foundinthediscipline,ifnotthedoctrinesoftheChurchofRome.IrecordwhatIhaveseen:thesegirlsbelongedtowhatarecalledtherespectableranksofsocietytheyhadallbeencarefullybroughtup,yetwasthemassofthemmentallydepraved.Somuchforthegeneralview:nowforoneortwoselectedspecimens.
ThefirstpictureisafulllengthofAureliaKoslow,aGermanfraulein,orratherahalf-breedbetweenGermanandRussian.Sheiseighteenyearsofage,andhasbeensenttoBrusselstofinishhereducationsheisofmiddlesize,stifflymade,bodylong,legsshort,bustmuchdevelopedbutnotcompactlymoulded,waistdisproportionatelycompressedbyaninhumanlybracedcorset,dresscarefullyarranged,largefeettorturedintosmallbottines,headsmall,hairsmoothed,braided,oiled,andgummedtoperfectionverylowforehead,verydiminutiveandvindictivegreyeyes,somewhatTartarfeatures,ratherflatnose,ratherhigh-cheekbones,yettheensemblenotpositivelyuglytolerablygoodcomplexion.Somuchforperson.Astomind,deplorablyignorantandill-informed:incapableofwritingorspeakingcorrectlyevenGerman,hernativetongue,adunceinFrench,andherattemptsatlearningEnglishamerefarce,yetshehasbeenatschooltwelveyearsbutassheinvariablygetsherexercises,ofeverydescription,donebyafellowpupil,andreadsherlessonsoffabookconcealedinherlap,itisnotwonderfulthatherprogresshasbeensosnail-like.IdonotknowwhatAurelia’sdailyhabitsoflifeare,becauseIhavenottheopportunityofobservingheratalltimesbutfromwhatIseeofthestateofherdesk,books,andpapers,Ishouldsaysheisslovenlyandevendirtyheroutwarddress,asIhavesaid,iswellattendedto,butinpassingbehindherbench,Ihaveremarkedthatherneckisgrayforwantofwashing,andherhair,soglossywithgumandgrease,isnotsuchasonefeelstemptedtopassthehandover,muchlesstorunthefingersthrough.Aurelia’sconductinclass,atleastwhenIampresent,issomethingextraordinary,consideredasanindexofgirlishinnocence.ThemomentIentertheroom,shenudgeshernextneighbourandindulgesinahalf-suppressedlaugh.AsItakemyseatontheestrade,shefixeshereyeonmesheseemsresolvedtoattract,and,ifpossible,monopolizemynotice:tothisendshelaunchesatmeallsortsoflooks,languishing,provoking,leering,laughing.AsIamfoundquiteproofagainstthissortofartillery—forwescornwhat,unasked,islavishlyoffered—shehasrecoursetotheexpedientofmakingnoisessometimesshesighs,sometimesgroans,sometimesuttersinarticulatesounds,forwhichlanguagehasnoname.If,inwalkinguptheschoolroom,Ipassnearher,sheputsoutherfootthatitmaytouchmineifIdonothappentoobservethemanoeuvre,andmybootcomesincontactwithherbrodequin,sheaffectstofallintoconvulsionsofsuppressedlaughterifInoticethesnareandavoidit,sheexpresseshermortificationinsullenmutte