CHAPTER XIV.

y,light-headed,probablyignorantgirl,tothatoccupiedbyapartnerataball,oragallantonthepromenade.Aprofessordoesnotmeethispupiltoseeherdressedinsatinandmuslin,withhairperfumedandcurled,neckscarcelyshadedbyaeriallace,roundwhitearmscircledwithbracelets,feetdressedfortheglidingdance.Itisnothisbusinesstowhirlherthroughthewaltz,tofeedherwithcompliments,toheightenherbeautybytheflushofgratifiedvanity.Neitherdoesheencounterheronthesmooth-rolled,treeshadedBoulevard,inthegreenandsunnypark,whithersherepairscladinherbecomingwalkingdress,herscarfthrownwithgraceoverhershoulders,herlittlebonnetscarcelyscreeninghercurls,theredroseunderitsbrimaddinganewtinttothesofterroseonhercheekherfaceandeyes,too,illuminedwithsmiles,perhapsastransientasthesunshineofthegala-day,butalsoquiteasbrilliantitisnothisofficetowalkbyherside,tolistentoherlivelychat,tocarryherparasol,scarcelylargerthanabroadgreenleaf,toleadinaribbonherBlenheimspanielorItaliangreyhound.No:hefindsherintheschoolroom,plainlydressed,withbooksbeforeher.Owingtohereducationorhernaturebooksaretoheranuisance,andsheopensthemwithaversion,yetherteachermustinstilintohermindthecontentsofthesebooksthatmindresiststheadmissionofgraveinformation,itrecoils,itgrowsrestive,sullentempersareshown,disfiguringfrownsspoilthesymmetryoftheface,sometimescoarsegesturesbanishgracefromthedeportment,whilemutteredexpressions,redolentofnativeandineradicablevulgarity,desecratethesweetnessofthevoice.Wherethetemperamentisserenethoughtheintellectbesluggish,anunconquerabledullnessopposeseveryefforttoinstruct.Wherethereiscunningbutnotenergy,dissimulation,falsehood,athousandschemesandtricksareputinplaytoevadethenecessityofapplicationinshort,tothetutor,femaleyouth,femalecharmsareliketapestryhangings,ofwhichthewrongsideiscontinuallyturnedtowardshimandevenwhenheseesthesmooth,neatexternalsurfacehesowellknowswhatknots,longstitches,andjaggedendsarebehindthathehasscarceatemptationtoadmiretoofondlytheseemlyformsandbrightcoloursexposedtogeneralview. Ourlikingsareregulatedbyourcircumstances.Theartistprefersahillycountrybecauseitispicturesquetheengineeraflatonebecauseitisconvenientthemanofpleas