Worthyoldgirl!Icouldhavegoneandkissedherhadshenotbeenalittletooold,toofat,andtoored-facedhersensible,truthfulwordsseemedsowholesome,contrastedwiththemorbidillusionsofherdaughter.
WhenPeletawokeonthemorningafterhisfrenzyfit,heretainednorecollectionofwhathadhappenedthepreviousnight,andhismotherfortunatelyhadthediscretiontorefrainfrominforminghimthatIhadbeenawitnessofhisdegradation.Hedidnotagainhaverecoursetowineforcuringhisgriefs,buteveninhissobermoodhesoonshowedthattheironofjealousyhadenteredintohissoul.AthoroughFrenchman,thenationalcharacteristicofferocityhadnotbeenomittedbynatureincompoundingtheingredientsofhischaracterithadappearedfirstinhisaccessofdrunkenwrath,whensomeofhisdemonstrationsofhatredtomypersonwereofatrulyfiendishcharacter,andnowitwasmorecovertlybetrayedbymomentarycontractionsofthefeatures,andflashesoffiercenessinhislightblueeyes,whentheirglancechancedtoencountermine.HeabsolutelyavoidedspeakingtomeIwasnowsparedeventhefalsehoodofhispoliteness.Inthisstateofourmutualrelations,mysoulrebelledsometimesalmostungovernably,againstlivinginthehouseanddischargingtheserviceofsuchamanbutwhoisfreefromtheconstraintofcircumstances?Atthattime,Iwasnot:Iusedtoriseeachmorningeagertoshakeoffhisyoke,andgooutwithmyportmanteauundermyarm,ifabeggar,atleastafreemanandintheevening,whenIcamebackfromthepensionnatdedemoiselles,acertainpleasantvoiceinmyearacertainface,sointelligent,yetsodocile,soreflective,yetsosoft,inmyeyesacertaincastofcharacter,atonceproudandpliant,sensitiveandsagacious,seriousandardent,inmyheadacertaintoneoffeeling,fervidandmodest,refinedandpractical,pureandpowerful,delightingandtroublingmymemory—visionsofnewtiesIlongedtocontract,ofnewdutiesIlongedtoundertake,hadtakentheroverandtherebeloutofme,andhadshownenduranceofmyhatedlotinthelightofaSpartanvirtue.
ButPelet’sfurysubsidedafortnightsufficedforitsrise,progress,andextinction:inthatspaceoftimethedismissaloftheobnoxiousteacherhadbeeneffectedintheneighbouringhouse,andinthesameintervalIhad