“Ce ne sont que des Flamands — allez!”
And then he took his cigar gently from his lips and spat5 on the painted floor of the room in which we were sitting. Flamands certainly they were, and both had the true Flamand physiognomy, where intellectual inferiority is marked in lines none can mistake; still they were men, and, in the main, honest men; and I could not see why their being aboriginals6 of the flat, dull soil should serve as a pretext7 for treating them with perpetual severity and contempt. This idea, of injustice8 somewhat poisoned the pleasure I might otherwise have derived9 from Pelet’s soft affable manner to myself. Certainly it was agreeable, when the day’s work was over, to find one’s employer an intelligent and cheerful companion; and if he was sometimes a little sarcastic and sometimes a little too insinuating10, and if I did discover that his mildness was more a matter of appearance than of reality — if I did occasionally suspect the existence of flint or steel under an external covering of velvet11 — still we are none of us perfect; and weary as I was of the atmosphere of brutality12 and insolence13 in which I had constantly lived at X—— I had no inclination14 now, on casting anchor in calmer regions, to institute at once a prying15 search after defects that were scrupulously16 withdrawn17 and carefully veiled from my view. I was willing to take Pelet for what he seemed — to believe him benevolent18 and friendly until some untoward19 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. I suspected a degree of laxity in his code of morals, there was something so cold and blase20 in his tone whenever he alluded21 to what he called “le beau sexe;” but he was too gentlemanlike to intrude22 topics I did not invite, and as he was really intelligent and really fond of intellectual subjects of discourse23, he and I always found enough to talk about, without seeking themes in the mire24. I hated his fashion of mentioning love; I abhorred25, from my soul, mere26 licentiousness27. He felt the difference of our notions, and, by mutual28 consent, we kept off ground debateable.
Pelet’s house was kept and his kitchen managed by his mother, a real old Frenchwoman; she had been handsome — at least she told me so, and I strove to believe her; she was now ugly, as only continental29 old women can be; perhaps, though, her style of dress made her look uglier than she really was. Indoors she would go about without cap, her grey hair strangely dishevelled; then, when at home, she seldom wore a gown — only a shabby cotton camisole; shoes, too, were strangers to her feet, and in lieu of them she sported roomy slippers30, trodden down at the heels. On the other hand, whenever it was her pleasure to appear abroad, as on Sundays and fete-days, she would put on some very brilliant-coloured dress, usually of thin texture32, a silk bonnet33 with a wreath of flowers, and a very fine shawl. She was not, in the main, an ill-natured old woman, but an incessant34 and most indiscreet talker; she kept chiefly in and about the kitchen, and seemed rather to avoid her son’s august presence; of him, indeed, she evidently stood in awe36. When he reproved her, his reproofs37 were bitter and unsparing; but he seldom gave himself that trouble.
Madame Pelet had her own society, her own circle of chosen visitors, whom, however, I seldom saw, as she generally entertained them in what she called her “cabinet,” a small den31 of a place adjoining the kitchen, and descending38 into it by one or two steps. On these steps, by-the-by, I have not unfrequently seen Madame Pelet seated with a trencher on her knee, engaged in the threefold employment of eating her dinner, gossiping with her favourite servant, the housemaid, and scolding her antagonist40, the cook; she never dined, and seldom indeed took any meal with her son; and as to showing her face at the boys’ table, that was quite out of the question. These details will sound very odd in English ears, but Belgium is not England, and its ways are not our ways.
Madame Pelet’s habits of life, then, being taken into consideration, I was a good deal surprised when, one Thursday evening (Thursday was always a half-holiday), as I was sitting all alone in my apartment, correcting a huge pile of English and Latin exercises, a servant tapped at the door, and, on its being opened, presented Madame Pelet’s compliments, and she would be happy to see me to take my “gouter” (a meal which answers to our English “tea”) with her in the dining-room.
“Plait-il?” said I, for I thought I must have misunderstood, the message and invitation were so unusual; the same words were repeated. I accepted, of course, and as I descended41 the stairs, I wondered what whim42 had entered the old lady’s brain; her son was out — gone to pass the evening at the Salle of the Grande Harmonie or some other club of which he was a member. Just as I laid my hand on the handle of the dining-room door, a queer idea glanced across my mind.
“Surely she’s not going to make love to me,” said I. “I’ve heard of old Frenchwomen doing odd things in that line; and the gouter? They generally begin such affairs with eating and drinking, I believe.”
There was a fearful dismay in this suggestion of my excited imagination, and if I had allowed myself time to dwell upon it, I should no doubt have cut there and then, rushed back to my chamber43, and bolted myself in; but whenever a danger or a horror is veiled with uncertainty44, the primary wish of the mind is to ascertain45 first the naked truth, reserving the expedient46 of flight for the moment when its dread47 anticipation48 shall be realized. I turned the door-handle, and in an instant had crossed the fatal threshold, closed the door behind me, and stood in the presence of Madame Pelet.
Gracious heavens! The first view of her seemed to confirm my worst apprehensions49. There she sat, dressed out in a light green muslin gown, on her head a lace cap with flourishing red roses in the frill; her table was carefully spread; there were fruit, cakes, and coffee, with a bottle of something — I did not know what. Already the cold sweat started on my brow, already I glanced back over my shoulder at the closed door, when, to my unspeakable relief, my eye, wandering mildly in the direction of the stove, rested upon a second figure, seated in a large fauteuil beside it. This was a woman, too, and, moreover, an old woman, and as fat and as rubicund50 as Madame Pelet was meagre and yellow; her attire51 was likewise very fine, and spring flowers of different hues52 circled in a bright wreath the crown of her violet-coloured velvet bonnet.
I had only time to make these general observations when Madame Pelet, coming forward with what she intended should be a graceful53 and elastic54 step, thus accosted55 me:-
“Monsieur is indeed most obliging to quit his books, his studies, at the request of an insignificant56 person like me — will Monsieur complete his kindness by allowing me to present him to my dear friend Madame Reuter, who resides in the neighbouring house — the young ladies’ school.”
“Ah!” thought I, “I knew she was old,” and I bowed and took my seat. Madame Reuter placed herself at the table opposite to me.
“How do you like Belgium, Monsieur?” asked she, in an accent of the broadest Bruxellois. I could now well distinguish the difference between the fine and pure Parisian utterance57 of M. Pelet, for instance, and the guttural enunciation58 of the Flamands. I answered politely, and then wondered how so coarse and clumsy an old woman as the one before me should be at the head of a ladies’ seminary, which I had always heard spoken of in terms of high commendation. In truth there was something to wonder at. Madame Reuter looked more like a joyous59, free-living old Flemish fermiere, or even a maitresse d’auberge, than a staid, grave, rigid60 directrice de pensionnat. In general the continental, or at least the Belgian old women permit themselves a licence of manners, speech, and aspect, such as our venerable granddames would recoil61 from as absolutely disreputable, and Madame Reuter’s jolly face bore evidence that she was no exception to the rule of her country; there was a twinkle and leer in her left eye; her right she kept habitually62 half shut, which I thought very odd indeed. After several vain attempts to comprehend the motives63 of these two droll64 old creatures for inviting65 me to join them at their gouter, I at last fairly gave it up, and resigning myself to inevitable66 mystification, I sat and looked first at one, then at the other, taking care meantime to do justice to the confitures, cakes, and coffee, with which they amply supplied me. They, too, ate, and that with no delicate appetite, and having demolished67 a large portion of the solids, they proposed a “petit verre.” I declined. Not so Mesdames Pelet and Reuter; each mixed herself what I thought rather a stiff tumbler of punch, and placing it on a stand near the stove, they drew up their chairs to that convenience, and invited me to do the same. I obeyed; and being seated fairly between them, I was thus addressed first by Madame Pelet, then by Madame Reuter.
“We will now speak of business,” said Madame Pelet, and she went on to make an elaborate speech, which, being interpreted, was to the effect that she had asked for the pleasure of my company that evening in order to give her friend Madame Reuter an opportunity of broaching68 an important proposal, which might turn out greatly to my advantage.
“Pourvu que vous soyez sage,” said Madame Reuter, “et a vrai dire3, vous en avez bien l’air. Take one drop of the punch” (or ponche, as she pronounced it); “it is an agreeable and wholesome69 beverage70 after a full meal.”
I bowed, but again declined it. She went on:-
“I feel,” said she, after a solemn sip39 —“I feel profoundly the importance of the commission with which my dear daughter has entrusted71 me, for you are aware, Monsieur, that it is my daughter who directs the establishment in the next house?”
“Ah! I thought it was yourself, madame.” Though, indeed, at that moment I recollected72 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 she laughed loud and long, as though the idea tickled73 her fancy amazingly.
“Madame is in the wrong to laugh,” I observed; “if she does not give lessons, I am sure it is not because she cannot;” and I whipped out a white pocket-handkerchief and wafted74 it, with a French grace, past my nose, bowing at the name time.
“Quel charmant jeune homme!” murmured Madame Pelet in a low voice. Madame Reuter, being less sentimental75, as she was Flamand and not French, only laughed again.
“You are a dangerous person, I fear,” said she; “if you can forge compliments at that rate, Zoraide will positively76 be afraid of you; but if you are good, I will keep your secret, and not tell her how well you can flatter. Now, listen what sort of a proposal she makes to you. She has heard that you are an excellent professor, and as she wishes to get the very beet77 masters for her school (car Zoraide fait tout78 comme une reine, c’est une veritable maitresse-femme), she has commissioned me to step over this afternoon, and sound Madame Pelet as to the possibility of engaging you. Zoraide is a wary79 general; she never advances without first examining well her ground I don’t think she would be pleased if she knew I had already disclosed her intentions to you; she did not order me to go so far, but I thought there would be no harm in letting you into the secret, and Madame Pelet was of the same opinion. Take care, however, you don’t betray either of us to Zoraide — to my daughter, I mean; she is so discreet35 and circumspect80 herself, she cannot understand that one should find a pleasure in gossiping a little —”
“C’est absolument comme mon fils!” cried Madame Pelet.
“All the world is so changed since our girlhood!” rejoined the other: “young people have such old heads now. But to return, Monsieur. Madame Pelet will mention the subject of your giving lessons in my daughter’s establishment to her son, and he will speak to you; and then to-morrow, you will step over to our house, and ask to see my daughter, and you will introduce the subject as if the first intimation of it had reached you from M. Pelet himself, and be sure you never mention my name, for I would not displease81 Zoraide on any account.
“Bien! bien!” interrupted I— for all this chatter82 and circumlocution83 began to bore me very much; “I will consult M. Pelet, and the thing shall be settled as you desire. Good evening, mesdames — I am infinitely84 obliged to you.”
“Comment! vous vous en allez deja?” exclaimed Madame Pelet.
“Prenez encore quelquechose, monsieur; une pomme cuite, des biscuits, encore une tasse de cafe?”
“Merci, merci, madame — au revoir.” And I backed at last out of the apartment.
Having regained85 my own room, I set myself to turn over in my mind the incident of the evening. It seemed a queer affair altogether, and queerly managed; the two old women had made quite a little intricate mess of it; still I found that the uppermost feeling in my mind on the subject was one of satisfaction. In the first place it would be a change to give lessons in another seminary, and then to teach young ladies would be an occupation so interesting — to be admitted at all into a ladies’ boarding-school would be an incident so new in my life. Besides, thought I, as I glanced at the boarded window, “I shall now at last see the mysterious garden: I shall gaze both on the angels and their Eden.”
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1
pretentious
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| adj.自命不凡的，自负的，炫耀的 | |
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ushers
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| n.引座员( usher的名词复数 )；招待员；门房；助理教员v.引，领，陪同( usher的第三人称单数 ) | |
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3
dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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aboriginals
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| （某国的）公民( aboriginal的名词复数 )； 土著人特征； 土生动物（或植物） | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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12
brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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prying
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| adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开 | |
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scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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benevolent
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| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
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untoward
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| adj.不利的，不幸的，困难重重的 | |
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blase
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| adj.厌烦于享乐的 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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mire
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| n.泥沼，泥泞；v.使...陷于泥泞，使...陷入困境 | |
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abhorred
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| v.憎恶( abhor的过去式和过去分词 )；（厌恶地）回避；拒绝；淘汰 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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licentiousness
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| n.放肆，无法无天 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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continental
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| adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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texture
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| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
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bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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discreet
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| adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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reproofs
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| n.责备，责难，指责( reproof的名词复数 ) | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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46
expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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rubicund
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| adj.(脸色)红润的 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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52
hues
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| 色彩( hue的名词复数 )； 色调； 信仰； 观点 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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55
accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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56
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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enunciation
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| n.清晰的发音；表明，宣言；口齿 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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64
droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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67
demolished
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| v.摧毁( demolish的过去式和过去分词 )；推翻；拆毁（尤指大建筑物）；吃光 | |
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68
broaching
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| n.拉削；推削；铰孔；扩孔v.谈起( broach的现在分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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69
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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70
beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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71
entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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wafted
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| v.吹送，飘送，（使）浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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beet
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| n.甜菜；甜菜根 | |
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78
tout
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| v.推销，招徕；兜售；吹捧，劝诱 | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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80
circumspect
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| adj.慎重的，谨慎的 | |
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81
displease
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| vt.使不高兴，惹怒；n.不悦，不满，生气 | |
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82
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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circumlocution
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| n. 绕圈子的话，迂回累赘的陈述 | |
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84
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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85
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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