CHAPTER XIV. THE FêTE.

AssoonasGeorgettewaswell,Madamesentherawayintothecountry.IwassorryIlovedthechild,andherlossmademepoorerthanbefore.ButImustnotcomplain.IlivedinahousefullofrobustlifeImighthavehadcompanions,andIchosesolitude.EachoftheteachersinturnmademeoverturesofspecialintimacyItriedthemall.OneIfoundtobeanhonestwoman,butanarrowthinker,acoarsefeeler,andanegotist.ThesecondwasaParisienne,externallyrefined—atheart,corrupt—withoutacreed,withoutaprinciple,withoutanaffection:havingpenetratedtheoutwardcrustofdecoruminthischaracter,youfoundasloughbeneath.Shehadawonderfulpassionforpresentsand,inthispoint,thethirdteacher—apersonotherwisecharacterlessandinsignificant—closelyresembledher.Thislast-namedhadalsooneotherdistinctiveproperty—thatofavarice.Inherreignedtheloveofmoneyforitsownsake.Thesightofapieceofgoldwouldbringintohereyesagreenglisten,singulartowitness.Sheonce,asamarkofhighfavour,tookmeup-stairs,and,openingasecretdoor,showedmeahoard—amassofcoarse,largecoin—aboutfifteenguineas,infive-francpieces.Shelovedthishoardasabirdlovesitseggs.Thesewerehersavings.Shewouldcomeandtalktomeaboutthemwithaninfatuatedandperseveringdotage,strangetobeholdinapersonnotyettwenty-five. TheParisienne,ontheotherhand,wasprodigalandprofligate(indisposition,thatis:astoaction,Idonotknow).Thatlatterqualityshoweditssnake-headtomebutonce,peepingoutverycautiously.Acuriouskindofreptileitseemed,judgingfromtheglimpseIgotitsnoveltywhettedmycuriosity:ifitwouldhavecomeoutboldly,perhapsImightphilosophicallyhavestoodmyground,andcoollysurveyedthelongthingfromforkedtonguetoscalytail-tipbutitmerelyrustledintheleavesofabadnoveland,onencounteringahastyandill-adviseddemonstrationofwrath,recoiledandvanished,hissing.Shehatedmefromthatday. ThisParisiennewasalwaysindebthersalarybeinganticipated,notonlyindress,butinperfumes,cosmetics,confectionery,andcondiments.Whatacold,callousepicureshewasinallthings!Iseehernow.Thininfaceandfigure,sallowincomplexion,regularinfeatures,withperfectteeth,lipslikeathread,alarge,prominentchin,awell-opened,butfrozeneye,oflightatoncecravingandingrate.Shemortallyhatedwork,andlovedwhatshecalledpleasurebeinganinsipid,heartless,brainlessdissipationoftime. MadameBeckknewthiswoman’scharacterperfectlywell.Sheoncetalkedtomeabouther,withanoddmixtureofdiscrimination,indifference,andantipathy.Iaskedwhyshekeptherintheestablishment.Sheansweredplainly,“becauseitsuitedherinteresttodoso”andpointedoutafactIhadalreadynoticed,namely,thatMademoiselleSt.Pierrepossessed,inanalmostuniquedegree,thepowerofkeepingorderamongstherundisciplinedranksofscholars.Acertainpetrifyinginfluenceaccompaniedandsurroundedher:withoutpassion,noise,orviolence,sheheldthemincheckasabreezelessfrost-airmightstillabrawlingstream.Shewasoflittleuseasfarascommunicationofknowledgewent,butforstrictsurveillanceandmaintenanceofrulesshewasinvaluable.“Jesaisbienqu’ellen’apasdeprincipes,ni,peut-être,demoeurs,”admittedMadamefranklybutaddedwithphilosophy,“sonmaintienenclasseesttoujoursconvenableetremplimêmed’unecertainedignité:c’esttoutcequ’ilfaut.Nilesélèvesnilesparentsneregardentplusloinni,parconséquent,moinonplus.” Astrange,frolicsome,noisylittleworldwasthisschool:greatpainsweretakentohidechainswithflowers:asubtleessenceofRomanismpervadedeveryarrangement:largesensualindulgence(sotospeak)waspermittedbywayofcounterpoisetojealousspiritualrestraint.Eachmindwasbeingrearedinslaverybut,topreventreflectionfromdwellingonthisfact,everypretextforphysicalrecreationwasseizedandmadethemostof.There,aselsewhere,theCHURCHstrovetobringupherchildrenrobustinbody,feebleinsoul,fat,ruddy,hale,joyous,ignorant,unthinking,unquestioning.“Eat,drink,andlive!”shesays.“Lookafteryourbodiesleaveyoursoulstome.Iholdtheircure—guidetheircourse:Iguaranteetheirfinalfate.”Abargain,inwhicheverytrueCatholicdeemshimselfagainer.Luciferjustoffersthesameterms:“AllthispowerwillIgivethee,andthegloryofitforthatisdelivereduntome,andtowhomsoeverIwillIgiveit.Ifthou,therefore,wiltworshipme,allshallbethine!” Aboutthistime—intheripestglowofsummer—MadameBeck’shousebecameasmerryaplaceasaschoolcouldwellbe.Alldaylongthebroadfolding-doorsandthetwo-leavedcasementsstoodwideopen:settledsunshineseemednaturalizedintheatmospherecloudswerefaroff,sailingawaybeyondsea,resting,nodoubt,roundislandssuchasEngland—thatdearlandofmists—butwithdrawnwhollyfromthedriercontinent.Welivedfarmoreinthegardenthanunderaroof:classeswereheld,andmealspartakenof,inthe“grandberceau.”Moreover,therewasanoteofholidaypreparation,whichalmostturnedfreedomintolicence.Theautumnallongvacationwasbuttwomonthsdistantbutbeforethat,agreatday—animportantceremony—noneotherthanthefêteofMadame—awaitedcelebration. TheconductofthisfêtedevolvedchieflyonMademoiselleSt.Pierre:Madameherselfbeingsupposedtostandaloof,disinterestedlyunconsciousofwhatmightbegoingforwardinherhonour.Especially,sheneverknew,neverintheleastsuspected,thatasubscriptionwasannuallyleviedonthewholeschoolforthepurchaseofahandsomepresent.Thepolitetactofthereaderwillpleasetoleaveoutoftheaccountabrief,secretconsultationonthispointinMadame’sownchamber. “Whatwillyouhavethisyear?”wasaskedbyherParisianlieutenant. “Oh,nomatter!Letitalone.Letthepoorchildrenkeeptheirfrancs,”AndMadamelookedbenignandmodest. TheSt.PierrewouldhereprotrudeherchinsheknewMadamebyheartshealwayscalledherairsof“bonté”—“desgrimaces.”Sheneverevenprofessedtorespectthemoneinstant. “Vite!”shewouldsaycoldly.“Namethearticle.Shallitbejewelleryorporcelain,haberdasheryorsilver?” “Ehbien!Deuxoutroiscuillers,etautantdefourchettesenargent.” Andtheresultwasahandsomecase,containing300francsworthofplate. Theprogrammeofthefête-day’sproceedingscomprised:Presentationofplate,collationinthegarden,dramaticperformance(withpupilsandteachersforactors),adanceandsupper.Verygorgeousseemedtheeffectofthewholetome,asIwellremember.ZélieSt.Pierreunderstoodthesethingsandmanagedthemably. Theplaywasthemainpointamonth’spreviousdrillingbeingthererequired.Thechoice,too,oftheactorsrequiredknowledgeandcarethencamelessonsinelocution,inattitude,andthenthefatigueofcountlessrehearsals.Forallthis,asmaywellbesupposed,St.Pierredidnotsuffice:othermanagement,otheraccomplishmentsthanherswererequisitehere.Theyweresuppliedinthepersonofamaster—M.PaulEmanuel,professorofliterature.ItwasnevermylottobepresentatthehistrioniclessonsofM.Paul,butIoftensawhimashecrossedthecarré(asquarehallbetweenthedwelling-houseandschool-house).Iheardhim,too,inthewarmevenings,lecturingwithopendoors,andhisname,withanecdotesofhim,resoundedinonesearsfromallsides.Especiallyourformeracquaintance,MissGinevraFanshawe,—whohadbeenselectedtotakeaprominentpartintheplay—used,inbestowinguponmealargeportionofherleisure,tolardherdiscoursewithfrequentallusionstohissayingsanddoings.Sheesteemedhimhideouslyplain,andusedtoprofessherselffrightenedalmostintohystericsatthesoundofhissteporvoice.Adarklittlemanhecertainlywaspungentandaustere.Eventomeheseemedaharshapparition,withhisclose-shorn,blackhead,hisbroad,sallowbrow,histhincheek,hiswideandquiveringnostril,histhoroughglance,andhurriedbearing.Irritablehewasoneheardthat,asheapostrophizedwithvehemencetheawkwardsquadunderhisorders.Sometimeshewouldbreakoutontheserawamateuractresseswithapassionofimpatienceattheirfalsenessofconception,theircoldnessofemotion,theirfeeblenessofdelivery.“Ecoutez!”hewouldcryandthenhisvoicerangthroughthepremiseslikeatrumpetandwhen,mimickingit,camethesmallpipeofaGinevra,aMathilde,oraBlanche,oneunderstoodwhyahollowgroanofscorn,orafiercehissofrage,rewardedthetameecho. “Vousn’êtesdoncquedespoupées,”Iheardhimthunder.“Vousn’avezpasdepassions—vousautres.Vousnesentezdoncrien?Votrechairestdeneige,votresangdeglace!Moi,jeveuxquetoutcelas’allume,qu’ilaitunevie,uneame!” Vainresolve!Andwhenheatlastfounditwasvain,hesuddenlybrokethewholebusinessdown.Hithertohehadbeenteachingthemagrandtragedyhetorethetragedyinmorsels,andcamenextdaywithacompactlittlecomictrifle.Tothistheytookmorekindlyhepresentlyknockeditallintotheirsmoothroundpates. MademoiselleSt.PierrealwayspresidedatM.Emanuel’slessons,andIwastoldthatthepolishofhermanner,herseemingattention,hertactandgrace,impressedthatgentlemanveryfavourably.Shehad,indeed,theartofpleasing,foragiventime,whomshewouldbutthefeelingwouldnotlast:inanhouritwasdriedlikedew,vanishedlikegossamer. ThedayprecedingMadame’sfêtewasasmuchaholidayasthefêteitself.Itwasdevotedtoclearingout,cleaning,arranginganddecoratingthethreeschoolrooms.Allwithin-doorswasthegayestbustleneitherup-stairsnordowncouldaquiet,isolatedpersonfindrestforthesoleofherfootaccordingly,formypart,Itookrefugeinthegarden.ThewholedaydidIwanderorsittherealone,findingwarmthinthesun,shelteramongthetrees,andasortofcompanionshipinmyownthoughts.IwellrememberthatIexchangedbuttwosentencesthatdaywithanylivingbeing:notthatIfeltsolitaryIwasgladtobequiet.Foralooker-on,itsufficedtopassthroughtheroomsonceortwice,observewhatchangeswerebeingwrought,howagreen-roomandadressing-roomwerebeingcontrived,alittlestagewithsceneryerected,howM.PaulEmanuel,inconjunctionwithMademoiselleSt.Pierre,wasdirectingall,andhowaneagerbandofpupils,amongstthemGinevraFanshawe,wereworkinggailyunderhiscontrol. Thegreatdayarrived.Thesunrosehotandunclouded,andhotanduncloudeditburnedontillevening.Allthedoorsandallthewindowsweresetopen,whichgaveapleasantsenseofsummerfreedom—andfreedomthemostcompleteseemedindeedtheorderoftheday.Teachersandpupilsdescendedtobreakfastindressing-gownsandcurl-papers:anticipating“avecdélices”thetoiletteoftheevening,theyseemedtotakeapleasureinindulgingthatforenooninaluxuryofslovenlinesslikealdermenfastinginpreparationforafeast.Aboutnineo’clockA.M.,animportantfunctionary,the“coiffeur,”arrived.Sacrilegioustostate,hefixedhishead-quartersintheoratory,andthere,inpresenceofbénitier,candle,andcrucifix,solemnisedthemysteriesofhisart.Eachgirlwassummonedinturntopassthroughhishandsemergingfromthemwithheadassmoothasashell,intersectedbyfaultlesswhitelines,andwreathedaboutwithGrecianplaitsthatshoneasiflacquered.Itookmyturnwiththerest,andcouldhardlybelievewhattheglasssaidwhenIappliedtoitforinformationafterwardsthelavishedgarlandryofwovenbrownhairamazedme—Ifeareditwasnotallmyown,anditrequiredseveralconvincingpullstogiveassurancetothecontrary.Ithenacknowledgedinthecoiffeurafirst-rateartist—onewhocertainlymadethemostofindifferentmaterials. Theoratoryclosed,thedormitorybecamethesceneofablutions,arrayingsandbedizeningscuriouslyelaborate.Tomeitwas,andevermustbeanenigma,howtheycontrivedtospendsomuchtimeindoingsolittle.Theoperationseemedclose,intricate,prolonged:theresultsimple.Aclearwhitemuslindress,