eonewhich,ifpushedeversolittleawry,willrenderuntenablethepostIwishtohavevacated—thedeedisdone—thestumbling-blockremoved—andnoonesawme:Ihavenotmadeanenemy,Iamridofanincumbrance.”
Amomentsince,andIthoughtheralluringthisspeechconcluded,Ilookedonherwithdistaste.“Justlikeyou,”wasmycoldanswer.“AndinthiswayyouhaveoustedMdlle.Henri?Youwantedheroffice,thereforeyourendereditintolerabletoher?”
“Notatall,monsieur,IwasmerelyanxiousaboutMdlle.Henri’shealthno,yourmoralsightisclearandpiercing,butthereyouhavefailedtodiscoverthetruth.Itook—IhavealwaystakenarealinterestinMdlle.Henri’swelfareIdidnotlikehergoingoutinallweathersIthoughtitwouldbemoreadvantageousforhertoobtainapermanentsituationbesides,Iconsideredhernowqualifiedtodosomethingmorethanteachsewing.Ireasonedwithherleftthedecisiontoherselfshesawthecorrectnessofmyviews,andadoptedthem.”
“Excellent!andnow,mademoiselle,youwillhavethegoodnesstogivemeheraddress.”
“Heraddress!”andasombreandstonychangecameoverthemienofthedirectress.“Heraddress?Ah?—well—IwishIcouldobligeyou,monsieur,butIcannot,andIwilltellyouwhywheneverImyselfaskedherforheraddress,shealwaysevadedtheinquiry.Ithought—Imaybewrong—butITHOUGHThermotivefordoingso,wasanatural,thoughmistakenreluctancetointroducemetosome,probably,verypoorabodehermeanswerenarrow,heroriginobscureshelivessomewhere,doubtless,inthe‘basseville.’”
“I’llnotlosesightofmybestpupilyet,”saidI,“thoughshewerebornofbeggarsandlodgedinacellarfortherest,itisabsurdtomakeabugbearofherorigintome—IhappentoknowthatshewasaSwisspastor’sdaughter,neithermorenorlessand,astohernarrowmeans,Icarenothingforthepovertyofherpursesolongasherheartoverflowswithaffluence.”
“Yoursentimentsareperfectlynoble,monsieur,”saidthedirectress,affectingtosuppressayawnhersprightlinesswasnowextinct,hertemporarycandourshutupthelittle,red-coloured,piratical-lookingpennonofaudacityshehadallowedtofloataminuteintheair,wasfurled,andthebroad,sober-huedflagofdissimulationagainhunglowoverthecitadel.Ididnotlikeherthus,soIcutshorttheTETE-A-TETEanddeparted.