.”
“Truly!Andnow,mademoiselle,itwillbeagoodexerciseforyoutoexplaintomeinEnglishhowsucharesultwasproducedbysuchmeans.”
“Monsieur,Ibeggedmyaunttohavemetaughtlace-mendingsoonafterwecametoBrussels,becauseIknewitwasaMETIER,atradewhichwaseasilylearnt,andbywhichIcouldearnsomemoneyverysoon.Ilearntitinafewdays,andIquicklygotwork,foralltheBrusselsladieshaveoldlace—veryprecious—whichmustbemendedallthetimesitiswashed.Iearnedmoneyalittle,andthismoneyIgaveforlessonsinthestudiesIhavementionedsomeofitIspentinbuyingbooks,EnglishbooksespeciallysoonIshalltrytofindaplaceofgoverness,orschool-teacher,whenIcanwriteandspeakEnglishwellbutitwillbedifficult,becausethosewhoknowIhavebeenalace-menderwilldespiseme,asthepupilsheredespiseme.Pourtantj’aimonprojet,”sheaddedinalowertone.
“Whatisit?”
“IwillgoandliveinEnglandIwillteachFrenchthere.”
Thewordswerepronouncedemphatically.Shesaid“England”asyoumightsupposeanIsraeliteofMoses’dayswouldhavesaidCanaan.
“HaveyouawishtoseeEngland?”
“Yes,andanintention.”
Andhereavoice,thevoiceofthedirectress,interposed:
“MademoiselleHenri,jecroisqu’ilvapleuvoirvousferiezbien,mabonneamie,deretournerchezvoustoutdesuite.”
Insilence,withoutawordofthanksforthisofficiouswarning,Mdlle.Henricollectedherbooksshemovedtomerespectfully,endeavouredtomovetohersuperior,thoughtheendeavourwasalmostafailure,forherheadseemedasifitwouldnotbend,andthusdeparted.
Wherethereisonegrainofperseveranceorwilfulnessinthecomposition,triflingobstaclesareeverknownrathertostimulatethandiscourage.Mdlle.Reutermightaswellhavesparedherselfthetroubleofgivingthatintimationabouttheweather(by-the-byherpredictionwasfalsifiedbytheevent—itdidnotrainthatevening).AtthecloseofthenextlessonIwasagainatMdlle.Henri’sdesk.ThusdidIaccosther:—
“WhatisyourideaofEngland,mademoiselle?Whydoyouwishtogothere?”
Accustomedbythistimetothecalculatedabruptnessofmymanner,itnolongerdiscomposedorsurprisedher,andsheansweredwithonlysomuchofhesitationas