CHAPTER XIX.

ydetainmehalfanhourlonger.” Released,andsetatease,upsherose,gotherbook,andacceptedatoncethechairIplacedforheratmyside.Shehadselected“ParadiseLost”fromhershelfofclassics,thinking,Isuppose,thereligiouscharacterofthebookbestadaptedittoSundayItoldhertobeginatthebeginning,andwhileshereadMilton’sinvocationtothatheavenlymuse,whoonthe“secrettopofOreborSinai”hadtaughttheHebrewshepherdhowinthewombofchaos,theconceptionofaworldhadoriginatedandripened,Ienjoyed,undisturbed,thetreblepleasureofhavinghernearme,hearingthesoundofhervoice—asoundsweetandsatisfyinginmyear—andlooking,byintervals,atherface:ofthislastprivilege,IchieflyavailedmyselfwhenIfoundfaultwithanintonation,apause,oranemphasisaslongasIdogmatized,Imightalsogaze,withoutexcitingtoowarmaflush. “Enough,”saidI,whenshehadgonethroughsomehalfdozenpages(aworkoftimewithher,forshereadslowlyandpausedoftentoaskandreceiveinformation)—“enoughandnowtherainisceasing,andImustsoongo.”Forindeed,atthatmoment,lookingtowardsthewindow,Isawitallbluethethunder-cloudswerebrokenandscattered,andthesettingAugustsunsentagleamlikethereflectionofrubiesthroughthelattice.IgotupIdrewonmygloves. “YouhavenotyetfoundanothersituationtosupplytheplaceofthatfromwhichyouweredismissedbyMdlle.Reuter?” “No,monsieurIhavemadeinquirieseverywhere,buttheyallaskmeforreferencesandtospeaktruth,Idonotliketoapplytothedirectress,becauseIconsidersheactedneitherjustlynorhonourablytowardsmesheusedunderhandmeanstosetmypupilsagainstme,andtherebyrendermeunhappywhileIheldmyplaceinherestablishment,andsheeventuallydeprivedmeofitbyamaskedandhypocriticalmanoeuvre,pretendingthatshewasactingformygood,butreallysnatchingfrommemychiefmeansofsubsistence,atacrisiswhennotonlymyownlife,butthatofanother,dependedonmyexertions:ofherIwillnevermoreaskafavour.” “How,then,doyouproposetogeton?Howdoyoulivenow?” “Ihavestillmylace-mendingtradewithcareitwillkeepmefromstarvation,andIdoubtnotbydintofexertiontogetbetteremploymentyetitisonlyafortnightsinceIbegantotrymycourageorhopesarebynomeanswornoutyet.” “Andifyougetwhatyouwish,whatthen?whatareyourultimateviews?” “TosaveenoughtocrosstheChannel:IalwayslooktoEnglandasmyCanaan.” “Well,well—erelongIshallpayyouanothervisitgoodeveningnow,”andIleftherratherabruptlyIhadmuchadotoresistastronginwardimpulse,urgingmetotakeawarmer,moreexpressiveleave:whatsonaturalastofoldherforamomentinacloseembrace,toimprintonekissonhercheekorforehead?Iwasnotunreasonable—thatwasallIwantedsatisfiedinthatpoint,IcouldgoawaycontentandReasondeniedmeeventhissheorderedmetoturnmyeyesfromherface,andmystepsfromherapartment—toquitherasdrylyandcoldlyasIwouldhavequittedoldMadamePelet.Iobeyed,butIsworerancorouslytobeavengedoneday.“I’llearnarighttodoasIpleaseinthismatter,orI’lldieinthecontest.Ihaveoneobjectbeforemenow—togetthatGenevesegirlformywifeandmywifesheshallbe—thatis,providedshehasasmuch,orhalfasmuchregardforhermasterashehasforher.Andwouldshebesodocile,sosmiling,sohappyundermyinstructionsifshehadnot?wouldshesitatmysidewhenIdictateorcorrect,withsuchastill,contented,halcyonmien?”forIhadeverremarked,thathoweversadorharassedhercountenancemightbewhenIenteredaroom,yetafterIhadbeennearher,spokentoherafewwords,givenhersomedirections,utteredperhapssomereproofs,shewould,allatonce,nestleintoanookofhappiness,andlookupsereneandrevived.Thereproofssuitedherbestofall:whileIscoldedshewouldchipawaywithherpen-knifeatapencilorapenfidgettingalittle,poutingalittle,defendingherselfbymonosyllables,andwhenIdeprivedherofthepenorpencil,fearingitwouldbeallcutaway,andwhenIinterdictedeventhemonosyllabicdefence,forthepurposeofworkingupthesubduedexcitementalittlehigher,shewouldatlastraisehereyesandgivemeacertainglance,sweetenedwithgaiety,andpointedwithdefiance,which,tospeaktruth,thrilledmeasnothinghadeverdone,andmademe,inafashion(thoughhappilyshedidnotknowit),hersubject,ifnotherslave.Aftersuchlittlescenesherspiritswouldmaintaintheirflow,oftenforsomehours,and,asIremarkedbefore,herhealththerefromtookasustenanceandvigourwhich,previouslytotheeventofheraunt’sdeathandherdismissal,hadalmostrecreatedherwholeframe. IthastakenmeseveralminutestowritetheselastsentencesbutIhadthoughtalltheirpurportduringthebriefintervalofdescendingthestairsfromFrances’room.JustasIwasopeningtheouterdoor,IrememberedthetwentyfrancswhichIhadnotrestoredIpaused:impossibletocarrythemawaywithmedifficulttoforcethembackontheiroriginalownerIhadnowseenherinherownhumbleabode,witnessedthedignityofherpoverty,theprideoforder,thefastidiouscareofconservatism,obviousinthearrangementandeconomyofherlittlehomeIwassureshewouldnotsufferherselftobeexcusedpayingherdebtsIwascertainthefavourofindemnitywouldbeacceptedfromnohand,perhapsleastofallfrommine:yetthesefourfive-francpieceswereaburdentomyself-respect,andImustgetridofthem.Anexpedient—aclumsyonenodoubt,butthebestIcoulddevise-suggesteditselftome.Idartedupthestairs,knocked,re-enteredtheroomasifinhaste:— “Mademoiselle,IhaveforgottenoneofmyglovesImusthaveleftithere.” Sheinstantlyrosetoseekitassheturnedherback,I—beingnowatthehearth—noiselesslyliftedalittlevase,oneofasetofchinaornaments,asold-fashionedasthetea-cups—slippedthemoneyunderit,thensaying—“Ohhereismyglove!Ihaddroppeditwithinthefendergoodevening,mademoiselle,”Imademysecondexit. Briefasmyimpromptureturnhadbeen,ithadaffordedmetimetopickupaheart-acheIremarkedthatFranceshadalreadyremovedtheredembersofhercheerfullittlefirefromthegrate:forcedtocalculateeveryitem,tosaveineverydetail,shehadinstantlyonmydepartureretrenchedaluxurytooexpensivetobeenjoyedalone. “Iamgladitisnotyetwinter,”thoughtI“butintwomonthsmorecomethewindsandrainsofNovemberwouldtoGodthatbeforethenIcouldearntheright,andthepower,toshovelcoalsintothatgrateADLIBITUM!” Alreadythepavementwasdryingabalmyandfreshbreezestirredtheair,purifiedbylightningIfelttheWestbehindme,wherespreadaskylikeopalazureimmingledwithcrimson:theenlargedsun,gloriousinTyriantints,dippedhisbrimalreadystepping,asIwas,eastward,Ifacedavastbankofclouds,butalsoIhadbeforemethearchofaneveningrainbowaperfectrainbow—high,wide,vivid.Ilookedlongmyeyedrankinthescene,andIsupposemybrainmusthaveabsorbeditforthatnight,afterlyingawakeinpleasantfeveralongtime,watchingthesilentsheet-lightning,whichstillplayedamongtheretreatingclouds,andflashedsilveryoverthestars,Iatlastfellasleepandtheninadreamwerereproducedthesettingsun,thebankofclouds,themightyrainbow.Istood,methought,onaterraceIleanedoveraparapetedwalltherewasspacebelowme,depthIcouldnotfathom,buthearinganendlessdashofwaves,Ibelievedittobetheseaseaspreadtothehorizonseaofchangefulgreenandintenseblue:allwassoftinthedistanceallvapour-veiled.Asparkofgoldglistenedonthelinebetweenwaterandair,floatedup,approached,enlarged,changedtheobjecthungmidwaybetweenheavenandearth,underthearchoftherainbowthesoftbutduskcloudsdiffusedbehind.Ithoveredasonwingspearly,fleecy,gleamingairstreamedlikeraimentrounditlight,tintedwithcarnation,colouredwhatseemedfaceandlimbsalargestarshonewithstilllustreonanangel’sforeheadanupraisedarmandhand,glancinglikearay,pointedtothebowoverhead,andavoiceinmyheartwhispered— “HopesmilesonEffort!”