CHAPTER XXXV. FRATERNITY.

rlight—onehavingastiff,half-militaryair,andwearingabraidedsurtouttheotherpartaking,ingarbandbearing,moreofthecarelessaspectofthestudentorartistclass:bothflourishinginfullmagnificenceofmoustaches,whiskers,andimperial.M.Emanuelstoodalittleapartfromthesehiscountenanceandeyesexpressedstrongcholerheheldforthhishandwithhistribunegesture. “Mademoiselle,”saidhe,“yourbusinessistoprovetothesegentlementhatIamnoliar.Youwillanswer,tothebestofyourability,suchquestionsastheyshallput.Youwillalsowriteonsuchthemeastheyshallselect.Intheireyes,itappears,Iholdthepositionofanunprincipledimpostor.Iwriteessaysand,withdeliberateforgery,signtothemmypupils’names,andboastofthemastheirwork.Youwilldisprovethischarge.” Grandciel!Herewastheshow-trial,solongevaded,comeonmelikeathunder-clap.Thesetwofine,braided,mustachioed,sneeringpersonages,werenoneotherthandandyprofessorsofthecollege—MessieursBoissecandRochemorte—apairofcold-bloodedfopsandpedants,sceptics,andscoffers.ItseemsthatM.PaulhadbeenrashlyexhibitingsomethingIhadwritten—something,hehadneveroncepraised,orevenmentioned,inmyhearing,andwhichIdeemedforgotten.Theessaywasnotremarkableatallitonlyseemedremarkable,comparedwiththeaverageproductionsofforeignschool-girlsinanEnglishestablishmentitwouldhavepassedscarcenoticed.MessieursBoissecandRochemortehadthoughtpropertoquestionitsgenuineness,andinsinuateacheatIwasnowtobearmytestimonytothetruth,andtobeputtothetortureoftheirexamination. Amemorablesceneensued. Theybeganwithclassics.Adeadblank.TheywentontoFrenchhistory.IhardlyknewMérovéefromPharamond.Theytriedmeinvarious’ologies,andstillonlygotashakeofthehead,andanunchanging“Jen’ensaisrien.” Afteranexpressivepause,theyproceededtomattersofgeneralinformation,broachingoneortwosubjectswhichIknewprettywell,andonwhichIhadoftenreflected.M.Emanuel,whohadhithertostoodlookingon,darkasthewinter-solstice,brightenedupsomewhathethoughtIshouldnowshowmyselfatleastnofool. Helearnedhiserror.Thoughanswerstothequestionssurgedupfast,mymindfillinglikearisingwell,ideaswerethere,butnotwords.Ieithercouldnot,orwouldnotspeak—Iamnotsurewhich:partly,Ithink,mynerveshadgotwrong,andpartlymyhumourwascrossed. Iheardoneofmyexaminers—heofthebraidedsurtout—whispertohisco-professor,“Est-elledoncidiote?” “Yes,”Ithought,“anidiotsheis,andalwayswillbe,forsuchasyou.” ButIsuffered—sufferedcruellyIsawthedampsgatheronM.Paul’sbrow,andhiseyespokeapassionateyetsadreproach.HewouldnotbelieveinmytotallackofpopularclevernesshethoughtIcouldbepromptifIwould. Atlast,torelievehim,theprofessors,andmyself,Istammeredout: “Gentlemen,youhadbetterletmegoyouwillgetnogoodofmeasyousay,Iamanidiot.” IwishIcouldhavespokenwithcalmanddignity,orIwishmysensehadsufficedtomakemeholdmytonguethattraitortonguetripped,faltered.BeholdingthejudgescastonM.Emanuelahardlookoftriumph,andhearingthedistressedtremorofmyownvoice,outIburstinafitofchokingtears.TheemotionwasfarmoreofangerthangriefhadIbeenamanandstrong,Icouldhavechallengedthatpaironthespot—butitwasemotion,andIwouldratherhavebeenscourgedthanbetrayedit. Theincapables!Couldtheynotseeatoncethecrudehandofanoviceinthatcompositiontheycalledaforgery?Thesubjectwasclassical.WhenM.Pauldictatedthetraitonwhichtheessaywastoturn,Ihearditforthefirsttimethematterwasnewtome,andIhadnomaterialforitstreatment.ButIgotbooks,readupthefacts,laboriouslyconstructedaskeletonoutofthedrybonesofthereal,andthenclothedthem,andtriedtobreatheintothemlife,andinthislastaimIhadpleasure.Withmeitwasadifficultandanxioustimetillmyfactswerefound,selected,andproperlyjointednorcouldIrestfromresearchandefforttillIwassatisfiedofcorrectanatomythestrengthofmyinwardrepugnancetotheideaofflaworfalsitysometimesenabledmetoshunegregiousblundersbuttheknowledgewasnotthereinmyhead,readyandmellowithadnotbeensowninSpring,growninSummer,harvestedinAutumn,andgarneredthroughWinterwhateverIwantedImustgooutandgatherfreshgleanofwildherbsmylapful,andshredthemgreenintothepot.MessieursBoissecandRochemortedidnotperceivethis.Theymistookmyworkfortheworkofaripescholar. Theywouldnotyetletmego:Imustsitdownandwritebeforethem.AsIdippedmypenintheinkwithashakinghand,andsurveyedthewhitepaperwitheyeshalf-blindedandoverflowing,oneofmyjudgesbeganmincinglytoapologizeforthepainhecaused. “Nousagissonsdansl’intérêtdelavérité.Nousnevoulonspasvousblesser,”saidhe. Scorngavemenerve.Ionlyanswere