rated no deeper
than the mere surface of the frame; for as I walked by the side of
Mdlle. Reuter, my heart was still hot within me, and while I was musing
the fire burned; then spake I with my tongue:--

"I understand Mdlle. Henri is gone from hence, and will not return?"

"Ah, true! I meant to have named the subject to you some days ago, but
my time is so completely taken up, I cannot do half the things I wish:
have you never experienced what it is, monsieur, to find the day too
short by twelve hours for your numerous duties?"

"Not often. Mdlle. Henri's departure was not voluntary, I presume? If it
had been, she would certainly have given me some intimation of it, being
my pupil."

"Oh, did she not tell you? that was strange; for my part, I never
thought of adverting to the subject; when one has so many things to
attend to, one is apt to forget little incidents that are not of primary
importance."

"You consider Mdlle. Henri's dismission, then, as a very insignificant
event?"

"Dismission? Ah! she was not dismissed; I can say with truth, monsieur,
that since I became the head of this establishment no master or teacher
has ever been dismissed from it."

"Yet some have left it, mademoiselle?"

"Many; I have found it necessary to change frequently--a change of
instructors is often beneficial to the interests of a school; it gives
life and variety to the proceedings; it amuses the pupils, and suggests
to the parents the idea of exertion and progress."

"Yet when you are tired of a professor or maitresse, you scruple to
dismiss them?"

"No need to have recourse to such extreme measures, I assure you.
Allons, monsieur le professeur--asseyons-nous; je vais vous donner une
petite lecon dans votre etat d'instituteur." (I wish I might write
all she said to me in French--it loses sadly by being translated into
English.) We had now reached THE garden-chair; the directress sat down,
and signed to me to sit by her, but I only rested my knee on the seat,
and stood leaning my head and arm against the embowering branch of a
huge laburnum, whose golden flowers, blent with the dusky green leaves
of a lilac-bush, formed a mixed arch of shade and sunshine over the
retreat. Mdlle. Reuter sat silent a moment; some novel movements were
evidently working in her mind, and they showed their nature on her
astute brow; she was meditating some CHEF D'OEUVRE of policy. Convinced
by several months' experience that the affectation of vir