of life, and since the matter was talked over by all the members of the
family, I went about for several days feeling as if I were on the eve
of being sent to prison, for I imagined that a boarding-school had high
walls and windows guarded by iron bars.

But, upon reflection, they considered that I was too frail and delicate
a human plant to be thrown in contact with those others of my kind
who, in all probability, would play roughly, and have bad manners; they
concluded, therefore, to keep me at home a little longer.

At any rate I was delivered from "Mr. Ratin." The old professor, rotund
of figure and kind of manner, who succeeded him, was less distasteful to
me, but I made just as little progress under his care. In the afternoon,
at about the time for his arrival, I would hastily begin to prepare my
lessons. I was then usually to be found at my window, hidden behind the
venetian blinds, with my book open at the page containing the lesson;
and when I saw him come into view at the turning near the bottom of the
street I commenced to study it.

And generally by the time he arrived I knew enough to receive, if not to
merit, a "pretty good," a mark over which I did not grumble.

I had also my English professor who came to me every morning,--and
whom I nicknamed Aristogiton (I do not now recall why). Following the
Robertson method, he had me paraphrase the history of Sultan Mahmoud.
Outside of that, the only thing that I am sure of is that I accomplished
nothing, absolutely nothing, less than nothing; but he had the
good taste not to growl at me, and in consequence I have an almost
affectionate remembrance of him.