CHAPTER XIV.

edbyhertoherconfessor,andbyhimmisinterpretedandpoisoned.OnceIlaidmyhandonherhead,intokenofapprobationIthoughtSylviewasgoingtosmile,herdimeyealmostkindledbut,presently,sheshrankfrommeIwasamanandahereticshe,poorchild!adestinednunanddevotedCatholic:thusafour-foldwallofseparationdividedhermindfrommine.Apertsmirk,andahardglanceoftriumph,wasLeonie’smethodoftestifyinghergratificationEulalielookedsullenandenvious—shehadhopedtobefirst.HortenseandCarolineexchangedarecklessgrimaceonhearingtheirnamesreadoutsomewherenearthebottomofthelistthebrandofmentalinferioritywasconsideredbythemasnodisgrace,theirhopesforthefuturebeingbasedsolelyontheirpersonalattractions. Thisaffairarranged,theregularlessonfollowed.Duringabriefinterval,employedbythepupilsinrulingtheirbooks,myeye,rangingcarelesslyoverthebenches,observed,forthefirsttime,thatthefarthestseatinthefarthestrow—aseatusuallyvacant—wasagainfilledbythenewscholar,theMdlle.Henrisoostentatiouslyrecommendedtomebythedirectress.To-dayIhadonmyspectaclesherappearance,therefore,wascleartomeatthefirstglanceIhadnottopuzzleoverit.Shelookedyoungyet,hadIbeenrequiredtonameherexactage,Ishouldhavebeensomewhatnonplussedtheslightnessofherfiguremighthavesuitedseventeenacertainanxiousandpre-occupiedexpressionoffaceseemedtheindicationofriperyears.Shewasdressed,likealltherest,inadarkstuffgownandawhitecollarherfeaturesweredissimilartoanythere,notsorounded,moredefined,yetscarcelyregular.Theshapeofherheadtoowasdifferent,thesuperiorpartmoredeveloped,thebaseconsiderablyless.Ifeltassured,atfirstsight,thatshewasnotaBelgianhercomplexion,hercountenance,herlineaments,herfigure,werealldistinctfromtheirs,and,evidently,thetypeofanotherrace—ofaracelessgiftedwithfullnessoffleshandplenitudeofbloodlessjocund,material,unthinking.WhenIfirstcastmyeyesonher,shesatlookingfixedlydown,herchinrestingonherhand,andshedidnotchangeherattitudetillIcommencedthelesson.NoneoftheBelgiangirlswouldhaveretainedoneposition,andthatareflectiveone,forthesamelengthoftime.Yet,havingintimatedthatherappearancewaspeculiar,asbeingunlikethatofherFlemishcompanions,IhavelittlemoretosayrespectingitIcanpronouncenoencomi