CHAPTER XXXI.
After my ninth birthday my parents, for a time, spoke of putting me
into boarding-school, so that I might become habituated to the harder
ways of life, and since the matter was talked over by all the members
of the family, I went about for several days feeling as if I were on
the eve of being sent to prison, for I imagined that a boarding-school
had high walls and windows guarded by iron bars.
But, upon reflection, they considered that I was too frail and
delicate a human plant to be thrown in contact with those others of my
kind who, in all probability, would play roughly, and have bad
manners; they concluded, therefore, to keep me at home a little
longer.
At any rate I was delivered from "Mr. Ratin." The old professor,
rotund of figure and kind of manner, who succeeded him, was less
distasteful to me, but I made just as little progress under his care.
In the afternoon, at about the time for his arrival, I would hastily
begin to prepare my lessons. I was then usually to be found at my
window, hidden behind the venetian blinds, with my book open at the
page containing the lesson; and when I saw him come into view at the
turning near the bottom of the street I commenced to study it.
And generally by the time he arrived I knew enough to receive, if not
to merit, a "pretty good," a mark over which I did not grumble.
I had also my English professor who came to me every morning,--and
whom I nicknamed Aristogiton (I do not now recall why). Following the
Robertson method, he had me paraphrase the history of Sultan Mahmoud.
Outside of that, the only thing that I am sure of is that I
accomplished nothing, absolutely nothing, less than nothing; but he
had the good taste not to growl at me, and in consequence I have an
almost affectionate remembrance of him.
During the extreme heat of the summer days it was my custom to study
in the yard; I took my ink-stained copy and lesson books and spread
them upon a table that stood in the summer house made shady by the
vines and honeysuckles that grew over it. And when I was nicely
settled there I felt that I might idle to my heart's content. From
behind the lattice-work, green with trellised vines, I kept a lookout
in order to see any danger that threatened in the distance. . . . I
was always careful to bring with me to this retreat a quantity of
cherries and grapes, whichever happened to be in season, and truly I
could have passed there hours of the most delicious reverie but for
the remorse that tormented me almost every moment, a remorse born of
the fact that I was not busying myself with my lessons.
Through the foliage I saw, close to me, the cool-looking pond with its
tiny grottoes which, since my brother's departure, I almost
worshipped. The little fountain in the centre stirred the waters and
made the sunlight that fell on its surface dance joyously; and the
sun's rays pierced the green verdure surrounding me--I seemed to be in
the midst of luminous water that quivered all about me with a
ceaseless motion.
My arbor was a shady little retreat that gave me a complete illusion
of country; from the far side of the old wall came the song of the
tropical birds belonging to Antoinette's mother, and I heard the
rollicking warble and twitter of the swallows perched on the house-
top, and the chirp of the common sparrows as they flew about among the
trees in the garden.
Sometimes I would throw myself face-upward full length upon the green
bench that was there, and through the tasselled honeysuckle I had a
view of the white clouds as they sailed across the blue of the sky.
There, too, I was initiated into the habits of the mosquitos who all
day long poised themselves tremblingly, by means of their long legs,
upon the leaves. And often I concentrated all my attention upon the
old wall where the insects acted out their tragical drama: the cunning
spider would come suddenly from his nook and ensnare in his web the
heedless little insects,--with the aid of a straw, I was usually able
to deliver them from their peril.
I have forgotten to mention that I had, for companion, an old cat
called Suprematie, who had been my faithful and beloved friend since
infancy.
Suprematie knew at what hour he would find me there, and he used to
slip in quietly upon the tips of his velvet paws; he never stretched
himself beside me without first looking at me questioningly.
The poor creature was very homely; he was marked queerly upon only one
side of his body; moreover, in a cruel accident he had twisted his
tail, and it hung down at a right angle. He was the subject of
Lucette's continual mockery, for she had a lovely Angora cat that had
usurped Suprematie's place in her affections. It was my habit to run
out to see her when she came to inquire after the members of my
family; she rarely failed to add, with a funny air of concern, which
made me burst out laughing in spite of myself: "And your horror of a
cat, is he in good health, my dear?"
