houghnotfluently.Icouldalsoreaditwell,andwriteitdecently.
“Then,”pursuedMr.Brown,“IthinkIcanpromiseyoutheplace,forMonsieurPeletwillnotrefuseaprofessorrecommendedbymebutcomehereagainatfiveo’clockthisafternoon,andIwillintroduceyoutohim.”
Theword“professor”struckme.“Iamnotaprofessor,”saidI.
“Oh,”returnedMr.Brown,“professor,hereinBelgium,meansateacher,thatisall.”
Myconsciencethusquieted,IthankedMr.Brown,and,forthepresent,withdrew.ThistimeIsteppedoutintothestreetwitharelievedheartthetaskIhadimposedonmyselfforthatdaywasexecuted.Imightnowtakesomehoursofholiday.Ifeltfreetolookup.ForthefirsttimeIremarkedthesparklingclearnessoftheair,thedeepblueofthesky,thegaycleanaspectofthewhite-washedorpaintedhousesIsawwhatafinestreetwastheRueRoyale,and,walkingleisurelyalongitsbroadpavement,Icontinuedtosurveyitsstatelyhotels,tillthepalisades,thegates,andtreesoftheparkappearinginsight,offeredtomyeyeanewattraction.Iremember,beforeenteringthepark,IstoodawhiletocontemplatethestatueofGeneralBelliard,andthenIadvancedtothetopofthegreatstaircasejustbeyond,andIlookeddownintoanarrowbackstreet,whichIafterwardslearntwascalledtheRued’Isabelle.Iwellrecollectthatmyeyerestedonthegreendoorofaratherlargehouseopposite,where,onabrassplate,wasinscribed,“PensionnatdeDemoiselles.”Pensionnat!Thewordexcitedanuneasysensationinmyminditseemedtospeakofrestraint.Someofthedemoiselles,externatsnodoubt,wereatthatmomentissuingfromthedoor—Ilookedforaprettyfaceamongstthem,buttheirclose,littleFrenchbonnetshidtheirfeaturesinamomenttheyweregone.
IhadtraversedagooddealofBrusselsbeforefiveo’clockarrived,butpunctuallyasthathourstruckIwasagainintheRueRoyale.Re-admittedtoMr.Brown’sbreakfast-room,Ifoundhim,asbefore,seatedatthetable,andhewasnotalone—agentlemanstoodbythehearth.Twowordsofintroductiondesignatedhimasmyfuturemaster.“M.Pelet,Mr.CrimsworthMr.Crimsworth,M.Pelet,”abowoneachsidefinishedtheceremony.Idon’tknowwhatsortofabowImadeanordinaryone,Isuppose,forIwasinatranquil,commonplaceframeofmindIfeltnoneoftheagitationwhichhadtroubledmyfirstinterviewwithEdwardCrimsworth.M.Pelet’sbowwasextremelypolite,yetnottheatrical,scarcelyFrenchheandIwerepresentlyseatedoppositetoeachother.Inapleasingvoice,low,and,outofconsiderationtomyforeignears,verydistinctanddeliberate,M.Peletintimatedthathehadjustbeenreceivingfrom“