and one another. You
think I do not love you, Mademoiselle, because you have mentioned to your
poor papa that little _dereglement_ in his library. I have repent very
often that so great indiscretion of my life. I thought to find some letters
of Dr. Braierly. I think that man was trying to get your property, my dear
Maud, and if I had found something I would tell you all about. But it was
very great _sottise_, and you were very right to denounce me to Monsieur.
Je n'ai point de rancune contre vous. No, no, none at all. On the contrary,
I shall be your _gardienne tutelaire_--wat you call?--guardian angel--ah,
yes, that is it. You think I speak _par derision_; not at all. No, my dear
cheaile, I do not speak _par moquerie_, unless perhaps the very least
degree in the world.'

And with these words Madame laughed unpleasantly, showing the black caverns
at the side of her mouth, and with a cold, steady malignity in her gaze.

'Yes,' I said; 'I know what you mean, Madame--you _hate_ me.'

'Oh! wat great ogly word! I am shock! _vous me faites honte_. Poor Madame,
she never hate any one; she loves all her friends, and her enemies she
leaves to Heaven; while I am, as you see, more gay, more _joyeuse_ than
ever, they have not been 'appy--no, they have not been fortunate these
others. Wen I return, I find always some of my enemy they 'av die, and some
they have put themselves into embarrassment, or there has arrived to them
some misfortune;' and Madame shrugged and laughed a little scornfully.

A kind of horror chilled my rising anger, and I was silent.

'You see, my dear Maud, it is very natural you should think I hate you.
When I was with Mr. Austin Ruthyn, at Knowl, you know you did not like a
me--never. But in consequence of our intimacy I confide you that which I
'av of most dear in the world, my reputation. It is always so. The pupil
can _calomniate_, without been discover, the gouvernante. 'Av I not been
always kind to you, Maud? Which 'av I use of violence or of sweetness the
most? I am, like other persons, _jalouse de ma reputation_; and it was
difficult to suffer with patience the banishment which was invoked by you,
because chiefly for your good, and for an indiscretion to which I was
excited by motives the most pure and laudable. It was you who spied so
cleverly--eh! and denounce me to Monsieur Ruthyn? Helas! wat bad world it
is!'

'I do not mean to speak at all about that occurrence, Madame; I will not
discuss it.