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my head that perhaps this unfortunately situated； this insidiously
mutinous young creature； was looking out for a preserver。 She was
certainly not a girl to throw herself at a man's head； but it was
possible that in her intenseher almost morbid…desire to put into
effect an ideal which was perhaps after all charged with as many
fallacies as her mother affirmed； she might do something reckless and
irregularsomething in which a sympathetic compatriot； as yet
unknown； would find his profit。 The image； unshaped though it was；
of this sympathetic compatriot； filled me with a sort of envy。 For
some moments I was silent； conscious of these things； and then I
answered her question。 〃Because some thingssome differences are
felt； not learned。 To you liberty is not natural； you are like a
person who has bought a repeater； and； in his satisfaction； is
constantly making it sound。 To a real American girl her liberty is a
very vulgarly…ticking old clock。〃
〃Ah； you mean； then；〃 said the poor girl； 〃that my mother has ruined
me？〃
〃Ruined you？〃
〃She has so perverted my mind； that when I try to be natural I am
necessarily immodest。〃
〃That again is a false note；〃 I said； laughing。
She turned away。 〃I think you are cruel。〃
〃By no means；〃 I declared； 〃because； for my own taste； I prefer you
asas〃
I hesitated； and she turned back。 〃As what？〃
〃As you are。〃
She looked at me a while again； and then she said； in a little
reasoning voice that reminded me of her mother's； only that it was
conscious and studied； 〃I was not aware that I am under any
particular obligation to please you！〃 And then she gave a clear
laugh； quite at variance with her voice。
〃Oh； there is no obligation；〃 I said； 〃but one has preferences。 I am
very sorry you are going away。〃
〃What does it matter to you？ You are going yourself。〃
〃As I am going in a different direction that makes all the greater
separation。〃
She answered nothing； she stood looking through the bars of the tall
gate at the empty； dusky street。 〃This grille is like a cage；〃 she
said； at last。
〃Fortunately； it is a cage that will open。〃 And I laid my hand on
the lock。
〃Don't open it；〃 and she pressed the gate back。 〃If you should open
it I would go outand never return。〃
〃Where should you go？〃
〃To America。〃
〃Straight away？〃
〃Somehow or other。 I would go to the American consul。 I would beg
him to give me moneyto help me。〃
I received this assertion without a smile； I was not in a smiling
humour。 On the contrary； I felt singularly excited； and I kept my
hand on the lock of the gate。 I believed （or I thought I believed）
what my companion said； and I hadabsurd as it may appearan
irritated vision of her throwing herself upon consular sympathy。 It
seemed to me； for a moment； that to pass out of that gate with this
yearning； straining； young creature； would be to pass into some
mysterious felicity。 If I were only a hero of romance； I would
offer； myself； to take her to America。
In a moment more； perhaps； I should have persuaded myself that I was
one； but at this juncture I heard a sound that was not romantic。 It
proved to be the very realistic tread of Celestine； the cook； who
stood grinning at us as we turned about from our colloquy。
〃I ask bien pardon；〃 said Celestine。 〃The mother of Mademoiselle
desires that Mademoiselle should come in immediately。 M。 le Pasteur
Galopin has come to make his adieux to ces dames。〃
Aurora gave me only one glance； but it was a touching one。 Then she
slowly departed with Celestine。
The next morning； on coming into the garden； I found that Mrs。 Church
and her daughter had departed。 I was informed of this fact by old M。
Pigeonneau； who sat there under a tree； having his coffee at a little
green table。
〃I have nothing to envy you；〃 he said； 〃I had the last glimpse of
that charming Miss Aurora。〃
〃I had a very late glimpse；〃 I answered； 〃and it was all I could
possibly desire。〃
〃I have always noticed；〃 rejoined M。 Pigeonneau； 〃That your desires
are more moderate than mine。 Que voulez…vous？ I am of the old
school。 Je crois que la race se perd。 I regret the departure of
that young girl： she had an enchanting smile。 Ce sera une femme
d'esprit。 For the mother； I can console myself。 I am not sure that
SHE was a femme d'esprit； though she wished to pass for one。 Round；
rosy； potelee； she yet had not the temperament of her appearance； she
was a femme austere。 I have often noticed that contradiction in
American ladies。 You see a plump little woman； with a speaking eye；
and the contour and complexion of a ripe peach； and if you venture to
conduct yourself in the smallest degree in accordance with these
indices； you discover a species of Methodistof what do you call
it？of Quakeress。 On the other hand； you encounter a tall； lean；
angular person； without colour； without grace； all elbows and knees；
and you find it's a nature of the tropics！ The women of duty look
like coquettes； and the others look like alpenstocks！ However； we
have still the handsome Madame Rucka real femme de Rubens； celle…
la。 It is very true that to talk to her one must know the Flemish
tongue！〃
I had determined； in accordance with my brother's telegram； to go
away in the afternoon； so that； having various duties to perform； I
left M。 Pigeonneau to his international comparisons。 Among other
things； I went in the course of the morning to the banker's； to draw
money for my journey； and there I found Mr。 Ruck； with a pile of
crumpled letters in his lap； his chair tipped back； and his eyes
gloomily fixed on the fringe of the green plush table…cloth。 I
timidly expressed the hope that he had got better news from home；
whereupon he gave me a look in which； considering his provocation；
the absence of irritation was conspicuous。
He took up his letters in his large hand； and crushing them together；
held it out to me。 〃That epistolary matter；〃 he said； 〃is worth
about five cents。 But I guess；〃 he added； rising； 〃I have taken it
in by this time。〃 When I had drawn my money I asked him to come and
breakfast with me at the little brasserie； much favoured by students；
to which I used to resort in the old town。 〃I couldn't eat； sir；〃 he
said； 〃Icouldn't eat。 Bad news takes away the appetite。 But I
guess I'll go with you； so that I needn't go to table down there at
the pension。 The old woman down there is always accusing me of
turning up my nose at her food。 Well； I guess I shan't turn up my
nose at anything now。〃
We went to the little brasserie； where poor Mr。 Ruck made the
lightest possible breakfast。 But if he ate very little； he talked a
great deal； he talked about business； going into a hundred details in
which I was quite unable to follow him。 His talk was not angry nor
bitter； it was a long； meditative； melancholy monologue； if it had
been a trifle less incoherent I should almost have called it
philosophic。 I was very sorry for him； I wanted to do something for
him； but the only thing I could do was； when we had breakfasted； to
see him safely back to the Pension Beaurepas。 We went across the
Treille and down the Corraterie； out