CHAPTER XXI. REACTION.

mine,fixedonmeapairofsomewhatsmalleyestwinklinggleefully,andfranklystretchedacrossthetableawhitehandtobeshaken.MissFanshawe’stravels,gaieties,andflirtationsagreedwithhermightilyshehadbecomequiteplump,hercheekslookedasroundasapples.Ihadseenherlastineleganteveningattire.Idon’tknowthatshelookedlesscharmingnowinherschool-dress,akindofcarelesspeignoirofadark-bluematerial,dimlyanddingilyplaidedwithblack.Ieventhinkthisduskywrappergavehercharmsatriumphenhancingbycontrastthefairnessofherskin,thefreshnessofherbloom,thegoldenbeautyofhertresses. “Iamgladyouarecomeback,Timon,”saidshe.Timonwasoneofherdozennamesforme.“Youdon’tknowhowoftenIhavewantedyouinthisdismalhole.” “Oh,haveyou?Then,ofcourse,ifyouwantedme,youhavesomethingformetodo:stockingstomend,perhaps.”InevergaveGinevraaminute’sorafarthing’screditfordisinterestedness. “Crabbedandcrustyasever!”saidshe.“Iexpectedasmuch:itwouldnotbeyouifyoudidnotsnubone.Butnow,come,grand-mother,Ihopeyoulikecoffeeasmuch,andpistoletsaslittleasever:areyoudisposedtobarter?” “Takeyourownway.” Thiswayconsistedinahabitshehadofmakingmeconvenient.Shedidnotlikethemorningcupofcoffeeitsschoolbrewagenotbeingstrongorsweetenoughtosuitherpalateandshehadanexcellentappetite,likeanyotherhealthyschool-girl,forthemorningpistoletsorrolls,whichwerenew-bakedandverygood,andofwhichacertainallowancewasservedtoeach.ThisallowancebeingmorethanIneeded,IgavehalftoGinevranevervaryinginmypreference,thoughmanyothersusedtocovetthesuperfluityandsheinreturnwouldsometimesgivemeaportionofhercoffee.ThismorningIwasgladofthedraughthungerIhadnone,andwiththirstIwasparched.Idon’tknowwhyIchosetogivemybreadrathertoGinevrathantoanothernorwhy,iftwohadtosharetheconvenienceofonedrinking-vessel,assometimeshappened—forinstance,whenwetookalongwalkintothecountry,andhaltedforrefreshmentatafarm—Ialwayscontrivedthatsheshouldbemyconvive,andratherlikedtolethertakethelion’sshare,whetherofthewhitebeer,thesweetwine,orthenewmilk:soitwas,however,andsheknewitand,therefore,whilewewrangleddaily,wewereneveralienated. Afterbreakfastmycustomwastowithdrawtothefirstclasse,andsitandread,orthink(oftenestthelatter)therealone,tillthenine-o’clockbellthrewopenalldoors,admittedthegatheredrushofexternesanddemi-pensionnaires,andgavethesignalforentranceonthatbustleandbusinesstowhich,tillfiveP.M.,therewasnorelax. Iwasjustseatedthismorning,whenatapcametothedoor. “Pardon,Mademoiselle,”saidapensionnaire,enteringgentlyandhavingtakenfromherdesksomenecessarybookorpaper,shewithdrewontip-toe,murmuringasshepassedme,“Quemademoiselleestappliquée!” Appliquée,indeed!Themeansofapplicationwerespreadbeforeme,butIwasdoingnothingandhaddonenothing,andmeanttodonothing.Thusdoestheworldgiveuscreditformeritswehavenot.MadameBeckherselfdeemedmearegularbas-bleu,andoftenandsolemnlyusedtowarnmenottostudytoomuch,lest“thebloodshouldallgotomyhead.”Indeed,everybodyintheRueFossetteheldasuperstitionthat“MeessLucie”waslearnedwiththenotableexceptionofM.Emanuel,who,bymeanspeculiartohimself,andquiteinscrutabletome,hadobtainedanotinaccurateinklingofmyrealqualifications,andusedtotakequietopportunitiesofchucklinginmyearhismaligngleeovertheirscantmeasure.Formypart,Inevertroubledmyselfaboutthispenury.IdearlyliketothinkmyownthoughtsIhadgreatpleasureinreadingafewbooks,butnotmany:preferringalwaysthoseonwhosestyleorsentimentthewriter’sindividualnaturewasplainlystampedflagginginevitablyovercharacterlessbooks,howevercleverandmeritorious:perceivingwellthat,asfarasmyownmindwasconcerned,Godhadlimiteditspowersand,itsaction—thankful,Itrust,forthegiftbestowed,butunambitiousofhigherendowments,notrestlesslyeagerafterhigherculture. Thepolitepupilwasscarcelygone,when,unceremoniously,withouttap,inburstasecondintruder.HadIbeenblindIshouldhaveknownwhothiswas.Aconstitutionalreserveofmannerhadbythistimetoldwithwholesomeand,forme,commodiouseffect,onthemannersofmyco-inmatesrarelydidInowsufferfromrudeorintrusivetreatment.WhenIfirstcame,itwouldhappenonceandagainthatabluntGermanwouldclapmeontheshoulder,andaskmetorunaraceorariotousLabassecourienneseizemebythearmanddragmetowardstheplayground:urgentproposalstotakeaswingatthe“PasdeGéant,”ortojoininacertainrompinghide-and-seekgamecalled“Un,deux,trois,”wereformerlyalsoofhourlyoccurrencebutalltheselittleattentionshadceasedsometimeago—ceased,too,withoutmyfindingitnecessarytobeatthetroubleofpoint-blankcuttingthemshort.Ihadnownofamiliardemonstrationtodreadorendure,savefromonequarterandasthatwasEnglishIcouldbearit.GinevraFanshawemadenoscrupleof—attimes—catchingmeasIwascrossingthecarré,whirlingmeroundinacompulsorywaltz,andheartilyenjoyingthementalandphysicaldiscomfitureherproceedinginduced.GinevraFanshaweitwaswhonowbrokeinupon“mylearnedleisure.”Shecarriedahugemusic-bookunderherarm. “Gotoyourpractising,”saidItoheratonce:“awaywithyoutothelittlesalon!” “NottillIhavehadatalkwithyou,chèreamie.Iknowwhereyouhavebeenspendingyourvacation,andhowyouhavecommencedsacrificingtothegraces,andenjoyinglifelikeanyotherbelle.Isawyouattheconcerttheothernight,dressed,actually,likeanybodyelse.Whoisyourtailleuse?” “Tittle-tattle:howprettilyitbegins!Mytailleuse!—afiddlestick!Come,sheeroff,Ginevra.Ireallydon’twantyourcompany.” “ButwhenIwantyourssomuch,angefarouche,whatdoesalittlereluctanceonyourpartsignify?Dieumerci!weknowhowtomanoeuvrewithourgiftedcompatriote—thelearned‘ourseBritannique.’Andso,Ourson,youknowIsidore?” “IknowJohnBretton.” “Oh,hush!”(puttingherfingersinherears)“youcrackmytympanumswithyourrudeAnglicisms.But,howisourwell-belovedJohn?Dotellmeabouthim.Thepoormanmustbeinasadway.Whatdidhesaytomybehaviourtheothernight?Wasn’tIcruel?” “DoyouthinkInoticedyou?” “Itwasadelightfulevening.Oh,thatdivinedeHamal!Andthentowatchtheothersulkinganddyinginthedistanceandtheoldlady—myfuturemamma-in-law!ButIamafraidIandLadySarawerealittlerudeinquizzingher.” “LadySaraneverquizzedheratallandforwhatyoudid,don’tmakeyourselfintheleastuneasy:Mrs.Brettonwillsurviveyoursneer.” “Shemay:oldladiesaretoughbutthatpoorsonofhers!Dotellmewhathesaid:Isawhewasterriblycutup.” “HesaidyoulookedasifatheartyouwerealreadyMadamedeHamal.” “Didhe?”shecriedwithdelight.“Henoticedthat?Howcharming!Ithoughthewoul