might
have
been
a
spot
in
some
pastoral
English
province
;
a
bank
of
short
and
mossy
grass
,
under
a
hawthorn
,
offered
a
seat
too
tempting
to
be
declined
;
we
took
it
,
and
when
we
had
admired
and
examined
some
English-looking
wild-flowers
growing
at
our
feet
,
I
recalled
Frances’
attention
and
my
own
to
the
topic
touched
on
at
breakfast
.
“
What
was
her
plan
?
”
A
natural
one
—
the
next
step
to
be
mounted
by
us
,
or
,
at
least
,
by
her
,
if
she
wanted
to
rise
in
her
profession
.
She
proposed
to
begin
a
school
.
We
already
had
the
means
for
commencing
on
a
careful
scale
,
having
lived
greatly
within
our
income
.
We
possessed
,
too
,
by
this
time
,
an
extensive
and
eligible
connection
,
in
the
sense
advantageous
to
our
business
;
for
,
though
our
circle
of
visiting
acquaintance
continued
as
limited
as
ever
,
we
were
now
widely
known
in
schools
and
families
as
teachers
.
When
Frances
had
developed
her
plan
,
she
intimated
,
in
some
closing
sentences
,
her
hopes
for
the
future
.
If
we
only
had
good
health
and
tolerable
success
,
me
might
,
she
was
sure
,
in
time
realize
an
independency
;
and
that
,
perhaps
,
before
we
were
too
old
to
enjoy
it
;
then
both
she
and
I
would
rest
;
and
what
was
to
hinder
us
from
going
to
live
in
England
?
England
was
still
her
Promised
Land
.
I
put
no
obstacle
in
her
way
;
raised
no
objection
;
I
knew
she
was
not
one
who
could
live
quiescent
and
inactive
,
or
even
comparatively
inactive
.
Duties
she
must
have
to
fulfil
,
and
important
duties
;
work
to
do
—
and
exciting
,
absorbing
,
profitable
work
;
strong
faculties
stirred
in
her
frame
,
and
they
demanded
full
nourishment
,
free
exercise
:
mine
was
not
the
hand
ever
to
starve
or
cramp
them
;
no
,
I
delighted
in
offering
them
sustenance
,
and
in
clearing
them
wider
space
for
action
.
“
You
have
conceived
a
plan
,
Frances
,
”
said
I
,
“
and
a
good
plan
;
execute
it
;
you
have
my
free
consent
,
and
wherever
and
whenever
my
assistance
is
wanted
,
ask
and
you
shall
have
.
”
Frances’
eyes
thanked
me
almost
with
tears
;
just
a
sparkle
or
two
,
soon
brushed
away
;
she
possessed
herself
of
my
hand
too
,
and
held
it
for
some
time
very
close
clasped
in
both
her
own
,
but
she
said
no
more
than
“
Thank
you
,
monsieur
.
”
We
passed
a
divine
day
,
and
came
home
late
,
lighted
by
a
full
summer
moon
.
Ten
years
rushed
now
upon
me
with
dusty
,
vibrating
,
unresting
wings
;
years
of
bustle
,
action
,
unslacked
endeavour
;
years
in
which
I
and
my
wife
,
having
launched
ourselves
in
the
full
career
of
progress
,
as
progress
whirls
on
in
European
capitals
,
scarcely
knew
repose
,
were
strangers
to
amusement
,
never
thought
of
indulgence
,
and
yet
,
as
our
course
ran
side
by
side
,
as
we
marched
hand
in
hand
,
we
neither
murmured
,
repented
,
nor
faltered
.
Hope
indeed
cheered
us
;
health
kept
us
up
;
harmony
of
thought
and
deed
smoothed
many
difficulties
,
and
finally
,
success
bestowed
every
now
and
then
encouraging
reward
on
diligence
.
Our
school
became
one
of
the
most
popular
in
Brussels
,
and
as
by
degrees
we
raised
our
terms
and
elevated
our
system
of
education
,
our
choice
of
pupils
grew
more
select
,
and
at
length
included
the
children
of
the
best
families
in
Belgium
.
We
had
too
an
excellent
connection
in
England
,
first
opened
by
the
unsolicited
recommendation
of
Mr.
Hunsden
,
who
having
been
over
,
and
having
abused
me
for
my
prosperity
in
set
terms
,
went
back
,
and
soon
after
sent
a
leash
of
young
—
—
shire
heiresses
—
his
cousins
;
as
he
said
“
to
be
polished
off
by
Mrs.
Crimsworth
.
”
As
to
this
same
Mrs.
Crimsworth
,
in
one
sense
she
was
become
another
woman
,
though
in
another
she
remained
unchanged
.
So
different
was
she
under
different
circumstances
.
I
seemed
to
possess
two
wives
.
The
faculties
of
her
nature
,
already
disclosed
when
I
married
her
,
remained
fresh
and
fair
;
but
other
faculties
shot
up
strong
,
branched
out
broad
,
and
quite
altered
the
external
character
of
the
plant
.
Firmness
,
activity
,
and
enterprise
,
covered
with
grave
foliage
,
poetic
feeling
and
fervour
;
but
these
flowers
were
still
there
,
preserved
pure
and
dewy
under
the
umbrage
of
later
growth
and
hardier
nature
:
perhaps
I
only
in
the
world
knew
the
secret
of
their
existence
,
but
to
me
they
were
ever
ready
to
yield
an
exquisite
fragrance
and
present
a
beauty
as
chaste
as
radiant
.
In
the
daytime
my
house
and
establishment
were
conducted
by
Madame
the
directress
,
a
stately
and
elegant
woman
,
bearing
much
anxious
thought
on
her
large
brow
;
much
calculated
dignity
in
her
serious
mien
:
immediately
after
breakfast
I
used
to
part
with
this
lady
;
I
went
to
my
college
,
she
to
her
schoolroom
;
returning
for
an
hour
in
the
course
of
the
day
,
I
found
her
always
in
class
,
intently
occupied
;
silence
,
industry
,
observance
,
attending
on
her
presence
.
When
not
actually
teaching
,
she
was
overlooking
and
guiding
by
eye
and
gesture
;
she
then
appeared
vigilant
and
solicitous
.
When
communicating
instruction
,
her
aspect
was
more
animated
;
she
seemed
to
feel
a
certain
enjoyment
in
the
occupation
.
The
language
in
which
she
addressed
her
pupils
,
though
simple
and
unpretending
,
was
never
trite
or
dry
;
she
did
not
speak
from
routine
formulas
—
she
made
her
own
phrases
as
she
went
on
,
and
very
nervous
and
impressive
phrases
they
frequently
were
;
often
,
when
elucidating
favourite
points
of
history
,
or
geography
,
she
would
wax
genuinely
eloquent
in
her
earnestness
.
Her
pupils
,
or
at
least
the
elder
and
more
intelligent
amongst
them
,
recognized
well
the
language
of
a
superior
mind
;
they
felt
too
,
and
some
of
them
received
the
impression
of
elevated
sentiments
;
there
was
little
fondling
between
mistress
and
girls
,
but
some
of
Frances’
pupils
in
time
learnt
to
love
her
sincerely
,
all
of
them
beheld
her
with
respect
;
her
general
demeanour
towards
them
was
serious
;
sometimes
benignant
when
they
pleased
her
with
their
progress
and
attention
,
always
scrupulously
refined
and
considerate
.
In
cases
where
reproof
or
punishment
was
called
for
she
was
usually
forbearing
enough
;
but
if
any
took
advantage
of
that
forbearance
,
which
sometimes
happened
,
a
sharp
,
sudden
and
lightning-like
severity
taught
the
culprit
the
extent
of
the
mistake
committed
.
Sometimes
a
gleam
of
tenderness
softened
her
eyes
and
manner
,
but
this
was
rare
;
only
when
a
pupil
was
sick
,
or
when
it
pined
after
home
,
or
in
the
case
of
some
little
motherless
child
,
or
of
one
much
poorer
than
its
companions
,
whose
scanty
wardrobe
and
mean
appointments
brought
on
it
the
contempt
of
the
jewelled
young
countesses
and
silk-clad
misses
.
Over
such
feeble
fledglings
the
directress
spread
a
wing
of
kindliest
protection
:
it
was
to
their
bedside
she
came
at
night
to
tuck
them
warmly
in
;
it
was
after
them
she
looked
in
winter
to
see
that
they
always
had
a
comfortable
seat
by
the
stove
;
it
was
they
who
by
turns
were
summoned
to
the
salon
to
receive
some
little
dole
of
cake
or
fruit
—
to
sit
on
a
footstool
at
the
fireside
—
to
enjoy
home
comforts
,
and
almost
home
liberty
,
for
an
evening
together
—
to
be
spoken
to
gently
and
softly
,
comforted
,
encouraged
,
cherished
—
and
when
bedtime
came
,
dismissed
with
a
kiss
of
true
tenderness
.
As
to
Julia
and
Georgiana
G
—
—
,
daughters
of
an
English
baronet
,
as
to
Mdlle
.
Mathilde
de
—
—
,
heiress
of
a
Belgian
count
,
and
sundry
other
children
of
patrician
race
,
the
directress
was
careful
of
them
as
of
the
others
,
anxious
for
their
progress
,
as
for
that
of
the
rest
—
but
it
never
seemed
to
enter
her
head
to
distinguish
them
by
a
mark
of
preference
;
one
girl
of
noble
blood
she
loved
dearly
—
a
young
Irish
baroness
—
lady
Catherine
—
—
;
but
it
was
for
her
enthusiastic
heart
and
clever
head
,
for
her
generosity
and
her
genius
,
the
title
and
rank
went
for
nothing
.
My
afternoons
were
spent
also
in
college
,
with
the
exception
of
an
hour
that
my
wife
daily
exacted
of
me
for
her
establishment
,
and
with
which
she
would
not
dispense
.
She
said
that
I
must
spend
that
time
amongst
her
pupils
to
learn
their
characters
,
to
be
au
courant
with
everything
that
was
passing
in
the
house
,
to
become
interested
in
what
interested
her
,
to
be
able
to
give
her
my
opinion
on
knotty
points
when
she
required
it
,
and
this
she
did
constantly
,
never
allowing
my
interest
in
the
pupils
to
fall
asleep
,
and
never
making
any
change
of
importance
without
my
cognizance
and
consent
.
She
delighted
to
sit
by
me
when
I
gave
my
lessons
(
lessons
in
literature
)
,
her
hands
folded
on
her
knee
,
the
most
fixedly
attentive
of
any
present
.
She
rarely
addressed
me
in
class
;
when
she
did
it
was
with
an
air
of
marked
deference
;
it
was
her
pleasure
,
her
joy
to
make
me
still
the
master
in
all
things
.
At
six
o’clock
P.M.
my
daily
labours
ceased
.
I
then
came
home
,
for
my
home
was
my
heaven
;
ever
at
that
hour
,
as
I
entered
our
private
sitting-room
,
the
lady-directress
vanished
from
before
my
eyes
,
and
Frances
Henri
,
my
own
little
lace-mender
,
was
magically
restored
to
my
arms
;
much
disappointed
she
would
have
been
if
her
master
had
not
been
as
constant
to
the
tryst
as
herself
,
and
if
his
truthfull
kiss
had
not
been
prompt
to
answer
her
soft
,
“
Bon
soir
,
monsieur
.
”
Talk
French
to
me
she
would
,
and
many
a
punishment
she
has
had
for
her
wilfulness
.
I
fear
the
choice
of
chastisement
must
have
been
injudicious
,
for
instead
of
correcting
the
fault
,
it
seemed
to
encourage
its
renewal
.
Our
evenings
were
our
own
;
that
recreation
was
necessary
to
refresh
our
strength
for
the
due
discharge
of
our
duties
;
sometimes
we
spent
them
all
in
conversation
,
and
my
young
Genevese
,
now
that
she
was
thoroughly
accustomed
to
her
English
professor
,
now
that
she
loved
him
too
absolutely
to
fear
him
much
,
reposed
in
him
a
confidence
so
unlimited
that
topics
of
conversation
could
no
more
be
wanting
with
him
than
subjects
for
communion
with
her
own
heart
.
In
those
moments
,
happy
as
a
bird
with
its
mate
,
she
would
show
me
what
she
had
of
vivacity
,
of
mirth
,
of
originality
in
her
well-dowered
nature
.
She
would
show
,
too
,
some
stores
of
raillery
,
of
“
malice
,
”
and
would
vex
,
tease
,
pique
me
sometimes
about
what
she
called
my
“
bizarreries
anglaises
,
”
my
“
caprices
insulaires
,
”
with
a
wild
and
witty
wickedness
that
made
a
perfect
white
demon
of
her
while
it
lasted
.
This
was
rare
,
however
,
and
the
elfish
freak
was
always
short
:
sometimes
when
driven
a
little
hard
in
the
war
of
words
—
for
her
tongue
did
ample
justice
to
the
pith
,
the
point
,
the
delicacy
of
her
native
French
,
in
which
language
she
always
attacked
me
—
I
used
to
turn
upon
her
with
my
old
decision
,
and
arrest
bodily
the
sprite
that
teased
me
.
Vain
idea
!
no
sooner
had
I
grasped
hand
or
arm
than
the
elf
was
gone
;
the
provocative
smile
quenched
in
the
expressive
brown
eyes
,
and
a
ray
of
gentle
homage
shone
under
the
lids
in
its
place
.
I
had
seized
a
mere
vexing
fairy
,
and
found
a
submissive
and
supplicating
little
mortal
woman
in
my
arms
.
Then
I
made
her
get
a
book
,
and
read
English
to
me
for
an
hour
by
way
of
penance
.
I
frequently
dosed
her
with
Wordsworth
in
this
way
,
and
Wordsworth
steadied
her
soon
;
she
had
a
difficulty
in
comprehending
his
deep
,
serene
,
and
sober
mind
;
his
language
,
too
,
was
not
facile
to
her
;
she
had
to
ask
questions
,
to
sue
for
explanations
,
to
be
like
a
child
and
a
novice
,
and
to
acknowledge
me
as
her
senior
and
