companion, nor her children’s governess; she left me free: she tied me to nothing⁠—not to herself⁠—not even to her interests: once, when she had for a fortnight been called from home by a near relation’s illness, and on her return, all anxious and full of care about her establishment, lest something in her absence should have gone wrong⁠—finding that matters had proceeded much as usual, and that there was no evidence of glaring neglect⁠—she made each of the teachers a present, in acknowledgment of steadiness. To my bedside she came at twelve o’clock at night, and told me she had no present for me. “I must make fidelity advantageous to the St. Pierre,” said she; “if I attempt to make it advantageous to you, there will arise misunderstanding between us⁠—perhaps separation. One thing, however, I can do to please you⁠—leave you alone with your liberty: c’est-ce que je ferai .” 139