Some time elapsed before I again gave a lesson in the first class； the holiday of Whitsuntide occupied three days， and on the fourth it was the turn of the second division toreceive my instructions.As I made the transit of the carré， Iobserved， as usual， the band of sewers surrounding Mdlle Henri； there were only about a dozen of them， but they made as much noise as might have sufficed for fifty； they seemed very little under her control； three or four at once assailed her with importunate requirements； she looked harassed， she demanded silence， but in vain.She saw me， and I read in her eye pain that a stranger should witness the insubordination of her pupils； she seemed to entreat order—her prayers were useless； then I remarked that she compressed her lips and contracted her brow； and her countenance， if I read it correctly， said—“I have done my best； I seem to merit blame notwithstanding； blame me then who will.” I passed on； as I closed the school-room door， I heard her say， suddenly and sharply， addressing one of the eldest and most turbulent of the lot—“Amélia Müllenberg， ask me no question， and request of me noassistance， for a week to come； during that space of time I will neither speak to you nor help you.”
Thewordswereutteredwithemphasis—nay，withvehemence—and a comparative silence followed； whether the calm was permanent， I know not； two doors now closed between me and the carré.
Next day was appropriated to the first class； on my arrival， Ifound the directress seated， as usual， in a chair between the two estrades， and before her was standing Mdlle Henri， in an attitude (as it seemed to me) of somewhat reluctant attention.The directress was knitting and talking at the same time.Amidst the hum of a large school-room， it was easy so to speak in the ear of one person， as to be heard by that person alone， and it was thus Mdlle Reuter parleyed with her teacher.The face of the latter was a little flushed， not a little troubled； there was vexation in it， whence resulting I know not， for the directress looked very placid indeed； she could not be scolding in such gentle whispers， and with so equable a mien； no， it was presently proved that her discourse had been of the most friendly tendency， for I heard the closing words—“C’est assez， ma bonne amie； à present je ne veux pas vous retenir davantage.”
Without reply， Mdlle Henri turned away； dissatifaction wasplainly evinced in her face， and a smile， slight and brief， but bitter， distrustful， and， I thought， scornful， curled her lip as she took her place in the class； it was a secret， involuntary smile， which lasted but a second； an air of depression succeeded， chased away presently by one of attention and interest， when I gave the word for all the pupils to take their reading-books.In general I hated the reading-lesson， it was such a torture to the ear to listen to their uncouth mouthing of my native tongue， and no effort of example or precept on my part ever seemed to effect the slightest improvement in their accent.To-day， each in her appropriate key， lisped， stuttered， mumbled， and jabbered as usual； about fifteen had racked me in turn， and my auricular nerve was expecting with resignation the discords of the sixteenth， when a full， though lowvoice， read out， in clear correct English—“On his way to Perth， the king was met by a Highland woman， calling herself a prophetess； she stood at the side of the ferry by which he was about to travel to the north， and cried with a loud voice， ‘My lord the king， if you pass this water you will never return again alive！’”—(vide the History of Scotland).
I looked up in amazement； the voice was a voice of Albion； theaccent was pure and silvery； it only wanted firmness， and assurance， to be the counterpart of what any well-educated lady in Essex or Middlesex might have enounced， yet the speaker or reader was no other than Mdlle Henri， in whose grave， joyless face I saw no mark of consciousness that she had performed any extraordinary feat.No one else evinced surprise either.Mdlle Reuter knitted away assiduously； I was aware， however， that at the conclusion of the paragraph， she had lifted her eyelid and honoured me with a glance sideways； she did not know the full excellency of the teacher’s style of reading， but she perceived that her accent was not that of the others， and wanted to discover what I thought； I masked my visage with indifference， and ordered the next girl to proceed.
When the lesson was over， I took advantage of the confusion caused by breaking up， to approach Mdlle Henri； she was standing near the window and retired as I advanced； she thought I wanted to look out， and did not imagine that I could have anything to say to her.I took her exercise-book； out of her hand； as I turned over the leaves I addressed her：—“You have had lessons in English before？” I asked.“No， sir.”
“No！ you read it well； you have been in England？”
“Oh， no！” with some animation.
“You have been in English families？”
Still the answer was “No.” Here my eye， resting on the flyleaf of the book， saw written， “Frances Evans Henri.”
“Your name？” I asked “Yes， sir.”
My interrogations were cut short； I heard a little rustlingbehind me， and close at my back was the directress， professing to be examining the interior of a desk.
