CHAPTER XII.

nsciencequitesubordinatetothewillofherspiritualdirector.ShewasthemodelpupilofMdlle.Reuter’sestablishmentpale,blightedimage,wherelifelingeredfeebly,butwhencethesoulhadbeenconjuredbyRomishwizard-craft! AfewEnglishpupilstherewereinthisschool,andthesemightbedividedintotwoclasses.1st.ThecontinentalEnglish—thedaughterschieflyofbrokenadventurers,whomdebtordishonourhaddrivenfromtheirowncountry.Thesepoorgirlshadneverknowntheadvantagesofsettledhomes,decorousexample,orhonestProtestanteducationresidentafewmonthsnowinoneCatholicschool,nowinanother,astheirparentswanderedfromlandtoland—fromFrancetoGermany,fromGermanytoBelgium—theyhadpickedupsomescantyinstruction,manybadhabits,losingeverynotionevenofthefirstelementsofreligionandmorals,andacquiringanimbecileindifferencetoeverysentimentthatcanelevatehumanitytheyweredistinguishablebyanhabituallookofsullendejection,theresultofcrushedself-respectandconstantbrowbeatingfromtheirPopishfellow-pupils,whohatedthemasEnglish,andscornedthemasheretics. ThesecondclasswereBritishEnglish.OftheseIdidnotencounterhalfadozenduringthewholetimeofmyattendanceattheseminarytheircharacteristicswerecleanbutcarelessdress,ill-arrangedhair(comparedwiththetightandtrimforeigners),erectcarriage,flexiblefigures,whiteandtaperhands,featuresmoreirregular,butalsomoreintellectualthanthoseoftheBelgians,graveandmodestcountenances,ageneralairofnativeproprietyanddecencybythislastcircumstancealoneIcouldataglancedistinguishthedaughterofAlbionandnurslingofProtestantismfromthefoster-childofRome,thePROTEGEEofJesuistry:proud,too,wastheaspectoftheseBritishgirlsatonceenviedandridiculedbytheircontinentalassociates,theywardedoffinsultwithausterecivility,andmethatewithmutedisdaintheyeschewedcompany-keeping,andinthemidstofnumbersseemedtodwellisolated. Theteacherspresidingoverthismixedmultitudewerethreeinnumber,allFrench—theirnamesMdlles.Zephyrine,Pelagie,andSuzettethetwolastwerecommonplacepersonagesenoughtheirlookwasordinary,theirmannerwasordinary,theirtemperwasordinary,theirthoughts,feelings,andviewswereallordinary—wereItowriteachapteronthesubjectIcouldnotelucidateitfurther.ZephyrinewassomewhatmoredistinguishedinappearanceanddeportmentthanPelagieandSuzette,butincharactergenuineParisiancoquette,perfidious,mercenary,anddry-hearted.AfourthmaitresseIsometimessawwhoseemedtocomedailytoteachneedlework,ornetting,orlace-mending,orsomesuchflimsyartbutofherIneverhadmorethanapassingglimpse,asshesatintheCARRE,withherframesandsomedozenoftheelderpupilsabouther,consequentlyIhadnoopportunityofstudyinghercharacter,orevenofobservingherpersonmuchthelatter,Iremarked,hadaveryEnglishairforamaitresse,otherwiseitwasnotstrikingofcharacterIshouldthinkshepossessedbutlittle,asherpupilsseemedconstantly“enrevolte”againstherauthority.Shedidnotresideinthehousehername,Ithink,wasMdlle.Henri. Amidstthisassemblageofallthatwasinsignificantanddefective,muchthatwasviciousandrepulsive(bythatlastepithetmanywouldhavedescribedthetwoorthreestiff,silent,decentlybehaved,ill-dressedBritishgirls),thesensible,sagacious,affabledirectressshonelikeasteadystaroveramarshfullofJack-o’-lanthornsprofoundlyawareofhersuperiority,shederivedaninwardblissfromthatconsciousnesswhichsustainedherunderallthecareandresponsibilityinseparablefromherpositionitkepthertempercalm,herbrowsmooth,hermannertranquil.Sheliked—aswhowouldnot?—onenteringtheschool-room,tofeelthathersolepresencesufficedtodiffusethatorderandquietwhichalltheremonstrances,andevencommands,ofherunderlingsfrequentlyfailedtoenforceshelikedtostandincomparison,orrather—contrast,withthosewhosurroundedher,andtoknowthatinpersonalaswellasmentaladvantages,sheboreawaytheundisputedpalmofpreference—(thethreeteacherswereallplain.)Herpupilsshemanagedwithsuchindulgenceandaddress,takingalwaysonherselftheofficeofrecompenserandeulogist,andabandoningtohersubalternseveryinvidioustaskofblameandpunishment,thattheyallregardedherwithdeference,ifnotwithaffectionherteachersdidnotloveher,buttheysubmittedbecausetheywereherinferiorsineverythingthevariousmasterswhoattendedherschoolwereeachandallinsomewayorotherunderherinfluenceoveroneshehadacquiredpowerbyherskilfulmanagementofhisbadtemperoveranotherbylittleattentionstohispettycapricesathirdshehadsubduedbyflatteryafourth—atimidman—shekeptinawebyasortofausteredecisionofmienme,shestillwatched,stilltriedbythemostingenioustests—sherovedroundme,baffled,yetperseveringIbelieveshethoughtIwaslikeasmoothandbareprecipice,whichofferedneitherjuttingstonenortree-root,nortuftofgrasstoaidtheclimber.Nowsheflatteredwithexquisitetact,nowshemoralized,nowshetriedhowfarIwasaccessibletomercenarymotives,thenshedisportedonthebrinkofaffection—knowingthatsomemenarewonbyweakness—anon,shetalkedexcellentsense,awarethatothershavethefollytoadmirejudgment.Ifounditatoncepleasantandeasytoevadealltheseeffortsitwassweet,whenshethoughtmenearlywon,toturnroundandtosmileinherveryeyes,halfscornfully,andthentowitnessherscarcelyveiled,thoughmutemortification.Stillshepersevered,andatlast,Iamboundtoconfessit,herfinger,essaying,provingeveryatomofthecasket,toucheditssecretspring,andforamomentthelidsprungopenshela