第60章

“I like， monsieur， to take my knitting in my hands， and to sit quietly down in my chair； circumstances defile past me； I watch their march； so long as they follow the course I wish， I say nothing， and do nothing； I don’t clap my hands， and cry out ‘Bravo！ How lucky I am！’ to attract the attention and envy of my neighbours—I am merely passive； but when events fall out ill—when circumstances become adverse—I watch very vigilantly； I knit on still， and still I hold my tongue； but every now and then， monsieur， I just put my toe out—so—and give the rebellious circumstance a little secret push， without noise， which sends it the way I wish， and I am successful after all， and nobody has seen my expedient.So， when teachers or masters become troublesome and inefficient— when， in short， the interests of the school would suffer from their retaining their places—I mind my knitting， events progress， circumstances glide past； I see one which， if pushed ever so little awry， will render untenable the post I wish to have vacated—the deed is done—the stumbling-block removed—and no one saw me： I have not made an enemy， I am rid of an incumbrance.”

A moment since， and I thought her alluring； this speechconcluded， I looked on her with distaste.“Just like you，” was my cold answer.“And in this way you have ousted Mdlle Henri？ You wanted her office， therefore you rendered it intolerable to her？”

“Not at all， monsieur， I was merely anxious about Mdlle Henri’shealth； no， your moral sight is clear and piercing， but there you have failed to discover the truth.I took—I have always taken a real interest in Mdlle Henri’s welfare； I did not like her going out in all weathers； I thought it would be more advantageous for her to obtain a permanent situation； besides， I considered her now qualified to do something more than teach sewing.I reasoned with her； left the decision to herself； she saw the correctness of my views， and adopted them.”

“Excellent！ and now， mademoiselle， you will have the goodnessto give me her address.”

“Her address！” and a sombre and stony change came over the mien of the directress.“Her address？ Ah？—well—I wish I could oblige you， monsieur， but I cannot， and I will tell you why； whenever I myself asked her for her address， she always evaded the inquiry.I thought—I may be wrong—but I thought her motive for doing so， was a natural， though mistaken reluctance to introduce me to some， probably， very poor abode； her means were narrow， her origin obscure； she lives somewhere， doubtless， in the ‘basse ville.’”

“I’ll not lose sight of my best pupil yet，” said I， “though she were born of beggars and lodged in a cellar； for the rest， it is absurd to make a bugbear of her origin to me—I happen to know that she was a Swiss pastor’s daughter， neither more nor less； and， as to her narrow means， I care nothing for the poverty of her purse so long as her heart overflows with affluence.”

“Your sentiments are perfectly noble， monsieur，” said the directress， affecting to suppress a yawn； her sprightliness was now extinct， her temporary candour shut up； the little， red-coloured， piratical-looking pennon of audacity she had allowed to float a minute in the air， was furled， and the broad， sober-hued flag of dissimulation again hung low over the citadel.I did not like her thus， so I cut short the tête-à-tête and departed.