CHAPTER VIII. MADAME BECK.

stiffandcostlysilk,fittingherindifferently,andapparentlymadeforotherproportionsthanthosetheynowadornedcapswithreallaceborders,and—thechiefitemintheinventory,thespellbywhichshestruckacertainawethroughthehousehold,quellingtheotherwisescornfullydisposedteachersandservants,and,solongasherbroadshouldersworethefoldsofthatmajesticdrapery,eveninfluencingMadameherself—arealIndianshawl—“unvéritablecachemire,”asMadameBecksaid,withunmixedreverenceandamaze.Ifeelquitesurethatwithoutthis“cachemire”shewouldnothavekeptherfootinginthepensionnatfortwodays:byvirtueofit,anditonly,shemaintainedthesameamonth. ButwhenMrs.SweenyknewthatIwascometofillhershoes,thenitwasthatshedeclaredherself—thendidsheriseonMadameBeckinherfullpower—thencomedownonmewithherconcentratedweight.Madameborethisrevelationandvisitationsowell,sostoically,thatIforveryshamecouldnotsupportitotherwisethanwithcomposure.ForonelittlemomentMadameBeckabsentedherselffromtheroomtenminutesafter,anagentofthepolicestoodinthemidstofus.Mrs.Sweenyandhereffectswereremoved.Madame’sbrowhadnotbeenruffledduringthescene—herlipshadnotdroppedonesharply-accentedword. Thisbrisklittleaffairofthedismissalwasallsettledbeforebreakfast:ordertomarchgiven,policemancalled,mutineerexpelled“chambred’enfans”fumigatedandcleansed,windowsthrownopen,andeverytraceoftheaccomplishedMrs.Sweeny—eventothefineessenceandspiritualfragrancewhichgavetokensosubtleandsofataloftheheadandfrontofheroffending—wasannihilatedfromtheRueFossette:allthis,Isay,wasdonebetweenthemomentofMadameBeck’sissuinglikeAurorafromherchamber,andthatinwhichshecoollysatdowntopouroutherfirstcupofcoffee. Aboutnoon,IwassummonedtodressMadame.(Itappearedmyplacewastobeahybridbetweengouvernanteandlady’s-maid.)Tillnoon,shehauntedthehouseinherwrapping-gown,shawl,andsoundlessslippers.Howwouldthelady-chiefofanEnglishschoolapprovethiscustom? Thedressingofherhairpuzzledmeshehadplentyofit:auburn,unmixedwithgrey:thoughshewasfortyyearsold.Seeingmyembarrassment,shesaid,“Youhavenotbeenafemme-de-chambreinyourowncountry?”Andtakingthebrushfrommyhand,andsettingmeaside,notungentlyordisrespectfully,shearrangeditherself.Inperformingotherofficesofthetoilet,shehalf-directed,half-aidedme,withouttheleastdisplayoftemperorimpatience.N.B.—ThatwasthefirstandlasttimeIwasrequiredtodressher.Henceforth,onRosine,theportress,devolvedthatduty. Whenattired,MadameBeckappearedapersonageofafigurerathershortandstout,yetstillgracefulinitsownpeculiarwaythatis,withthegraceresultingfromproportionofparts.Hercomplexionwasfreshandsanguine,nottoorubicundhereye,blueandsereneherdarksilkdressfittedherasaFrenchsempstressalonecanmakeadressfitshelookedwell,thoughalittlebourgeoiseasbourgeoise,indeed,shewas.Iknownotwhatofharmonypervadedherwholepersonandyetherfaceofferedcontrast,too:itsfeatureswerebynomeanssuchasareusuallyseeninconjunctionwithacomplexionofsuchblendedfreshnessandrepose:theiroutlinewasstern:herforeheadwashighbutnarrowitexpressedcapacityandsomebenevolence,butnoexpansenordidherpeacefulyetwatchfuleyeeverknowthefirewhichiskindledintheheartorthesoftnesswhichflowsthence.Hermouthwashard:itcouldbealittlegrimherlipswerethin.Forsensibilityandgenius,withalltheirtendernessandtemerity,IfeltsomehowthatMadamewouldbetherightsortofMinosinpetticoats. Inthelongrun,Ifoundshewassomethingelseinpetticoatstoo.HernamewasModesteMariaBeck,néeKint:itoughttohavebeenIgnacia.Shewasacharitablewoman,anddidagreatdealofgood.Thereneverwasamistresswhoserulewasmilder.IwastoldthatsheneveronceremonstratedwiththeintolerableMrs.Sweeny,despitehertipsiness,disorder,andgeneralneglectyetMrs.Sweenyhadtogothemomentherdeparturebecameconvenient.Iwastold,too,thatneithermastersnorteacherswerefoundfaultwithinthatestablishmentyetbothmastersandteacherswereoftenchanged:theyvanishedandothersfilledtheirplaces,nonecouldwellexplainhow. Theestablishmentwasbothapensionnatandanexternat:theexternesorday-pupilsexceededonehundredinnumbertheboarderswereaboutascore.Madamemusthavepossessedhighadministrativepowers:sheruledallthese,togetherwithfourteachers,eightmasters,sixservants,andthreechildren,managingatthesametimetoperfectionthepupils’parentsandfriendsandthatwithoutapparenteffortwithoutbustle,fatigue,fever,oranysymptomofundue,excitement:occupiedshealwayswas—busy,rarely.ItistruethatMadamehadherownsystemformanagingandregulatingthismassofmachineryandaveryprettysystemitwas:thereaderhasseenaspecimenofit,inthatsmallaffairofturningmypocketinsideout,andreadingmyprivatememoranda.“Surveillance,”“espionage,”—thesewereherwatchwords. Still,Madameknewwhathonestywas,andlikedit—thatis,whenitdidnotobtrudeitsclumsyscruplesinthewayofherwillandinterest.Shehadarespectfor“Angleterre”andasto“lesAnglaises,”shewouldhavethewomenofnoothercountryaboutherownchildren,ifshecouldhelpit. Oftenintheevening,aftershehadbeenplottingandcounter-plotting,spyingandreceivingthereportsofspiesallday,shewouldcomeuptomyroom—atraceofrealwearinessonherbrow—andshewouldsitdownandlistenwhilethechildrensaidtheirlittleprayerstomeinEnglish:theLord’sPrayer,andthehymnbeginning“GentleJesus,”theselittleCatholicswerepermittedtorepeatatmykneeand,whenIhadputthemtobed,shewouldtalktome(IsoongainedenoughFrenchtobeabletounderstand,andevenanswerher)aboutEnglandandEnglishwomen,andthereasonsforwhatshewaspleasedtotermtheirsuperiorintelligence,andmorerealandreliableprobity.Verygoodsensesheoftenshowedverysoundopinionssheoftenbroached:sheseemedtoknowthatkeepinggirlsindistrustfulrestrain