CHAPTER XXV.

,successbestowedeverynowandthenencouragingrewardondiligence.OurschoolbecameoneofthemostpopularinBrussels,andasbydegreesweraisedourtermsandelevatedoursystemofeducation,ourchoiceofpupilsgrewmoreselect,andatlengthincludedthechildrenofthebestfamiliesinBelgium.WehadtooanexcellentconnectioninEngland,firstopenedbytheunsolicitedrecommendationofMr.Hunsden,whohavingbeenover,andhavingabusedmeformyprosperityinsetterms,wentback,andsoonaftersentaleashofyoung——shireheiresses—hiscousinsashesaid“tobepolishedoffbyMrs.Crimsworth.” AstothissameMrs.Crimsworth,inonesenseshewasbecomeanotherwoman,thoughinanothersheremainedunchanged.Sodifferentwassheunderdifferentcircumstances.Iseemedtopossesstwowives.Thefacultiesofhernature,alreadydisclosedwhenImarriedher,remainedfreshandfairbutotherfacultiesshotupstrong,branchedoutbroad,andquitealteredtheexternalcharacteroftheplant.Firmness,activity,andenterprise,coveredwithgravefoliage,poeticfeelingandfervourbuttheseflowerswerestillthere,preservedpureanddewyundertheumbrageoflatergrowthandhardiernature:perhapsIonlyintheworldknewthesecretoftheirexistence,buttometheywereeverreadytoyieldanexquisitefragranceandpresentabeautyaschasteasradiant. InthedaytimemyhouseandestablishmentwereconductedbyMadamethedirectress,astatelyandelegantwoman,bearingmuchanxiousthoughtonherlargebrowmuchcalculateddignityinherseriousmien:immediatelyafterbreakfastIusedtopartwiththisladyIwenttomycollege,shetoherschoolroomreturningforanhourinthecourseoftheday,Ifoundheralwaysinclass,intentlyoccupiedsilence,industry,observance,attendingonherpresence.Whennotactuallyteaching,shewasoverlookingandguidingbyeyeandgestureshethenappearedvigilantandsolicitous.Whencommunicatinginstruction,heraspectwasmoreanimatedsheseemedtofeelacertainenjoymentintheoccupation.Thelanguageinwhichsheaddressedherpupils,thoughsimpleandunpretending,wasnevertriteordryshedidnotspeakfromroutineformulas—shemadeherownphrasesasshewenton,andverynervousandimpressivephrasestheyfrequentlywereoften,whenelucidatingfavouritepointsofhistory,orgeography,shewouldwaxgenuinelyeloquentinherearnestness.Herpupils,oratleasttheelderandmoreintelligentamongstthem,recognizedwellthelanguageofasuperiormindtheyfelttoo,andsomeofthemreceivedtheimpressionofelevatedsentimentstherewaslittlefondlingbetweenmistressandgirls,butsomeofFrances’pupilsintimelearnttolovehersincerely,allofthembeheldherwithrespecthergeneraldemeanourtowardsthemwasserioussometimesbenignantwhentheypleasedherwiththeirprogressandattention,alwaysscrupulouslyrefinedandconsiderate.Incaseswherereprooforpunishmentwascalledforshewasusuallyforbearingenoughbutifanytookadvantageofthatforbearance,whichsometimeshappened,asharp,suddenandlightning-likeseveritytaughttheculprittheextentofthemistakecommitted.Sometimesagleamoftendernesssoftenedhereyesandmanner,butthiswasrareonlywhenapupilwassick,orwhenitpinedafterhome,orinthecaseofsomelittlemotherlesschild,orofonemuchpoorerthanitscompanions,whosescantywardrobeandmeanappointmentsbroughtonitthecontemptofthejewelledyoungcountessesandsilk-cladmisses.Oversuchfeeblefledglingsthedirectressspreadawingofkindliestprotection:itwastotheirbedsideshecameatnighttotuckthemwarmlyinitwasafterthemshelookedinwintertoseethattheyalwayshadacomfortableseatbythestoveitwastheywhobyturnsweresummonedtothesalontoreceivesomelittledoleofcakeorfruit—tositonafootstoolatthefireside—toenjoyhomecomforts,andalmosthomeliberty,foraneveningtogether—tobespokentogentlyandsoftly,comforted,encouraged,cherished—andwhenbedtimecame,dismissedwithakissoftruetenderness.AstoJuliaandGeorgianaG——,daughtersofanEnglishbaronet,astoMdlle.Mathildede——,heiressofaBelgiancount,andsundryotherchildrenofpatricianrace,thedirectresswascarefulofthemasoftheothers,anxiousfortheirprogress,asforthatoftherest—butitneverseemedtoenterherheadtodistinguishthembyamarkofpreferenceonegirlofnoblebloodsheloveddearly—ayoungIrishbaroness—ladyCatherine——butitwasforherenthusiasticheartandcleverhead,forhergenerosityandhergenius,thetitleandrankwentfornothing. Myafternoonswerespentalsoincollege,withtheexceptionofanhourthatmywifedailyexactedofmeforherestablishment,andwithwhichshewouldnotdispense.ShesaidthatImustspendthattimeamongstherpupilstolearntheircharacters,tobeAUCOURANTwitheverythingthatwaspassinginthehouse,tobecomeinterestedinwhatinterestedher,tobeabletogivehermyopiniononknottypointswhensherequiredit,andthisshedidconstantly,neverallowingmyinterestinthepupilstofallasleep,andnevermakinganychangeofimportancewithoutmycognizanceandconsent.ShedelightedtositbymewhenIgavemylessons(lessonsinliterature),herhandsfoldedonherknee,themostfixedlyattentiveofanypresent.Sherarelyaddressedmeinclasswhenshediditwaswithanairofmarkeddeferenceitwasherpleasure,herjoytomakemestillthemasterinallthings. Atsixo’clockP.M.mydailylaboursceased.Ithencamehome,formyhomewasmyheaveneveratthathour,asIenteredourprivatesitting-room,thelady-directressvanishedfrombeforemyeyes,andFrancesHenri,myownlittlelace-mender,wasmagicallyrestoredtomyarmsmuchdisappointedshewouldhavebeenifhermasterhadnotbeenasconstanttothetrystasherself,andifhistruthfullkisshadnotbeenprompttoanswerhersoft,“Bonsoir,monsieur.” TalkFrenchtomeshewould,andmanyapunishmentshehashadforherwilfulness.Ifearthechoiceofchastisementmusthavebeeninjudicious,forinsteadofcorrectingthefault,itseemedtoencourageitsrenewal.Oureveningswereourownthatrecreationwasnecessarytorefreshourstrengthfortheduedischargeofourdutiessometimeswespentthemallinconversation,andmyyoungGenevese,nowthatshewasthoroughlyaccustomedtoherEnglishprofessor,nowthatshelovedhimtooabsolutelytofearhimmuch,reposedinhimaconfidencesounlimitedthattopicsofconversationcouldnomorebewantingwithhimthansubjectsforcommunionwithherownheart.Inthosemoments,happyasabirdwithitsmate,shewouldshowmewhatshehadofvivacity,ofmirth,oforiginalityinherwell-dowerednature.Shewouldshow,too,somestoresofraillery,of“malice,”andwouldvex,tease,piquemesometimesaboutwhatshecalledmy“bizarreriesanglaises,”my“capricesinsulaires,”withawildandwittywickednessthatmadeaperfectwhitedemonofherwhileitlasted.Thiswasrare,however,andtheelfishfreakwasalwaysshort:sometimeswhendrivenalittlehardinthewarofwords—forhertonguedidamplejusticetothepith,thepoint,thedelicacyofhernativeFrench,inwhichlanguageshealwaysattackedme—Iusedtoturnuponherwithmyolddecision,andarrestbodilythespritethatteasedme.Vainidea!nosoonerhadIgraspedhandorarmthantheelfwasgonetheprovocativesmilequenchedintheexpressivebrowneyes,andarayofgentlehomageshoneunderthelidsinitsplace.Ihadseizedamerevexingfairy,andfoundasubmissiveandsupplicatinglittlemortalwomaninmyarms.ThenImadehergetabook,andreadEnglishtomeforanhourbywayofpenance.IfrequentlydosedherwithWordsworthinthisway,andWordsworthsteadiedhersoonshehadadifficultyincomprehendinghisdeep,serene,andsobermindhislanguage,too,wasnotfaciletohershehadtoaskquestions,tosueforexplanations,tobelikeachildandanovice,andtoacknowledgemeashersenioranddirector.Herinstinctinstantlypenetratedandpossessedthemeaningofmoreardentandimaginativewriters.ByronexcitedherScottshelovedWordsworthonlyshepuzzledat,wonderedover,andhesitatedtopronounceanopinionupon. Butwhethershereadtome,ortalkedwithmewhethersheteasedmeinFrench,orentreatedmeinEnglishwhethershejestedwithwit,orinquiredwithdeferencenarratedwithinterest,orlistenedwithattentionwhethershesmiledatmeoronme,alwaysatnineo’clockIwasleftabandoned.Shewouldextricateherselffrommyarms,quitmyside,takeherlamp,andbegone.HermissionwasupstairsIhavefollowedhersometimesandwatchedher.Firstsheopenedthedoorofthedortoir(thepupils’chamber),noiselesslysheglidedupthelongroombetweenthetworowsofwhitebeds,surveyedallthesleepersifanywerewakeful,especiallyifanyweresad,spoketothemandsoothedth