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adjoining the library； and smiled at my astonishment when I saw there
a wretched chest of drawers； a shabby carpet； a camp…bed； and cotton
window…curtains。 He came out of his private room； to which no one is
admitted； as Jerome informed me； the man did not go in； but merely
knocked at the door。
〃The third time he was breakfasting in his library on the most frugal
fare； but on this occasion； as he had spent the night studying our
documents； as I had my attorney with me； and as that worthy Monsieur
Girardet is long…winded； I had leisure to study the stranger。 He
certainly is no ordinary man。 There is more than one secret behind
that face； at once so terrible and so gentle； patient and yet
impatient； broad and yet hollow。 I saw； too； that he stooped a little；
like all men who have some heavy burden to bear。〃
〃Why did so eloquent a man leave Paris？ For what purpose did he come
to Besancon？〃 asked pretty Madame de Chavoncourt。 〃Could no one tell
him how little chance a stranger has of succeeding here？ The good
folks of Besancon will make use of him； but they will not allow him to
make use of them。 Why； having come； did he make so little effort that
it needed a freak of the President's to bring him forward？〃
〃After carefully studying that fine head；〃 said the Abbe； looking
keenly at the lady who had interrupted him； in such a way as to
suggest that there was something he would not tell； 〃and especially
after hearing him this morning reply to one of the bigwigs of the
Paris Bar； I believe that this man； who may be five…and…thirty； will
by and by make a great sensation。〃
〃Why should we discuss him？ You have gained your action； and paid
him；〃 said Madame de Watteville； watching her daughter； who； all the
time the Vicar…General had been speaking； seemed to hang on his lips。
The conversation changed； and no more was heard of Albert Savaron。
The portrait sketched by the cleverest of the Vicars…General of the
diocese had all the greater charm for Rosalie because there was a
romance behind it。 For the first time in her life she had come across
the marvelous； the exceptional； which smiles on every youthful
imagination； and which curiosity； so eager at Rosalie's age； goes
forth to meet half…way。 What an ideal being was this Albertgloomy；
unhappy； eloquent； laborious； as compared by Mademoiselle de
Watteville to that chubby fat Count； bursting with health； paying
compliments； and talking of the fashions in the very face of the
splendor of the old counts of Rupt。 Amedee had cost her many quarrels
and scoldings； and； indeed； she knew him only too well； while this
Albert Savaron offered many enigmas to be solved。
〃Albert Savaron de Savarus；〃 she repeated to herself。
Now； to see him； to catch sight of him！ This was the desire of the
girl to whom desire was hitherto unknown。 She pondered in her heart；
in her fancy； in her brain； the least phrases used by the Abbe de
Grancey； for all his words had told。
〃A fine forehead！〃 said she to herself； looking at the head of every
man seated at the table； 〃I do not see one fine one。Monsieur de
Soulas' is too prominent； Monsieur de Grancey's is fine； but he is
seventy； and has no hair； it is impossible to see where his forehead
ends。〃
〃What is the matter； Rosalie； you are eating nothing？〃
〃I am not hungry； mamma；〃 said she。 〃A prelate's hands〃 she went
on to herself。 〃I cannot remember our handsome Archbishop's hands；
though he confirmed me。〃
Finally； in the midst of her coming and going in the labyrinth of her
meditations； she remembered a lighted window she had seen from her
bed； gleaming through the trees of the two adjoining gardens； when she
had happened to wake in the night。 。 。 。 〃Then that was his light！〃
thought she。 〃I might see him！I will see him。〃
〃Monsieur de Grancey； is the Chapter's lawsuit quite settled？〃 said
Rosalie point…blank to the Vicar…General； during a moment of silence。
Madame de Watteville exchanged rapid glances with the Vicar…General。
〃What can that matter to you； my dear child？〃 she said to Rosalie；
with an affected sweetness which made her daughter cautious for the
rest of her days。
〃It might be carried to the Court of Appeal； but our adversaries will
think twice about that；〃 replied the Abbe。
〃I never could have believed that Rosalie would think about a lawsuit
all through a dinner；〃 remarked Madame de Watteville。
〃Nor I either；〃 said Rosalie； in a dreamy way that made every one
laugh。 〃But Monsieur de Grancey was so full of it； that I was
interested。〃
The company rose from table and returned to the drawing…room。 All
through the evening Rosalie listened in case Albert Savaron should be
mentioned again； but beyond the congratulations offered by each
newcomer to the Abbe on having gained his suit； to which no one added
any praise of the advocate； no more was said about it。 Mademoiselle de
Watteville impatiently looked forward to bedtime。 She had promised
herself to wake at between two and three in the morning； and to look
at Albert's dressing…room windows。 When the hour came； she felt almost
pleasure in gazing at the glimmer from the lawyer's candles that shone
through the trees； now almost bare of their leaves。 By the help of the
strong sight of a young girl； which curiosity seems to make longer；
she saw Albert writing； and fancied she could distinguish the color of
the furniture； which she thought was red。 From the chimney above the
roof rose a thick column of smoke。
〃While all the world is sleeping； he is awakelike God！〃 thought she。
The education of girls brings with it such serious problemsfor the
future of a nation is in the motherthat the University of France
long since set itself the task of having nothing to do with it。 Here
is one of these problems： Ought girls to be informed on all points？
Ought their minds to be under restraint？ It need not be said that the
religious system is one of restraint。 If you enlighten them； you make
them demons before their time； if you keep them from thinking； you end
in the sudden explosion so well shown by Moliere in the character of
Agnes； and you leave this suppressed mind； so fresh and clear…seeing；
as swift and as logical as that of a savage； at the mercy of an
accident。 This inevitable crisis was brought on in Mademoiselle de
Watteville by the portrait which one of the most prudent Abbes of the
Chapter of Besancon imprudently allowed himself to sketch at a dinner
party。
Next morning； Mademoiselle de Watteville； while dressing； necessarily
looked out at Albert Savaron walking in the garden adjoining that of
the Hotel de Rupt。
〃What would have become of me；〃 thought she； 〃if he had lived anywhere
else？ Here I can； at any rate； see him。What is he thinking about？〃
Having seen this extraordinary man； though at a distance； the only man
whose countenance stood forth in contrast with crowds of Besancon
faces she had hitherto met with； Rosalie at once jumped at the idea of
getting into his house； of ascertaining the reason of so much mystery；
of hearing that eloquent voice； of winning a glance from those fine
eyes。 All this she set her heart on； but how could she achieve it？
All that day she drew her needle through her embroidery with the
obtuse concentration of a girl who； like Agnes； seems to be thinking
of nothing； but who is reflecting on things in general so deeply； that
her artifice is unfailing。 As a result of this profound meditation；
Rosalie thought she would go to confession。 Next morning； after Mass；
she had a brief interview with the Abbe Giroud at Saint…Pierre； and
managed so ingeniously that the hour of her confession was fixed for
Sunday morning at half…past seven； before the eight o'clock Mass。 She
committed herself to a dozen fibs in order to find herself； just for
once； in the church at the hour when the lawyer came to Mass。 Then she
was seized with an impulse of extreme affection for her father； she
went to see him in his workroom； and asked him for all sorts of
information on the art of turning； ending by advising him to turn
larger pieces； columns。 After persuading her father to set to work on
some twisted pillars； one of the difficulties of the turner's art； she
suggested that he should make use of a large heap of stones that lay
in the middle of the garden to construct a sort of grotto on which he
might erect a little temple or Belvedere in which his twisted pillars
could be used and shown off to all the world。
At the climax of the pleasure the poor unoccupied man derived from
this scheme； Rosalie said； as she kissed him； 〃Above all； do not tell
mamma who gave you the notion； she would scold me。〃
〃Do not be afraid！〃 replied Monsieur de Watteville； who groaned as
bitterly as his daughter under the tyranny of the terrible descendant
of the Rupts。
So Rosalie had a certain prospect of seeing ere long a charming
observatory built； whence her eye would command the lawyer's private
room。 And there are men for whose sake young girls can carry out such
masterstrokes of diplomacy； while； for the most part； like Albert
Savaron； they know it not。
The Sunday so impatiently looked for arrived； and Rosalie dressed with
such carefulness as made Mariet