CHAPTER XXIII

ishnow,Frances.” Somemomentsweretakenforreflectiontheanswer,pronouncedslowly,ranthus:— “YouhavealwaysmademehappyIliketohearyouspeakIliketoseeyouIliketobenearyouIbelieveyouareverygood,andverysuperiorIknowyouaresterntothosewhoarecarelessandidle,butyouarekind,verykindtotheattentiveandindustrious,eveniftheyarenotclever.Master,IshouldbeGLADtolivewithyoualways”andshemadeasortofmovement,asifshewouldhaveclungtome,butrestrainingherselfsheonlyaddedwithearnestemphasis—“Master,Iconsenttopassmylifewithyou.” “Verywell,Frances.” IdrewheralittlenearertomyheartItookafirstkissfromherlips,therebysealingthecompact,nowframedbetweenusafterwardssheandIweresilent,norwasoursilencebrief.Frances’thoughts,duringthisinterval,Iknownot,nordidIattempttoguessthemIwasnotoccupiedinsearchinghercountenance,norinotherwisetroublinghercomposure.ThepeaceIfelt,Iwishedhertofeelmyarm,itistrue,stilldetainedherbutwitharestraintthatwasgentleenough,solongasnooppositiontightenedit.Mygazewasontheredfiremyheartwasmeasuringitsowncontentitsoundedandsounded,andfoundthedepthfathomless. “Monsieur,”atlastsaidmyquietcompanion,asstirlessinherhappinessasamouseinitsterror.Evennowinspeakingshescarcelyliftedherhead. “Well,Frances?”Ilikeunexaggeratedintercourseitisnotmywaytooverpowerwithamorousepithets,anymorethantoworrywithselfishlyimportunatecaresses. “Monsieurestraisonnable,n’est-cepas?” “YesespeciallywhenIamrequestedtobesoinEnglish:butwhydoyouaskme?YouseenothingvehementorobtrusiveinmymanneramInottranquilenough?” “Cen’estpascela—”beganFrances. “English!”Iremindedher. “Well,monsieur,Iwishedmerelytosay,thatIshouldlike,ofcourse,toretainmyemploymentofteaching.Youwillteachstill,Isuppose,monsieur?” “Oh,yes!ItisallIhavetodependon.” “Bon!—Imeangood.Thusweshallhaveboththesameprofession.Ilikethatandmyeffortstogetonwillbeasunrestrainedasyours—willtheynot,monsieur?” “Youarelayingplanstobeindependentofme,”saidI. “Yes,monsieurImustbenoincumbrancetoyou—noburdeninanyway.” “But,Frances,Ihavenotyettoldyouwhatmyprospectsare.IhaveleftM.Pelet’sandafternearlyamonth’sseeking,Ihavegotanotherplace,withasalaryofthreethousandfrancsayear,whichIcaneasilydoublebyalittleadditionalexertion.ThusyouseeitwouldbeuselessforyoutofagyourselfbygoingouttogivelessonsonsixthousandfrancsyouandIcanlive,andlivewell.” Francesseemedtoconsider.Thereissomethingflatteringtoman’sstrength,somethingconsonanttohishonourablepride,intheideaofbecomingtheprovidenceofwhatheloves—feedingandclothingit,asGoddoestheliliesofthefield.So,todecideherresolution,Iwenton:— “Lifehasbeenpainfulandlaboriousenoughtoyousofar,Francesyourequirecompleterestyourtwelvehundredfrancswouldnotformaveryimportantadditiontoourincome,andwhatsacrificeofcomforttoearnit!Relinquishyourlabours:youmustbeweary,andletmehavethehappinessofgivingyourest.” IamnotsurewhetherFranceshadaccordeddueattentiontomyharangueinsteadofansweringmewithherusualrespectfulpromptitude,sheonlysighedandsaid,— “Howrichyouare,monsieur!”andthenshestirreduneasyinmyarms.“Threethousandfrancs!”shemurmured,“WhileIgetonlytwelvehundred!”Shewentonfaster.“However,itmustbesoforthepresentand,monsieur,wereyounotsayingsomethingaboutmygivingupmyplace?Ohno!Ishallholditfast”andherlittlefingersemphaticallytightenedonmine. “Thinkofmymarryingyoutobekeptbyyou,monsieur!Icouldnotdoitandhowdullmydayswouldbe!Youwouldbeawayteachinginclose,noisyschool-rooms,frommorningtillevening,andIshouldbelingeringathome,unemployedandsolitaryIshouldgetdepressedandsullen,andyouwouldsoontireofme.” “Frances,youcouldreadandstudy—twothingsyoulikesowell.” “Monsieur,IcouldnotIlikeacontemplativelife,butIlikeanactivelifebetterImustactinsomeway,andactwithyou.Ihavetakennotice,monsieur,thatpeoplewhoareonlyineachother’scompanyforamusement,neverreallylikeeachothersowell,oresteemeachothersohighly,asthosewhoworktogether,andperhapssuffertogether.” “YouspeakGod’struth,”saidIatlast,“andyoushallhaveyourownway,foritisthebestway.Now,asarewardforsuchreadyconsent,givemeavoluntarykiss.” Aftersomehesitation,naturaltoanoviceintheartofkissing,shebroughtherlipsintoveryshyandgentlecontactwithmyforeheadItookthesmallgiftasaloan,andrepaiditpromptly,andwithgenerousinterest. IknownotwhetherFranceswasreallymuchalteredsincethetimeIfirstsawherbut,asIlookedathernow,Ifeltthatshewassingularlychangedformethesadeye,thepalecheek,thedejectedandjoylesscountenanceIrememberedasherearlyattributes,werequitegone,andnowIsawafacedressedingracessmile,dimple,androsytintroundeditscontoursandbrighteneditshues.Ihadbeenaccust