CHAPTER XIII.

rommemory,accesstobooksbeingforbidden.WhileMdlle.Eulalie,Hortense,Caroline,&c.,wereponderingoverthestringofratherabstrusegrammaticalinterrogatoriesIhadpropounded,Iwasatlibertytoemploythevacanthalfhourinfurtherobservingthedirectressherself.Thegreensilkpursewasprogressingfastinherhandshereyeswerebentuponitherattitude,asshesatnettingwithintwoyardsofme,wasstillyetguardedinherwholepersonwereexpressedatonce,andwithequalclearness,vigilanceandrepose—arareunion!Lookingather,Iwasforced,asIhadoftenbeenbefore,toofferhergoodsense,herwondrousself-control,thetributeofinvoluntaryadmiration.ShehadfeltthatIhadwithdrawnfromhermyesteemshehadseencontemptandcoldnessinmyeye,andtoher,whocovetedtheapprobationofallaroundher,whothirstedafteruniversalgoodopinion,suchdiscoverymusthavebeenanacutewound.Ihadwitnesseditseffectinthemomentarypallorofhercheek--cheekunusedtovaryyethowquickly,bydintofself-control,hadsherecoveredhercomposure!Withwhatquietdignityshenowsat,almostatmyside,sustainedbyhersoundandvigoroussensenotremblinginhersomewhatlengthened,thoughshrewdupperlip,nocowardshameonheraustereforehead! “Thereismetalthere,”Isaid,asIgazed.“Wouldthattherewerefirealso,livingardourtomakethesteelglow—thenIcouldloveher.” PresentlyIdiscoveredthatsheknewIwaswatchingher,forshestirrednot,sheliftednothercraftyeyelidshehadglanceddownfromhernettingtohersmallfoot,peepingfromthesoftfoldsofherpurplemerinogownthencehereyerevertedtoherhand,ivorywhite,withabrightgarnetringontheforefinger,andalightfrilloflaceroundthewristwithascarcelyperceptiblemovementsheturnedherhead,causinghernut-browncurlstowavegracefully.IntheseslightsignsIreadthatthewishofherheart,thedesignofherbrain,wastolurebackthegameshehadscared.Alittleincidentgavehertheopportunityofaddressingmeagain. Whileallwassilenceintheclass—silence,butfortherustlingofcopy-booksandthetravellingofpensovertheirpages—aleafofthelargefolding-door,openingfromthehall,unclosed,admittingapupilwho,aftermakingahastyobeisance,ensconcedherselfwithsomeappearanceoftrepidation,probablyoccasionedbyherenteringsola