CHAPTER XVIII.
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中
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y,isnotafeelingtobecherishedinthemindofawoman:wouldnotMdlle.Henribemuchsaferandhappieriftaughttobelievethatinthequietdischargeofsocialdutiesconsistsherrealvocation,thanifstimulatedtoaspireafterapplauseandpublicity?Shemaynevermarryscantyasareherresources,obscureasareherconnections,uncertainasisherhealth(forIthinkherconsumptive,hermotherdiedofthatcomplaint),itismorethanprobablesheneverwill.Idonotseehowshecanrisetoaposition,whencesuchastepwouldbepossiblebutevenincelibacyitwouldbebetterforhertoretainthecharacterandhabitsofarespectabledecorousfemale.”
“Indisputably,mademoiselle,”wasmyanswer.“Youropinionadmitsofnodoubt”and,fearfuloftheharanguebeingrenewed,Iretreatedundercoverofthatcordialsentenceofassent.
Atthedateofafortnightafterthelittleincidentnotedabove,IfinditrecordedinmydiarythatahiatusoccurredinMdlle.Henri’susuallyregularattendanceinclass.ThefirstdayortwoIwonderedatherabsence,butdidnotliketoaskanexplanationofitIthoughtindeedsomechancewordmightbedroppedwhichwouldaffordmetheinformationIwishedtoobtain,withoutmyrunningtheriskofexcitingsillysmilesandgossipingwhispersbydemandingit.Butwhenaweekpassedandtheseatatthedesknearthedoorstillremainedvacant,andwhennoallusionwasmadetothecircumstancebyanyindividualoftheclass—when,onthecontrary,Ifoundthatallobservedamarkedsilenceonthepoint—Idetermined,COUTEQUICOUTE,tobreaktheiceofthissillyreserve.IselectedSylvieasmyinformant,becausefromherIknewthatIshouldatleastgetasensibleanswer,unaccompaniedbywriggle,titter,orotherflourishoffolly.
“OudoncestMdlle.Henri?”IsaidonedayasIreturnedanexercise-bookIhadbeenexamining.
“Elleestpartie,monsieur.”
“Partie?etpourcombiendetemps?Quandreviendra-t-elle?”
“Elleestpartiepourtoujours,monsieurellenereviendraplus.”
“Ah!”wasmyinvoluntaryexclamationthenafterapause:—
“Enetes-vousbiensure,Sylvie?”
“Oui,oui,monsieur,mademoiselleladirectricenousl’aditelle-memeilyadeuxoutroisjours.”
AndIcouldpursuemyinquiriesnofurthertime,place,andcircumstancesforbademyaddinganotherword.Icouldneithercommentonwhathadbeensaid,nordemandfurtherparticulars.Aquestionastothereasonoftheteacher’sdeparture,astowhetherithadbeenvoluntaryorotherwise,wasindeedonmylips,butIsuppressedit—therewerelistenersallround.Anhourafter,inpassingSylvieinthecorridorasshewasputtingonherbonnet,Istoppedshortandasked:—
“Sylvie,doyouknowMdlle.Henri’saddress?Ihavesomebooksofhers,”Iaddedcarelessly,“andIshouldwishtosendthemtoher.”
“No,monsieur,”repliedSylvie“butperhapsRosalie,theportress,willbeabletogiveityou.”
Rosalie’scabinetwasjustathandIsteppedinandrepeatedtheinquiry.Rosalie—asmartFrenchgrisette—lookedupfromherworkwithaknowingsmile,preciselythesortofsmileIhadbeensodesiroustoavoidexciting.HeranswerwaspreparedsheknewnothingwhateverofMdlle.Henri’saddress—hadneverknownit.Turningfromherwithimpatience—forIbelievedsheliedandwashiredtolie—Ialmostknockeddownsomeonewhohadbeenstandingatmybackitwasthedirectress.Myabruptmovementmadeherrecoiltwoorthreesteps.Iwasobligedtoapologize,whichIdidmoreconciselythanpolitely.Nomanlikestobedogged,andintheveryirritablemoodinwhichIthenwasthesightofMdlle.Reuterthoroughlyincensedme.AtthemomentIturnedhercountenancelookedhard,dark,andinquisitivehereyeswerebentuponmewithanexpressionofalmosthungrycuriosity.Ihadscarcelycaughtthisphaseofphysiognomyereithadvanishedablandsmileplayedonherfeaturesmyharshapologywasreceivedwithgood-humouredfacility.
“Oh,don’tmentionit,monsieuryouonlytouchedmyhairwithyourelbowitisnoworse,onlyalittledishevelled.”Sheshookitback,andpassingherfingersthroughhercurls,loosenedthemintomorenumerousandflowingringlets.Thenshewentonwithvivacity:
“Rosalie,Iwascomingtotellyoutogoinstantlyandclosethewindowsofthesalonthewindisrising,andthemuslincurtainswillbecoveredwithdust.”
Rosaliedeparted.“Now,”thoughtI,“thiswillnotdoMdlle.Reuterthinkshermeannessineaves-droppingisscreenedbyherartindevisingapretext,whereasthemuslincurtainsshespeaksofarenotmoretransparentthanthissamepretext.”Animpulsecameovermetothrusttheflimsyscreenaside,andconfronthercraftboldlywithawordortwoofplaintruth.“Therough-shodfoott