CHAPTER XXVIII. THE WATCHGUARD.

M.PaulEmanuelownedanacutesensitivenesstotheannoyanceofinterruption,fromwhatsoevercauseoccurring,duringhislessons:topassthroughtheclasseundersuchcircumstanceswasconsideredbytheteachersandpupilsoftheschool,individuallyandcollectively,tobeasmuchasawoman’sorgirl’slifewasworth. MadameBeckherself,ifforcedtotheenterprise,would“skurry”through,retrenchingherskirts,andcarefullycoastingtheformidableestrade,likeashipdreadingbreakers.AstoRosine,theportress—onwhom,everyhalf-hour,devolvedthefearfuldutyoffetchingpupilsoutoftheveryheartofoneorotherofthedivisionstotaketheirmusic-lessonsintheoratory,thegreatorlittlesaloon,thesalle-à-manger,orsomeotherpiano-station—shewould,uponhersecondorthirdattempt,frequentlybecomealmosttongue-tiedfromexcessofconsternation—asentimentinspiredbytheunspeakablelookslevelledatherthroughapairofdart-dealingspectacles. OnemorningIwassittinginthecarré,atworkuponapieceofembroiderywhichoneofthepupilshadcommencedbutdelayedtofinish,andwhilemyfingerswroughtattheframe,myearsregaledthemselveswithlisteningtothecrescendosandcadencesofavoiceharanguingintheneighbouringclasse,intonesthatwaxedmomentarilymoreunquiet,moreominouslyvaried.Therewasagoodstrongpartition-wallbetweenmeandthegatheringstorm,aswellasafacilemeansofflightthroughtheglass-doortothecourt,incaseitsweptthiswaysoIamafraidIderivedmoreamusementthanalarmfromthesethickeningsymptoms.PoorRosinewasnotsafe:fourtimesthatblessedmorninghadshemadethepassageofperilandnow,forthefifthtime,itbecameherdangerousdutytosnatch,asitwere,abrandfromtheburning—apupilfromunderM.Paul’snose. “MonDieu!MonDieu!”criedshe.“Quevais-jedevenir?Monsieurvametuer,jesuiss?recarilestd’unecolère!” Nervedbythecourageofdesperation,sheopenedthedoor. “MademoiselleLaMalleaupiano!”washercry. Ereshecouldmakegoodherretreat,orquiteclosethedoor,thisvoiceuttereditself:— “Dèscemoment!—laclasseestdéfendue.Lapremièrequiouvriracetteporte,oupasseraparcettedivision,serapendue—fut-ceMadameBeckelle-même!” TenminuteshadnotsucceededthepromulgationofthisdecreewhenRosine’sFrenchpantoufleswereagainheardshufflingalongthecorridor. “Mademoiselle,”saidshe,“Iwouldnotforafive-francpiecegointothatclasseagainjustnow:Monsieur’slunettesarereallyterribleandhereisacommissionairecomewithamessagefromtheAthénée.IhavetoldMadameBeckIdarenotdeliverit,andshesaysIamtochargeyouwithit.” “Me?No,thatisrathertoobad!Itisnotinmylineofduty.Come,come,Rosine!bearyourownburden.Bebrave—chargeoncemore!” “I,Mademoiselle?—impossible!FivetimesIhavecrossedhimthisday.Madamemustreallyhireagendarmeforthisservice.Ouf!Jen’enpuisplus!” “Bah!youareonlyacoward.Whatisthemessage?” “PreciselyofthekindwithwhichMonsieurleastlikestobepestered:anurgentsummonstogodirectlytotheAthénée,asthereisanofficialvisitor—inspector—Iknownotwhat—arrived,andMonsieurmustmeethim:youknowhowhehatesamust.” Yes,Iknewwellenough.Therestivelittlemandetestedspurorcurb:againstwhateverwasurgentorobligatory,hewassuretorevolt.However,Iacceptedtheresponsibility—not,certainly,withoutfear,butfearblentwithothersentiments,curiosity,amongstthem.Iopenedthedoor,Ientered,Icloseditbehindmeasquicklyandquietlyasaratherunsteadyhandwouldpermitfortobesloworbustling,torattlealatch,orleaveadoorgapingwide,wereaggravationsofcrimeoftenmoredisastrousinresultthanthemaincrimeitself.ThereIstoodthen,andtherehesathishumourwasvisiblybad—almostatitsworsthehadbeengivingalessoninarithmetic—forhegavelessonsonanyandeverysubjectthatstruckhisfancy—andarithmeticbeingadrysubject,invariablydisagreedwithhim:notapupilbuttrembledwhenhespokeoffigures.Hesat,bentabovehisdesk:tolookupatthesoundofanentrance,attheoccurrenceofadirectbreachofhiswillandlaw,wasanefforthecouldnotforthemomentbringhimselftomake.Itwasquiteaswell:Ithusgainedtimetowalkupthelongclasseanditsuitedmyidiosyncracyfarbettertoencounterthenearburstofangerlikehis,thantobearitsmenaceatadistance. AthisestradeIpaused,justinfrontofcourseIwasnotworthyofimmediateattention:heproceededwithhislesson.Disdainwouldnotdo:hemusthearandhemustanswermymessage. Notbeingquitetallenoughtoliftmyheadoverhisdesk,elevatedupontheestrade,andthussufferingeclipseinmypresentposition,Iventuredtopeepround,withthedesign,atfirst,ofmerelygettingabetterviewofhisface,whichhadstruckmewhenIenteredasbearingacloseandpicturesqueresemblancetothatofablackandsallowtiger.TwicedidIenjoythisside-viewwithimpunity,adv