第9部分(第6/7 页)

ining　the　teachers—none　of　whom　precisely　pleased　me；　for　the　stout　one　was　a　little　coarse；　the　dark　one　not　a　little　fierce；　the　foreigner　harsh　and　grotesque；　and　Miss　Miller；　poor　thing！　looked　purple；　weather…　beaten；　and　over…worked—when；　as　my　eye　wandered　from　face　to　face；　the　whole　school　rose　simultaneously；　as　if　moved　by　a　mon　spring。

What　was　the　matter？　I　had　heard　no　order　given：　I　was　puzzled。　Ere　I　had　gathered　my　wits；　the　classes　were　again　seated：　but　as　all　eyes　were　now　turned　to　one　point；　mine　followed　the　general　direction；　and　encountered　the　personage　who　had　received　me　last　night。　She　stood　at　the　bottom　of　the　long　room；　on　the　hearth；　for　there　was　a　fire　at　each　end；　she　surveyed　the　two　rows　of　girls　silently　and　gravely。　Miss　Miller　approaching；　seemed　to　ask　her　a　question；　and　having　received　her　answer；　went　back　to　her　place；　and　said　aloud—

“Monitor　of　the　first　class；　fetch　the　globes！”

While　the　direction　was　being　executed；　the　lady　consulted　moved　slowly　up　the　room。　I　suppose　I　have　a　considerable　organ　of　veneration；　for　I　retain　yet　the　sense　of　admiring　awe　with　which　my　eyes　traced　her　steps。　Seen　now；　in　broad　daylight；　she　looked　tall；　fair；　and　shapely；　brown　eyes　with　a　benignant　light　in　their　irids；　and　a　fine　pencilling　of　long　lashes　round；　relieved　the　whiteness　of　her　large　front；　on　each　of　her　temples　her　hair；　of　a　very　dark　brown；　was　clustered　in　round　curls；　according　to　the　fashion　of　those　times；　when　neither　smooth　bands　nor　long　ringlets　were　in　vogue；　her　dress；　also　in　the　mode　of　the　day；　was　of　purple　cloth；　relieved　by　a　sort　of　Spanish　trimming　of　black　velvet；　a　gold　watch　（watches　were　not　so　mon　then　as　now）　shone　at　her　girdle。　Let　the　reader　add；　to　plete　the　picture；　re