nmist.Isupposethesensations,stirredbythosefirstsounds,firstsights,arefeltbutoncetreasurethem,Memorysealtheminurns,andkeeptheminsafeniches!Well—Irose.TravellerstalkoftheapartmentsinforeigndwellingsbeingbareanduncomfortableIthoughtmychamberlookedstatelyandcheerful.Ithadsuchlargewindows—CROISEESthatopenedlikedoors,withsuchbroad,clearpanesofglasssuchagreatlooking-glassstoodonmydressing-table—suchafinemirrorglitteredoverthemantelpiece—thepaintedfloorlookedsocleanandglossywhenIhaddressedandwasdescendingthestairs,thebroadmarblestepsalmostawedme,andsodidtheloftyhallintowhichtheyconducted.OnthefirstlandingImetaFlemishhousemaid:shehadwoodenshoes,ashortredpetticoat,aprintedcottonbedgown,herfacewasbroad,herphysiognomyeminentlystupidwhenIspoketoherinFrench,sheansweredmeinFlemish,withanairthereverseofcivilyetIthoughthercharmingifshewasnotprettyorpolite,shewas,Iconceived,verypicturesquesheremindedmeofthefemalefiguresincertainDutchpaintingsIhadseeninotheryearsatSeacombeHall.
Irepairedtothepublicroomthat,too,wasverylargeandverylofty,andwarmedbyastovethefloorwasblack,andthestovewasblack,andmostofthefurniturewasblack:yetIneverexperiencedafreersenseofexhilarationthanwhenIsatdownataverylong,blacktable(covered,however,inpartbyawhitecloth),and,havingorderedbreakfast,begantopouroutmycoffeefromalittleblackcoffee-pot.Thestovemightbedismal-lookingtosomeeyes,nottomine,butitwasindisputablyverywarm,andthereweretwogentlemenseatedbyittalkinginFrenchimpossibletofollowtheirrapidutterance,orcomprehendmuchofthepurportofwhattheysaid—yetFrench,inthemouthsofFrenchmen,orBelgians(IwasnotthensensibleofthehorrorsoftheBelgianaccent)wasasmusictomyears.OneofthesegentlemenpresentlydiscernedmetobeanEnglishman—nodoubtfromthefashioninwhichIaddressedthewaiterforIwouldpersistinspeakingFrenchinmyexecrableSouth-of-Englandstyle,thoughthemanunderstoodEnglish.Thegentleman,afterlookingtowardsmeonceortwice,politelyaccostedmeinverygoodEnglishIrememberIwishedtoGodthatIcouldspeakFrenchaswellhisfluencyandcorrectpronunciationimpressedmeforthefirsttimewithaduenotionofthecosmopolitancharacterofthecapitalIwasinitwasmyfirstexperienceofthatskillinlivinglanguagesIafterwardsfoundtobesogeneralinBrussels.
IlingeredovermybreakfastaslongasIcouldwhileitwasthereonthetable,andwhilethatstrangercontinuedtalkingtome,Iwasafre