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importance of the commission with which my dear daughter has
entrusted me； for you are aware； Monsieur； that it is my daughter
who directs the establishment in the next house？”
“Ah！ I thought it was yourself； madame。” Though； indeed； at
that moment I recollected that it was called Mademoiselle； not
Madame Reuter’s pensionnat。
“I！ Oh； no！ I manage the house and look after the servants； as
my friend Madame Pelet does for Monsieur her son—nothing
more。 Ah！ you thought I gave lessons in class—did you？”
And she laughed loud and long； as though the idea tickled her
fancy amazingly。
“Madame is in the wrong to laugh；” I observed； “if she does not
give lessons； I am sure it is not because she cannot；” and I
whipped out a white pocket…handkerchief and wafted it； with a
French grace； past my nose； bowing at the name time。
“Quel charmant jeune homme！” murmured Madame Pelet in a
low voice。 Madame Reuter； being less sentimental； as she was
Flamand and not French； only laughed again。
“You are a dangerous person； I fear；” said she； “if you can forge
compliments at that rate； Zoraide will positively be afraid of you；
but if you are good； I will keep your secret； and not tell her how
well you can flatter。 Now； listen what sort of a proposal she makes
to you。 She has heard that you are an excellent professor； and as
she wishes to get the very beet masters for her school （car Zoraide
fait tout comme une reine； c’est une véritable maitresse…femme）；
she has commissioned me to step over this afternoon； and sound
Madame Pelet as to the possibility of engaging you。 Zoraide is a
wary general； she never advances without first examining well her
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ground I don’t think she would be pleased if she knew I had
already disclosed her intentions to you； she did not order me to go
so far； but I thought there would be no harm in letting you into the
secret； and Madame Pelet was of the same opinion。 Take care；
however； you don’t betray either of us to Zoraide—to my daughter；
I mean； she is so discreet and circumspect herself； she cannot
understand that one should find a pleasure in gossiping a little—”
“C’est absolument comme mon fils！” cried Madame Pelet。
“All the world is so changed since our girlhood！” rejoined the
other： “young people have such old heads now。 But to return；
Monsieur。 Madame Pelet will mention the subject of your giving
lessons in my daughter’s establishment to her son； and he will
speak to you； and then to…morrow； you will step over to our house；
and ask to see my daughter； and you will introduce the subject as
if the first intimation of it had reached you from M。 Pelet himself；
and be sure you never mention my name； for I would not displease
Zoraide on any account。
“Bien！ bien！” interrupted I—for all this chatter and
circumlocution began to bore me very much； “I will consult M。
Pelet； and the thing shall be settled as you desire。 Good evening；
mesdames—I am infinitely obliged to you。”
“Comment！ vous vous en allez deja？” exclaimed Madame Pelet。
“Prenez encore quelquechose； monsieur； une pomme cuite； des
biscuits； encore une tasse de café？”
“Merci； merci； madame—au revoir。” And I backed at last out of
the apartment。
Having regained my own room； I set myself to turn over in my
mind the incident of the evening。 It seemed a queer affair
altogether； and queerly managed； the two old women had made
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quite a little intricate mess of it； still I found that the uppermost
feeling in my mind on the subject was one of satisfaction。 In the
first place it would be a change to give lessons in another
seminary； and then to teach young ladies would be an occupation
so interesting—to be admitted at all into a ladies’ boarding…school
would be an incident so new in my life。 Besides； thought I； as I
glanced at the boarded window； “I shall now at last see the
mysterious garden： I shall gaze both on the angels and their
Eden。”
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Chapter IX
。 Pelet could not of course object to the proposal made
by Mdlle Reuter； permission to accept such additional
M
employment； should it offer； having formed an article of
the terms on which he had engaged me。 It was； therefore；
arranged in the course of next day that I should be at liberty to
give lessons in Mdlle Reuter’s establishment four afternoons in
every week。
When evening came I prepared to step over in order to seek a
conference with Mademoiselle herself on the subject； I had not
had time to pay the visit before； having been all day closely
occupied in class。 I remember very well that before quitting my
chamber； I held a brief debate with myself as to whether I should
change my ordinary attire for something smarter。 At last I
concluded it would be a waste of labour。 “Doubtless；” thought I；
“she is some stiff old maid； for though the daughter of Madame
Reuter； she may well number upwards of forty winters； besides； if
it were otherwise； if she be both young and pretty； I am not
handsome； and no dressing can make me so； therefore I’ll go as I
am。” And off I started； cursorily glancing sideways as I passed the
toilet…table； surmounted by a looking…glass： a thin irregular face I
saw； with sunk； dark eyes under a large； square forehead；
complexion destitute of bloom or attraction； something young； but
not youthful； no object to win a lady’s love； no butt for the shafts of
Cupid。
I was soon at the entrance of the pensionnat； in a moment I had
pulled the bell； in another moment the door was opened； and
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within appeared a passage paved alternately with black and white
marble； the walls were painted in imitation of marble also； and at
the far end opened a glass door； through which I saw shrubs and a
grass…plat； looking pleasant in the sunshine of the mild spring
evening…for it was now the middle of April。
This； then； was my first glimpse of the garden； but I had not
time to look long； the portress； after having answered in the
affirmative my question as to whether her mistress was at home；
opened the folding…doors of a room to the left； and having ushered
me in； closed them behind me。 I found myself in a salon with a
very well…painted； highly varnished floor； chairs and sofas covered
with white draperies； a green porcelain stove； walls hung with
pictures in gilt frames； a gilt pendule and other ornaments on the
mantelpiece； a large lustre pendent from the centre of the ceiling；
mirrors； consoles； muslin curtains； and a handsome centre table
completed the inventory of furniture。 All looked extremely clean
and glittering； but the general effect would have been somewhat
chilling had not a second large pair of folding…doors； standing wide
open； and disclosing another and smaller salon； more snugly
furnished； offered some relief to the eye。 This room was carpeted；
and therein was a piano； a couch； a chiffonnière—above all； it
contained a lofty window with a