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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 JeanneI should be very much grieved；
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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！〃
She became very grave； and said；
〃Yes； Monsieur； it is too bad； because when I am punished myself； I
have no more authority over the little girls。〃
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I did not at once fully understand the nature of this unpleasantness； but
Jeanne explained to me that； as she was charged by Mademoiselle Prefere
with the duties of taking care of the youngest class； of washing and
dressing the children； of teaching them how to behave； how to sew； how to
say the alphabet； of showing them how to play； and； finally； of putting
them to bed at the close of the day； she could not make herself obeyed by
those turbulent little folks on the days she was condemned to wear a night…
cap in the class…room； or to eat her meals standing up； from a plate turned
upside down。
Having secretly admired the punishments devised by the Lady of the
Enchanted Pelerine； I responded：
〃Then； if I understand you rightly； Jeanne； you are at once a pupil here
and a mistress？ It is a condition of existence very common in the world。
You are punished； and you punish？〃
〃Oh； Monsieur！〃 she exclaimed。 〃No！ I never punish！〃
〃Then； I suspect；〃 said I； 〃that your indulgence gets you many
scoldings from Mademoiselle Prefere？〃
She smiled； and blinked。
Then I said to her that the troubles in which we often involve ourselves；
by trying to act according to our conscience and to do the best we can； are
never of the sort that totally dishearten and weary us； but are； on the
contrary； wholesome trials。 This sort of philosophy touched her very little。
She even appeared totally unmoved by my moral exhortations。 But was
not this quite natural on her part？and ought I not to have remembered
that it is only those no longer innocent who can find pleasure in the
systems of moralists？。。。 I had at least good sense enough to cut short my
sermonising。
〃Jeanne；〃 I said； 〃you were asking a moment ago about Madame de
Gabry。 Let us talk about that Fairy of yours She was very prettily made。
Do you do any modelling in wax now？〃
〃I have not a bit of wax；〃 she exclaimed； wringing her hands〃no wax
at all！〃
〃No wax！〃 I cried〃in a republic of busy bees？〃
She laughed。
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〃And； then； you see； Monsieur； my FIGURINES； as you call them； are
not in Mademoiselle Prefere's programme。 But I had begun to make a very
small Saint…George for Madame de Gabrya tiny little Saint…George； with
a golden cuirass。 Is not that right； Monsieur Bonnardto give Saint…
George a gold cuirass？〃
〃Quite right； Jeanne； but what became of it？〃
〃I am going to tell you； I kept it in my pocket because I had no other
place to put it； andand I sat down on it by mistake。〃
She drew out of her pocket a little wax figure； which had been
squeezed out of all resemblance to human form； and of which the
dislocated limbs were only attached to the body by their wire framework。
At the sight of her hero thus marred； she was seized at once with
compassion and gaiety。 The latter feeling obtained the mastery； and she
burst into a clear laugh； which； however； stopped as suddenly as it had
begun。
Mademoiselle Prefere stood at the parlour door； smiling。
〃That dear child！〃 sighed the schoolmistress in her tenderest tone。 〃I
am afraid she will tire you。 And； then； your time is so precious！〃
I begged Mademoiselle Prefere to dismiss that illusion； and； rising to
take my leave； I took from my pocket some chocolate…cakes and sweets
which I had brought with me。
〃That is so nice！〃 said Jeanne； 〃there will be enough to go round the
whole school。〃
The lady of the pelerine intervened。
〃Mademoiselle Alexandre；〃 she said； 〃thank Monsieur for his
generosi