lerespectableM.Brown,”anaccountofmyattainmentsandcharacter,whichrelievedhimfromallscrupleastotheproprietyofengagingmeasprofessorofEnglishandLatininhisestablishmentnevertheless,forform’ssake,hewouldputafewquestionstotestmypowers.Hedid,andexpressedinflatteringtermshissatisfactionatmyanswers.Thesubjectofsalarynextcameonitwasfixedatonethousandfrancsperannum,besidesboardandlodging.“Andinaddition,”suggestedM.Pelet,“astherewillbesomehoursineachdayduringwhichyourserviceswillnotberequiredinmyestablishment,youmay,intime,obtainemploymentinotherseminaries,andthusturnyourvacantmomentstoprofitableaccount.”
Ithoughtthisverykind,andindeedIfoundafterwardsthatthetermsonwhichM.PelethadengagedmewerereallyliberalforBrusselsinstructionbeingextremelycheapthereonaccountofthenumberofteachers.ItwasfurtherarrangedthatIshouldbeinstalledinmynewposttheverynextday,afterwhichM.PeletandIparted.
Well,andwhatwashelike?andwhatweremyimpressionsconcerninghim?Hewasamanofaboutfortyyearsofage,ofmiddlesize,andratheremaciatedfigurehisfacewaspale,hischeeksweresunk,andhiseyeshollowhisfeatureswerepleasingandregular,theyhadaFrenchturn(forM.PeletwasnoFleming,butaFrenchmanbothbybirthandparentage),yetthedegreeofharshnessinseparablefromGalliclineamentswas,inhiscase,softenedbyamildblueeye,andamelancholy,almostsuffering,expressionofcountenancehisphysiognomywas“fineetspirituelle.”IusetwoFrenchwordsbecausetheydefinebetterthananyEnglishtermsthespeciesofintelligencewithwhichhisfeatureswereimbued.Hewasaltogetheraninterestingandprepossessingpersonage.Iwonderedonlyattheutterabsenceofalltheordinarycharacteristicsofhisprofession,andalmostfearedhecouldnotbesternandresoluteenoughforaschoolmaster.ExternallyatleastM.Peletpresentedanabsolutecontrasttomylatemaster,EdwardCrimsworth.
InfluencedbytheimpressionIhadreceivedofhisgentleness,Iwasagooddealsurprisedwhen,onarrivingthenextdayatmynewemployer’shouse,andbeingadmittedtoafirstviewofwhatwastobethesphereofmyfuturelabours,namelythelarge,lofty,andwell-lightedschoolrooms,Ibeheldanumerousassemblageofpupils,boysofcourse,whosecollectiveappearanceshowedallthesignsofafull,flourishing,andwell-disciplinedseminary.AsItraversedtheclassesincompanywithM.Pelet,aprofoundsilencereignedonallsides,andifbychanceamurmurorawhisperarose,oneglancefromthepensiveeyeofthismostgentlepedag