第35章
“You have not seen her looking down then？” said he.“No.”
“It is a treat， notwithstanding.Observe her when she has some knitting， or some other woman’s work in hand， and sits the image of peace， calmly intent on her needles and her silk， some discussion meantime going on around her， in the course of which peculiarities of character are being developed， or important interests canvassed； she takes no part in it； her humble， feminine mind is wholly with her knitting； none of her features move； she neither presumes to smile approval， nor frown disapprobation； her little hands assiduously ply their unpretending task； if she can only get this purse finished， or this bonnet-grec completed， it isenough for her.If gentlemen approach her chair， a deeper quiescence， a meeker modesty settles on her features， and clothes her general mien； observe then her eyebrows， et d？tes-moi s’il n’y a pas du chat dans l’un et du renard dans l’autre.”
“I will take careful notice the first opportunity，” said I.
“And then，” continued M.Pelet， “the eyelid will flicker， the light-coloured lashes be lifted a second， and a blue eye， glancing out from under the screen， will take its brief， sly， searching survey， and retreat again.”
I smiled， and so did Pelet， and after a few minutes’ silence， Iasked：-
“Will she ever marry， do you think？”
“Marry！ Will birds pair？ Of course it is both her intention and resolution to marry when she finds a suitable match， and no one is better aware than herself of the sort of impression she is capable of producing； no one likes better to captivate in a quiet way.I am mistaken if she will not yet leave the print of her stealing steps on thy heart， Crimsworth.”
“Of her steps？ Confound it， no！ My heart is not a plank to bewalked on.”
“But the soft touch of a patte de velours will do it no harm.” “She offers me no patte de velours； she is all form and reservewith me.”
“That to begin with； let respect be the foundation， affection the first floor， love the superstructure； Mdlle Reuter is a skilful architect.”
“And interest， M.Pelet—interest.Will not mademoiselle consider that point ？”
“Yes， yes， no doubt； it will be the cement between every stone.
And now we have discussed the directress， what of the pupils？ N’y-a-t-il pas de belles études parmi ces jeunes têtes？”
“Studies of character？ Yes； curious ones， at least， I imagine； but one cannot divine much from a first interview.”
“Ah， you affect discretion； but tell me now， were you not a little abashed before these blooming young creatures？
“At first， yes； but I rallied and got through with all due sang-froid.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“It is true， notwithstanding.At first I thought them angels， but they did not leave me long under that delusion； three of the eldest and handsomest undertook the task of setting me right， and they managed so cleverly that in five minutes I knew them， at least， for what they were—three arrant coquettes.”
“Je les connais！” exclaimed M.Pelet.“Elles sont toujours au premier rang a l’église et à la promenade； une blonde superbe， une jolie espiègle， une belle brune.”
“Exactly.”
“Lovely creatures all of them—heads for artists； what a group they would make， taken together！ Eulalie (I know their names)， with her smooth braided hair and calm ivory brow.Hortense， with her rich chesnut locks so luxuriantly knotted， plaited， twisted， as if she did not know how to dispose of all their abundance， with her vermilion lips， damask cheek， and roguish laughing eye.And Caroline de Blémont！ Ah， there is beauty！ beauty in perfection.What a cloud of sable curls about the face of a houri！ What fascinating lips！ What glorious black eyes！ Your Byron would have worshipped her， and you—you cold， frigid islander！—you played the austere， the insensible in the presence of an Aphrodite soexquisite？”
I might have laughed at the director’s enthusiasm had I believed it real， but there was something in his tone which indicated got-up raptures.I felt he was only affecting fervour in order to put me off my guard， to induce me to come out in return， so I scarcely even smiled.He went on：—“Confess， William， do not the mere good looks of Zora？deReuter appear dowdyish and commonplace compared with the splendid charms of some of her pupils？”
The question discomposed me， but I now felt plainly that myprincipal was endeavouring (for reasons best known to himself—at that time I could not fathom them) to excite ideas and wishes in my mind alien to what was right and honourable.The iniquity of the instigation proved its antidote， and when he further added：—“Each of those three beautiful girls will have a handsome fortune； and with a little address， a gentlemanlike， intelligent young fellow like you might make himself master of the hand， heart， and purse of any one of the trio.”
I replied by a look and an interrogative “Monsieur？” whichstartled him.
He laughed a forced laugh， affirmed that he had only been joking， and demanded whether I could possibly have thought him in earnest.Just then the bell rang； the play-hour was over； it was an evening on which M.Pelet was accustomed to read passages from the drama and the belles lettres to his pupils.He did not wait for my answer， but rising， left the room， humming as he went some gay strain of Béranger’s.