CHAPTER X.

NEXTdaythemorninghoursseemedtopassveryslowlyatM.Pelet’sIwantedtheafternoontocomethatImightgoagaintotheneighbouringpensionnatandgivemyfirstlessonwithinitspleasantprecinctsforpleasanttheyappearedtome.Atnoonthehourofrecreationarrivedatoneo’clockwehadlunchthisgotonthetime,andatlastSt.Gudule’sdeepbell,tollingslowlytwo,markedthemomentforwhichIhadbeenwaiting. Atthefootofthenarrowback-stairsthatdescendedfrommyroom,ImetM.Pelet. “Commevousavezl’airrayonnant!”saidhe.“Jenevousaijamaisvuaussigai.Ques’est-ildoncpasse?” “Apparemmentquej’aimeleschangements,”repliedI. “Ah!jecomprends—c’estcela—soyezsageseulement.Vousetesbienjeune—tropjeunepourlerolequevousallezjouerilfautprendregarde—savez-vous?” “Maisqueldangerya-t-il?” “Jen’ensaisrien—nevouslaissezpasalleradevivesimpressions—voilatout.” Ilaughed:asentimentofexquisitepleasureplayedovermynervesatthethoughtthat“vivesimpressions”werelikelytobecreateditwasthedeadness,thesamenessoflife’sdailyongoingsthathadhithertobeenmybanemyblouse-clad“eleves”intheboys’seminaryneverstirredinmeany“vivesimpressions”exceptitmightbeoccasionallysomeofanger.IbrokefromM.Pelet,andasIstrodedownthepassagehefollowedmewithoneofhislaughs—averyFrench,rakish,mockingsound. AgainIstoodattheneighbouringdoor,andsoonwasre-admittedintothecheerfulpassagewithitscleardove-colourimitationmarblewalls.Ifollowedtheportress,anddescendingastep,andmakingaturn,Ifoundmyselfinasortofcorridoraside-dooropened,Mdlle.Reuter’slittlefigure,asgracefulasitwasplump,appeared.Icouldnowseeherdressinfulldaylightaneat,simplemousseline-lainegownfittedhercompactroundshapetoperfection—delicatelittlecollarandmanchettesoflace,trimParisianbrodequinsshowedherneck,wrists,andfeet,tocompleteadvantagebuthowgravewasherfaceasshecamesuddenlyuponme!Solicitudeandbusinesswereinhereye—onherforeheadshelookedalmoststern.Her“Bonjour,monsieur,”wasquitepolite,butsoorderly,socommonplace,itspreaddirectlyacool,damptowelovermy“vivesimpressions.”Theservantturnedbackwhenhermistressappeared,andIwalkedslowlyalongthecorridor,sidebysidewithMdlle.Reuter. “Monsieurwillgivealessoninthefirstclassto-day,”saidshe“dictationorreadingwillperhapsbethebestthingtobeginwith,forthosearetheeasiestformsofcommunicatinginstructioninaforeignlanguageand,atthefirst,amasternaturallyfeelsalittleunsettled.” Shewasquiteright,asIhadfoundfromexperienceitonlyremainedformetoacquiesce.Weproceedednowinsilence.Thecorridorterminatedinahall,large,lofty,andsquareaglassdoorononesideshowedwithinalongnarrowrefectory,withtables,anarmoire,andtwolampsitwasemptylargeglassdoors,infront,openedontheplaygroundandgardenabroadstaircaseascendedspirallyontheoppositesidetheremainingwallshowedapairofgreatfolding-doors,nowclosed,andadmitting,doubtless,totheclasses. Mdlle.Reuterturnedhereyelaterallyonme,toascertain,probably,whetherIwascollectedenoughtobeusheredintohersanctumsanctorum.Isupposeshejudgedmetobeinatolerablestateofself-government,forsheopenedthedoor,andIfollowedherthrough.Arustlingsoundof