And I could pursue my inquiries no further； time， place， and circumstances forbade my adding another word.I could neither comment on what had been said， nor demand further particulars.A question as to the reason of the teacher’s departure， as to whether it had been voluntary or otherwise， was indeed on my lips， but I suppressed it—there were listeners all round.An hour after， in passing Sylvie in the corridor as she was putting on her bonnet， I stopped short and asked：—“Sylvie， do you know Mdlle Henri’s address？ I have some books of hers，” I added carelessly， “and I should wish to send them to her.”
“No， monsieur，” replied Sylvie； “but perhaps Rosalie， the portress， will be able to give it you.”
Rosalie’s cabinet was just at hand； I stepped in and repeated the inquiry.Rosalie—a smart French grisette—looked up from her work with a knowing smile， precisely the sort of smile I had been so desirous to avoid exciting.Her answer was prepared； she knew nothing whatever of Mdlle Henri’s address—had never known it.Turning from her with impatience—for I believed she lied and was hired to lie—I almost knocked down some one who had been standing at my back； it was the directress.My abrupt movement made her recoil two or three steps.I was obliged to apologize， which I did more concisely than politely.No man likes to be dogged， and in the very irritable mood in which I then was the sight of Mdlle Reuter thoroughly incensed me.At the moment I turned her countenance looked hard， dark， and inquisitive； her eyes were bent upon me with an expression of almost hungry curiosity.I had scarcely caught this phase of physiognomy ere it had vanished； a bland smile played on her features； my harshapology was received with good-humoured facility.
“Oh， don’t mention it， monsieur； you only touched my hair with your elbow； it is no worse， only a little dishevelled.” She shook it back， and passing her fingers through her curls， loosened them into more numerous and flowing ringlets.Then she went on with vivacity：—Rosalie， I was coming to tell you to go instantly and close thewindows of the salon； the wind is rising， and the muslin curtains will be covered with dust.”
Rosalie departed.“Now，” thought I， “this will not do； MdlleReuter thinks her meanness in eaves-dropping is screened by her art in devising a pretext， whereas the muslin curtains she speaks of are not more transparent than this same pretext.” An impulse came over me to thrust the flimsy screen aside， and confront her craft boldly with a word or two of plain truth.“The rough-shod foot treads most firmly on slippery ground，” thought I； so I began：—“Mademoiselle Henri has left your establishment—been dismissed， I presume？”
“Ah， I wished to have a little conversation with you， monsieur，” replied the directress with the most natural and affable air in the world； “but we cannot talk quietly here； will Monsieur step into the garden a minute？” And she preceded me， stepping out through the glass-door I have before mentioned.
“There，” said she， when we had reached the centre of themiddle alley， and when the foliage of shrubs and trees， now in their summer pride， closing behind end around us， shut out the view of the house， and thus imparted a sense of seclusion even to this little plot of ground in the very core of a capital.
“There， one feels quiet and free when there are only pear-trees and rose-bushes about one； I dare say you， like me， monsieur， are sometimes tired of being eternally in the midst of life； of having human faces always round you， human eyes always upon you， human voices always in your ear.I am sure I often wish intensely for liberty to spend a whole month in the country at some little farm-house， bien gentille， bien propre， tout entourée de champs et de bois； quelle vie charmante que la vie champêtre！ N’est-ce pas， monsieur？”
“Cela dépend， mademoiselle.”
“Que le vent est bon et frais！” continued the directress； and she was right there， for it was a south wind， soft and sweet.I carried my hat in my hand， and this gentle breeze， passing through my hair， soothed my temples like balm.Its refreshing effect， however， penetrated no deeper than the mere surface of the frame； for as I walked by the side of Mdlle Reuter， my heart was still hot within me， and while I was musing the fire burned； then spake I with my tongue：—“I understand Mdlle Henri is gone from hence， and will notreturn？”
“Ah， true！ I meant to have named the subject to you some days ago， but my time is so completely taken up， I cannot do half the things I wish： have you never experienced what it is， monsieur， to find the day too short by twelve hours for your numerous duties？”
“Not often.Mdlle Henri’s departure was not voluntary， Ipresume？ If it had been， she would certainly have given me some intimation of it， being my pupil.”
“Oh， did she not tell you？ that was strange； for my part， I neverthought of adverting to the subject； when one has so many thingsto attend to， one is apt to forget little incidents that are not of primary importance.”
“You consider Mdlle Henri’s dismission， then， as a very insignificant event？”
“Dismission？ Ah！ she was not dismissed； I can say with truth， monsieur， that since I became the head of this establishment no master or teacher has ever been dismissed from it.”
“Yet some have left it， mademoiselle？”
“Many； I have found it necessary to change frequently—a change of instructors is often beneficial to the interests of a school； it gives life and variety to the proceedings； it amuses the pupils， and suggests to the parents the idea of exertion and progress.”
“Yet when you are tired of a professor or ma？tresse， you scrupleto dismiss them？”
