CHAPTER XVIII.

ewouldgivemetheideaofabirdthatfluttersinitscage,andwouldfainflyfromitsjailandjailer,andseekitsnaturalmateandpleasantnest. “Well—andyourlesson?”Idemandedbriefly. “Ah!”sheexclaimed,recoveringherself,“youaresoyoung,sofrankandfearless,sotalented,soimpatientofimbecility,sodisdainfulofvulgarity,youneedalessonhereitisthen:farmoreistobedoneinthisworldbydexteritythanbystrengthbut,perhaps,youknewthatbefore,forthereisdelicacyaswellaspowerinyourcharacter—policy,aswellaspride?” “Goon,”saidIandIcouldhardlyhelpsmiling,theflatterywassopiquant,sofinelyseasoned.Shecaughttheprohibitedsmile,thoughIpassedmyhandovermymonthtoconcealitandagainshemaderoomformetositbesideher.Ishookmyhead,thoughtemptationpenetratedtomysensesatthemoment,andoncemoreItoldhertogoon. “Well,then,ifeveryouareattheheadofalargeestablishment,dismissnobody.Tospeaktruth,monsieur(andtoyouIwillspeaktruth),Idespisepeoplewhoarealwaysmakingrows,blustering,sendingoffonetotheright,andanothertotheleft,urgingandhurryingcircumstances.I’lltellyouwhatIlikebesttodo,monsieur,shallI?”Shelookedupagainshehadcompoundedherglancewellthistime—mucharchness,moredeference,aspicydashofcoquetry,anunveiledconsciousnessofcapacity.InoddedshetreatedmelikethegreatMogulsoIbecamethegreatMogulasfarasshewasconcerned. “Ilike,monsieur,totakemyknittinginmyhands,andtositquietlydowninmychaircircumstancesdefilepastmeIwatchtheirmarchsolongastheyfollowthecourseIwish,Isaynothing,anddonothingIdon’tclapmyhands,andcryout‘Bravo!HowluckyIam!’toattracttheattentionandenvyofmyneighbours—Iammerelypassivebutwheneventsfalloutill—whencircumstancesbecomeadverse—IwatchveryvigilantlyIknitonstill,andstillIholdmytonguebuteverynowandthen,monsieur,Ijustputmytoeout—so—andgivetherebelliouscircumstancealittlesecretpush,withoutnoise,whichsendsitthewayIwish,andIamsuccessfulafterall,andnobodyhasseenmyexpedient.So,whenteachersormastersbecometroublesomeandinefficient—when,inshort,theinterestsoftheschoolwouldsufferfromtheirretainingtheirplaces—Imindmyknitting,eventsprogress,circumstancesglidepastIseeonewhich,ifpushedeversolittleawry,willrenderuntenablethepostIwishtohavevacated—thedeedisdone—thestumbling-blockremoved—andnoonesawme:Ihavenotmadeanenemy,Iamridofanincumbrance.” Amomentsince,andIthoughtheralluringthisspeechconcluded,Ilookedonherwithdistaste.“Justlikeyou,”wasmycoldanswer.“AndinthiswayyouhaveoustedMdlle.Henri?Youwantedheroffice,thereforeyourendereditintolerabletoher?” “Notatall,monsieur,IwasmerelyanxiousaboutMdlle.Henri’shealthno,yourmoralsightisclearandpiercing,butthereyouhavefailedtodiscoverthetruth.Itook—IhavealwaystakenarealinterestinMdlle.Henri’swelfareIdidnotlikehergoingoutinallweathersIthoughtitwouldbemoreadvantageousforhertoobtainapermanentsituationbesides,Iconsideredhernowqualifiedtodosomethingmorethanteachsewing.Ireasonedwithherleftthedecisiontoherselfshesawthecorrectnessofmyviews,andadoptedthem.” “Excellent!andnow,mademoiselle,youwillhavethegoodnesstogivemeheraddress.” “Heraddress!”andasombreandstonychangecameoverthemienofthedirectress.“Heraddress?Ah?—well—IwishIcouldobligeyou,monsieur,butIcannot,andIwilltellyouwhywheneverImyselfaskedherforheraddress,shealwaysevadedtheinquiry.Ithought—Imaybewrong—butITHOUGHThermotivefordoingso,wasanatural,thoughmistakenreluctancetointroducemetosome,probably,verypoorabodehermeanswerenarrow,heroriginobscureshelivessomewhere,doubtless,inthe‘basseville.’” “I’llnotlosesightofmybestpupilyet,”saidI,“thoughshewerebornofbeggarsandlodgedinacellarfortherest,itisabsurdtomakeabugbearofherorigintome—IhappentoknowthatshewasaSwisspastor’sdaughter,neithermorenorlessand,astohernarrowmeans,Icarenothingforthepovertyofherpursesolongasherheartoverflowswithaffluence.” “Yoursentimentsareperfectlynoble,monsieur,”saidthedirectress,affectingtosuppressayawnhersprightlinesswasnowextinct,hertemporarycandourshutupthelittle,red-coloured,piratical-lookingpennonofaudacityshehadallowedtofloataminuteintheair,wasfurled,andthebroad,sober-huedflagofdissimulationagainhunglowoverthecitadel.Ididnotlikeherthus,soIcutshorttheTETE-A-TETEanddeparted.