CHAPTER XVII.

AFTERallIhadprofitedbutimperfectlybytheopportunityIhadsoboldlyachievedofspeakingtoMdlle.HenriitwasmyintentiontoaskherhowshecametobepossessedoftwoEnglishbaptismalnames,FrancesandEvans,inadditiontoherFrenchsurname,alsowhenceshederivedhergoodaccent.Ihadforgottenbothpoints,or,rather,ourcolloquyhadbeensobriefthatIhadnothadtimetobringthemforwardmoreover,IhadnothalftestedherpowersofspeakingEnglishallIhaddrawnfromherinthatlanguagewerethewords“Yes,”and“Thankyou,sir.”“Nomatter,”Ireflected.“Whathasbeenleftincompletenow,shallbefinishedanotherday.”NordidIfailtokeepthepromisethusmadetomyself.Itwasdifficulttogetevenafewwordsofparticularconversationwithonepupilamongsomanybut,accordingtotheoldproverb,“Wherethereisawill,thereisaway”andagainandagainImanagedtofindanopportunityforexchangingafewwordswithMdlle.Henri,regardlessthatenvystaredanddetractionwhisperedwheneverIapproachedher. “Yourbookaninstant.”SuchwasthemodeinwhichIoftenbeganthesebriefdialoguesthetimewasalwaysjustattheconclusionofthelessonandmotioningtohertorise,Iinstalledmyselfinherplace,allowinghertostanddeferentiallyatmysideforIesteemeditwiseandrightinhercasetoenforcestrictlyallformsordinarilyinusebetweenmasterandpupiltheratherbecauseIperceivedthatinproportionasmymannergrewaustereandmagisterial,hersbecameeasyandself-possessed—anoddcontradiction,doubtless,totheordinaryeffectinsuchcasesbutsoitwas. “Apencil,”saidI,holdingoutmyhandwithoutlookingather.(Iamnowabouttosketchabriefreportofthefirstoftheseconferences.)Shegavemeone,andwhileIunderlinedsomeerrorsinagrammaticalexerciseshehadwritten,Iobserved— “YouarenotanativeofBelgium?” “No.” “NorofFrance?” “No.” “Where,then,isyourbirthplace?” “IwasbornatGeneva.” “Youdon’tcallFrancesandEvansSwissnames,Ipresume?” “No,sirtheyareEnglishnames.” “JustsoandisitthecustomoftheGenevesetogivetheirchildrenEnglishappellatives?” “Non,Monsieurmais—” “SpeakEnglish,ifyouplease.” “Mais—” “English—” “But”(slowlyandwithembarrassment)“myparentswerenotallthetwoGenevese.” “SayBOTH,insteadof‘allthetwo,’mademoiselle.” “NotBOTHSwiss:mymotherwasEnglish.” “Ah!andofEnglishextraction?” “Yes—herancestorswereallEnglish.” “Andyourfather?” “HewasSwiss.” “Whatbesides?Whatwashisprofession?” “Ecclesiastic—pastor—hehadachurch.” “SinceyourmotherisanEnglishwoman,whydoyounotspeakEnglishwithm