CHAPTER IX. ISIDORE.

dofthatqualitywastrainedtobecrushed,anditratherlikedthepressureofafirmheelthanotherwise. Bydegrees,asIacquiredfluencyandfreedomintheirlanguage,andcouldmakesuchapplicationofitsmorenervousidiomsassuitedtheircase,theelderandmoreintelligentgirlsbeganrathertolikemeintheirway:Inoticedthatwheneverapupilhadbeenrousedtofeelinhersoulthestirringofworthyemulation,orthequickeningofhonestshame,fromthatdateshewaswon.IfIcouldbutoncemaketheir(usuallylarge)earsburnundertheirthickglossyhair,allwascomparativelywell.By-and-bybouquetsbegantobelaidonmydeskinthemorningbywayofacknowledgmentforthislittleforeignattention,Iusedsometimestowalkwithaselectfewduringrecreation.InthecourseofconversationitbefelonceortwicethatImadeanunpremeditatedattempttorectifysomeoftheirsingularlydistortednotionsofprincipleespeciallyIexpressedmyideasoftheevilandbasenessofalie.Inanunguardedmoment,Ichancedtosaythat,ofthetwoerrorsIconsideredfalsehoodworsethananoccasionallapseinchurch-attendance.ThepoorgirlsweretutoredtoreportinCatholicearswhatevertheProtestantteachersaid.Anedifyingconsequenceensued.Something—anunseen,anindefinite,anameless—somethingstolebetweenmyselfandthesemybestpupils:thebouquetscontinuedtobeoffered,butconversationthenceforthbecameimpracticable.AsIpacedthealleysorsatintheberceau,agirlnevercametomyrighthandbutateacher,asifbymagic,appearedatmyleft.Also,wonderfultorelate,Madame’sshoesofsilencebroughthercontinuallytomyback,asquick,asnoiselessandunexpected,assomewanderingzephyr. TheopinionofmyCatholicacquaintanceconcerningmyspiritualprospectswassomewhatna?velyexpressedtomeononeoccasion.Apensionnaire,towhomIhadrenderedsomelittleservice,exclaimedonedayasshesatbesideme:“Mademoiselle,whatapityyouareaProtestant!” “Why,Isabelle?” “Parceque,quandvousserezmorte—vousbr?lereztoutdesuitedansl’Enfer.” “Croyez-vous?” “Certainementquej’ycrois:toutlemondelesaitetd’ailleursleprêtremel’adit.” Isabellewasanodd,bluntlittlecreature.Sheadded,sottovoce:“Pourassurervotresalutlà-haut,onferaitbiendevousbr?lertouteviveici-bas.” Ilaughed,as,indeed,itwasimpossibletodootherwise. HasthereaderforgottenMissGinevraFanshawe?Ifso,Imustbeallowedtore-introducethatyoungladyasathrivingpupilofMadameBeck’sforsuchshewas.OnherarrivalintheRueFossette,twoorthreedaysaftermysuddensettlementthere,sheencounteredmewithverylittlesurprise.Shemusthavehadgoodbloodinherveins,forneverwasanyduchessmoreperfectly,radically,unaffectedlynonchalantethanshe:aweak,transientamazewasallsheknewofthesensationofwonder.Mostofherotherfacultiesseemedtobeinthesameflimsycondition:herlikinganddisliking,herloveandhate,weremerecobwebandgossamerbutshehadonethingaboutherthatseemedstronganddurableenough,andthatwas—herselfishness. Shewasnotproudand—bonned’enfantsasIwas—shewouldforthwithhavemadeofmeasortoffriendandconfidant.Sheteasedmewithathousandvapidcomplaintsaboutschool-quarrelsandhouseholdeconomy:thecookerywasnottohertastethepeopleabouther,teachersandpupils,sheheldtobedespicable,becausetheywereforeigners.IborewithherabuseoftheFriday’ssaltfishandhardeggs—withherinvectiveagainstthesoup,thebread,thecoffee—withsomepatienceforatimebutatlast,weariedbyiteration,Iturnedcrusty,andputhertorights:athingIoughttohavedoneintheverybeginning,forasalutarysettingdownalwaysagreedwithher. MuchlongerhadItoendureherdemandsonmeinthewayofwork.Herwardrobe,sofarasconcernedarticlesofexternalwear,waswellandelegantlysuppliedbuttherewereotherhabilimentsnotsocarefullyprovided:whatshehad,neededfrequentrepair.Shehatedneedle-drudgeryherself,andshewouldbringherhose,&c.tomeinheaps,tobemended.Acomplianceofsomeweeksthreateningtoresultintheestablishmentofanintolerablebore—Iatlastdistinctlytoldhershemustmakeuphermindtomendherowngarments.Shecriedonreceivingthisinformation,andaccusedmeofhavingceasedtobeherfriendbutIheldbymydecision,andletthehystericspassastheycould. Notwithstandingthesefoibles,andvariousothersneedlesstomention—butbynomeansofarefinedorelevatingcharacter—howprettyshewas!Howcharmingshelooked,whenshecamedownonasunnySundaymorning,well-dressedandwell-humoured,robedinpalelilacsilk,andwithherfairlongcu