“Monsieur est raisonnable, n’est-ce pas?”
“Yes; especially when I am requested to be so in English: but why do you ask me? You see nothing vehement or obtrusive in my manner; am I not tranquil enough?”
“Ce n’est pas cela—” began Frances.
“English!” I reminded her.
“Well, monsieur, I wished merely to say, that I should like, of course, to retain my employment of teaching. You will teach still, I suppose, monsieur?”
“Oh, yes! It is all I have to depend on.”
“Bon!—I mean good. Thus we shall have both the same profession. I like that; and my efforts to get on will be as unrestrained as yours—will they not, monsieur?”
“You are laying plans to be independent of me,” said I.
“Yes, monsieur; I must be no incumbrance to you—no burden in any way.”
“But, Frances, I have not yet told you what my prospects are. I have left M. Pelet’s; and after nearly a month’s seeking, I have got another place, with a salary of three thousand francs a year, which I can easily double by a little additional exertion. Thus you see it would be useless for you to fag yourself by going out to give lessons; on six thousand francs you and I can live, and live well.”