ousness of
their strength and rarity."

"Strength and rarity!" I repeated to myself; "ay, the words are probably
true," for on looking up, I saw the sun had dissevered its screening
cloud, her countenance was transfigured, a smile shone in her eyes--a
smile almost triumphant; it seemed to say--

"I am glad you have been forced to discover so much of my nature; you
need not so carefully moderate your language. Do you think I am myself a
stranger to myself? What you tell me in terms so qualified, I have known
fully from a child."

She did say this as plainly as a frank and flashing glance could, but
in a moment the glow of her complexion, the radiance of her aspect,
had subsided; if strongly conscious of her talents, she was equally
conscious of her harassing defects, and the remembrance of these
obliterated for a single second, now reviving with sudden force, at once
subdued the too vivid characters in which her sense of her powers had
been expressed. So quick was the revulsion of feeling, I had not time to
check her triumph by reproof; ere I could contract my brows to a frown
she had become serious and almost mournful-looking.

"Thank you, sir," said she, rising. There was gratitude both in her
voice and in the look with which she accompanied it. It was time,
indeed, for our conference to terminate; for, when I glanced around,
behold all the boarders (the day-scholars had departed) were congregated
within a yard or two of my desk, and stood staring with eyes and mouths
wide open; the three maitresses formed a whispering knot in one corner,
and, close at my elbow, was the directress, sitting on a low chair,
calmly clipping the tassels of her finished purse.

CHAPTER XVII.

AFTER all I had profited but imperfectly by the opportunity I had so
boldly achieved of speaking to Mdlle. Henri; it was my intention to ask
her how she came to be possessed of two English baptismal names, Frances
and Evans, in addition to her French surname, also whence she derived
her good accent. I had forgotten both points, or, rather, our colloquy
had been so brief that I had not had time to bring them forward;
moreover, I had not half tested her powers of speaking English; all I
had drawn from her in that language were the words "Yes," and "Thank
you, sir." "No matter," I reflected. "What has been left incomplete now,
shall be finished another day." Nor did I fail to keep the promise thus
made to myself. It was difficult to get even