“The rule on the subject of letters was in your bedroom.”
“I know.”
“You had read the rules?”
“That is true; but they did not make any impression on me; I did not remember any of them.”
“You must tell me exactly what occurred; also on what dates you posted the letters.”
Gradually, piece by piece, the Baroness got the information from me. My conduct seemed to grow blacker and blacker in my own eyes. The Baroness evidently thought very badly of me. After a time she said:
“I shall be forced to make a distinction between you and the other girls. It must be known amongst the English girls—and we have six or seven in this establishment—that their letters will still be unread, that their correspondence will still be unmolested, with the exception of the correspondence and letters of one girl—Rachel Grant. In future you must post every letter in the box in the hall, and each letter you receive must be first of all opened and read by me before it is handed to you. That is your just punishment. I could do much more severe things, but I will to a certain extent overlook your inexperience.”
I left the room feeling as though the very floor would open to receive me. I went upstairs with my cheeks on fire. How was I to live? How was I to endure this?
Presently Mademoiselle Wrex followed me.
“Oh mademoiselle, I cannot bear this!” I exclaimed. “I must go away.”