y,isnotafeelingtobecherishedinthemindofawoman:wouldnotMdlle.Henribemuchsaferandhappieriftaughttobelievethatinthequietdischargeofsocialdutiesconsistsherrealvocation,thanifstimulatedtoaspireafterapplauseandpublicity?Shemaynevermarryscantyasareherresources,obscureasareherconnections,uncertainasisherhealth(forIthinkherconsumptive,hermotherdiedofthatcomplaint),itismorethanprobablesheneverwill.Idonotseehowshecanrisetoaposition,whencesuchastepwouldbepossiblebutevenincelibacyitwouldbebetterforhertoretainthecharacterandhabitsofarespectabledecorousfemale.”
“Indisputably,mademoiselle,”wasmyanswer.“Youropinionadmitsofnodoubt”and,fearfuloftheharanguebeingrenewed,Iretreatedundercoverofthatcordialsentenceofassent.
Atthedateofafortnightafterthelittleincidentnotedabove,IfinditrecordedinmydiarythatahiatusoccurredinMdlle.Henri’susuallyregularattendanceinclass.ThefirstdayortwoIwonderedatherabsence,butdidnotliketoaskanexplanationofitIthoughtindeedsomechancewordmightbedroppedwhichwouldaffordmetheinformationIwishedtoobtain,withoutmyrunningtheriskofexcitingsillysmilesandgossipingwhispersbydemandingit.Butwhenaweekpassedandtheseatatthedesknearthedoorstillremainedvacant,andwhennoallusionwasmadetothecircumstancebyanyindividualoftheclass—when,onthecontrary,Ifoundthatallobservedamarkedsilenceonthepoint—Idetermined,COUTEQUICOUTE,tobreaktheiceofthissillyreserve.IselectedSylvieasmyinformant,becausefromherIknewthatIshouldatleastgetasensibleanswer,unaccompaniedbywriggle,titter,orotherflourishoffolly.
“OudoncestMdlle.Henri?”IsaidonedayasIreturnedanexercise-bookIhadbeenexamining.
“Elleestpartie,monsieur.”
“Partie?etpourcombiendetemps?Quandreviendra-t-elle?”
“Elleestpartiepourtoujours,monsieurellenereviendraplus.”
“Ah!”wasmyinvoluntaryexclamationthenafterapause:—
“Enetes-vousbiensure,Sylvie?”
“Oui,oui,monsieur,mademoiselleladirectricenousl’aditelle-memeilyadeuxoutroisjours.”
AndIcouldpursuemyinquiriesnofurthertime,place,andcircumstancesforbademyaddinganotherword.Icouldneithercommentonwhathadbeens