king leisurely along its broad
pavement, I continued to survey its stately hotels, till the palisades,
the gates, and trees of the park appearing in sight, offered to my eye a
new attraction. I remember, before entering the park, I stood awhile to
contemplate the statue of General Belliard, and then I advanced to the
top of the great staircase just beyond, and I looked down into a narrow
back street, which I afterwards learnt was called the Rue d'Isabelle.
I well recollect that my eye rested on the green door of a rather large
house opposite, where, on a brass plate, was inscribed, "Pensionnat de
Demoiselles." Pensionnat! The word excited an uneasy sensation in
my mind; it seemed to speak of restraint. Some of the demoiselles,
externats no doubt, were at that moment issuing from the door--I looked
for a pretty face amongst them, but their close, little French bonnets
hid their features; in a moment they were gone.

I had traversed a good deal of Brussels before five o'clock arrived,
but punctually as that hour struck I was again in the Rue Royale.
Re-admitted to Mr. Brown's breakfast-room, I found him, as before,
seated at the table, and he was not alone--a gentleman stood by the
hearth. Two words of introduction designated him as my future master.
"M. Pelet, Mr. Crimsworth; Mr. Crimsworth, M. Pelet" a bow on each
side finished the ceremony. I don't know what sort of a bow I made; an
ordinary one, I suppose, for I was in a tranquil, commonplace frame of
mind; I felt none of the agitation which had troubled my first interview
with Edward Crimsworth. M. Pelet's bow was extremely polite, yet not
theatrical, scarcely French; he and I were presently seated opposite to
each other. In a pleasing voice, low, and, out of consideration to my
foreign ears, very distinct and deliberate, M. Pelet intimated that he
had just been receiving from "le respectable M. Brown," an account of my
attainments and character, which relieved him from all scruple as to
the propriety of engaging me as professor of English and Latin in
his establishment; nevertheless, for form's sake, he would put a few
questions to test; my powers. He did, and expressed in flattering terms
his satisfaction at my answers. The subject of salary next came on; it
was fixed at one thousand francs per annum, besides board and lodging.
"And in addition," suggested M. Pelet, "as there will be some hours
in each day during which your services will not be required in my
estab