CHAPTER XVI.

didnotliveinthehouse,andwhetherinherownabode,whereverthatmightbe,sheworethesamepreoccupied,unsmiling,sorrowfullyresolvedairthatalwaysshadedherfeaturesundertheroofofMdlle.Reuter,Icouldnottell. OnedayIgave,asadevoir,thetritelittleanecdoteofAlfredtendingcakesintheherdsman’shut,toberelatedwithamplifications.AsingularaffairmostofthepupilsmadeofitbrevitywaswhattheyhadchieflystudiedthemajorityofthenarrativeswereperfectlyunintelligiblethoseofSylvieandLeonieLedrualonepretendedtoanythinglikesenseandconnection.Eulalie,indeed,hadhit,uponacleverexpedientforatonceensuringaccuracyandsavingtroubleshehadobtainedaccesssomehowtoanabridgedhistoryofEngland,andhadcopiedtheanecdoteoutfair.Iwroteonthemarginofherproduction“Stupidanddeceitful,”andthentoreitdownthemiddle. Lastinthepileofsingle-leaveddevoirs,Ifoundoneofseveralsheets,neatlywrittenoutandstitchedtogetherIknewthehand,andscarcelyneededtheevidenceofthesignature“FrancesEvansHenri”toconfirmmyconjectureastothewriter’sidentity. Nightwasmyusualtimeforcorrectingdevoirs,andmyownroomtheusualsceneofsuchtask—taskmostoneroushithertoanditseemedstrangetometofeelrisingwithinmeanincipientsenseofinterest,asIsnuffedthecandleandaddressedmyselftotheperusalofthepoorteacher’smanuscript. “Now,”thoughtI,“IshallseeaglimpseofwhatshereallyisIshallgetanideaofthenatureandextentofherpowersnotthatshecanbeexpectedtoexpressherselfwellinaforeigntongue,butstill,ifshehasanymind,herewillbeareflectionofit.” ThenarrativecommencedbyadescriptionofaSaxonpeasant’shut,situatedwithintheconfinesofagreat,leafless,winterforestitrepresentedaneveninginDecemberflakesofsnowwerefalling,andtheherdsmanforetoldaheavystormhesummonedhiswifetoaidhimincollectingtheirflock,roamingfarawayonthepastoralbanksoftheThonehewarnsherthatitwillbelateeretheyreturn.Thegoodwomanisreluctanttoquitheroccupationofbakingcakesfortheeveningmealbutacknowledgingtheprimaryimportanceofsecuringtheherdsandflocks,sheputsonhersheep-skinmantleand,addressingastrangerwhorestshalfreclinedonabedofrushesnearthehearth,bidshimmindthebreadtillherreturn. “Takecare,youngman,”shecontinues,“thatyoufastenthedoorwellafterusand,aboveall,opentononeinourabsencewhateversoundyouhear,stirnot,andlooknotout.Thenightwillsoonfallthisforestismostwildandlonelystrangenoisesareoftenheardthereinaftersunsetwolveshaunttheseglades,andDanishwarriorsinfestthecountryworsethingsaretalkedofyoumightchancetohear,asitwere,achildcry,andonopeningthedoortoafforditsuccour,agreatblackbull,orasha