登陆注册
15387500000039

第39章

"'Bonnard'--with a 'd,' is it not?" she asked."Excuse me for being so particular; but my opinion is that proper names have an orthography.We have dictation-lessons in proper names, Monsieur, at this school--historical proper names, of course!"After I had written down my name in a running hand, she inquired whether she should not put down after it my profession, title, quality--such as "retired merchant," "employe," "independent gentleman," or something else.There was a column in her register expressly for that purpose.

"My goodness, Madame!" I said, "if you must absolutely fill that column of yours, put down 'Member of the Institute.'"It was still Mademoiselle Prefere's pelerine I saw before me; but it was not Mademoiselle Prefere who wore it; it was a totally different person, obliging, gracious, caressing, radiant, happy.Her eyes, smiled; the little wrinkles of her face (there were a vast number of them!) also smiled; her mouth smiled likewise, but only on one side.

I discovered afterwards that was her best side.She spoke: her voice had also changed with her manner; it was now sweet as honey.

"You said, Monsieur, that our dear Jeanne was very intelligent.Idiscovered the same thing myself, and I am proud of being able to agree with you.This young girl has really made me feel a great deal of interest in her.She has what I call a happy disposition....

But excuse me for thus drawing upon your valuable time."She summoned the servant-girl, who looked much more hurried and scared than before, and who vanished with the order to go and tell Mademoiselle Alexandre that Monsieur Sylvestre Bonnard, Member of the Institute, was waiting to see her in the parlour.

Mademoiselle Prefere had barely time to confide in me that she had the most profound respect for all decisions of the Institute--whatever they might be--when Jeanne appeared, out of breath, red as a poppy, with her eyes very wide open, and her arms dangling helplessly at her sides--charming in her artless awkwardness.

"What a state you are in, my dear child!" murmured Mademoiselle Prefere, with maternal sweetness, as she arranged the girl's collar.

Jeanne certainly did present an odd aspect.Her hair combed back, and imperfectly held by a net from which loose curls were escaping;her slender arms, sheathed down to the elbows in lustring sleeves;her hands, which she did not seem to know what to do with, all red with chillblains; her dress, much too short, revealing that she had on stockings much too large for her, and shoes worn down at the heel;and a skipping-rope tied round her waist in lieu of a belt,--all combined to lend Mademoiselle Jeanne an appearance the reverse of presentable.

"Oh, you crazy girl!" sighed Mademoiselle Prefere, who now seemed no longer like a mother, but rather like an elder sister.

Then she suddenly left the room, gliding like a shadow over the polished floor.

I said to Jeanne, "Sit down, Jeanne, and talk to me as you would to a friend.Are you not better satisfied here now than you were last year?"She hesitated; then answered with a good-natured smile of resignation, "Not much better."I asked her to tell me about her school life.She began at once to enumerate all her different studies--piano, style, chronology of the Kings of France, sewing, drawing, catechism, deportment...I could never remember them all! She still held in her hands, all unconsciously, the two ends of her skipping-rope, and she raised and lowered them regularly while making her enumeration.Then all at once she became conscious of what she was doing, blushed, stammered, and became so confused that I had to renounce my desire to know the full programme of study adopted in the Prefere Institution.

After having questioned Jeanne on various matters, and obtained only the vaguest of answers, I perceived that her young mind was totally absorbed by the skipping-rope, and I entered bravely into that grave subject.

"So you have been skipping?" I said."It is a very nice amusement, but one that you must not exert yourself too much at; for any excessive exercise of that kind might seriously injure your health, and I should be very much grieved about it Jeanne--I should be very much grieved, indeed!""You are very kind, Monsieur," the young girl said, "to have come to see me and talk to me like this.I did not think about thanking you when I came in, because I was too much surprised.Have you seen Madame de Gabry? Please tell me something about her, Monsieur.""Madame de Gabry," I answered, "is very well.I can only tell you about her, Jeanne, what an old gardener once said of the lady of the castle, his mistress, when somebody anxiously inquired about her:

'Madame is in her road.' Yes, Madame de Gabry is in her own road;and you know, Jeanne, what a good road it is, and how steadily she can walk upon it.I went out with her the other day, very, very far away from the house; and we talked about you.We talked about you, my child, at your mother's grave.""I am very glad," said Jeanne.

And then, all at once, she began to cry.

I felt too much reverence for those generous tears to attempt in any way to check the emotion that had evoked them.But in a little while, as the girl wiped her eyes, I asked her, "Will you not tell me, Jeanne, why you were thinking so much about that skipping-rope a little while ago?""Why, indeed I will, Monsieur.It was only because I had no right to come into the parlour with a skipping-rope.You know, of course, that I am past the age for playing at skipping.But when the servant said there was an old gentleman...oh!...I mean...that a gentleman was waiting for me in the parlour, I was making the little girls jump.Then I tied the rope round my waist in a hurry, so that it might not get lost.It was wrong.But I have not been in the habit of having many people come to see me.And Mademoiselle Prefere never lets us off if we commit any breach of deportment: so I know she is going to punish me, and I am very sorry about it."...

"That is too bad, Jeanne!"

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 绵羊追婚:智娶冷情老婆

    绵羊追婚:智娶冷情老婆

    【新文:红妆天下:桀骜公主太修罗】初见他时,他是夜场的头牌少爷。而她是来寻乐子,一眼惊鸿,点了他!她说:“跟我,好么?”他嬉笑:“你养得起我,我就跟了你!”她勾唇一笑:“我的身家任你挥霍!”此后,他专陪在她的身边。她以为他只是平凡的身份。谁知,他忽然摇身一变,成了她最大敌人!他说:“我们结婚吧!”她嗤笑:“呵,我隔夜菜都不会看一眼,何况是一个玩腻的男人!
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 凤血江山

    凤血江山

    她是前朝亡国的公主。一朝宫变,十年蛰伏。可一场错嫁,令她陷入无法摆脱的境地。成亲夜遭受的羞辱,他的冷漠,姬妾间的争斗……令她无法置身事外。她从容淡然,助建王,谋江山,在男人的野心中步步维艰,只盼能早日了结恩怨情仇。他是南楚最不受宠的大皇子慕容修。新婚初夜,他给她侧妃之位,任她自生自灭,却不想她丝丝缕缕缠住他的心,从此挥之不去。他是当朝权势熏天的龙影司统领殷凌澜,为她的秘密苦守十年。他的杀,为了她的不杀。他是北汉百战百胜的萧王萧世行,他为了她兴兵千里,只为得她倾心一顾。江山社稷,美人英雄,一曲乱世离殇,如泣如诉。笙歌尽,江山定,她放弃所有,只愿与心爱之人江湖逍遥,从此不离不弃。
  • 都市之奇闻怪事

    都市之奇闻怪事

    你可信世上有天降的馅饼?你可知世上有吐钱的盒子?你可信世上有不用以假乱真的戏法?你可知数起奇案背后的真相?世间无奇不有,人心之复杂,难以洞察,利益之纠葛,从没停止。现世奇闻无处不在,尽在此书。本作由数个短篇悬奇故事组成,风格各异,五味杂陈。
  • 每天知道点销售订单学

    每天知道点销售订单学

    《每天知道点销售订单学》涵盖了销售工作中的八个关键环节:拿单商战的单兵时代;找准庙门烧对香;踩在成功的点上;细节决定成败;从任何类型客户那里拿到订单;质疑的背后是肯定;绝技要在关键时刻必杀;服务无止境,订单还复来……具有十分优秀的实用性和可操作性。
  • 丧尸你好,我是张未未

    丧尸你好,我是张未未

    末世丧尸来袭,看大学生张未未如何玩转末日世界。不傻白甜不玛丽苏爽文
  • 山有妖

    山有妖

    少年起自大荒之中,绝荡千山万水,持锐入神国
  • 地球来客之炼神伐天

    地球来客之炼神伐天

    混沌开,道则现,宇宙衍。好一个宇宙乾坤,天地玄黄!神、佛、仙、魔的博弈,星域星海的战争,神灵开辟的古路……这是怎样的一个世界?地球很渺小,但是却充当了一个神秘的角色,萧潜就是从这里而来,却是误入掌控者们的琪局,面临不可撬动的天,他要如何反抗?蝼蚁尚且偷生,何况人乎?闯古路,踏歌行,剑碎星河。战群英,屠鬼雄,谁与争锋?星断处,遇佳人,梦魂牵绕……一曲箫声去,问君何时还?吾欲踏破天阙,寻觅自在乾坤!
  • 白雪公主(语文新课标课外必读第六辑)

    白雪公主(语文新课标课外必读第六辑)

    国家教育部颁布了最新《语文课程标准》,统称新课标,对中、小学语文教学指定了阅读书目,对阅读的数量、内容、质量以及速度都提出了明确的要求,这对于提高学生的阅读能力,培养语文素养,陶冶情操,促进学生终身学习和终身可持续发展,对于提高广大人民的文学素养具有极大的意义。
  • 大明残云

    大明残云

    明末纷争,投降,委曲求全者不计其数,国人的精神去哪了?一个现代人穿越到了那个多变的时代,历经感情,事业的坎坷征途,渴望延续华夏文明的源远流长。第一部将主要以两国间谍战,官场上的权钱交易,尔虞我诈为主,主角借“势”游刃于各种势力之间,为自己争取到更多的“资源”。第二部“铁壁关”,内容将以军事战争为主,金戈铁马,初试锋芒。第三部“西南变局”,主要内容是“抵御大西军”“计赚李定国”“舌战朱由榔”“奇袭吴三桂”。PS:非快餐文,流水帐爱好者慎入,另因结构紧密,不建议跳读。