CHAPTER XXVI. A BURIAL.

h.Certainly,inhertimidyetearnestadvancetofriendship,itcouldnotbedeniedthattherewasamostexquisiteandfairycharm. WhentheDoctorwasgone,sheapproachedherfather’schair. “DidIkeepmyword,papa?DidIbehavebetter?” “MyPollybehavedlikeaqueen.Ishallbecomequiteproudofherifthisimprovementcontinues.By-and-byweshallseeherreceivingmyguestswithquiteacalm,grandmanner.MissLucyandIwillhavetolookaboutus,andpolishupallourbestairsandgraceslestweshouldbethrownintotheshade.Still,Polly,thereisalittleflutter,alittletendencytostammernowandthen,andeven,tolispasyoulispedwhenyouweresixyearsold.” “No,papa,”interruptedsheindignantly,“thatcan’tbetrue.” “IappealtoMissLucy.Didshenot,inansweringDr.Bretton’squestionastowhethershehadeverseenthepalaceofthePrinceofBoisl’Etang,say,‘yeth,’shehadbeenthere‘theveral’times?” “Papa,youaresatirical,youareméchant!Icanpronounceallthelettersofthealphabetasclearlyasyoucan.ButtellmethisyouareveryparticularinmakingmebeciviltoDr.Bretton,doyoulikehimyourself?” “Tobesure:foroldacquaintancesakeIlikehim:thenheisaverygoodsontohismotherbesidesbeingakind-heartedfellowandcleverinhisprofession:yes,thecallantiswellenough.” “Callant!Ah,Scotchman!Papa,isittheEdinburghortheAberdeenaccentyouhave?” “Both,mypet,both:anddoubtlesstheGlaswegianintothebargain.ItisthatwhichenablesmetospeakFrenchsowell:agudeScotstonguealwayssucceedswellattheFrench.” “TheFrench!Scotchagain:incorrigiblepapa.You,too,needschooling.” “Well,Polly,youmustpersuadeMissSnowetoundertakebothyouandmetomakeyousteadyandwomanly,andmerefinedandclassical.” ThelightinwhichM.deBassompierreevidentlyregarded“MissSnowe,”usedtooccasionmemuchinwardedification.Whatcontradictoryattributesofcharacterwesometimesfindascribedtous,accordingtotheeyewithwhichweareviewed!MadameBeckesteemedmelearnedandblueMissFanshawe,caustic,ironic,andcynicalMr.Home,amodelteacher,theessenceofthesedateanddiscreet:somewhatconventional,perhaps,toostrict,limited,andscrupulous,butstillthepinkandpatternofgoverness-correctnesswhilstanotherperson,ProfessorPaulEmanuel,towit,neverlostanopportunityofintimatinghisopinionthatminewasratherafieryandrashnature—adventurous,indocile,andaudacious.Ismiledatthemall.IfanyoneknewmeitwaslittlePaulinaMary. AsIwouldnotbePaulina’snominalandpaidcompanion,genialandharmoniousasIbegantofindherintercourse,shepersuadedmetojoinherinsomestudy,asaregularandsettledmeansofsustainingcommunication:sheproposedtheGermanlanguage,which,likemyself,shefounddifficultofmastery.WeagreedtotakeourlessonsintheRueCrécyofthesamemistressthisarrangementthrewustogetherforsomehoursofeveryweek.M.deBassompierreseemedquitepleased:itperfectlymethisapprobation,thatMadameMinervaGravityshouldassociateaportionofherleisurewiththatofhisfairanddearchild. Thatotherself-electedjudgeofmine,theprofessorintheRueFossette,discoveringbysomesurreptitiousspyingmeans,thatIwasnolongersostationaryashitherto,butwentoutregularlyatcertainhoursofcertaindays,tookituponhimselftoplacemeundersurveillance.PeoplesaidM.EmanuelhadbeenbroughtupamongstJesuits.Ishouldmorereadilyhaveaccreditedthisreporthadhismanoeuvresbeenbettermasked.Asitwas,Idoubtedit.Neverwasamoreundisguisedschemer,afranker,looserintriguer.Hewouldanalyzehisownmachinations:elaboratelycontriveplots,andforthwithindulgeinexplanatoryboastsoftheirskill.IknownotwhetherIwasmoreamusedorprovoked,byhissteppinguptomeonemorningandwhisperingsolemnlythathe“hadhiseyeonme:heatleastwoulddischargethedutyofafriend,andnotleavemeentirelytomyowndevices.Myproceedingsseemedatpresentveryunsettled:hedidnotknowwhattomakeofthem:hethoughthiscousinBeckverymuchtoblameinsufferingthissortofflutteringinconsistencyinateacherattachedtoherhouse.Whathadapersondevotedtoaseriouscalling,thatofeducation,todowithCountsandCountesses,hotelsandchateaux?Tohim,Iseemedaltogether‘enl’air.’Onhisfaith,hebelievedIwentoutsixdaysintheseven.” Isaid,“Monsieurexaggerated.Icertainlyhadenjoyedtheadvantageofalittlechangelately,butnotbeforeithadbecomenecessaryandtheprivilegewasbynomeansexercisedinexcess.” “Necessary!Howwasitnecessary?Iwaswellenough,hesupposed?Changenecessary!HewouldrecommendmetolookattheCatholic‘religieuses,’andstudytheirlives.Theyaskednochange.” Iamnojudgeofwhatexpressioncrossedmyfacewhenhethusspoke,butitwasonewhichprovokedhim:heaccusedmeofbeingreckless,worldly,andepicureanambitiousofgreatness,andfeverishlyathirstforthepompsandvanitiesoflife.ItseemsIhadno“dévouement,”no“récueillement”inmycharacternospiritofgrace,faith,sacrifice,orself-abasement.Feelingtheinutilityofansweringthesecharges,ImutelycontinuedthecorrectionofapileofEnglishexercises. “HecouldseeinmenothingChristian:likemanyotherProtestants,Irevelledintheprideandself-willofpaganism.” Islightlyturnedfromhim,nestlingstillcloserunderthewingofsilence. Avaguesoundgrumbledbetweenhisteethitcouldnotsurelybea“juron:”hewastooreligiousforthatbutIamcertainIheardthewordsacré.Grievoustorelate,thesamewordwasrepeated,withtheunequivocaladditionofmillesomething,whenIpassedhimabouttwohoursafterwardsinthecorridor,preparedtogoandtakemyGermanlessonintheRueCrécy.Neverwasabetterlittleman,insomepoints,thanM.Paul:never,inothers,amorewaspishlittledespot. OurGermanmistress,Fr?uleinAnnaBraun,wasaworthy,heartywoman,ofaboutforty-fivesheought,perhaps,tohavelivedinthedaysofQueenElizabeth,asshehabituallyconsumed,forherfirstandsecondbreakfasts,beerandbeef:also,herdirectanddownrightDeutschnatureseemedtosufferasensationofcruel