laid in Brussels?" and "_Is_ the school really
here?" and "You _don't_ say so!" though we had insisted upon it from the
first, and he had just replied in the affirmative; lastly, "O, _do_ tell
us how we may find it."

"You must go so-and-so," he said at length, when we paused.

"Yes," we replied in chorus; "we have just come from there."

"And," he went on, "you will see the statue of General Beliard."

We nudged each other significantly.

"Go down the steps in the rear, and the house facing you--"

"We knew it. We felt it," we cried, triumphantly; and his directions
ended there. We neither heeded nor interpreted the expression of
expectation that stole over his face. We poured out only a stream of
thanks which should have moistened the parched sands of his soul, and
then hastened to retrace our steps. We found the statue again. We
descended into the narrow, noiseless street, and stood,--an awe-struck
group,--before the great square house, upon the door-plate of which we
read,--

"PENSIONNAT DE DEMOISELLES.
HEGER--PARENT."

"Now," said Axelle, when we had drawn in with a deep breath, the
satisfaction and content which shone out again from our glad eyes, "we
will ring the bell."

"You will not think of it," gasped the choir of startled girls.

"To be sure; what have we come for?" was her reply. "We will only ask
permission to see the garden, and as the portress will doubtless speak
nothing but French, some one of you, fresh from school, must act as
mouthpiece." They stared at Axelle, at each other, and at the steps
leading into the upper town, as though they meditated flight. "I
cannot," and "_I_ cannot," said each one of the shrinking group.

Axelle laid her hand upon the bell, and gave one long, strong pull.
"Now," she said, quietly, "some one of you must speak. You are ladies:
you will not run away."

And they accepted the situation.

We were shown into a small _salon_, where presently there entered to us
a brisk, sharp-featured little French woman,--a teacher in the
establishment,--who smiled a courteous welcome from out her black eyes
as we apologized for the intrusion, and made known our wishes.

"We are a party of American girls," we said, "who, having learned to
know and love Charlotte Bronte through her books, desire to see the
garden of which she wrote in _Villette_."

"O, certainly, certainly," was the gracious response. "Americans often
come to visit the school an