murad the unlucky and other tales-第19部分

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〃No；　madamenever！〃

〃Then　I　will　tell　it　to　you。〃

Victoire　looked　up　with　eyes　of　eager　expectationFrancois　opened
the　door　to　announce　that　the　Marquis　de　M…　and　the　Comte　de　S…
were　in　the　saloon；　but　Madame　de　Fleury　stayed　to　tell　Victoire
her　fableshe　would　not　lose　the　opportunity　of　making　an
impression　upon　this　child's　heart。

It　is　whilst　the　mind　is　warm　that　the　deepest　impressions　can　be
made。　　Seizing　the　happy　moment　sometimes　decides　the　character　and
the　fate　of　a　child。　　In　this　respect；　what　advantages　have　the
rich　and　great　in　educating　the　children　of　the　poor！　they　have　the
power　which　their　rank　and　all　its　decorations　obtain　over　the
imagination。　　Their　smiles　are　favours；　their　words　are　listened　to
as　oracular；　they　are　looked　up　to　as　beings　of　a　superior　order。
Their　powers　of　working　good　are　almost　as　great；　though　not　quite
so　wonderful；　as　those　formerly　attributed　to　beneficent；　fairies。



CHAPTER　VI



〃Knowledge　for　them　unlocks　her　USEFUL　page；
And　virtue　blossoms　for　a　better　age。〃BARBAULD。

A　few　days　after　Madame　de　Fleury　had　told　Victoire　the　fable　of
the　lion　and　the　mouse；　she　was　informed　by　Sister　Frances　that
Victoire　had　put　the　fable　into　verse。　　It　was　wonderfully　well
done　for　a　child　of　nine　years　old；　and　Madame　de　Fleury　was
tempted　to　praise　the　lines；　but；　checking　the　enthusiasm　of　the
moment；　she　considered　whether　it　would　be　advantageous　to
cultivate　her　pupil's　talent　for　poetry。　　Excellence　in　the　poetic
art　cannot　be　obtained　without　a　degree　of　application　for　which　a
girl　in　her　situation　could　not　have　leisure。　　To　encourage　her　to
become　a　mere　rhyming　scribbler；　without　any　chance　of　obtaining
celebrity　or　securing　subsistence；　would　be　folly　and　cruelty。
Early　prodigies　in　the　lower　ranks　of　life　are　seldom　permanently
successful；　they　are　cried　up　one　day；　and　cried　down　the　next。
Their　productions　rarely　have　that　superiority　which　secures　a　fair
preference　in　the　great　literary　market。　　Their　performances　are；
perhaps；　said　to　be　WONDERFUL；　ALL　THINGS　CONSIDERED；　&C。
Charitable　allowances　are　made；　the　books　are　purchased　by
associations　of　complaisant　friends　or　opulent　patrons；　a　kind　of
forced　demand　is　raised；　but　this　can　be　only　temporary　and
delusive。　　In　spite　of　bounties　and　of　all　the　arts　of　protection；
nothing　but　what　is　intrinsically　good　will　long　be　preferred；　when
it　must　be　purchased。　　But　granting　that　positive　excellence　is
attained；　there　is　always　danger　that　for　works　of　fancy　the　taste
of　the　public　may　suddenly　vary：　　there　is　a　fashion　in　these
things；　and　when　the　mode　changes；　the　mere　literary　manufacturer
is　thrown　out　of　employment；　he　is　unable　to　turn　his　hand　to
another　trade；　or　to　any　but　his　own　peculiar　branch　of　the
business。　　The　powers　of　the　mind　are　often　partially　cultivated　in
these　self…taught　geniuses。　　We　often　see　that　one　part　of　their
understanding　is　nourished　to　the　prejudice　of　the　restthe
imagination；　for　instance；　at　the　expense　of　the　judgment：　　so　that
whilst　they　have　acquired　talents　for　show　they　have　none　for　use。
In　the　affairs　of　common　life　they　are　utterly　ignorant　and
imbecileor　worse　than　imbecile。　　Early　called　into　public　notice；
probably　before　their　moral　habits　are　formed；　they　are　extolled
for　some　play　of　fancy　or　of　wit；　as　Bacon　calls　it；　some　juggler's
trick　of　the　intellect；　they　immediately　take　an　aversion　to
plodding　labour；　they　feel　raised　above　their　situation；　possessed
by　the　notion　that　genius　exempts　them　not　only　from　labour；　but
from　vulgar　rules　of　prudence；　they　soon　disgrace　themselves　by
their　conduct；　are　deserted　by　their　patrons；　and　sink　into　despair
or　plunge　into　profligacy。

Convinced　of　these　melancholy　truths；　Madame　de　Fleury　was
determined　not　to　add　to　the　number　of　those　imprudent　or
ostentatious　patrons；　who　sacrifice　to　their　own　amusement　and
vanity　the　future　happiness　of　their　favourites。　　Victoire's　verses
were　not　handed　about　in　fashionable　circles；　nor　was　she　called
upon　to　recite　them　before　a　brilliant　audience；　nor　was　she
produced　in　public　as　a　prodigy；　she　was　educated　in　private；　and
by　slow　and　sure　degrees；　to　be　a　good；　useful；　and　happy　member　of
society。　　Upon　the　same　principles　which　decided　Madame　de　Fleury
against　encouraging　Victoire　to　be　a　poetess；　she　refrained　from
giving　any　of　her　little　pupils　accomplishments　unsuited　to　their
situation。　　Some　had　a　fine　ear　for　music；　others　showed　powers　of
dancing；　but　they　were　taught　neither　dancing　nor　musictalents
which　in　their　station　were　more　likely　to　be　dangerous　than
serviceable。　　They　were　not　intended　for　actresses　or　opera…girls；
but　for　shop…girls；　mantua…makers；　work…women；　and　servants　of
different　sorts；　consequently　they　were　instructed　in　things　which
would　be　most　necessary　and　useful　to　young　women　in　their　rank　of
life。　　Before　they　were　ten　years　old　they　could　do　all　kinds　of
plain　needlework；　they　could　read　and　write　well；　and　they　were
mistresses　of　the　common　rules　of　arithmetic。　　After　this　age　they
were　practised　by　a　writing…master　in　drawing　out　bills　neatly；
keeping　accounts；　and　applying　to　every…day　use　their　knowledge　of
arithmetic。　　Some　were　taught　by　a　laundress　to　wash　and　get　up
fine　linen　and　lace；　others　were　instructed　by　a　neighbouring
traiteur　in　those　culinary　mysteries　with　which　Sister　Frances　was
unacquainted。　　In　sweetmeats　and　confectioneries　she　yielded　to　no
one；　and　she　made　her　pupils　as　expert　as　herself。　　Those　who　were
intended　for　ladies'　maids　were　taught　mantua…making；　and　had
lessons　from　Madame　de　Fleury's　own　woman　in　hairdressing。

Amongst　her　numerous　friends　and　acquaintances；　and　amongst　the
shopkeepers　whom　she　was　in　the　habit　of　employing；　Madame　de
Fleury　had　means　of　placing　and　establishing　her　pupils　suitably
and　advantageously：　　of　this；　both　they　and　their　parents　were
aware；　so　that　there　was　a　constant　and　great　motive　operating
continually　to　induce　them　to　exert　themselves；　and　to　behave　well。
This　reasonable　hope　of　reaping　the　fruits　of　their　education；　and
of　being　immediately　rewarded　for　their　good　conduct；　this
perception　of　the　connection　between　what　they　are　taught　and　what
they　are　to　become；　is　necessary　to　make　young　people　assiduous；
for　want　of　attending　to　these　principles　many　splendid
establishments　have　failed　to　produce　pupils　answerable　to　the
expectations　which　had　been　formed　of　them。

During　seven　years　that　Madame　de　Fleury　persevered　uniformly　on
the　same　plan；　only　one　girl　forfeited　her　protectiona　girl　of
the　name　of　Manon；　she　was　Victoire's　cousin；　but　totally　unlike
her　in　character。

When　very　young；　her　beautiful　eyes　and　hair　caught　the　fancy　of　a
rich　lady；　who　took　her　into　her　family　as　a　sort　of　humble
playfellow　for　her　children。　　She　was　taught　to　dance　and　to　sing：
she　soon　excelled　in　these　accomplishments；　and　was　admired；　and
produced　as　a　prodigy　of　talent。　　The　lady　of　the　house　gave
herself　great　credit　for　having　discerned；　and　having　brought
forward；　such　talents。　　Manon's　moral　character　was　in　the　meantime
neglected。　　In　this　house；　where　there　was　a　constant　scene　of
hurry　and　dissipation；　the　child　had　frequent　opportunities　and
temptations　to　be　dishonest。　　For　some　time　she　was　not　detected；
her　caressing　manners　pleased　her　patroness；　and　servile　compliance
with　the　humours　of　the　children　of　the　family　secured　their
goodwill。　　Encouraged　by　daily　petty　successes　in　the　art　of
deceit；　she　became　a　complete　hypocrite。　　With　culpable　negligence；
her　mistress　trusted　implicitly　to　appearances；　and　without
examining　whether　she　were　really　honest；　she　suffered　her　to　have
free　access　to　unlocked　drawers　and　valuable　cabinets。　　Several
articles　of　dress　were　missed　from　time　to　time；　but　Manon　managed
so　artfully；　that　she　averted　from　herself　all　suspicion。
Emboldened　by　this　fatal　impunity；　she　at　last　attempted
depredations　of　more　importance。　　She　purloined　a　valuable　snuff…
boxwas　detected　in　disposing　of　the　broken　parts　of　it　at　a
pawnbroker's；　and　was　immediately　discarded　in　disgrace；　but　by　her
tears　and　vehement　expressions　of　remorse　she　so　far　worked　upon
the　weakness　of　the　lady　of　the　house　as　to　prevail　upon　her　to
conceal　the　circumstance　that　occasioned　her　dismissal。　　Some
months　afterwards；　Manon；　pleading　that　she　was　thoroughly
reformed；　obtained　from　this　lady　a　recommendation　to　Madame　de
Fleury's　school。　　It　is　wonderful　that；　people；　who　in　other
respects　profess　and　practise　integrity；　can　be　so　culpably　weak　as
to　give　good　characters　to　those　who　do　not　deserve　them：　　this　is
really　one　of　the　worst　species　of　forgery。　　Imposed　upon　by　this
treacherous　recommendation；　Madame　de　Fleury　received　into　the
midst　of　her　innocent　young　pupils　one　who　might　have　corrupted
their　minds　secretly　and　irrecoverably。　　Fortunately　a　discovery
was　made　in　time　of　Manon's　real　disposition。　　A　mere　trifle　led　to
the　detection　of　her　habits　of　falsehood。　　As　she　could　not　do　any
kind　of　needlework；　she　was　employed　in　winding　cotton；　she　was
negligent；　and　did　not　in　the　course　of　the　week　wind　the　same
number　of　balls　as　her　companions；　and　to　conceal　this；　she
pretended　that　she　had　delivered　the　proper　number　to　the　woman；
who　regularly　called　at　the　end　of　the　week　for　the　cotton。　　The
woman　persisted　in　her　account；　and　the　children　in　theirs；　and
Manon　would　not　retract　her　assertion。　　The　poor　woman　gave　up　the
point；　but　she　declared　that　she　would　the　next　time　send　her
brother　to　make　up　the　account；　because　he　was　sharper　than
herself；　and　would　not　be　imposed　upon　so　easily。　　The　ensuing　week
the　brother　came；　and　he　proved　to　be　the　very　pawnbroker　to　whom
Manon　formerly　offered　the　stolen　box：　　he　knew　her　immediately；　it
was　in　vain　that　she　attempted　to　puzzle　him；　and　to　persuade　him
that　she　was　not　the　same　person。　　The　man　was　clear　and　firm。
Sister　Frances　could　scarcely　believe　what　she　heard。　　Struck　with
horror；　the　children　shrank　back　from　Manon；　and　stood　in　silence。
Madame　de　Fleury　immediately　wrote　to　the　lady　who　had　recommended
this　girl；　and　inq