the artistic temperament in a peculiarly high degree, a
temperament compatible with many estimable qualities, but prone to raise
itself above _bourgeois_ prejudices by the liberty of its judgments and
breadth of view. In society an intellect of this order wins pardon for
its boldness by its depth and originality; but in private life it would
seem to do positive mischief, by suggesting wanderings from the beaten
track. The Abbe was by no means wanting in goodness of heart, and his
ideas were therefore the more contagious for this high-spirited girl,
in whom they were confirmed by a lonely life. The Abbe Niollant's pupil
learned to be fearless in criticism and ready in judgement; it
never occurred to her tutor that qualities so necessary in a man are
disadvantages in a woman destined for the homely life of a house-mother.
And though the Abbe constantly impressed it upon his pupil that it
behoved her to be the more modest and gracious with the extent of her
attainments, Mlle. de Negrepelisse conceived an excellent opinion of
herself and a robust contempt for ordinary humanity. All those about her
were her inferiors, or persons who hastened to do her bidding, till
she grew to be as haughty as a great lady, with none of the charming
blandness and urbanity of a great lady. The instincts of vanity were
flattered by the pride that the poor Abbe took in his pupil, the pride
of an author who sees himself in his work, and for her misfortune she
met no one with whom she could measure herself. Isolation is one of
the greatest drawbacks of a country life. We lose the habit of putting
ourselves to any inconvenience for the sake of others when there is no
one for whom to make the trifling sacrifices of personal effort required
by dress and manner. And everything in us shares in the change for the
worse; the form and the spirit deteriorate together.

With no social intercourse to compel self-repression, Mlle. de
Negrepelisse's bold ideas passed into her manner and the expression of
her face. There was a cavalier air about her, a something that seems at
first original, but only suited to women of adventurous life. So this
education, and the consequent asperities of character, which would have
been softened down in a higher social sphere, could only serve to make
her ridiculous at Angouleme so soon as her adorers should cease to
worship eccentricities that charm only in youth.

As for M. de Negrepelisse, he would have given all his daugh