thedesk,butsoonraisingitreplied—
“Monsieur,Iamnotaskilfulteacher,itistrue,butpracticeimprovesbesides,IworkunderdifficultieshereIonlyteachsewing,Icanshownopowerinsewing,nosuperiority—itisasubordinateartthenIhavenoassociatesinthishouse,IamisolatedIamtooaheretic,whichdeprivesmeofinfluence.”
“AndinEnglandyouwouldbeaforeignerthattoowoulddepriveyouofinfluence,andwouldeffectuallyseparateyoufromallroundyouinEnglandyouwouldhaveasfewconnections,aslittleimportanceasyouhavehere.”
“ButIshouldbelearningsomethingfortherest,thereareprobablydifficultiesforsuchasIeverywhere,andifImustcontend,andperhapsbeconquered,IwouldrathersubmittoEnglishpridethantoFlemishcoarsenessbesides,monsieur—”
Shestopped—notevidentlyfromanydifficultyinfindingwordstoexpressherself,butbecausediscretionseemedtosay,“Youhavesaidenough.”
“Finishyourphrase,”Iurged.
“Besides,monsieur,IlongtoliveoncemoreamongProtestantstheyaremorehonestthanCatholicsaRomishschoolisabuildingwithporouswalls,ahollowfloor,afalseceilingeveryroominthishouse,monsieur,haseyeholesandear-holes,andwhatthehouseis,theinhabitantsare,verytreacheroustheyallthinkitlawfultotellliestheyallcallitpolitenesstoprofessfriendshipwheretheyfeelhatred.”
“All?”saidI“youmeanthepupils—themerechildren—inexperienced,giddythings,whohavenotlearnttodistinguishthedifferencebetweenrightandwrong?”
“Onthecontrary,monsieur—thechildrenarethemostsinceretheyhavenotyethadtimetobecomeaccomplishedinduplicitytheywilltelllies,buttheydoitinartificially,andyouknowtheyarelyingbutthegrown-uppeopleareveryfalsetheydeceivestrangers,theydeceiveeachother—”
Aservanthereentered:—
“Mdlle.Henri—Mdlle.ReutervouspriedevouloirbienconduirelapetitedeDorlodotchezelle,ellevousattenddanslecabinetdeRosalielaportiere—c’estquesabonnen’estpasvenuelachercher—voyez-vous.”
“Ehbien!est-cequejesuissabonne—moi?”demandedMdlle.Henrithensmiling,withthatsamebitter,derisivesmileIhadseenonherlipsoncebefore,shehastilyroseandmadeherexit.