Madame de Renal, on her side, was completely taken in by Julien's beautiful complexion, his big black eyes, and his pretty hair, which was more than usually curly, because he had just plunged his head into the basin of the public fountain in order to refresh himself.
She was over-joyed to find that this sinister tutor, whom she had feared to find so harsh and severe to her children, had, as a matter of fact, the timid manner of a girl.
The contrast between her fears and what she now saw, proved a great event for Madame de Renal's peaceful temperament.
Finally, she recovered from her surprise. She was astonished to find herself at the gate of her own house talking in this way and at such close quarters to this young and somewhat scantily dressed man.
"Let us go in, Monsieur," she said to him with a certain air of embarrassment.
During Madame de Renal's whole life she had never been so deeply moved by such a sense of pure pleasure. Never had so gracious a vision followed in the wake of her disconcerting fears.
So these pretty children of whom she took such care were not after all to fall into the hands of a dirty grumbling priest.
She had scarcely entered the vestibule when she turned round towards Julien, who was following her trembling.
His astonishment at the sight of so fine a house proved but an additional charm in Madame de Renal's eyes.
She could not believe her own eyes. It seemed to her, above all, that the tutor ought to have a black suit.
"But is it true, Monsieur," she said to him, stopping once again, and in mortal fear that she had made a mistake, so happy had her discovery made her.
"Is it true that you know Latin?"
These words offended Julien's pride, and dissipated the charming atmosphere which he had been enjoying for the last quarter of an hour.
"Yes, Madame," he said, trying to assume an air of coldness, "I know Latin as well as the cure, who has been good enough to say sometimes that I know it even better."
Madame de Renal thought that Julien looked extremely wicked. He had stopped two paces from her.
She approached and said to him in a whisper:
"You won't beat my children the first few days, will you, even if they do not know their lessons?"
The softness and almost supplication of so beautiful a lady made Julien suddenly forget what he owed to his reputation as a Latinist.
Madame de Renal's face was close to his own. He smelt the perfume of a woman's summer clothing, a quite astonishing experience for a poor peasant. Julien blushed extremely, and said with a sigh in a faltering voice:
"Fear nothing, Madame, I will obey you in everything."
It was only now, when her anxiety about her children had been relieved once and for all, that Madame de Renal was struck by Julien's extreme beauty.
The comparative effeminancy of his features and his air of extreme embarrassment did not seem in any way ridiculous to a woman who was herself extremely timid. The male air, which is usually considered essential to a man's beauty, would have terrified her.
"How old are you, sir," she said to Julien.
"Nearly nineteen."
"My elder son is eleven," went on Madame de Renal, who had completely recovered her confidence.
"He will be almost a chum for you. You will talk sensibly to him.
His father started beating him once. The child was ill for a whole week, and yet it was only a little tap."
What a difference between him and me, thought Julien.
Why, it was only yesterday that my father beat me.
How happy these rich people are.
Madame de Renal, who had already begun to observe the fine nuances of the workings in the tutor's mind, took this fit of sadness for timidity and tried to encourage him.
"What is your name, Monsieur?" she said to him, with an accent and a graciousness whose charm Julien appreciated without being able to explain.
"I am called Julien Sorel, Madame. I feel nervous of entering a strange house for the first time in my life. I have need of your protection and I want you to make many allowances for me during the first few days.
I have never been to the college, I was too poor. I have never spoken to anyone else except my cousin who was Surgeon-Major, Member of the Legion of Honour, and M. the cure Chelan.
He will give you a good account of me.
My brothers always used to beat me, and you must not believe them if they speak badly of me to you. You must forgive my faults, Madame. I shall always mean everything for the best."
Julien had regained his confidence during this long speech. He was examining Madame de Renal.
Perfect grace works wonders when it is natural to the character, and above all, when the person whom it adorns never thinks of trying to affect it.
Julien, who was quite a connoisseur in feminine beauty, would have sworn at this particular moment that she was not more than twenty.
The rash idea of kissing her hand immediately occurred to him.
He soon became frightened of his idea. A minute later he said to himself, it will be an act of cowardice if I do not carry out an action which may be useful to me, and lessen the contempt which this fine lady probably has for a poor workman just taken away from the saw-mill.
Possibly Julien was a little encouraged through having heard some young girls repeat on Sundays during the last six months the words "pretty boy."
During this internal debate, Madame de Renal was giving him two or three hints on the way to commence handling the children.
The strain Julien was putting on himself made him once more very pale. He said with an air of constraint.
"I will never beat your children, Madame. I swear it before God."
In saying this, he dared to take Madame de Renal's hand and carry it to his lips.
She was astonished at this act, and after reflecting, became shocked.
As the weather was very warm, her arm was quite bare underneath the shawl, and Julien's movement in carrying her hand to his lips entirely uncovered it.
After a few moments she scolded herself. It seemed to her that her anger had not been quick enough.
M. de Renal, who had heard voices, came out of his study, and assuming the same air of paternal majesty with which he celebrated marriages at the mayoral office, said to Julien: