ewouldgivemetheideaofabirdthatfluttersinitscage,andwouldfainflyfromitsjailandjailer,andseekitsnaturalmateandpleasantnest.
“Well—andyourlesson?”Idemandedbriefly.
“Ah!”sheexclaimed,recoveringherself,“youaresoyoung,sofrankandfearless,sotalented,soimpatientofimbecility,sodisdainfulofvulgarity,youneedalessonhereitisthen:farmoreistobedoneinthisworldbydexteritythanbystrengthbut,perhaps,youknewthatbefore,forthereisdelicacyaswellaspowerinyourcharacter—policy,aswellaspride?”
“Goon,”saidIandIcouldhardlyhelpsmiling,theflatterywassopiquant,sofinelyseasoned.Shecaughttheprohibitedsmile,thoughIpassedmyhandovermymonthtoconcealitandagainshemaderoomformetositbesideher.Ishookmyhead,thoughtemptationpenetratedtomysensesatthemoment,andoncemoreItoldhertogoon.
“Well,then,ifeveryouareattheheadofalargeestablishment,dismissnobody.Tospeaktruth,monsieur(andtoyouIwillspeaktruth),Idespisepeoplewhoarealwaysmakingrows,blustering,sendingoffonetotheright,andanothertotheleft,urgingandhurryingcircumstances.I’lltellyouwhatIlikebesttodo,monsieur,shallI?”Shelookedupagainshehadcompoundedherglancewellthistime—mucharchness,moredeference,aspicydashofcoquetry,anunveiledconsciousnessofcapacity.InoddedshetreatedmelikethegreatMogulsoIbecamethegreatMogulasfarasshewasconcerned.
“Ilike,monsieur,totakemyknittinginmyhands,andtositquietlydowninmychaircircumstancesdefilepastmeIwatchtheirmarchsolongastheyfollowthecourseIwish,Isaynothing,anddonothingIdon’tclapmyhands,andcryout‘Bravo!HowluckyIam!’toattracttheattentionandenvyofmyneighbours—Iammerelypassivebutwheneventsfalloutill—whencircumstancesbecomeadverse—IwatchveryvigilantlyIknitonstill,andstillIholdmytonguebuteverynowandthen,monsieur,Ijustputmytoeout—so—andgivetherebelliouscircumstancealittlesecretpush,withoutnoise,whichsendsitthewayIwish,andIamsuccessfulafterall,andnobodyhasseenmyexpedient.So,whenteachersormastersbecometroublesomeandinefficient—when,inshort,theinterestsoftheschoolwouldsufferfromtheirretainingtheirplaces—Imindmyknitting,eventsprogress,circumstancesglidepastIse