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"No; like you, monsieur, she asked me to walk into her parlour." "And Madame Reuter the old duenna my mother's gossip, was there, of course?" "No, monsieur; I had the honour of being quite alone with mademoiselle." "C'est joli cela," observed M. Pelet, and he smiled and looked into the fire. "Honi soit qui mal y pense," murmured I, significantly. "Je connais un peu ma petite voisine voyez-vous."
De Pradt, p.73. Cf. Pelet de la Lozere, "Opinions de Napoleon au conseil d'etat," p. 15: "That will last as long as I do. After me, however, my son will deem himself fortunate if he has 40,000 francs a year." "Poor child," said he, regarding the King of Rome, "what an entanglement I shall leave to you!"
I was willing to take Pelet for what he seemed to believe him benevolent and friendly until some untoward event should prove him otherwise. He was not married, and I soon perceived he had all a Frenchman's, all a Parisian's notions about matrimony and women.
We were obliged to confess to ourselves that the family have apparent reason for this view, when we reflected that in the books Miss Bronté has assailed their religion and disparaged the school and the character of the teachers and pupils, has depicted Madame Héger in the odious duad of Madame Beck and Mademoiselle Reuter, has represented M. Héger as the scheming and deceitful M. Pelet and the preposterous M. Paul, Lucy Snowe's lover, that this lover was the husband of Madame Héger, and father of the family of children to whom Lucy was at first bonne d'enfants, and that possibly the daughter she has described as the thieving, vicious Désirée "that tadpole, Désirée Beck" was this very lady now so politely entertaining us.
"Never had the tranquillity of Europe been so unstable as it was at the commencement of 1702," says the correspondence of Chamillard, published by General Pelet; "it was but a phantom of peace that was enjoyed, and it was clear, from whatever side matters were regarded, that we were on the eve of a war which could not but be of long duration, unless, by some unforeseen accident, the houses of Bourbon and Austria should come to an arrangement which would allow them to set themselves in accord touching the Spanish succession; but there was no appearance of conciliation."
"Pelet, taking advantage of a spot of ground which afforded them some degree of cover against the fire of grape by which they were constantly assailed, halted the standard-bearer, and called out, "A moi chasseurs! sauvons l'aigle ou mourons autour d'elle!"
M. Pelet read, I suppose, the expression of my eye; he explained: "La fenetre fermee donne sur un jardin appartenant a un pensionnat de demoiselles," said he, "et les convenances exigent enfin, vous comprenez n'est-ce pas, monsieur?"
I thought it was yourself, madame." Though, indeed, at that moment I recollected that it was called Mademoiselle, not Madame Reuter's pensionnat. "I! Oh, no! I manage the house and look after the servants, as my friend Madame Pelet does for Monsieur her son nothing more. Ah! you thought I gave lessons in class did you?"
"And in addition," suggested M. Pelet, "as there will be some hours in each day during which your services will not be required in my establishment, you may, in time, obtain employment in other seminaries, and thus turn your vacant moments to profitable account."
It is a fine clear sunny day; I should like to go out, but flannel and poultices cry nay. So I drudge away with the assisting of Pelet, who has a real French head, believing all he desires should be true, and affirming all he wishes should be believed. Skene very rheumatic, as well as I am. January 6. Worked till dusk, but not with much effect; my head and mind not clear somehow.
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