murad the unlucky and other tales-第16部分

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not　talk　of　her　feelings　in　fine　sentences　to　a　circle　of　opulent
admirers；　nor　did　she　project　for　the　relief　of　the　little
sufferers　some　magnificent　establishment　which　she　could　not
execute　or　superintend。　　She　was　contented　with　attempting　only
what　she　had　reasonable　hopes　of　accomplishing。

The　gift　of　education　she　believed　to　be　more　advantageous　than　the
gift　of　money　to　the　poor；　as　it　ensures　the　means　both　of　future
subsistence　and　happiness。　　But　the　application　even　of　this
incontrovertible　principle　requires　caution　and　judgment。　　To　crowd
numbers　of　children　into　a　place　called　a　school；　to　abandon　them
to　the　management　of　any　person　called　a　schoolmaster　or　a
schoolmistress；　is　not　sufficient　to　secure　the　blessings　of　a　good
education。　　Madame　de　Fleury　was　sensible　that　the　greatest　care　is
necessary　in　the　choice　of　the　person　to　whom　young　children　are　to
be　entrusted；　she　knew　that　only　a　certain　number　can　be　properly
directed　by　one　superintendent；　and　that；　by　attempting　to　do　too
much；　she　might　do　nothing；　or　worse　than　nothing。　　Her　school　was
formed；　therefore；　on　a　small　scale；　which　she　could　enlarge　to　any
extent；　if　it　should　be　found　to　succeed。　　From　some　of　the
families　of　poor　people；　who；　in　earning　their　bread；　are　obliged
to　spend　most　of　the　day　from　home；　she　selected　twelve　little
girls；　of　whom　Victoire　was　the　eldest；　and　she　was　between　six　and
seven。

The　person　under　whose　care　Madame　de　Fleury　wished　to　place　these
children　was　a　nun　of　the　Soeurs　de　la　Charite；　with　whose
simplicity　of　character；　benevolence；　and　mild；　steady　temper　she
was　thoroughly　acquainted。　　Sister　Frances　was　delighted　with　the
plan。　　Any　scheme　that　promised　to　be　of　service　to　her　follow…
creatures　was　sure　of　meeting　with　her　approbation；　but　this　suited
her　taste　peculiarly；　because　she　was　extremely　fond　of　children。
No　young　person　had　ever　boarded　six　months　at　her　convent　without
becoming　attached　to　good　Sister　Frances。

The　period　of　which　we　are　writing　was　some　years　before　convents
were　abolished；　but　the　strictness　of　their　rules　had　in　many
instances　been　considerably　relaxed。　　Without　much　difficulty；
permission　was　obtained　from　the　abbess　for　our　nun　to　devote　her
time　during　the　day　to　the　care　of　these　poor　children；　upon
condition　that　she　should　regularly　return　to　her　convent　every
night　before　evening　prayers。　　The　house　which　Madame　de　Fleury
chose　for　her　little　school　was　in　an　airy　part　of　the　town；　it　did
not　face　the　street；　but　was　separated　from　other　buildings　at　the
back　of　a　court；　retired　from　noise　and　bustle。　　The　two　rooms
intended　for　the　occupation　of　the　children　were　neat　and　clean；
but　perfectly　simple；　with　whitewashed　walls；　furnished　only　with
wooden　stools　and　benches；　and　plain　deal　tables。　　The　kitchen　was
well　lighted　（for　light　is　essential　to　cleanliness）；　and　it　was
provided　with　utensils；　and　for　these　appropriate　places　were
allotted；　to　give　the　habit　and　the　taste　of　order。　　The　schoolroom
opened　into　a　garden　larger　than　is　usually　seen　in　towns。　　The
nun；　who　had　been　accustomed　to　purchase　provisions　for　her
convent；　undertook　to　prepare　daily　for　the　children　breakfast　and
dinner；　they　were　to　sup　and　sleep　at　their　respective　homes。
Their　parents　were　to　take　them　to　Sister　Frances　every　morning
when　they　went　out　to　work；　and　to　call　for　them　upon　their　return
home　every　evening。　　By　this　arrangement；　the　natural　ties　of
affection　and　intimacy　between　the　children　and　their　parents　would
not　be　loosened；　they　would　be　separate　only　at　the　time　when　their
absence　must　be　inevitable。　　Madame　de　Fleury　thought　that　any
education　which　estranges　children　entirely　from　their　parents　must
be　fundamentally　erroneous；　that　such　a　separation　must　tend　to
destroy　that　sense　of　filial　affection　and　duty；　and　those
principles　of　domestic　subordination；　on　which　so　many　of　the
interests　and　much　of　the　virtue　and　happiness　of　society　depend。
The　parents　of　these　poor　children　were　eager　to　trust　them　to　her
care；　and　they　strenuously　endeavoured　to　promote　what　they
perceived　to　be　entirely　to　their　advantage。　　They　promised　to　take
their　daughters　to　school　punctually　every　morninga　promise　which
was　likely　to　be　kept；　as　a　good　breakfast　was　to　be　ready　at　a
certain　hour；　and　not　to　wait　for　anybody。　　The　parents　looked
forward　with　pleasure；　also；　to　the　idea　of　calling　for　their
little　girls　at　the　end　of　their　day's　labour；　and　of　taking　them
home　to　their　family　supper。　　During　the　intermediate　hours　the
children　were　constantly　to　be　employed；　or　in　exercise。　　It　was
difficult　to　provide　suitable　employments　for　their　early　age；　but
even　the　youngest　of　those　admitted　could　be　taught　to　wind　balls
of　cotton；　thread；　and　silk　for　haberdashers；　or　they　could　shell
peas　and　beans；　&c。；　for　a　neighbouring　traiteur；　or　they　could
weed　in　a　garden。　　The　next　in　age　could　learn　knitting　and　plain
work；　reading；　writing；　and　arithmetic。　　As　the　girls　should　grow
up；　they　were　to　be　made　useful　in　the　care　of　the　house。　　Sister
Frances　said　she　could　teach　them　to　wash　and　iron；　and　that　she
would　make　them　as　skilful　in　cookery　as　she　was　herself。　　This
last　was　doubtless　a　rash　promise；　for　in　most　of　the　mysteries　of
the　culinary　art；　especially　in　the　medical　branches　of　it；　in
making　savoury　messes　palatable　to　the　sick；　few　could　hope　to
equal　the　neat…handed　Sister　Frances。　　She　had　a　variety　of　other
accomplishments；　but　her　humility　and　good　sense　forbade　her　upon
the　present　occasion　to　mention　these。　　She　said　nothing　of
embroidery；　or　of　painting；　or　of　cutting　out　paper；　or　of　carving
in　ivory；　though　in　all　these　she　excelled：　　her　cuttings…out　in
paper　were　exquisite　as　the　finest　lace；　her　embroidered
housewives；　and　her　painted　boxes；　and　her　fan…mounts；　and　her
curiously…wrought　ivory　toys；　had　obtained　for　her　the　highest
reputation　in　the　convent　amongst　the　best　judges　in　the　world。
Those　only　who　have　philosophically　studied　and　thoroughly
understand　the　nature　of　fame　and　vanity　can　justly　appreciate　the
self…denial　or　magnanimity　of　Sister　Frances；　in　forbearing　to
enumerate　or　boast　of　these　things。　　She　alluded　to　them　but　once；
and　in　the　slightest　and　most　humble　manner。

〃These　little　creatures　are　too　young　for　us　to　think　of　teaching
them　anything　but　plain　work　at　present；　but　if　hereafter　any　of
them　should　show　a　superior　genius　we　can　cultivate　it　properly。
Heaven　has　been　pleased　to　endow　me　with　the　meansat　least；　our
convent　says　so。〃

The　actions　of　Sister　Frances　showed　as　much　moderation　as　her
words；　for　though　she　was　strongly　tempted　to　adorn　her　new
dwelling　with　those　specimens　of　her　skill　which　had　long　been　the
glory　of　her　apartment　in　the　convent；　yet　she　resisted　the
impulse；　and　contented　herself　with　hanging　over　the　chimney…piece
of　her　schoolroom　a　Madonna　of　her　own　painting。

The　day　arrived　when　she　was　to　receive　her　pupils　in　their　new
habitation。　　When　the　children　entered　the　room　for　the　first　time；
they　paid　the　Madonna　the　homage　of　their　unfeigned　admiration。
Involuntarily　the　little　crowd　stopped　short　at　the　sight　of　the
picture。　　Some　dormant　emotions　of　human　vanity　were　now　awakened
played　for　a　moment　about　the　heart　of　Sister　Francesand　may　be
forgiven。　　Her　vanity　was　innocent　and　transient；　her　benevolence
permanent　and　useful。　　Repressing　the　vain…glory　of　an　artist；　as
she　fixed　her　eyes　upon　the　Madonna；　her　thoughts　rose　to　higher
objects；　and　she　seized　this　happy　moment　to　impress　upon　the　minds
of　her　young　pupils　their　first　religious　ideas　and　feelings。
There　was　such　unaffected　piety　in　her　manner；　such　goodness　in　her
countenance；　such　persuasion　in　her　voice；　and　simplicity　in　her
words；　that　the　impression　she　made　was　at　once　serious；　pleasing；
and　not　to　be　effaced。　　Much　depends　upon　the　moment　and　the　manner
in　which　the　first　notions　of　religion　are　communicated　to
children；　if　these　ideas　be　connected　with　terror；　and　produced
when　the　mind　is　sullen　or　in　a　state　of　dejection；　the　future
religious　feelings　are　sometimes　of　a　gloomy；　dispiriting　sort；　but
if　the　first　impression　be　made　when　the　heart　is　expanded　by　hope
or　touched　by　affection；　these　emotions　are　happily　and　permanently
associated　with　religion。　　This　should　be　particularly　attended　to
by　those　who　undertake　the　instruction　of　the　children　of　the　poor；
who　must　lead　a　life　of　labour；　and　can　seldom　have　leisure　or
inclination；　when　arrived　at　years　of　discretion；　to　re…examine　the
principles　early　infused　into　their　minds。　　They　cannot　in　their
riper　age　conquer　by　reason　those　superstitions　terrors；　or　bigoted
prejudices；　which　render　their　victims　miserable；　or　perhaps
criminal。　　To　attempt　to　rectify　any　errors　in　the　foundation　after
an　edifice　has　been　constructed　is　dangerous：　　the　foundation；
therefore；　should　be　laid　with　care。　　The　religious　opinions　of
Sister　Frances　were　strictly　united　with　just　rules　of　morality；
strongly　enforcing；　as　the　essential　means　of　obtaining　present　and
future　happiness；　the　practice　of　the　social　virtues；　so　that　no
good　or　wise　persons；　however　they　might　differ　from　her　in　modes
of　faith；　could　doubt　the　beneficial　influence　of　her　general
principles；　or　disapprove　of　the　manner　in　which　they　were
inculcated。

Detached　from　every　other　worldly　interest；　this　benevolent　nun
devoted　all　her　earthly　thoughts　to　the　children　of　whom　she　had
undertaken　the　charge。　　She　watched　over　them　with　unceasing
vigilance；　whilst　diffidence　of　her　own　abilities　was　happily
supported　by　her　high　opinion　of　Madame　de　Fleury's　judgment。　　This
lady　constantly　visited　her　pupils　every　week；　not　in　the　hasty；
negligent　manner　in　which　fine　ladies　sometimes　visit　charitable
institutions；　imagining　that　the　honour　of　their　presence　is　to
work　miracles；　and　that　everything　will　go　on　rightly　when　they
have　said；　〃LET　IT　BE　SO；〃　or；　〃I　MUST　HAVE　IT　SO。〃　　Madame　de
Fleury's　visits　were　not　of　this　dictatorial　or　cursory　nature。
Not　minutes；　but　hours；　she　devoted　to　these　childrenshe　who
could　charm　by　the　grace　of　her　manners；　a