butnotdisconcerted,shesmilinglydisclaimedanyknowledgeofthataddress,adding,“MonsieurhasperhapsforgottenthatIexplainedallaboutthatcircumstancebefore—aweekago?”
“Mademoiselle,”Icontinued,“youwouldgreatlyobligemebydirectingmetothatyoungperson’sabode.”
Sheseemedsomewhatpuzzledand,atlast,lookingupwithanadmirablycounterfeitedairofnaivete,shedemanded,“DoesMonsieurthinkIamtellinganuntruth?”
Stillavoidingtogiveheradirectanswer,Isaid,“Itisnotthenyourintention,mademoiselle,toobligemeinthisparticular?”
“But,monsieur,howcanItellyouwhatIdonotknow?”
“VerywellIunderstandyouperfectly,mademoiselle,andnowIhaveonlytwoorthreewordstosay.ThisisthelastweekinJulyinanothermonththevacationwillcommence,havethegoodnesstoavailyourselfoftheleisureitwillaffordyoutolookoutforanotherEnglishmaster—atthecloseofAugust,Ishallbeunderthenecessityofresigningmypostinyourestablishment.”
Ididnotwaitforhercommentsonthisannouncement,butbowedandimmediatelywithdrew.
Thatsameevening,soonafterdinner,aservantbroughtmeasmallpacketitwasdirectedinahandIknew,buthadnothopedsosoontoseeagainbeinginmyownapartmentandalone,therewasnothingtopreventmyimmediatelyopeningititcontainedfourfive-francpieces,andanoteinEnglish.
“MONSIEUR,
“IcametoMdlle.Reuter’shouseyesterday,atthetimewhenIknewyouwouldbejustaboutfinishingyourlesson,andIaskedifImightgointotheschoolroomandspeaktoyou.Mdlle.Reutercameoutandsaidyouwerealreadygoneithadnotyetstruckfour,soIthoughtshemustbemistaken,butconcludeditwouldbevaintocallanotherdayonthesameerrand.Inonesenseanotewilldoaswell—itwillwrapupthe20francs,thepriceofthelessonsIhavereceivedfromyouandifitwillnotfullyexpressthethanksIoweyouinaddition—ifitwillnotbidyougood-byeasIcouldwishtohavedone—ifitwillnottellyou,asIlongtodo,howsorryIamthatIshallprobablyneverseeyoumore—why,spokenwordswouldhardlybemoreadequatetothetask.HadIseenyou,Ishouldprobablyhavestammeredoutsomethingfeebleandunsatisfactory—somethingbelyingmyfeelingsratherthanexplainingthemsoitisperhapsaswellthatIwasdeniedadmissiontoyourpresence.Youoftenremarked,monsieur,thatmydevoirsdweltagreatdealonfortitudeinbearinggrief—yousaidIintroducedthatthemetoooften:Ifindindeedthatitismucheasiertowriteaboutaseveredutythantoperformit,forIamoppressedwhenIseeandfeeltowhatareversefatehascondemnedmeyouwerekindtome,monsieur—verykindIamafflicted—Iamheart-brokentobequiteseparatedfromyousoonIshallhavenofriendonearth.Butitisuselesstroublingyouwithmydistresses.WhatclaimhaveIonyoursympathy?NoneIwillthensaynomore.
“Farewell,Monsieur.
“F.E.HENRI.”
Iputupthenoteinmypocket-book.Islippedthefive-francpiecesintomypurse—thenItookaturnthroughmynarrowchamber.
“Mdlle.Reutertalkedaboutherpoverty,”saidI,“andsheispooryetshepaysherdebtsandmore.Ihavenotyetgivenheraquarter’slessons,andshehassentmeaquarter’sdue.Iwonderofwhatshedeprivedherselftoscrapetogetherthetwentyfrancs—Iwonderwhatsortofaplaceshehastolivein,andwhatsortofawomanherauntis,andwhethersheislikelytogetemploymenttosupplytheplaceshehaslost.Nodoubtshewillhavetotrudgeaboutlongenoughfromschooltoschool,toinquirehere,andapplythere—berejectedinthisplace,disappointedinthat.Manyaneveningshe’llgotoherbedtiredandunsuccessful.Andthedirectresswouldnotletherintobidmegood-bye?Imightnothavethechanceofstandingwithherforafewminutesatawindowintheschoolroomandexchangingsomehalf-dozenofsentences—gettingtoknowwhereshelived—puttingmattersintrainforhavingallthingsarrangedtomymind?Noaddressonthenote”—Icontinued,drawingitagainfromthepocket-bookandexaminingitoneachsideofthetwoleaves:“womenarewomen,thatiscertain