LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1512, 20 December 1878, Page 3

LITERATURE.

ROSE CHERRIL : AN EXILE’S LOVE STORY.

' { Continued.) So as the unconscious Hosier crossed the lawn a running fire of pleasantries was kept up to the mute accompanyment of the crayons and stumps working on the sketching blocks, but these were checked by an unexpected sight, which caused a sudden silence to fall upon the class. Just as Paul Brun was nearing the house Miss Smalway sailed out majestically on to the lawn to greet him, and the two turned away and began to pace together under the trees. The mere sight of Miss Smalway was generally enough to chill all merriment in her pupils, for she was a rigid disciplinarian : but there was something in her manner of accoiting the Frenchman this time which especially excited their curiosity. Her manner was portentously grim, and the Hosier was seen to bo gesticulating. They walked several times up and down the same alley, and appeared to be quarrelling—they, whose relations were usually made up wholly of mutual smirks! What could the matter be ? Even the languid Miss Boundy ceased cutting her pencils, aud speculated within herself whether the Frenchman had at last st’iick for an increase of salary ? A full half-hour passed, and wonder culminated into a sort of dismay when the Hosier was observed lifting his hat to Miss Smalway. who, after this cold leave taking, returned indoors without him—marching quick aud very red iu the face. *Oh my ! there has been a squabble! ’ chorussed several of the pupils; but the next miuute there was silence again, for Miss Smalway walked into the drawing parlour, and all the girls pored over their work studiously as mice. ‘Girls, you will have to get on to-day without Hosier Bran,’ said the mistress as she stood in the doorway, evidently in the state known as “ tmtrams by next term 1 shall have engaged another music and draw-ing-master. ’ ‘Why, is Mossicu Brun going? He is not ill, is he? asked Miss Boundy, open-eyed and awaz‘>d.

‘The Hosier baa given mo formal notice of his resignation,’ said Miss Smalway solemnly, ‘ and I wish I could add that we had parted on good terms, but I cannot.’ The twelve pupils sat aghast. In losing Paul Prim they had lost a friend. When Miss Smalway had retired their indignation burst forth, and the remarks which they passed on their mistress were not complimentary. ' Oh, the odious old cat! she has done some mean thing about money,’ observed the more knowing ones; and others talked of asking their parents to withdraw them from Aoania House, since the lively Hosier was no longer going to teach there. A mutinous spirit was rife in the school during the rest of the afternoon, and even the sharp Hiss Bickel was unequal to keeping order in her division. How much less, then, could Rose Cherril maintain it in hers 5 It was her turn to take the singing-class, and when Miss Smalway oame into the music-room to maka an announcement similar to that which she had published in Miss Eoundy’s class, the junior governess’s face became wan, and it was a merciful relief to her that the girls began to babble at such a rate that all singing was out of the question. How could she have sung with her heart drooping in speechless dejection ? When the afternoon classes were ended, and the pupils of Acacia House were partaking of weak tea and bread and butter in the refectory, Miss Smalway summoned Rose Cherril into her study for the purpose of venting her sentiments. She sat in a chair of state behind a table covered with copy hooks aud tradesmen s bills ; her grey brow glowered, and the first remark she uttered was aimed like a projectile in a combat.

‘ Above all things,’ she said, with a comminatory way of the head, ‘ I mnst request that you never again mention the name of that Frenchman fn my presence, Rose Oherril. ’

Now this was the more irrational as Rose had never mentioned Paul Brim’s name {at least to Miss Smalway) of her own accord except in connection with school matters But Miss Smalway only said this by way of opening lire. Rose stood in the middle of the room, her pretty head bent, and bushing as if she deserved reproach. The day’s events had taken her aback, and this sudden exposure of the tcndcrcst, most sacred feelings of her heart before Miss Smalway was trying to her maidenly modesty. But she was a straightforward girl, who could bear herself in a false position with dignity. ‘ I am afraid you have had a painful interview with Monsieur Brim,’ she said. * I know you meant kindly by me, Miss Smalway, but I wish you had not spoken to him.’ ‘I did not act out of kindness to you,’ answered the schoolmistress truthfully. ‘lt is my duty fa know th,c ins and outs of idylls that take place under my roof, and this is why I asked this M sicr to tell me, like; a man, how he meant to deal with you.’ ‘ I knew he could not care for me,’ faltered Roae. ‘But the man loves you so that he grew quite stupid prosing over your perfections.’ ‘ He loves me ?’ echoed Rose, whose eyes suddenly lit up, whilst a deep tinge overspread her face and brightened it. ‘ Y 7 es, the madcap! it’s for love of you that ho has been moping these many weeks, and yen he says there is a barrier between you and him which he cannot break down. A barrier forsooth, Now, Rose Cherril, are you a girl of spirit or do yon mean to sit down tamely under this sort of fudge V ‘ What am I to do H’ asked Rose, who was in a soft rapture, caused by the words she had just h'a- d. e Do? Why, would you have me believe : that it is a matter of no moment to you that a man who has stolen your heart should act like a lunatic?’

* Miss Smalway ’ ‘Tin's Frenchman i* trifling with yon.’ screamed the scraggy schoolmistress. ‘ For he says thsjb he is n-'t married, and yet not at liberty to marry, though he will not sneak more explicitly. Da yen think that ; f any you-g m m loved me, and I loved him, I would suffer us to be parted by some nonsensical reason that wa> not explained to me? I wou’d run after the creature to the end c,f the world, and say to. him, ‘Out with your secret, sir, out wit a it. Don’t tbrnk to i) a e a goose of ne, sir. I’m a young woman who knows what is duo to my wx,' 5

Any third party would have been amused by the vehemence which Miss Smalway threw into her dictation of a maiden’s duties under amorous circumstances ; but Rose of course saw nothing to smile at ‘‘he was puzzled to tliink what could be the reason tha prevented Paul B'nn from marrying anybody, and deeply distressed was she that there should he such a reason. Pitying the exile’s woes more than her own, she was afraid that some great sorrow must he clouding his life. Rose knew little of Paul’s history beyond the fact that he had incurred a capital sentence for taking pari in an insurrection ; hut niight it not he that the shame of this condemnation oppressed him more than he cared to own, and made him morbidly reluctant to ask any girl to wear a name which some might consider disgraced ? Miss Smalway, however, dispelled these conjectures by the account she vouchsafed of her interview with the Frenchman. ‘ I asked the man whether he lived in fear of the police, but he answered No,’ said she, rubbing her lean nose till it glowed. ‘He relies that an amnesty will some day allow him to re-enter his precious country, and meanwhile ho is not the least ashamed of being an outlaw, for he says that ho is only the soldier in a vanquished cause that will triumph some day, and other such flapdoodle stuff. As to money, he appears to have enough, for his educational books are selling well, and ho acts as London correspondent to some Parisian paper. ‘ Why, in the name of patience, can’t you marry ?’ I asked for the tenth or eleventh time ; but he only wobbled that foreign head of his, sighing and vowing that if he had fancied he was going to disturb your peace he would have taken himself off long ago. Ho took that opportunity of resigning his functions in the academy, saying that he had felt for some while that it was too miserable to see you so often without daring to tell you how dear you were to him. ‘ Well, then,’said I, ‘you may flatter yourself that you have done a fine piece of work by your dearie. If you had seen her crying her eyes out this afternoon, you might have reflected that it’s not so easy to mend a broken heart as a teacup.’ ‘Oh, Miss Smalway, did you tell him that?’ exclaimed Rose, scarlet with confusion. ‘‘ >f course I did, and I promise you I made him wince,’ rejoined the implacable schoolmistress. ‘ But now, Rose Cherril, you fate is in your own hands. If you like to prove to this Mosier that you are not a bread-and-butter miss, to be flouted at his pleasure, wo will go up to London to-morrow and rout him out at his lodging*, and you shall have it out with him in my presence.’ ‘No, thank you. Oh! anything but that,’ replied Rose, shocked at the suggestion. ‘ As you please,’ observed Miss Smalway, puckering up her lips ; * but in that case, having done my best for you, I wash my hands of your concerns. And now let us talk of something else.” Here the schoolmistress abruptly altered her tone. * I want you to go into Richmond and carry some orders to the confectioner and florist about our prize-day feast; there are so many ices to be bespoken, and other things which you will find on this list. You don’t object to taking a walk ?’ ‘No; I should like it,’ said Rose Cherril faintly. ‘Amlto go alone ?’ ‘ Yea. If it is your turn to take the first class for their airing, you must ask Miss Boundy to do that in your stead. After what has occurred to-day I dare say you will like to have your evening to yourself, eh ?’ {To he continued .)