"Naturally, my dear daughter; for even as a servant of bad morals may cause the utmost trouble in a respectable family, so the bad conduct of a master or mistress may have the most baneful influence on the persons who serve them, or who come to work in their houses.Now, it is to offer a mutual guarantee to good masters and honest servants, that we have founded this institution."
"Oh, madame!" cried Mother Bunch, with simplicity; "such designs merit the thanks and blessings of every one."
"And blessings do not fail us, my dear daughter, because we perform our promises.Thus, an interesting workwoman--such as you, for example--is placed with persons that we suppose irreproachable.Should she, however, perceive, on the part of her employers, or on that of the persons who frequent the house, any irregularity of morals, any tendency to what would offend her modesty, or shock her religious principles, she should immediately give us a detailed account of the circumstances that have caused her alarm.Nothing can be more proper--don't you think so?"
"Yes, mother," answered Mother Bunch, timidly, for she began to find this provision somewhat singular.
"Then," resumed the superior, "if the case appears a serious one, we exhort our befriended one to observe what passes more attentively, so as to convince herself whether she had really reason to be alarmed.She makes a new report to us, and should it confirm our first fears, faithful to our pious guardianship, we withdraw her instantly from the house.
Moreover, as the majority of our young people, notwithstanding their innocence and virtue, have not always sufficient experience to distinguish what may be injurious to their soul's health, we think it greatly to their interest that they should confide to us once a week, as a child would to her mother, either in person or by letter, whatever has chanced to occur in the house in which we have placed them.Then we can judge for them, whether to withdraw them or not.We have already about a hundred persons, companions to ladies, young women in shops, servants, and needlewomen by the day, whom we have placed in a great number of families, and, for the interest of all, we have every reason to congratulate ourselves on this mode of proceeding.You understand me, do you not, my dear daughter?"
"Yes-yes, mother," said the sempstress, more and more embarrassed.She had too much uprightness and sagacity not to perceive that this plan of mutually insuring the morality of masters and servants resembled a vast spy system, brought home to the domestic hearth, and carried on by the members of the institution almost without their knowledge, for it would have been difficult to disguise more skillfully the employment for which they were trained.
"If I have entered into these long details my dear daughter," resumed Mother Sainte-Perpetue, taking the hearer's silence for consent, "it is that you may not suppose yourself obliged to remain in the house in question, if, against our expectation, you should not find there holy and pious examples.I believe Mme.de Bremont's house to be a pure and godly place; only I have heard (though I will not believe it) that Mme.de Bremont's daughter, Mme.de Noisy, who has lately come to reside with her, is not so exemplary in her conduct as could be desired, that she does not fulfil regularly her religious duties, and that, during the absence of her husband, who is now in America, she receives visits, unfortunately too frequent, from one M.Hardy, a rich manufacturer."
At the name of Agricola's master, Mother Bunch could not suppress a movement of surprise, and also blushed slightly.The superior naturally mistook this surprise and confusion for a proof of the modest susceptibility of the young sempstress, and added: "I have told you all this, my dear daughter, that you might be on your guard.I have even mentioned reports that I believe to be completely erroneous, for the daughter of Mme.de Bremont has always had such good examples before her that she cannot have so forgotten them.But, being in the house from morning to night, you will be able, better than any one, to discover if these reports have any foundation in truth.Should it unfortunately so turn out, my dear daughter, you would come and confide to me all the circumstances that have led you to such a conclusion; and, should I then agree in your opinion, I would withdraw you instantly from the house--for the piety of the mother would not compensate sufficiently for the deplorable example of the daughter's conduct.For, as soon as you form part of the institution, I am responsible for your salvation, and, in case your delicacy should oblige you to leave Mme.de Bremont's, as you might be some time without employment, the institution will allow you, if satisfied with your zeal and conduct, one franc a day till we could find you another place.You see, my dear daughter, that you have everything to gain with us.It is therefore agreed that the day after to-morrow you go to Mme.de Bremont's." Mother Bunch found herself in a very hard position.Sometimes she thought that her first suspicions were confirmed, and, notwithstanding her timidity, her pride felt hurt at the supposition, that, because they knew her poor, they should believe her capable of selling herself as a spy for the sake of high wages.