CHAPTER XXI.

DIRECTLYasIclosedthedoor,Isawlaidonthetabletwolettersmythoughtwas,thattheywerenotesofinvitationfromthefriendsofsomeofmypupilsIhadreceivedsuchmarksofattentionoccasionally,andwithme,whohadnofriends,correspondenceofmoreinterestwasoutofthequestionthepostman’sarrivalhadneveryetbeenaneventofinteresttomesinceIcametoBrussels.Ilaidmyhandcarelesslyonthedocuments,andcoldlyandslowlyglancingatthem,IpreparedtobreakthesealsmyeyewasarrestedandmyhandtooIsawwhatexcitedme,asifIhadfoundavividpicturewhereIexpectedonlytodiscoverablankpage:ononecoverwasanEnglishpostmarkontheother,alady’sclear,fineautographthelastIopenedfirst:— “MONSIEUR, “IFOUNDoutwhatyouhaddonetheverymorningafteryourvisittomeyoumightbesureIshoulddustthechina,everydayand,asnoonebutyouhadbeeninmyroomforaweek,andasfairy-moneyisnotcurrentinBrussels,Icouldnotdoubtwholeftthetwentyfrancsonthechimney-piece.IthoughtIheardyoustirthevasewhenIwasstoopingtolookforyourgloveunderthetable,andIwonderedyoushouldimagineithadgotintosuchalittlecup.Now,monsieur,themoneyisnotmine,andIshallnotkeepitIwillnotsenditinthisnotebecauseitmightbelost—besides,itisheavybutIwillrestoreittoyouthefirsttimeIseeyou,andyoumustmakenodifficultiesabouttakingitbecause,inthefirstplace,Iamsure,monsieur,youcanunderstandthatonelikestopayone’sdebtsthatitissatisfactorytoowenomananythingand,inthesecondplace,Icannowverywellaffordtobehonest,asIamprovidedwithasituation.Thislastcircumstanceis,indeed,thereasonofmywritingtoyou,foritispleasanttocommunicategoodnewsand,inthesedays,IhaveonlymymastertowhomIcantellanything. “Aweekago,monsieur,IwassentforbyaMrs.Wharton,anEnglishladyhereldestdaughterwasgoingtobemarried,andsomerichrelationhavingmadeherapresentofaveilanddressincostlyoldlace,asprecious,theysaid,almostasjewels,butalittledamagedbytime,Iwascommissionedtoputtheminrepair.Ihadtodoitatthehousetheygaveme,besides,someembroiderytocomplete,andnearlyaweekelapsedbeforeIhadfinishedeverything.WhileIworked,MissWhartonoftencameintotheroomandsatwithme,andsodidMrs.WhartontheymademetalkEnglishaskedhowIhadlearnedtospeakitsowellthentheyinquiredwhatIknewbesides—whatbooksIhadreadsoontheyseemedtomakeasortofwonderofme,consideringmenodoubtasalearnedgrisette.Oneafternoon,Mrs.WhartonbroughtinaParisianladytotesttheaccuracyofmyknowledgeofFrenchtheresultofitwasthat,owingprobablyinagreatdegreetothemother’sanddaughter’sgoodhumouraboutthemarriage,whichinclinedthemtodobeneficentdeeds,andpartly,Ithink,becausetheyarenaturallybenevolentpeople,theydecidedthatthewishIhadexpressedtodosomethingmorethanmendlacewasaverylegitimateoneandthesamedaytheytookmeintheircarriagetoMrs.D.‘s,whoisthedirectressofthefirstEnglishschoolatBrussels.It