CHAPTER VII.

onmist.Isupposethesensations,stirredbythosefirstsounds,firstsights,arefeltbutoncetreasurethem,Memorysealtheminurns,andkeeptheminsafeniches!Well—Irose.TravellerstalkoftheapartmentsinforeigndwellingsbeingbareanduncomfortableIthoughtmychamberlookedstatelyandcheerful.Ithadsuchlargewindows—CROISEESthatopenedlikedoors,withsuchbroad,clearpanesofglasssuchagreatlooking-glassstoodonmydressing-table—suchafinemirrorglitteredoverthemantelpiece—thepaintedfloorlookedsocleanandglossywhenIhaddressedandwasdescendingthestairs,thebroadmarblestepsalmostawedme,andsodidtheloftyhallintowhichtheyconducted.OnthefirstlandingImetaFlemishhousemaid:shehadwoodenshoes,ashortredpetticoat,aprintedcottonbedgown,herfacewasbroad,herphysiognomyeminentlystupidwhenIspoketoherinFrench,sheansweredmeinFlemish,withanairthereverseofcivilyetIthoughthercharmingifshewasnotprettyorpolite,shewas,Iconceived,verypicturesquesheremindedmeofthefemalefiguresincertainDutchpaintingsIhadseeninotheryearsatSeacombeHall. Irepairedtothepublicroomthat,too,wasverylargeandverylofty,andwarmedbyastovethefloorwasblack,andthestovewasblack,andmostofthefurniturewasblack:yetIneverexperiencedafreersenseofexhilarationthanwhenIsatdownataverylong,blacktable(covered,however,inpartbyawhitecloth),and,havingorderedbreakfast,begantopouroutmycoffeefromalittleblackcoffee-pot.Thestovemightbedismal-lookingtosomeeyes,nottomine,butitwasindisputablyverywarm,andthereweretwogentlemenseatedbyittalkinginFrenchimpossibletofollowtheirrapidutterance,orcomprehendmuchofthepurportofwhattheysaid—yetFrench,inthemouthsofFrenchmen,orBelgians(IwasnotthensensibleofthehorrorsoftheBelgianaccent)wasasmusictomyears.OneofthesegentlemenpresentlydiscernedmetobeanEnglishman—nodoubtfromthefashioninwhichIaddressedthewaiterforIwouldpersistinspeakingFrenchinmyexecrableSouth-of-Englandstyle,thoughthemanunderstoodEnglish.Thegentleman,afterlookingtowardsmeonceortwice,politelyaccostedmeinverygoodEnglishIrememberIwishedtoGodthatIcouldspeakFrenchaswellhisfluencyandcorrectpronunciationimpressedmeforthefirsttimewithaduenotionofthecosmopolitancharacterofthecapitalIwasinitwasmyfirstexperienceofthatskillinlivinglanguagesIafterwardsfoundtobesogeneralinBrussels. IlingeredovermybreakfastaslongasIcouldwhileitwasthereonthetable,andwhilethatstrangercontinuedtalkingtome,Iwasafree,independenttravellerbutatlastthethingswereremoved,thetwogentlemenlefttheroomsuddenlytheillusionceased,realityandbusinesscameback.I,abondsmanjustreleasedfromtheyoke,freedforoneweekfromtwenty-oneyearsofconstraint,must,ofnecessity,resumethefettersofdependency.HardlyhadItastedthedelightofbeingwithoutamasterwhendutyissuedhersternmandate:“Goforthandseekanotherservice.”IneverlingeroverapainfulandnecessarytaskInevertakepleasurebeforebusiness,itisnotinmynaturetodosoimpossibletoenjoyaleisurelywalkoverthecity,thoughIperceivedthemorningwasveryfine,untilIhadfirstpresentedMr.Hunsden’sletterofintroduction,andgotfairlyontothetrackofanewsituation.Wrenchingmymindfromlibertyanddelight,Iseizedmyhat,andforcedmyreluctantbodyoutoftheHotelde——intotheforeignstreet. Itwasafineday,butIwouldnotlookattheblueskyoratthestatelyhousesroundmemymindwasbentononething,findingout“Mr.Brown,Numero—,RueRoyale,”forsomyletterwasaddressed.BydintofinquiryIsucceededIstoodatlastatthedesireddoor,knocked,askedforMr.Brown,andwasadmitted. Beingshownintoasmallbreakfast-room,Ifoundmyselfinthepresenceofanelderlygentleman—verygrave,business-like,andrespectable-looking.IpresentedMr.Hunsden’sletterhereceivedmeverycivilly.Afteralittledesultoryconversationheaskedmeiftherewasanythinginwhichhisadviceorexperiencecouldbeofuse.Isaid,“Yes,”andthenproceededtotellhimthatIwasnotagentlemanoffortune,travellingforpleasure,butanex-counting-houseclerk,whowantedemploymentofsomekind,andthatimmediatelytoo.HerepliedthatasafriendofMr.Hunsden’shewouldbewillingtoassistmeaswellashecould.AftersomemeditationhenamedaplaceinamercantilehouseatLiege,andanotherinabookseller’sshopatLouvain. “Clerkandshopman!”murmuredItomyself.“No.”Ishookmyhead.IhadtriedthehighstoolIhateditIbelievedtherewereotheroccupationsthatwouldsuitmebetterbesidesIdidnotwishtoleaveBrussels. “IknowofnoplaceinBrussels,”answeredMr.Brown,“unlessindeedyouweredisposedtoturnyourattentiontoteaching.IamacquaintedwiththedirectorofalargeestablishmentwhoisinwantofaprofessorofEnglishandLatin.” Ithoughttwominutes,thenIseizedtheideaeagerly. “Theverything,sir!”saidI. “But,”askedhe,“doyouunderstandFrenchwellenoughtoteachBelgianboysEnglish?” FortunatelyIcouldanswerthisquestionintheaffirmativehavingstudiedFrenchunderaFrenchman,Icouldspeakthelanguageintelligibl