CHAPTER VII.

ythoughnotfluently.Icouldalsoreaditwell,andwriteitdecently. “Then,”pursuedMr.Brown,“IthinkIcanpromiseyoutheplace,forMonsieurPeletwillnotrefuseaprofessorrecommendedbymebutcomehereagainatfiveo’clockthisafternoon,andIwillintroduceyoutohim.” Theword“professor”struckme.“Iamnotaprofessor,”saidI. “Oh,”returnedMr.Brown,“professor,hereinBelgium,meansateacher,thatisall.” Myconsciencethusquieted,IthankedMr.Brown,and,forthepresent,withdrew.ThistimeIsteppedoutintothestreetwitharelievedheartthetaskIhadimposedonmyselfforthatdaywasexecuted.Imightnowtakesomehoursofholiday.Ifeltfreetolookup.ForthefirsttimeIremarkedthesparklingclearnessoftheair,thedeepblueofthesky,thegaycleanaspectofthewhite-washedorpaintedhousesIsawwhatafinestreetwastheRueRoyale,and,walkingleisurelyalongitsbroadpavement,Icontinuedtosurveyitsstatelyhotels,tillthepalisades,thegates,andtreesoftheparkappearinginsight,offeredtomyeyeanewattraction.Iremember,beforeenteringthepark,IstoodawhiletocontemplatethestatueofGeneralBelliard,andthenIadvancedtothetopofthegreatstaircasejustbeyond,andIlookeddownintoanarrowbackstreet,whichIafterwardslearntwascalledtheRued’Isabelle.Iwellrecollectthatmyeyerestedonthegreendoorofaratherlargehouseopposite,where,onabrassplate,wasinscribed,“PensionnatdeDemoiselles.”Pensionnat!Thewordexcitedanuneasysensationinmyminditseemedtospeakofrestraint.Someofthedemoiselles,externatsnodoubt,wereatthatmomentissuingfromthedoor—Ilookedforaprettyfaceamongstthem,buttheirclose,littleFrenchbonnetshidtheirfeaturesinamomenttheyweregone. IhadtraversedagooddealofBrusselsbeforefiveo’clockarrived,butpunctuallyasthathourstruckIwasagainintheRueRoyale.Re-admittedtoMr.Brown’sbreakfast-room,Ifoundhim,asbefore,seatedatthetable,andhewasnotalone—agentlemanstoodbythehearth.Twowordsofintroductiondesignatedhimasmyfuturemaster.“M.Pelet,Mr.CrimsworthMr.Crimsworth,M.Pelet,”abowoneachsidefinishedtheceremony.Idon’tknowwhatsortofabowImadeanordinaryone,Isuppose,forIwasinatranquil,commonplaceframeofmindIfeltnoneoftheagitationwhichhadtroubledmyfirstinterviewwithEdwardCrimsworth.M.Pelet’sbowwasextremelypolite,yetnottheatrical,scarcelyFrenchheandIwerepresentlyseatedoppositetoeachother.Inapleasingvoice,low,and,outofconsiderationtomyforeignears,verydistinctanddeliberate,M.Peletintimatedthathehadjustbeenreceivingfrom“lerespectableM.Brown,”anaccountofmyattainmentsandcharacter,whichrelievedhimfromallscrupleastotheproprietyofengagingmeasprofessorofEnglishandLatininhisestablishmentnevertheless,forform’ssake,hewouldputafewquestionstotestmypowers.Hedid,andexpressedinflatteringtermshissatisfactionatmyanswers.Thesubjectofsalarynextcameonitwasfixedatonethousandfrancsperannum,besidesboardandlodging.“Andinaddition,”suggestedM.Pelet,“astherewillbesomehoursineachdayduringwhichyourserviceswillnotberequiredinmyestablishment,youmay,intime,obtainemploymentinotherseminaries,andthusturnyourvacantmomentstoprofitableaccount.” Ithoughtthisverykind,andindeedIfoundafterwardsthatthetermsonwhichM.PelethadengagedmewerereallyliberalforBrusselsinstructionbeingextremelycheapthereonaccountofthenumberofteachers.ItwasfurtherarrangedthatIshouldbeinstalledinmynewposttheverynextday,afterwhichM.PeletandIparted. Well,andwhatwashelike?andwhatweremyimpressionsconcerninghim?Hewasamanofaboutfortyyearsofage,ofmiddlesize,andratheremaciatedfigurehisfacewaspale,hischeeksweresunk,andhiseyeshollowhisfeatureswerepleasingandregular,theyhadaFrenchturn(forM.PeletwasnoFleming,butaFrenchmanbothbybirthandparentage),yetthedegreeofharshnessinseparablefromGalliclineamentswas,inhiscase,softenedbyamildblueeye,andamelancholy,almostsuffering,expressionofcountenancehisphysiognomywas“fineetspirituelle.”IusetwoFrenchwordsbecausetheydefinebetterthananyEnglishtermsthespeciesofintelligencewithwhichhisfeatureswereimbued.Hewasaltogetheraninterestingandprepossessingpersonage.Iwonderedonlyattheutterabsenceofalltheordinarycharacteristicsofhisprofession,andalmostfearedhecouldnotbesternandresoluteenoughforaschoolmaster.ExternallyatleastM.Peletpresentedanabsolutecontrasttomylatemaster,EdwardCrimsworth. InfluencedbytheimpressionIhadreceivedofhisgentleness,Iwasagooddealsurprisedwhen,onarrivingthenextdayatmynewemployer’shouse,andbeingadmittedtoafirstviewofwhatwastobethesphereofmyfuturelabours,namelythelarge,lofty,andwell-lightedschoolrooms,Ibeheldanumerousassemblageofpupils,boysofcourse,whosecollectiveappearanceshowedallthesignsofafull,flourishing,andwell-disciplinedseminary.AsItraversedtheclassesincompanywithM.Pelet,aprofoundsilencereignedonallsides,andifbychanceamurmurorawhisperarose,oneglancefromthepensiveeyeofthismostgentlepe