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effusiveness which in her became mere loquacity； but it evidently
occupied her thoughts。
The only person now living who preserves any recollection of the
incident； and whom I catechised to be informed of what few words
Madame de Stael had let drop； could with difficulty recall these words
spoken by the Baroness as describing Lambert； 〃He is a real seer。〃
Louis failed to justify in the eyes of the world the high hopes he had
inspired in his protectress。 The transient favor she showed him was
regarded as a feminine caprice； one of the fancies characteristic of
artist souls。 Madame de Stael determined to save Louis Lambert alike
from serving the Emperor or the Church； and to preserve him for the
glorious destiny which； she thought； awaited him； for she made him out
to be a second Moses snatched from the waters。 Before her departure
she instructed a friend of hers； Monsieur de Corbigny； to send her
Moses in due course to the High School at Vendome； then she probably
forgot him。
Having entered this college at the age of fourteen； early in 1811；
Lambert would leave it at the end of 1814； when he had finished the
course of Philosophy。 I doubt whether during the whole time he ever
heard a word of his benefactressif indeed it was the act of a
benefactress to pay for a lad's schooling for three years without a
thought of his future prospects； after diverting him from a career in
which he might have found happiness。 The circumstances of the time；
and Louis Lambert's character； may to a great extent absolve Madame de
Stael for her thoughtlessness and her generosity。 The gentleman who
was to have kept up communications between her and the boy left Blois
just at the time when Louis passed out of the college。 The political
events that ensued were then a sufficient excuse for this gentleman's
neglect of the Baroness' protege。 The authoress of /Corinne/ heard no
more of her little Moses。
A hundred louis； which she placed in the hands of Monsieur de
Corbigny； who died； I believe； in 1812； was not a sufficiently large
sum to leave lasting memories in Madame de Stael； whose excitable
nature found ample pasture during the vicissitudes of 1814 and 1815；
which absorbed all her interest。
At this time Louis Lambert was at once too proud and too poor to go in
search of a patroness who was traveling all over Europe。 However； he
went on foot from Blois to Paris in the hope of seeing her； and
arrived； unluckily； on the very day of her death。 Two letters from
Lambert to the Baroness remained unanswered。 The memory of Madame de
Stael's good intentions with regard to Louis remains； therefore； only
in some few young minds； struck； as mine was； by the strangeness of
the story。
No one who had not gone through the training at our college could
understand the effect usually made on our minds by the announcement
that a 〃new boy〃 had arrived； or the impression that such an adventure
as Louis Lambert's was calculated to produce。
And here a little information must be given as to the primitive
administration of this institution； originally half…military and half…
monastic； to explain the new life which there awaited Lambert。 Before
the Revolution； the Oratorians； devoted； like the Society of Jesus； to
the education of youthsucceeding the Jesuits； in fact； in certain of
their establishmentsthe colleges of Vendome； of Tournon； of la
Fleche； Pont…Levoy； Sorreze； and Juilly。 That at Vendome； like the
others； I believe； turned out a certain number of cadets for the army。
The abolition of educational bodies； decreed by the convention； had
but little effect on the college at Vendome。 When the first crisis had
blown over； the authorities recovered possession of their buildings；
certain Oratorians； scattered about the country； came back to the
college and re…opened it under the old rules； with the habits；
practices； and customs which gave this school a character with which I
have seen nothing at all comparable in any that I have visited since I
left that establishment。
Standing in the heart of the town； on the little river Loire which
flows under its walls； the college possesses extensive precincts；
carefully enclosed by walls； and including all the buildings necessary
for an institution on that scale： a chapel； a theatre； an infirmary； a
bakehouse； gardens； and water supply。 This college is the most
celebrated home of learning in all the central provinces； and receives
pupils from them and from the colonies。 Distance prohibits any
frequent visits from parents to their children。
The rule of the House forbids holidays away from it。 Once entered
there； a pupil never leaves till his studies are finished。 With the
exception of walks taken under the guidance of the Fathers； everything
is calculated to give the School the benefit of conventual discipline；
in my day the tawse was still a living memory； and the classical
leather strap played its terrible part with all the honors。 The
punishment originally invented by the Society of Jesus； as alarming to
the moral as to the physical man； was still in force in all the
integrity of the original code。
Letters to parents were obligatory on certain days； so was confession。
Thus our sins and our sentiments were all according to pattern。
Everything bore the stamp of monastic rule。 I well remember； among
other relics of the ancient order； the inspection we went through
every Sunday。 We were all in our best； placed in file like soldiers to
await the arrival of the two inspectors who； attended by the tutors
and the tradesmen； examined us from the three points of view of dress；
health； and morals。
The two or three hundred pupils lodged in the establishment were
divided； according to ancient custom； into the /minimes/ （the
smallest）； the little boys； the middle boys； and the big boys。 The
division of the /minimes/ included the eighth and seventh classes； the
little boys formed the sixth； fifth； and fourth； the middle boys were
classed as third and second； and the first class comprised the senior
studentsof philosophy； rhetoric； the higher mathematics； and
chemistry。 Each of these divisions had its own building； classrooms；
and play…ground； in the large common precincts on to which the
classrooms opened； and beyond which was the refectory。
This dining…hall； worthy of an ancient religious Order； accommodated
all the school。 Contrary to the usual practice in educational
institutions； we were allowed to talk at our meals； a tolerant
Oratorian rule which enabled us to exchange plates according to our
taste。 This gastronomical barter was always one of the chief pleasures
of our college life。 If one of the 〃middle〃 boys at the head of his
table wished for a helping of lentils instead of dessertfor we had
dessertthe offer was passed down from one to another： 〃Dessert for
lentils！〃 till some other epicure had accepted； then the plate of
lentils was passed up to the bidder from hand to hand； and the plate
of dessert returned by the same road。 Mistakes were never made。 If
several identical offers were made； they were taken in order； and the
formula would be； 〃Lentils number one for dessert number one。〃 The
tables were very lo