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Page 26
There are about fifteen boarders, all young, and belonging to the best
families.
Every one speaks highly of Miss Marianne, the Starost Swidzinski's
sister, now married to the Castellan of Polaniec; she spent two years at
the school, and has left an ineffaceable impression in the hearts of
Madame Strumle and her young companions. They say she was very
accomplished, very good and sensible, very gay, and very studious.
My parents, after having made a thorough examination of the school, felt
quite satisfied; and truly they might well be so, for no one could be
more securely guarded in a convent than here. Madame keeps the key of
the front door always in her pocket; no one can go out or come in
without her knowledge, and were it not for two or three aged masters of
music and the languages, we might be in danger of forgetting the very
existence of _man_-kind.
It is expressly forbidden to receive visits even from one's male cousins
within the walls of the school. The dancing master desired that the
young potockis should come and learn quadrilles with their sisters and
myself, but madame rejected this proposition at once, saying, 'These
gentlemen are not the brothers of all my boarders, and I cannot permit
them to enter my school.'
We have masters in French and German, as also in drawing, music, and
embroidery. We learn music on a fine piano of five octaves and a half.
What an improvement on that of Maleszow! Some of the scholars play
polonaises very well, but not by rote; they read them from the notes. My
master tells me that in six months I will have reached this perfection;
but then I already had some ideas of music when I came.
I draw quite well from the patterns set before me, but ere I proceed any
further, I wish to paint a tree in oil colors. On one of the branches I
will hang a garland of flowers, encircling the cypher of my parents, and
will thus testify to them my gratitude for all they have done for me,
and especially for the care they have bestowed upon my education.
The young Princess Sapieha, who has been here a year, is at present
employed upon such a picture, and I envy her her pleasure every time my
eyes fall upon the work.
What a fine effect my picture will make in our hall at Maleszow, beneath
the portrait of our good uncle, the Bishop of Kamieniec!
Our dancing master, besides the minuet and quadrilles, teaches us to
walk and courtesy gracefully. To tell the truth, I was so ignorant when
I came, that I knew but one mode of making a salutation; but there are
several kinds, which must be employed toward personages of different
ranks; one for the king, another for the princes of the blood, and still
another for lords and ladies of rank.
I learned first how to salute the prince royal, and succeeded quite
well; some day, perhaps, this knowledge may be useful to me.
My lessons follow one another regularly, and I am so anxious to learn
that the time passes rapidly and agreeably.
My mother is very much occupied with family affairs, and has been only
once to see me.
When I first entered the school, everything surprised me, but what
seemed to me most strange was that I was continually reproved, and even
obliged to undergo real penance. An iron cross was placed at my back to
make me hold myself upright, and my limbs were enclosed in a kind of
wooden box, to straighten them. I must however think that they were
already quite straight enough. All that was not very amusing for me, who
thought myself already a young lady. Since Barbara's marriage I had
myself been asked in marriage, and the prince palatine had not treated
me as if I were a child!
Madame Strumle has commanded me to omit in future these words from my
prayers: 'O my God, give me a good husband,' and to say instead, 'Give
me the grace to profit by the good education I am receiving.'
One must here work continually, or think of one's work, and of nothing
else.
Sunday, _April 28th_.
I have been nearly three weeks at Madame Strumle's school, and my poor
journal has been quite neglected during all that time; but the
uniformity of my life, these monotonous hours, all passed in the
constant repetition of the same occupations, afford no matter for
interesting details or descriptions.
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