declaredmyresolutiontofollowandfindoutmypupil,anduponmyapplicationforheraddressbeingrefused,Ihadsummarilyresignedmyownpost.ThislastactseemedatoncetorestoreMdlle.Reutertohersenseshersagacity,herjudgment,solongmisledbyafascinatingdelusion,struckagainintotherighttrackthemomentthatdelusionvanished.Bytherighttrack,Idonotmeanthesteepanddifficultpathofprinciple—inthatpathshenevertrodbuttheplainhighwayofcommonsense,fromwhichshehadoflatewidelydiverged.Whenthereshecarefullysought,andhavingfound,industriouslypursuedthetrailofheroldsuitor,M.Pelet.Shesoonovertookhim.WhatartssheemployedtosootheandblindhimIknownot,butshesucceededbothinallayinghiswrath,andhoodwinkinghisdiscernment,aswassoonprovedbythealterationinhismienandmannershemusthavemanagedtoconvincehimthatIneitherwas,noreverhadbeen,arivalofhis,forthefortnightoffuryagainstmeterminatedinafitofexceedinggraciousnessandamenity,notunmixedwithadashofexultingself-complacency,moreludicrousthanirritating.Pelet’sbachelor’slifehadbeenpassedinproperFrenchstylewithduedisregardtomoralrestraint,andIthoughthismarriedlifepromisedtobeveryFrenchalso.HeoftenboastedtomewhataterrorhehadbeentocertainhusbandsofhisacquaintanceIperceiveditwouldnotnowbedifficulttopayhimbackinhisowncoin.
Thecrisisdrewon.NosoonerhadtheholidayscommencedthannoteofpreparationforsomemomentouseventsoundedallthroughthepremisesofPelet:painters,polishers,andupholstererswereimmediatelysettowork,andtherewastalkof“lachambredeMadame,”“lesalondeMadame.”Notdeemingitprobablethattheoldduennaatpresentgracedwiththattitleinourhouse,hadinspiredhersonwithsuchenthusiasmoffilialpiety,astoinducehimtofitupapartmentsexpresslyforheruse,Iconcluded,incommonwiththecook,thetwohousemaids,andthekitchen-scullion,thatanewandmorejuvenileMadamewasdestinedtobethetenantofthesegaychambers.
Presentlyofficialannouncementofthecomingeventwasputforth.Inanotherweek’stimeM.FrancoisPelet,directeur,andMdlle.ZoraideReuter,directrice,weretobejoinedtogetherinthebandsofmatrimony.Monsieur,inperso