readsmostfirmlyonslipperyground,”thoughtIsoIbegan:
“MademoiselleHenrihasleftyourestablishment—beendismissed,Ipresume?”
“Ah,Iwishedtohavealittleconversationwithyou,monsieur,”repliedthedirectresswiththemostnaturalandaffableairintheworld“butwecannottalkquietlyherewillMonsieurstepintothegardenaminute?”Andsheprecededme,steppingoutthroughtheglass-doorIhavebeforementioned.
“There,”saidshe,whenwehadreachedthecentreofthemiddlealley,andwhenthefoliageofshrubsandtrees,nowintheirsummerpride,closingbehindandaroundus,shutouttheviewofthehouse,andthusimpartedasenseofseclusioneventothislittleplotofgroundintheverycoreofacapital.
“There,onefeelsquietandfreewhenthereareonlypear-treesandrose-bushesaboutoneIdaresayyou,likeme,monsieur,aresometimestiredofbeingeternallyinthemidstoflifeofhavinghumanfacesalwaysroundyou,humaneyesalwaysuponyou,humanvoicesalwaysinyourear.IamsureIoftenwishintenselyforlibertytospendawholemonthinthecountryatsomelittlefarm-house,biengentille,bienpropre,toutentoureedechampsetdeboisquelleviecharmantequelaviechampetre!N’est-cepas,monsieur?”
“Celadepend,mademoiselle.”
“Queleventestbonetfrais!”continuedthedirectressandshewasrightthere,foritwasasouthwind,softandsweet.Icarriedmyhatinmyhand,andthisgentlebreeze,passingthroughmyhair,soothedmytempleslikebalm.Itsrefreshingeffect,however,penetratednodeeperthanthemeresurfaceoftheframeforasIwalkedbythesideofMdlle.Reuter,myheartwasstillhotwithinme,andwhileIwasmusingthefireburnedthenspakeIwithmytongue:—
“IunderstandMdlle.Henriisgonefromhence,andwillnotreturn?”
“Ah,true!Imeanttohavenamedthesubjecttoyousomedaysago,butmytimeissocompletelytakenup,IcannotdohalfthethingsIwish:haveyouneverexperiencedwhatitis,monsieur,tofindthedaytooshortbytwelvehoursforyournumerousduties?”
“Notoften.Mdlle.Henri’sdeparturewasnotvoluntary,Ipresume?Ifithadbeen,shewouldcertainlyhavegivenmesomeintimationofit,beingmypupil.”
“Oh,didshenottellyou?thatwasstrangeformypart,Ineverthoughtofadvertingtothesubjectwhenonehassomanythingstoattendto,oneisapttoforgetlitt