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sometimes groans； sometimes utters inarticulate sounds； for which
language has no name。 If； in walking up the schoolroom； I pass
near her； she puts out her foot that it may touch mine； if I do not
happen to observe the manoeuvre； and my boot comes in contact
with her brodequin； she affects to fall into convulsions of
suppressed laughter； if I notice the snare and avoid it； she
expresses her mortification in sullen muttering； where I hear
myself abused in bad French； pronounced with an intolerable Low
German accent。
Not far from Mdlle Koslow sits another young lady by name
Adèle Dronsart： this is a Belgian； rather low of stature； in form
heavy； with broad waist； short neck and limbs； good red and white
complexion； features well chiselled and regular； well…cut eyes of a
clear brown colour； light brown hair； good teeth； age not much
above fifteen； but as full…grown as a stout young Englishwoman of
twenty。 This portrait gives the idea of a somewhat dumpy but
good…looking damsel； does it not？ Well； when I looked along the
row of young heads； my eye generally stopped at this of Adèle’s；
her gaze was ever waiting for mine； and it frequently succeeded in
arresting it。 She was an unnatural…looking being—so young； fresh；
blooming； yet so Gorgon…like。 Suspicion； sullen ill…temper were on
her forehead； vicious propensities in her eye； envy and panther…
like deceit about her mouth。 In general she sat very still； her
massive shape looked as if it could not bend much； nor did her
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large head—so broad at the base； so narrow towards the top—
seem made to turn readily on her short neck。 She had but two
varieties of expression； the prevalent one a forbidding； dissatisfied
scowl； varied sometimes by a most pernicious and perfidious
smile。 She was shunned by her fellow…pupils； for； bad as many of
them were； few were as bad as she。
Aurelia and Adèle were in the first division of the second class；
the second division was headed by a pensionnaire named Juanna
Trista。 This girl was of mixed Belgian and Spanish origin； her
Flemish mother was dead； her Catalonian father was a merchant
residing in the — Isles； where Juanna had been born and whence
she was sent to Europe to be educated。 I wonder that any one；
looking at that girl’s head and countenance； would have received
her under their roof。 She had precisely the same shape of skull as
Pope Alexander the Sixth； her organs of benevolence； veneration；
conscientiousness； adhesiveness； were singularly small； those of
self…esteem； firmness； destructiveness； combativeness；
preposterously large； her head sloped up in the penthouse shape；
was contracted about the forehead； and prominent behind； she
had rather good； though large and marked features； her
temperament was fibrous and bilious； her complexion pale and
dark； hair and eyes black； form angular and rigid but
proportionate； age fifteen。
Juanna was not very thin； but she had a gaunt visage； and her
“regard” was fierce and hungry； narrow as was her brow； it
presented space enough for the legible graving of two words；
Mutiny and Hate； in some one of her other lineaments I think the
eye—cowardice had also its distinct cipher。 Mdlle Trista thought
fit to trouble my first lessons with a coarse work…day sort of
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turbulence； she made noises with her mouth like a horse； she
ejected her saliva； she uttered brutal expressions； behind and
below her were seated a band of very vulgar； inferior…looking
Flamandes； including two or three examples of that deformity of
person and imbecility of intellect whose frequency in the Low
Countries would seem to furnish proof that the climate is such as
to induce degeneracy of the human mind and body； these； I soon
found； were completely under her influence； and with their aid she
got up and sustained a swinish tumult； which I was constrained at
last to quell by ordering her and two of her tools to rise from their
seats； and； having kept them standing five minutes； turning them
bodily out of the schoolroom： the accomplices into a large place
adjoining called the grands salle； the principal into a cabinet； of
which I closed the door and pocketed the key。 This judgment I
executed in the presence of Mdlle Reuter； who looked much
aghast at beholding so decided a proceeding—the most severe that
had ever been ventured on in her establishment。 Her look of
affright I answered with one of composure； and finally with a
smile； which perhaps flattered； and certainly soothed her。 Juanna
Trista remained in Europe long enough to repay； by malevolence
and ingratitude； all who had ever done her a good turn； and she
then went to join her father in the — Isles； exulting in the thought
that she should there have slaves； whom； as she said； she could
kick and strike at will。
These three pictures are from the life。 I possess others； as
marked and as little agreeable； but I will spare my reader the
exhibition of them。
Doubtless it will be thought that I ought now； by way of
contrast； to show something charming； some gentle virgin head；
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circled with a halo； some sweet personification of innocence；
clasping the dove of peace to her bosom。 No： I saw nothing of the
sort； and therefore cannot portray it。 The pupil in the school
possessing the happiest disposition was a young girl from the
country； Louise Path； she was sufficiently benevolent and
obliging； but not well taught nor well mannered； moreover； the
plague…spot of dissimulation was in her also； honour and principle
were unknown to her； she had scarcely heard their names。 The
least exceptionable pupil was the poor little Sylvie I have
mentioned once before。 Sylvie was gentle in manners； intelligent
in mind； she was even sincere； as far as her religion would permit
her to be so； but her physical organization was defective； weak
health stunted her growth and chilled her spirits； and then；
destined as she was for the cloister； her whole soul was warped to
a conventual bias； and in the tame； trained subjection of her
manner； one read that she had already prepared herself for her
future course of life； by giving up her independence of thought
and action into the hands of some despotic confessor。 She
permitted herself no original opinion； no preference of companion
or employment； in everything she was guided by another。 With a
pale； passive； automaton air； she went about all day long doing
what she was bid； never what she liked； or what； from innate
conviction； she thought it right to do。 The poor little future
religieuse had been early taught to make the dictates of her own
reason and conscience quite subordinate to the will of her spiritual
director。 She was the model pupil of Mdlle Reuter’s establishment；
pale； blighted image； where life lingered feebly； but whence the
soul had been conjured by Romish wizard…craft！
A few English pupils there were in