Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-05-14

Monsieur Camus into the other room, told
him that she could not think of sending her
nephew to his school, as he was known to be
such shocking bad character that she had
good authority for what she said; but not
liking to make mischief, would theper-
son from whom she had learned this. She spoke
so loud, that Annette and could hear every
word poor Annette cried all the time. When
the dyer's wife was gone-and she did not
stay long-Monsieur Camus came out, looking
so sad, that it made my heart ache. Poor
man, he was thinking about his rent, and
wondering what he should dol"
Every word that Paul uttered smote Mad
anne Marengo to the heart. Instantly she un-
derwent revolution of feeling. Her hatred
turned to compassion. She was evidently
the cause of all this mischief, and bitterly did
she repent ever having uttered word against
the schoolmaster. Whilst Paul remained with
her, Madame Marengo laid her feelings under
some restraint, but as soon as she was alone,
she began wondering how she could repair
the injury she had inflicted on M. Camus.-
This seemed difficult enough but though
hopeless of success, she resolved to speak to
the dyers wife the next morning. As she
had expected, she failed; the boy had already
been sent to another school the dyer's wife
was besides, one of those persons who make
ii rule never to retract a resolution, however
absurd or erroneous it may be. Madame
Marengo came home with heavy heart
What was she to do 2 To throw herself on the
tender mercies of M. Camus, and tell him all !
But besides that the cardeuse wanted sufficient
magnanimity for this, she knew that il would
not restore the lost scholar. After mature
deliberation, she at length resolved to make
another effort to get reconciled to the school
master, hoping to be able to render him some
has
of which she was the cause. This very same
day Paul was charged to bear proposals of
peace to NJ. Pascal Camus from Madame Ma
rengo. In his present humbled condftian, M.
Camus found this exceedingly gratifying.
You see Paul." he observed with calm
dignity, "the moral power of genius. have
at length compelled Nadine Marengo to ac-
knowledge, as she was bound to do, my SUI
periority. l cannot, however, grant her re-
quest without certain restrictions. She has
braved me too long for this, and it would not
do to let people think they have only to ask
my forgiveness in order to obtain it"
Accordingly, NJ. Camus clogged his consent
by so many vexatious and naughty clauses,
that Paul declared Madame Marengo would
never submit to them. "I don't care, sir"
replied the infexible schoolmaster; ~ did
not make any friendly proposals to Madame
Marengo; If she will not agree to the terms
offer, it is perfectly indifferent to me. But
she will agree to them, depend upon it, i" he
added with a complacent smile; g saw it in
her eye the last time she attempted to insult
me; that woman's spirit is conquered, sir.'
Though Paul somewhat doubted this asser-
tion, he mentioned to Madame Marengo the
conditions ON which the schoolmaster had
agreed to receive her into his favor. To his
great surprise, she agreed to everything. But
NJ. Camus was not astonished; he had pre-
dicted that it would be so. When il was I'M
derstood in the house that Madame Marengo
and NJ. Pascal Camus were on good terms, the
news was heard with that suspicious astonish-
ment which might have been felt OF yore il
peace had been proclaimed between Rome and
Carthage. The FORTRESS declared, for herpart
| that ii was only hollow truce, and most OF
the dodgers shared in this belief. Matters
went on, however, much better than these
charitable individuals had anticipated. M.
Pascal Camus was all condescending kindness,
and Madame Marengo much more submissive
and respectful than could have been anticipa-
ted; but the truth was, that her soul was bur
dened with remorse' and she longed to repair
the mischief she had occasioned by rendering
her former enemy some signal service. M.
Camus, however, would give her no opportu-
nifty of doing this he was so exceedingly dig
diments in her way, that Madame MarengC
fretted and fumed in the excess of her impa
thence. ''This only increased, /" as the school
master expressed it, "the strong necessity
which existed for him to keep Madame Maren-
go at proper distance. For you see my
dear sir, i" he would observe to Paul-he was
always wonderfully polite--''it would never
do to allow such people to be familiar with
me, merely because they happen to be little
good-natured, and all that. Madame Maren-
go has good points, | allow; but | must con
fess that to me she always smells of the bar
racks"
/ Matters had gone on thus for about month,
during which Madame Marengo had more than
once been strongly tempted to quarrel with
NJ. Camus for not allowing her to serve him in
some way or other, when, luckily for her, but
as it proved, rather unfortunately forhim, SHE
found an opportunity of displaying her zeal
The schoolmaster fell dangerously ILL., and NJ
the doctor declared that he had contagious
fever, the school was deserted in no time
Annette attended on her father with the great
est devotedness, but in few days she wal
laid up with the same disease. Now was th'
time for Madame Marengo to show her friend
ship. Paul was very willing to do everything
in his power for the poor schoolmaster; but tn,
cardeuse declared that he was only in the way
anu 81 luultBtuy that bht mhOlO "
waiting on M. Camus and his daughter sooi
rested on herself. She did everything; clean
ed the rooms prepared the necessary tisdneS
attended on the two patients with unwearie(
zeal, paid the rent and the doctor without say
ing anything about it; in short, she would
even have given the lessons to the pupils,
they had not been all gone away. And he
zeal was so exemplary, that every one admi
red it, excepting the Fortress, who declared
with wink, that she was as knowing as Ma
dame Marengo, and could see through he
arts; which meant that the cardeuse enter
tanned matrimonial designs on M. Camus.
such was indeed the case, Madame Marengo
expectations did not seem likely to be reali
zed, for though Annette was soon out of dan
ger, her father grew worse every day. Hi
mind, however, was perfectly sound; and it i
only Just to say, that if his heart had lonl
been obdurate, it now seemed to be entirel,
softened in favor of his kind nurse. Thougl
Madame Marengo had lived amongst soldiers
, and in barracks, and though her manners wer
not irreproachably genteel, she had tru
and honest heart and with all her outwar
: roughness, none knew better than she dit
how to render a service in delicate manner
The schoolmaster saw all this, and he nos
wondered why or how he had ever hated Ma
dame Marengo.
One evening, when the schoolmaster wa
revolving those thoughts in his mind, he sud
{ denly turned towards the cardeuse, who wa
; sitting at the head of his bed, and earnestl.
. observed, madame, if die, | think can in
, trust Annette to your care. know" he ad
ded, with patronizing air, which even nov
he could not quite cast away, that | nigh
, confde her to more educated and accom-
plished lady, but doubt whether could fin
one with kinder heart"
M. Pascal Camus spoke this in the tone o