vesinstructioninlace-mending,andinlittlevarietiesofornamentalneedle-work.Sheveryproperlyproposestoqualifyherselfforahigherdepartmentofeducation,andhasaskedpermissiontoattendyourlessons,inordertoperfectherknowledgeofEnglish,inwhichlanguageshehas,Ibelieve,alreadymadesomeprogressofcourseitismywishtoaidherinaneffortsopraiseworthyyouwillpermitherthentobenefitbyyourinstruction—n’estcepas,monsieur?”AndMdlle.Reuter’seyeswereraisedtominewithalookatoncenaive,benign,andbeseeching.
Ireplied,“Ofcourse,”verylaconically,almostabruptly.
“Anotherword,”shesaid,withsoftness:“Mdlle.Henrihasnotreceivedaregulareducationperhapshernaturaltalentsarenotofthehighestorder:butIcanassureyouoftheexcellenceofherintentions,andevenoftheamiabilityofherdisposition.Monsieurwillthen,Iamsure,havethegoodnesstobeconsideratewithheratfirst,andnotexposeherbackwardness,herinevitabledeficiencies,beforetheyoungladies,who,inasense,areherpupils.WillMonsieurCreemsvortfavourmebyattendingtothishint?”Inodded.Shecontinuedwithsubduedearnestness—
“Pardonme,monsieur,ifIventuretoaddthatwhatIhavejustsaidisofimportancetothepoorgirlshealreadyexperiencesgreatdifficultyinimpressingthesegiddyyoungthingswithaduedegreeofdeferenceforherauthority,andshouldthatdifficultybeincreasedbynewdiscoveriesofherincapacity,shemightfindherpositioninmyestablishmenttoopainfultoberetainedacircumstanceIshouldmuchregretforhersake,asshecanillaffordtolosetheprofitsofheroccupationhere.”
Mdlle.Reuterpossessedmarvelloustactbuttactthemostexclusive,unsupportedbysincerity,willsometimesfailofitseffectthus,onthisoccasion,thelongershepreachedaboutthenecessityofbeingindulgenttothegovernesspupil,themoreimpatientIfeltasIlistened.Idiscernedsoclearlythatwhile