onfided to Janey
in a shy, shamefaced way, and Janey, who could chatter fluently in
French and play ten tunes at least, had betrayed amazement. Afterward
she had given consolation. There was one boarder who made no pretence of
learning music, and several day-scholars; of course, being French, they
spoke French, but not a girl of them all, not madame herself, could
frame three consecutive sentences in English to be understood.

In the novelty of the situation Janey was patroness for the day. Madame
Fournier had to be encountered after breakfast, and proved to be a
perfectly small lady, of most intelligent countenance and kind
conciliatory speech. She kissed Janey on both cheeks, and bent a
penetrating pair of brown eyes on Bessie's face, which looked intensely
proud in her blushing shyness. Madame had received from Mrs. Wiley (a
former pupil and temporary teacher) instructions that Bessie's education
and training had been of the most desultory kind, and that it was
imperatively necessary to remedy her deficiencies, and give her a
veneering of cultivation and a polish to fit her for the station of life
to which she was called. Madame was able to judge for herself in such
matters. Bessie impressed her favorably, and no humiliation was
inflicted on her even as touching her ignorance of French and the piano.
It was decreed that as Bessie professed no enthusiasm for music, it
would be wasting time that might be more profitably employed to teach
her; and a recommendation to the considerate indulgence of Mademoiselle
Adelaide, who was in charge of the junior class, saved her from huffs
and ridicule while going through the preliminary paces of French.

At recreation-time in the garden Janey ran up to ask how she had got on.
"_J'ai, tu as, il a_," said Bessie, and laughed with radiant audacity.
Her phantoms were already vanishing into thin air.

Not many French girls were yet present. The next noon-day they were
doubled. By Saturday all were come, and answered to their names when the
roll was called, the great and dreadful Miss Hiloe amongst them. They
were two, Mademoiselle Ada and Mademoiselle Ellen. The younger sister
was a cipher--an echo of the elder, and an example of how she ought to
be worshipped. Mademoiselle Ada would be a personage wherever she was.
Already her _role_ in the world was adopted. She had a pale Greek face,
a lofty look, and a proud spirit. She was not rude to those who paid
her the homage that was her d