He did, and expressed in flattering terms his satisfaction at my answers.

The subject of salary next came on; it was fixed at one thousand francs per annum, besides board and lodging.
"And in addition," suggested M.Pelet, "as there will be some hours in each day during which your services will not be required in my establishment, you may, in time, obtain employment in other seminaries, and thus turn your vacant moments to profitable account." I thought this very kind, and indeed I found afterwards that the terms on which M.Pelet had engaged me were really liberal for Brussels; instruction being extremely cheap there on account of the number of teachers.

It was further arranged that I should be installed in my new post the very next day, after which M.Pelet and I parted.
Well, and what was he like?
and what were my impressions concerning him?
He was a man of about forty years of age, of middle size, and rather emaciated figure; his face was pale, his cheeks were sunk, and his eyes hollow; his features were pleasing and regular, they had a French turn (for M.Pelet was no Fleming, but a Frenchman both by birth and parentage), yet the degree of harshness inseparable from Gallic lineaments was, in his case, softened by a mild blue eye, and a melancholy, almost suffering, expression of countenance; his physiognomy was "fine et spirituelle." I use two French words because they define better than any English terms the species of intelligence with which his features were imbued.

He was altogether an interesting and prepossessing personage.

I wondered only at the utter absence of all the ordinary characteristics of his profession, and almost feared he could not be stern and resolute enough for a schoolmaster.