CHAPTER XVIII.

THEyoungAnglo-Swissevidentlyderivedbothpleasureandprofitfromthestudyofhermother-tongue.InteachingherIdidnot,ofcourse,confinemyselftotheordinaryschoolroutineImadeinstructioninEnglishachannelforinstructioninliterature.IprescribedtoheracourseofreadingshehadalittleselectionofEnglishclassics,afewofwhichhadbeenleftherbyhermother,andtheothersshehadpurchasedwithherownpenny-fee.Ilenthersomemoremodernworksalltheseshereadwithavidity,givingme,inwriting,aclearsummaryofeachworkwhenshehadperusedit.Composition,too,shedelightedin.Suchoccupationseemedtheverybreathofhernostrils,andsoonherimprovedproductionswrungfrommetheavowalthatthosequalitiesinherIhadtermedtasteandfancyoughtrathertohavebeendenominatedjudgmentandimagination.WhenIintimatedsomuch,whichIdidasusualindryandstintedphrase,IlookedfortheradiantandexultingsmilemyonewordofeulogyhadelicitedbeforebutFrancescoloured.Ifshedidsmile,itwasverysoftlyandshylyandinsteadoflookinguptomewithaconqueringglance,hereyesrestedonmyhand,which,stretchedoverhershoulder,waswritingsomedirectionswithapencilonthemarginofherbook. “Well,areyoupleasedthatIamsatisfiedwithyourprogress?”Iasked. “Yes,”saidsheslowly,gently,theblushthathadhalfsubsidedreturning. “ButIdonotsayenough,Isuppose?”Icontinued.“Mypraisesaretoocool?” Shemadenoanswer,and,Ithought,lookedalittlesad.Idivinedherthoughts,andshouldmuchhavelikedtohaverespondedtothem,haditbeenexpedientsotodo.Shewasnotnowveryambitiousofmyadmiration—noteagerlydesirousofdazzlingmealittleaffection—eversolittle—pleasedherbetterthanallthepanegyricsintheworld.Feelingthis,Istoodagoodwhilebehindher,writingonthemarginofherbook.Icouldhardlyquitmystationorrelinquishmyoccupationsomethingretainedmebendingthere,myheadverynearhers,andmyhandnearherstoobutthemarginofacopy-bookisnotanillimitablespace—so,doubtless,thedirectressthoughtandshetookoccasiontowalkpastinordertoascertainbywhatartIprolongedsodisproportionatelytheperiodnecessaryforfillingit.Iwasobligedtogo.Distastefuleffort—toleavewhatwemostprefer! Francesdidnotbecomepaleorfeebleinconsequenceofhersedentaryemploymentperhapsthestimulusitcommunicatedtohermindcounterbalancedtheinactionitimposedonherbody.Shechanged,indeed,changedobviouslyandrapidlybutitwasforthebetter.WhenIfirstsawher,hercountenancewassunless,hercomplexioncolourlessshelookedlikeonewhohadnosourceofenjoyment,nostoreofblissanywhereintheworldnowthecloudhadpassedfromhermien,leavingspaceforthedawnofhopeandinterest,andthosefeelingsroselikeaclearmorning,animatingwhathadbeendepressed,tintingwhathadbeenpale.Hereyes,whosecolourIhadnotatfirstknown,sodimweretheywithrepressedtears,soshadowedwithceaselessdejection,now,litbyarayofthesunshinethatcheeredherheart,revealediridsofbrighthazel—iridslargeandfull,screenedwithlonglashesandpupilsinstinctwithfire.Thatlookofwanemaciationwhichanxietyorlowspiritsoftencommunicatestoathoughtful,thinface,ratherlongthanround,havingvanishedfromhers,aclearnessofskinalmostbloom,andaplumpnessalmostembonpoint,softenedthedecidedlinesofherfeatures.Herfiguresharedinthisbeneficialchangeitbecamerounder,andastheharmonyofherformwascompleteandherstatureofthegracefulmiddleheight,onedidnotregret(oratleastIdidnotregret)theabsenceofconfirmedfulness,incontours,stillslight,thoughcompact,elegant,flexible—theexquisiteturningofwaist,wrist,hand,foot,andanklesatisfiedcompletelymynotionsofsymmetry,andallowedalightnessandfreedomofmovementwhichcorrespondedwithmyideasofgrace. Thusimproved,thuswakenedtolife,Mdlle.Henribegantotakeanewfootingintheschoolhermentalpower,manifestedgraduallybutsteadily,erelongextortedrecognitionevenfromtheenviousandwhentheyoungandhealthysawthatshecouldsmilebrightly,conversegaily,movewithvivacityandalertness,theyacknowledgedinherasisterhoodofyouthandhealth,andtoleratedherasoftheirkindaccordingly. Tospeaktruth,Iwatchedthischangemuchasagardenerwatchesthegrowthofapreciousplant,andIcontributedtoittoo,evenasthesaidgardenercontributestothedevelopmentofhisfavourite.TomeitwasnotdifficulttodiscoverhowIcouldbestfostermypupil,cherishherstarvedfeelings,andinducetheoutwardmanifestationofthatinwardvig