dismissal, however, was an injustice to me. Music was the only thing
I liked at school, and the music master was the only teacher who had
never had reason to complain of me; on the contrary, he praised me,
he flattered me, and one day he even gave me a kiss."

"The wretch!"

"Yes, this liberty aroused all my feelings of feminine dignity,
and I boxed his ears for him."

"That was just like you!"

"The other girls rushed into the room; the headmistress followed
to inquire into the cause of the disturbance. Of course the master
had the first word, and he was base enough to say I had become so
violent on account of his correcting my fingering. When asked for my
explanation, I answered that I would not contradict a liar--it was
beneath my dignity.

"I declined to apologize, and was threatened with the severest
punishments known in the school. They shut me up in a room and fed
me on bread and water, but all in vain; the mistress was obliged to
write for my father.

"He sent my old nurse to fetch me away, and I confided the truth
to her with many tears. She was very anxious to make a scene, give
'madame' a piece of her mind in the presence of her pupils; but I was
so glad to get away from the school that I prevented her carrying out
her intentions. I told her I should not be believed. The fact was,
one of the elder girls told me I was very foolish to make so much fuss
about a kiss. The music master kisses me,' she continued, 'and all the
others who are pretty,' as he says. Still, we are much too sensible
to tell any one, for he lends us French novels forbidden by madame,
and improvises invitations for us when we want to go out: in short,
he is ready to do us all kinds of services that we could not trust to a
servant of the establishment. What folly to make such a man your enemy!

"I have since met this same girl--Leontine was her name--in society,
and experienced the advantages of her education. She was ever
very polite to my face, and calumniated me directly my back was
turned. Thus, you see, under these forms of decorum all kinds of lies
and infamy are hidden."

"Francis, I am quite of your opinion that a man's fine manners are
no guarantee of his morality or uprightness; but do you think society
would be improved by turning all its sin, wretchedness, and ugliness
to the surface?"

"It is certain we should then fly from it in disgust and horror."

"But every one cannot fly from it. There are people who are obl