CHAPTER VIII.

readangerousperson,Ifear,”saidshe“ifyoucanforgecomplimentsatthatrate,Zoraidewillpositivelybeafraidofyoubutifyouaregood,Iwillkeepyoursecret,andnottellherhowwellyoucanflatter.Now,listenwhatsortofaproposalshemakestoyou.Shehasheardthatyouareanexcellentprofessor,andasshewishestogettheverybestmastersforherschool(carZoraidefaittoutcommeunereine,c’estuneveritablemaitresse-femme),shehascommissionedmetostepoverthisafternoon,andsoundMadamePeletastothepossibilityofengagingyou.Zoraideisawarygeneralsheneveradvanceswithoutfirstexaminingwellherground.Idon’tthinkshewouldbepleasedifsheknewIhadalreadydisclosedherintentionstoyoushedidnotordermetogosofar,butIthoughttherewouldbenoharminlettingyouintothesecret,andMadamePeletwasofthesameopinion.Takecare,however,youdon’tbetrayeitherofustoZoraide—tomydaughter,Imeansheissodiscreetandcircumspectherself,shecannotunderstandthatoneshouldfindapleasureingossipingalittle—” “C’estabsolumentcommemonfils!”criedMadamePelet. “Alltheworldissochangedsinceourgirlhood!”rejoinedtheother:“youngpeoplehavesucholdheadsnow.Buttoreturn,Monsieur.MadamePeletwillmentionthesubjectofyourgivinglessonsinmydaughter’sestablishmenttoherson,andhewillspeaktoyouandthento-morrow,youwillstepovertoourhouse,andasktoseemydaughter,andyouwillintroducethesubjectasifthefirstintimationofithadreachedyoufromM.Pelethimself,andbesureyounevermentionmyname,forIwouldnotdispleaseZoraideonanyaccount.” “Bien!bien!”interruptedI—forallthischatterandcircumlocutionbegantoboremeverymuch“IwillconsultM.Pelet,andthethingshallbesettledasyoudesire.Goodevening,mesdames—Iaminfinitelyobligedtoyou.” “Comment!vousvousenallezdeja?”exclaimedMadamePelet. “Prenezencorequelquechose,monsieurunepommecuite,desbiscuits,encoreunetassedecafe?” “Merci,merci,madame—aurevoir.”AndIbackedatlastoutoftheapartment. Havingregainedmyownroom,Isetmyselftoturnoverinmymindtheincidentoftheevening.Itseemedaqueeraffairaltogether,andqueerlymanagedthetwooldwomenhadmadequitealittleintricatemessofitstillIfoundthattheuppermostfeelinginmymindonthesubjectwasoneofsatisfaction.Inthefirstplaceitwouldbeachangetogivelessonsinanotherseminary,andthentoteachyoungladieswouldbeanoccupationsointeresting—tobeadmittedatallintoaladies’boarding-schoolwouldbeanincidentsonewinmylife.Besides,thoughtI,asIglancedattheboardedwindow,“Ishallnowatlastseethemysteriousgarden:IshallgazebothontheangelsandtheirEden.”