aid,nordemandfurtherparticulars.Aquestionastothereasonoftheteacher’sdeparture,astowhetherithadbeenvoluntaryorotherwise,wasindeedonmylips,butIsuppressedit—therewerelistenersallround.Anhourafter,inpassingSylvieinthecorridorasshewasputtingonherbonnet,Istoppedshortandasked:—
“Sylvie,doyouknowMdlle.Henri’saddress?Ihavesomebooksofhers,”Iaddedcarelessly,“andIshouldwishtosendthemtoher.”
“No,monsieur,”repliedSylvie“butperhapsRosalie,theportress,willbeabletogiveityou.”
Rosalie’scabinetwasjustathandIsteppedinandrepeatedtheinquiry.Rosalie—asmartFrenchgrisette—lookedupfromherworkwithaknowingsmile,preciselythesortofsmileIhadbeensodesiroustoavoidexciting.HeranswerwaspreparedsheknewnothingwhateverofMdlle.Henri’saddress—hadneverknownit.Turningfromherwithimpatience—forIbelievedsheliedandwashiredtolie—Ialmostknockeddownsomeonewhohadbeenstandingatmybackitwasthedirectress.Myabruptmovementmadeherrecoiltwoorthreesteps.Iwasobligedtoapologize,whichIdidmoreconciselythanpolitely.Nomanlikestobedogged,andintheveryirritablemoodinwhichIthenwasthesightofMdlle.Reuterthoroughlyincensedme.AtthemomentIturnedhercountenancelookedhard,dark,andinquisitivehereyeswerebentuponmewithanexpressionofalmosthungrycuriosity.Ihadscarcelycaughtthisphaseofphysiognomyereithadvanishedablandsmileplayedonherfeaturesmyharshapologywasreceivedwithgood-humouredfacility.
“Oh,don’tmentionit,monsieuryouonlytouchedmyhairwithyourelbowitisnoworse,onlyalittledishevelled.”Sheshookitback,andpassingherfingersthroughhercurls,loosenedthemintomorenumerousandflowingringlets.Thenshewentonwithvivacity:
“Rosalie,Iwascomingtotellyoutogoinstantlyandclosethewindowsofthesalonthewindisrising,andthemuslincurtainswillbecoveredwithdust.”
Rosaliedeparted.“Now,”thoughtI,“thiswillnotdoMdlle.Reuterthinkshermeannessineaves-droppingisscreenedbyherartindevisingapretext,whereasthemuslincurtainsshespeaksofarenotmoretransparentthanthissamepretext.”Animpulsecameovermetothrusttheflimsyscreenaside,andconfronthercraftboldlywithawordortwoofplaintruth.“Therough-shodfoott