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sweet serenity indeed of one of Raphael's holy infants；
to be discussed； to be imputed to her； and to determine us
I feel quite sure she would presently like me。 It was part
of what I already liked Mrs。 Grose herself for； the pleasure I
could see her feel in my admiration and wonder as I sat at supper
with four tall candles and with my pupil； in a high chair and
a bib； brightly facing me； between them； over bread and milk。
There were naturally things that in Flora's presence could
pass between us only as prodigious and gratified looks；
obscure and roundabout allusions。
〃And the little boydoes he look like her？ Is he too so very remarkable？〃
One wouldn't flatter a child。 〃Oh； miss； MOST remarkable。
If you think well of this one！〃and she stood there with a plate
in her hand； beaming at our companion； who looked from one of us
to the other with placid heavenly eyes that contained nothing
to check us。
〃Yes； if I do？〃
〃You WILL be carried away by the little gentleman！〃
〃Well； that； I think； is what I came forto be carried away。
I'm afraid； however；〃 I remember feeling the impulse to add；
〃I'm rather easily carried away。 I was carried away in London！〃
I can still see Mrs。 Grose's broad face as she took this in。
〃In Harley Street？〃
〃In Harley Street。〃
〃Well； miss； you're not the firstand you won't be the last。〃
〃Oh； I've no pretension；〃 I could laugh； 〃to being the only one。
My other pupil； at any rate； as I understand； comes back tomorrow？〃
〃Not tomorrowFriday； miss。 He arrives； as you did； by the coach；
under care of the guard； and is to be met by the same carriage。〃
I forthwith expressed that the proper as well as the pleasant and
friendly thing would be therefore that on the arrival of the public
conveyance I should be in waiting for him with his little sister；
an idea in which Mrs。 Grose concurred so heartily that I somehow
took her manner as a kind of comforting pledgenever falsified；
thank heaven！that we should on every question be quite at one。
Oh； she was glad I was there！
What I felt the next day was； I suppose； nothing that could
be fairly called a reaction from the cheer of my arrival；
it was probably at the most only a slight oppression produced
by a fuller measure of the scale； as I walked round them；
gazed up at them； took them in； of my new circumstances。
They had； as it were； an extent and mass for which I had not
been prepared and in the presence of which I found myself；
freshly； a little scared as well as a little proud。
Lessons； in this agitation； certainly suffered some delay；
I reflected that my first duty was； by the gentlest arts I
could contrive； to win the child into the sense of knowing me。
I spent the day with her out…of…doors； I arranged with her；
to her great satisfaction； that it should be she； she only；
who might show me the place。 She showed it step by step
and room by room and secret by secret； with droll； delightful；
childish talk about it and with the result； in half an hour；
of our becoming immense friends。 Young as she was； I was struck；
throughout our little tour； with her confidence and courage
with the way； in empty chambers and dull corridors； on crooked
staircases that made me pause and even on the summit of an old
machicolated square tower that made me dizzy； her morning music；
her disposition to tell me so many more things than she asked；
rang out and led me on。 I have not seen Bly since the day
I left it； and I daresay that to my older and more informed
eyes it would now appear sufficiently contracted。 But as my
little conductress； with her hair of gold and her frock of blue；
danced before me round corners and pattered down passages；
I had the view of a castle of romance inhabited by a rosy sprite；
such a place as would somehow； for diversion of the young idea；
take all color out of storybooks and fairytales。
Wasn't it just a storybook over which I had fallen adoze
and adream？ No； it was a big； ugly； antique； but convenient house；
embodying a few features of a building still older； half…replaced and
half…utilized； in which I had the fancy of our being almost
as lost as a handful of passengers in a great drifting ship。
Well； I was； strangely； at the helm！
II
This came home to me when； two days later； I drove over
with Flora to meet； as Mrs。 Grose said； the little gentleman；
and all the more for an incident that； presenting itself
the second evening； had deeply disconcerted me。
The first day had been； on the whole； as I have expressed；
reassuring； but I was to see it wind up in keen apprehension。
The postbag； that eveningit came latecontained a letter
for me； which； however； in the hand of my employer；
I found to be composed but of a few words enclosing another；
addressed to himself； with a seal still unbroken。 〃This； I recognize；
is from the headmaster； and the headmaster's an awful bore。
Read him； please； deal with him； but mind you don't report。
Not a word。 I'm off！〃 I broke the seal with a great effort
so great a one that I was a long time coming to it；
took the unopened missive at last up to my room and only
attacked it just before going to bed。 I had better have let it
wait till morning； for it gave me a second sleepless night。
With no counsel to take； the next day； I was full of distress；
and it finally got so the better of me that I determined
to open myself at least to Mrs。 Grose。
〃What does it mean？ The child's dismissed his school。〃
She gave me a look that I remarked at the moment； then； visibly；
with a quick blankness； seemed to try to take it back。
〃But aren't they all？〃
〃Sent homeyes。 But only for the holidays。 Miles may never go
back at all。〃
Consciously； under my attention； she reddened。 〃They won't take him？〃
〃They absolutely decline。〃
At this she raised her eyes； which she had turned from me；
I saw them fill with good tears。 〃What has he done？〃
I hesitated； then I judged best simply to hand her my letter
which； however； had the effect of making her； without taking it；
simply put her hands behind her。 She shook her head sadly。
〃Such things are not for me； miss。〃
My counselor couldn't read！ I winced at my mistake； which I
attenuated as I could； and opened my letter again to repeat it
to her； then； faltering in the act and folding it up once more；
I put it back in my pocket。 〃Is he really BAD？〃
The tears were still in her eyes。 〃Do the gentlemen say so？〃
〃They go into no particulars。 They simply express their regret that it
should be impossible to keep him。 That can have only one meaning。〃
Mrs。 Grose listened with dumb emotion； she forbore to ask me what this
meaning might be； so that； presently； to put the thing with some coherence
and with the mere aid of her presence to my own mind； I went on：
〃That he's an injury to the others。〃
At this； with one of the quick turns