lishment, you may, in time, obtain employment in other seminaries,
and thus turn your vacant moments to profitable account."

I thought this very kind, and indeed I found afterwards that the terms
on which M. Pelet had engaged me were really liberal for Brussels;
instruction being extremely cheap there on account of the number of
teachers. It was further arranged that I should be installed in my new
post the very next day, after which M. Pelet and I parted.

Well, and what was he like? and what were my impressions concerning him?
He was a man of about forty years of age, of middle size, and rather
emaciated figure; his face was pale, his cheeks were sunk, and his eyes
hollow; his features were pleasing and regular, they had a French
turn (for M. Pelet was no Fleming, but a Frenchman both by birth
and parentage), yet the degree of harshness inseparable from Gallic
lineaments was, in his case, softened by a mild blue eye, and a
melancholy, almost suffering, expression of countenance; his physiognomy
was "fine et spirituelle." I use two French words because they define
better than any English terms the species of intelligence with which his
features were imbued. He was altogether an interesting and prepossessing
personage. I wondered only at the utter absence of all the ordinary
characteristics of his profession, and almost feared he could not be
stern and resolute enough for a schoolmaster. Externally at least
M. Pelet presented an absolute contrast to my late master, Edward
Crimsworth.

Influenced by the impression I had received of his gentleness, I was a
good deal surprised when, on arriving the next day at my new employer's
house, and being admitted to a first view of what was to be the
sphere of my future labours, namely the large, lofty, and well lighted
schoolrooms, I beheld a numerous assemblage of pupils, boys of course,
whose collective appearance showed all the signs of a full, flourishing,
and well-disciplined seminary. As I traversed the classes in company
with M. Pelet, a profound silence reigned on all sides, and if by chance
a murmur or a whisper arose, one glance from the pensive eye of this
most gentle pedagogue stilled it instantly. It was astonishing, I
thought, how so mild a check could prove so effectual. When I had
perambulated the length and breadth of the classes, M. Pelet turned and
said to me--

"Would you object to taking the boys as they are, and testing their
proficiency in English?"

T