Do you see any of them as a possible lover for me?’
‘True.
But you might be vicious enough …’
He gripped my arms and flashed his eyes and teeth.
How hot it was here!
I would have been only too pleased if he would have let me go back to the classroom.
‘If you’re ill, why don’t you come and consult me at my house?’
I answered too hurriedly,
‘No!
I won’t go …’ And I tried to free my arms, but he held me firmly and raised burning, mischievous eyes to mine.
They were handsome eyes too, it’s true.
‘Oh, you little thing, you charming little thing, why are you frightened?
You’re so wrong to be frightened of me!
Do you think I’m a cad?
You’ve absolutely nothing to fear … nothing.
Oh, little Claudine, you’re so frightfully attractive with your warm brown eyes and your wild curls!
You’re made like an adorable little statue, I’ll swear you are …’
He stood up suddenly, clasped me in his arms and kissed me; I hadn’t time to escape, he was too strong and virile, and my head was in a whirl … What a situation!
I no longer knew what I was saying, my brain was going round and round … Yet I couldn’t go back to the classroom, all red and shaken as I was, and I could hear him behind me … I was certain he was going to want to kiss me again … I opened the front door, rushed out into the playground and dashed up to the pump where I drank a mug of water.
Ouf! … I must go back … But he must be ambushed in the passage.
Ah! After all, who cares!
I’d scream if he tried to do it again … It was because he’d kissed me on the corner of the mouth, which was the best he could do, that beast!
No, he wasn’t in the corridor. What luck!
I went back into the classroom and there I saw him, standing by the desk and calmly chatting to Mademoiselle Sergent.
I sat down in my place; he looked at me searchingly and inquired:
‘You didn’t drink too much water, I hope?
These kids, they swallow mugfuls of cold water, it’s shockingly bad for the health.’
I was bolder with everyone there.
‘No, I only drank a mouthful. That was quite enough, I shan’t take any more.’
He laughed and looked pleased:
‘You’re a funny girl. But you’re not a complete idiot.’
Mademoiselle Sergent did not understand, but the uneasiness that puckered her eyebrows gradually smoothed itself out.
All that remained was her contempt for the deplorable manners I displayed towards her idol.
Personally, I was furious with him: he was stupid!
The lanky Anais guessed that something was up and could not restrain herself from asking me:
‘I say, did he examine you awfully close to, to make you so upset?’
But I certainly wasn’t going to tell her.
‘Don’t be an idiot!
I tell you, I went out to the pump.’
Little Luce, in her turn, rubbed herself against me like a fidgety cat and ventured to question me:
‘Do tell me, Claudine darling, whatever made him take you off like that?’
‘To begin with I’m not “Claudine darling” to you. And, besides, it’s none of your business, you little rat.
He had to consult me about the standardization of pensions.
And that’s that.’
‘You never want to tell me anything. And I tell you all!’
‘All what?
A fat lot of use it is to me to know that your sister doesn’t pay her board or yours either – and that Mademoiselle Olympe heaps her with presents – and that she wears silk petticoats – and that …’
‘Ssh! Oh, please, stop!
I’d be absolutely done for if they knew I’d told you all that!’
‘Then, don’t ask me anything.