"Again," she continued, "you speak good English, but your spelling is bad, and your writing worse. You are better acquainted with English literature than I am--that is, you have read more. You have read indiscriminately; even the t.i.tles of some of the books you have read are not admissible."
The dark eyes flashed, and the pale, grand face was stirred as though by some sudden emotion.
"There was a large library in the house where we lived," she explained, hurriedly, "and I read every book in it. I read from early morning until late at night, and sometimes from night until morning; there was no one to tell me what was right and what was wrong, Miss Hastings."
"Then," continued the governess, "you have written a spirited poem on Anne Boleyn, but you know nothing of English history--neither the dates nor the incidents of a single reign. You have written the half of a story, the scene of which is laid in the tropics, yet of geography you have not the faintest notion. Of matters such as every girl has some idea of--of biography, of botany, of astronomy--you have not even a glimmer. The chances are, that if you engaged in conversation with any sensible person, you would equally astonish, first by the clever things you would utter, and then by the utter ignorance you would display."
"I cannot be flattered, Miss Hastings," Pauline put in, "because you humiliate me; nor can I be humiliated, because you flatter me."
But Miss Hastings pursued her criticisms steadily.
"You have not the slightest knowledge of arithmetic. As for knowledge of a higher cla.s.s, you have none. You are dreadfully deficient. You say that you have read Auguste Comte, but you do not know the answer to the first question in your church catechism. Your education requires beginning all over again. You have never had any settled plan of study, I should imagine."
"No. I learned drawing from Jules Lacroix. Talk of talent, Miss Hastings. You should have known him--he was the handsomest artist I ever saw. There was something so picturesque about him."
"Doubtless," was the dry response; "but I think "picturesque" is not the word to use in such a case. Music, I presume, you taught yourself?"
The girl"s whole face brightened--her manner changed.
"Yes, I taught myself; poor papa could not afford to pay for my lessons.
Shall I play to you, Miss Hastings?"
There was a piano in the study, a beautiful and valuable instrument, which Sir Oswald had ordered for his niece.
"I shall be much pleased to hear you," said Miss Hastings.
Pauline Darrell rose and went to the piano. Her face then was as the face of one inspired. She sat down and played a few chords, full, beautiful, and harmonious.
"I will sing to you," she said. "We often went to the opera--papa, Jules, Louis, and myself. I used to sing everything I heard. This is from "Il Puritani.""
And she sang one of the most beautiful solos in the opera.
Her voice was magnificent, full, ringing, vibrating with pa.s.sion--a voice that, like her face, could hardly be forgotten; but she played and sang entirely after a fashion of her own.
"Now, Miss Hastings," she said, "I will imitate Adelina Patti."
Face, voice, manner, all changed; she began one of the far-famed prima-donna"s most admired songs, and Miss Hastings owned to herself that if she had closed her eyes she might have believed Madame Patti present.
"This is _a la_ Christine Nilsson," continued Pauline; and again the imitation was brilliant and perfect.
The magnificent voice did not seem to tire, though she sang song after song, and imitated in the most marvelous manner some of the grandest singers of the day. Miss Hasting left her seat and went up to her.
"You have a splendid voice, my dear, and great musical genius. Now tell me, do you know a single note of music?"
"Not one," was the quick reply.
"You know nothing of the keys, time, or anything else?"
"Why should I trouble myself when I could play without learning anything of the kind?"
"But that kind of playing, Pauline, although it is very clever, would not do for educated people."
"Is it not good enough for them?" she asked, serenely.
"No; one cannot help admiring it, but any educated person hearing you would detect directly that you did not know your notes."
"Would they think much less of me on that account?" she asked, with the same serenity.
"Yes; every one would think it sad to see so much talent wasted. You must begin to study hard; you must learn to play by note, not by ear, and then all will be well. You love music, Pauline?"
How the beautiful face glowed and the dark eyes shone.
"I love it," she said, "because I can put my whole soul into it--there is room for one"s soul in it. You will be shocked, I know, but that is why I liked Comte"s theories--because they filled my mind, and gave me so much to think of."
"Were I in your place I should try to forget them, Pauline."
"You should have seen Sir Oswald"s face when I told him I had read Comte and Darwin. He positively groaned aloud."
And she laughed as she remembered his misery.
"I feel very much inclined to groan myself," said Miss Hastings. "You shall have theories, or facts, higher, more beautiful, n.o.bler, grander far than any Comte ever dreamed. And now we must begin to work in real earnest."
But Pauline Darrell did not move; her dark eyes were shadowed, her beautiful face grew sullen and determined.
"You are going to spoil my life," she said. "Hitherto it has been a glorious life--free, gladsome, and bright; now you are going to parcel it out. There will be no more sunshiny hours; you are going to reduce me to a kind of machine, to cut off all my beautiful dreams, my lofty thoughts. You want to make me a formal, precise young lady, who will laugh, speak, and think by rule."
"I want to make you a sensible woman, my dear Pauline," corrected Miss Hastings, gravely.
"Who is the better or the happier for being so sensible?" demanded Pauline.
She paused for a few minutes, and then she added, suddenly:
"Darrell Court and all the wealth of the Darrells are not worth it, Miss Hastings."
"Not worth what, Pauline?"
"Not worth the price I must pay."
"What is the price?" asked Miss Hastings, calmly.
"My independence, my freedom of action and thought, my liberty of speech."
"Do you seriously value these more highly than all that Sir Oswald could leave you?"
"I do--a thousand times more highly," she replied.
Miss Hastings was silent for some few minutes, and then said:
"We must do our best; suppose we make a compromise? I will give you all the liberty that I honestly can, in every way, and you shall give your attention to the studies I propose. I will make your task as easy as I can for you. Darrell Court is worth a struggle."