CHAPTER VIII. MADAME BECK.

t,inblindignorance,andunderasurveillancethatleftthemnomomentandnocornerforretirement,wasnotthebestwaytomakethemgrowuphonestandmodestwomenbutsheaverredthatruinousconsequenceswouldensueifanyothermethodweretriedwithcontinentalchildren:theyweresoaccustomedtorestraint,thatrelaxation,howeverguarded,wouldbemisunderstoodandfatallypresumedon.Shewassick,shewoulddeclare,ofthemeansshehadtouse,butusethemshemustandafterdiscoursing,oftenwithdignityanddelicacy,tome,shewouldmoveawayonher“souliersdesilence,”andglideghost-likethroughthehouse,watchingandspyingeverywhere,peeringthrougheverykeyhole,listeningbehindeverydoor. Afterall,Madame’ssystemwasnotbad—letmedoherjustice.Nothingcouldbebetterthanallherarrangementsforthephysicalwell-beingofherscholars.Nomindswereovertasked:thelessonswerewelldistributedandmadeincomparablyeasytothelearnertherewasalibertyofamusement,andaprovisionforexercisewhichkeptthegirlshealthythefoodwasabundantandgood:neitherpalenorpunyfaceswereanywheretobeseenintheRueFossette.Shenevergrudgedaholidaysheallowedplentyoftimeforsleeping,dressing,washing,eatinghermethodinallthesematterswaseasy,liberal,salutary,andrational:manyanaustereEnglishschool-mistresswoulddovastlywelltoimitateher—andIbelievemanywouldbegladtodoso,ifexactingEnglishparentswouldletthem. AsMadameBeckruledbyespionage,sheofcoursehadherstaffofspies:sheperfectlyknewthequalityofthetoolssheused,andwhileshewouldnotscrupletohandlethedirtiestforadirtyoccasion—flingingthissortfromherlikerefuserind,aftertheorangehasbeendulysqueezed—Ihaveknownherfastidiousinseekingpuremetalforcleanusesandwhenonceabloodlessandrustlessinstrumentwasfound,shewascarefuloftheprize,keepingitinsilkandcotton-wool.Yet,woebetothatmanorwomanwhoreliedonheroneinchbeyondthepointwhereitwasherinteresttobetrustworthy:interestwasthemaster-keyofMadame’snature—themainspringofhermotives—thealphaandomegaofherlife.Ihaveseenherfeelingsappealedto,andIhavesmiledinhalf-pity,half-scornattheappellants.Noneevergainedherearthroughthatchannel,orswayedherpurposebythatmeans.Onthecontrary,toattempttotouchherheartwasthesurestwaytorouseherantipathy,andtomakeofherasecretfoe.Itprovedtoherthatshehadnohearttobetouched:itremindedherwhereshewasimpotentanddead.Neverwasthedistinctionbetweencharityandmercybetterexemplifiedthaninher.Whiledevoidofsympathy,shehadasufficiencyofrationalbenevolence:shewouldgiveinthereadiestmannertopeopleshehadneverseen—rather,however,toclassesthantoindividuals.“Pourlespauvres,”sheopenedherpursefreely—againstthepoorman,asarule,shekeptitclosed.Inphilanthropicschemesforthebenefitofsocietyatlargeshetookacheerfulpartnoprivatesorrowtouchedher:noforceormassofsufferingconcentratedinonehearthadpowertopiercehers.NottheagonyinGethsemane,notthedeathonCalvary,couldhavewrungfromhereyesonetear. Isayagain,Madamewasaverygreatandaverycapablewoman.Thatschoolofferedherforherpowerstoolimitedaspheresheoughttohaveswayedanation:sheshouldhavebeentheleaderofaturbulentlegislativeassembly.Nobodycouldhavebrowbeatenher,noneirritatedhernerves,exhaustedherpatience,orover-reachedherastuteness.Inherownsingleperson,shecouldhavecomprisedthedutiesofafirstministerandasuperintendentofpolice.Wise,firm,faithlesssecret,crafty,passionlesswatchfulandinscrutableacuteandinsensate—withalperfectlydecorous—whatmorecouldbedesired? ThesensiblereaderwillnotsupposethatIgainedalltheknowledgeherecondensedforhisbenefitinonemonth,orinonehalf-year.No!whatIsawatfirstwasthethrivingoutsideofalargeandflourishingeducationalestablishment.Herewasagreathouse,fullofhealthy,livelygirls,allwell-dressedandmanyofthemhandsome,gainingknowledgebyamarvellouslyeasymethod,withoutpainfulexertionoruselesswasteofspiritsnot,perhaps,makingveryrapidprogressinanythingtakingiteasy,butstillalwaysemployed,andneveroppressed.Herewasacorpsofteachersandmasters,morestringentlytasked,asalltherealhead-labourwastobedonebythem,inordertosavethepupils,yethavingtheirdutiessoarrangedthattheyrelievedeachotherinquicksuccessionwhenevertheworkwassevere:here,inshort,wasaforeignschoolofwhichthelife,movement,andvarietymadeitacompleteandmostcharmingcontrasttomanyEnglishinstitutionsofthesamekind. Behindthehousewasalargegarden,and,insummer,thepupilsalmostlivedoutofdoorsamongsttherose-bushesandthefruit-trees.Underthevastandvine-drapedberceau,Madamewouldtakeherseatonsummerafternoons,andsendfortheclasses,inturns,tositroundherandsewandread.Meantime,masterscameandwent,deliveringshortandlivelylectures,ratherthanlessons,andthepupilsmadenotesoftheirinstructions,ordidnotmakethem—justasinclinationpromptedsecurethat,incaseofneglect,theycouldcopythenotesoftheircompanions.Besidestheregularmonthlyjoursdesortie,theCatholicfête-daysbroughtasuccessionofholidaysalltheyearroundandsometimesonabrightsummermorning,orsoftsummereveningtheboardersweretakenoutforalongwalkintothecountry,regaledwithgaufresandvinblanc,ornewmilkandpainbis,orpistoletsaubeurre(rolls)andcoffee.Allthisseemedverypleasant,andMadameappearedgoodnessitselfandtheteachersnotsobadbuttheymightbeworseandthepupils,perhaps,alittlenoisyandrough,buttypesofhealthandglee. Thusdidtheviewappear,seenthroughtheenchantmentofdistancebuttherecameatimewhendistancewastomeltforme—whenIwastobecalleddownfrommywatch-towerofthenursery,whenceIhadhithertomademyobservations,andwastobecompelledintocloserintercoursewiththislittleworldoftheRueFossette. Iwasonedaysittingup-stairs,asusual,hearingthechildrentheirEnglishl