ciencequitesubordinatetothewillofherspiritualdirector.ShewasthemodelpupilofMdlle.Reuter’sestablishmentpale,blightedimage,wherelifelingeredfeebly,butwhencethesoulhadbeenconjuredbyRomishwizard-craft!
AfewEnglishpupilstherewereinthisschool,andthesemightbedividedintotwoclasses.1st.ThecontinentalEnglish—thedaughterschieflyofbrokenadventurers,whomdebtordishonourhaddrivenfromtheirowncountry.Thesepoorgirlshadneverknowntheadvantagesofsettledhomes,decorousexample,orhonestProtestanteducationresidentafewmonthsnowinoneCatholicschool,nowinanother,astheirparentswanderedfromlandtoland—fromFrancetoGermany,fromGermanytoBelgium—theyhadpickedupsomescantyinstruction,manybadhabits,losingeverynotionevenofthefirstelementsofreligionandmorals,andacquiringanimbecileindifferencetoeverysentimentthatcanelevatehumanitytheyweredistinguishablebyanhabituallookofsullendejection,theresultofcrushedself-respectandconstantbrowbeatingfromtheirPopishfellow-pupils,whohatedthemasEnglish,andscornedthemasheretics.
ThesecondclasswereBritishEnglish.OftheseIdidnotencounterhalfadozenduringthewholetimeofmyattendanceattheseminarytheircharacteristicswerecleanbutcarelessdress,ill-arrangedhair(comparedwiththetightandtrimforeigners),erectcarriage,flexiblefigures,whiteandtaperhands,featuresmoreirregular,butalsomoreintellectualthanthoseoftheBelgians,graveandmodestcountenances,ageneralairofnativeproprietyanddecencybythislastcircumstancealoneIcouldataglancedistinguishthedaughterofAlbionandnurslingofProtestantismfromthefoster-childofRome,thePROTEGEEofJesuistry:proud,too,wastheaspectoftheseBritishgirlsatonceenviedandridiculedbytheircontinentalassociates,theywardedoffinsultwithausterecivility,andmethatewithmutedisdaintheyeschewedcompany-keeping,andinthemidstofnumbersseemedtodwellisolated.
Theteacherspresidingoverthismixedmultitudewerethreeinnumber,allFrench—theirnamesMdlles.Zephyrine,Pelagie,andSuzettethetwolastwerecommonplacepersonagesenoughtheirlookwasordinary,theirmannerwasordinary,theirtemperwasordinary,theirthoughts,feelings,andviewswereallordinary—wereItowriteachapteronthesubjectIcouldnotelucidateitfurther.ZephyrinewassomewhatmoredistinguishedinappearanceanddeportmentthanPelagieandSuzette,butincharactergenuineParisiancoquette,perfidious,mercenary,anddry-hearted.AfourthmaitresseIsometimessawwhoseemedtocomedailytoteachneedlework,ornetting,orlace-mending,orsomesuchflimsyartbutofherIneverhadmorethanapassingglimpse,asshesatintheCARRE,withherframesandsomedozenoftheelderpupilsabouther,consequentlyIhadnoopportunityofstudyinghercharacter,oreve