CHAPTER XIX. THE CLEOPATRA.

MystayatLaTerrassewasprolongedafortnightbeyondthecloseofthevacation.Mrs.Bretton’skindmanagementprocuredmethisrespite.Hersonhavingonedaydeliveredthedictumthat“Lucywasnotyetstrongenoughtogobacktothatdenofapensionnat,”sheatoncedroveovertotheRueFossette,hadaninterviewwiththedirectress,andprocuredtheindulgence,onthepleaofprolongedrestandchangebeingnecessarytoperfectrecovery.Hereupon,however,followedanattentionIcouldverywellhavedispensedwith,viz—apolitecallfromMadameBeck. Thatlady—onefineday—actuallycameoutinafiacreasfarasthechateau.IsupposeshehadresolvedwithinherselftoseewhatmannerofplaceDr.Johninhabited.Apparently,thepleasantsiteandneatinteriorsurpassedherexpectationssheeulogizedallshesaw,pronouncedthebluesalon“unepiècemagnifique,”profuselycongratulatedmeontheacquisitionoffriends,“tellementdignes,aimables,etrespectables,”turnedalsoaneatcomplimentinmyfavour,and,uponDr.Johncomingin,ranuptohimwiththeutmostbuoyancy,openingatthesametimesuchafireofrapidlanguage,allsparklingwithfelicitationsandprotestationsabouthis“chateau,”—“madamesamère,ladignechatelaine:”alsohislookswhich,indeed,wereveryflourishing,andatthemomentadditionallyembellishedbythegood-naturedbutamusedsmilewithwhichhealwayslistenedtoMadame’sfluentandfloridFrench.Inshort,Madameshoneinherverybestphasethatday,andcameinandwentoutquitealivingcatherine-wheelofcompliments,delight,andaffability.Halfpurposely,andhalftoasksomequestionaboutschool-business,Ifollowedhertothecarriage,andlookedinaftershewasseatedandthedoorclosed.Inthatbrieffractionoftimewhatachangehadbeenwrought!Aninstantago,allsparklesandjests,shenowsatsternerthanajudgeandgraverthanasage.Strangelittlewoman! IwentbackandteasedDr.JohnaboutMadame’sdevotiontohim.Howhelaughed!Whatfunshoneinhiseyesasherecalledsomeofherfinespeeches,andrepeatedthem,imitatinghervolubledelivery!Hehadanacutesenseofhumour,andwasthefinestcompanyintheworld—whenhecouldforgetMissFanshawe. To“sitinsunshinecalmandsweet”issaidtobeexcellentforweakpeopleitgivesthemvitalforce.WhenlittleGeorgetteBeckwasrecoveringfromherillness,Iusedtotakeherinmyarmsandwalkwithherinthegardenbythehourtogether,beneathacertainwallhungwithgrapes,whichtheSouthernsunwasripening:thatsuncherishedherlittlepaleframequiteaseffectuallyasitmellowedandswelledtheclusteringfruit. Therearehumantempers,bland,glowing,andgenial,withinwhoseinfluenceitisasgoodforthepoorinspirittolive,asitisforthefeebleinframetobaskintheglowofnoon.OfthenumberofthesechoicenatureswerecertainlybothDr.Bretton’sandhismother’s.Theylikedtocommunicatehappiness,assomeliketooccasionmisery:theydiditinstinctivelywithoutfuss,andapparentlywithlittleconsciousnessthemeanstogivepleasurerosespontaneouslyintheirminds.EverydaywhileIstayedwiththem,somelittleplanwasproposedwhichresultedinbeneficialenjoyment.FullyoccupiedaswasDr.John’stime,hestillmadeitinhiswaytoaccompanyusineachbriefexcursion.Icanhardlytellhowhemanagedhisengagementstheywerenumerous,yetbydintofsystem,heclassedtheminanorderwhichlefthimadailyperiodofliberty.Ioftensawhimhard-worked,yetseldomover-driven,andneverirritated,confused,oroppressed.Whathedidwasaccomplishedwiththeeaseandgraceofall-sufficingstrengthwiththebountifulcheerfulnessofhighandunbrokenenergies.UnderhisguidanceIsaw,inthatonehappyfortnight,moreofVillette,itsenvirons,anditsinhabitants,thanIhadseeninthewholeeightmonthsofmypreviousresidence.Hetookmetoplacesofinterestinthetown,ofwhosenamesIhadnotbeforesomuchasheardwithwillingnessandspirithecommunicatesmuchnoteworthyinformation.Heneverseemedtothinkitatroubletotalktome,and,Iamsure,itwasneveratasktometolisten.Itwasnothiswaytotreatsubjectscoldlyandvaguelyherarelygeneralized,neverprosed.HeseemedtolikenicedetailsalmostasmuchasIlikedthemmyself:heseemedobservantofcharacter:andnotsuperficiallyobservant,either.Thesepointsgavethequalityofinteresttohisdiscourseandthefactofhisspeakingdirectfromhisownresources,andnotborrowingorstealingfrombooks—hereadryfact,andthereatritephrase,andelsewhereahackneyedopinion—ensuredafreshness,aswelcomeasitwasrare.Beforemyeyes,too,hisdispositionseemedtounfoldanotherphasetopasstoafreshday:toriseinnewandnoblerdawn. Hismotherpossessedagooddevelopmentofbenevolence,butheownedabetterandlarger.Ifound,onaccompanyinghimtotheBasse-Ville—thepoorandcrowdedquarterofthecity—thathiserrandstherewereasmuchthoseofthephilanthropistasthephysician.Iunderstoodpresentlythatcheerfully,habitually,andinsingle-mindedunconsciousnessofanyspecialmeritdistinguishinghisdeeds—hewasa