under the direction of the Chief Priest's wife； or some one of his
near female relatives。 Here all well…to…do Jewish young women
completed their education； and here accordingly we find the Virgin；
whose parents desired she should shine in every accomplishment； and
enjoy all the advantages their ample means commanded。
I have met with no traces of the Virgin during the years between her
Presentation in the Temple and her becoming head girl at Temple
College。 These years； we may be assured； can hardly have been other
than eventful； but incidents； or bits of life； are like living
formsit is only here and here； as by rare chance； that one of them
gets arrested and fossilised； the greater number disappear like the
greater number of antediluvian molluscs； and no one can say why one
of these flies； as it were； of life should get preserved in amber
more than another。 Talk； indeed； about luck and cunning； what a
grain of sand as against a hundredweight is cunning's share here as
against luck's。 What moment could be more humdrum and unworthy of
special record than the one chosen by the artist for the chapel we
are considering？ Why should this one get arrested in its flight and
made immortal when so many worthier ones have perished？ Yet
preserved it assuredly is； it is as though some fairy's wand had
struck the medieval Miss Pinkerton； Amelia Sedley； and others who do
duty instead of the Hebrew originals。 It has locked them up as
sleeping beauties； whose charms all may look upon。 Surely the hours
are like the women grinding at the millthe one is taken and the
other left； and none can give the reason more than he can say why
Gallio should have won immortality by caring for none of 〃these
things。〃
It seems to me； moreover； that fairies have changed their practice
now in the matter of sleeping beauties； much as shopkeepers have
done in Regent Street。 Formerly the shopkeeper used to shut up his
goods behind strong shutters； so that no one might see them after
closing hours。 Now he leaves everything open to the eye and turns
the gas on。 So the fairies； who used to lock up their sleeping
beauties in impenetrable thickets； now leave them in the most public
places they can find； as knowing that they will there most certainly
escape notice。 Look at De Hooghe； look at 〃The Pilgrim's Progress；〃
or even Shakespeare himselfhow long they slept unawakened； though
they were in broad daylight and on the public thoroughfares all the
time。 Look at Tabachetti； and the masterpieces he left at Varallo。
His figures there are exposed to the gaze of every passer…by； yet
who heeds them？ Who； save a very few； even know of their existence？
Look again at Gaudenzio Ferrari； or the 〃Danse des Paysans；〃 by
Holbein； to which I ventured to call attention in the Universal
Review。 No； no； if a thing be in Central Africa； it is the glory of
this age to find it out； so the fairies think it safer to conceal
their proteges under a show of openness； for the schoolmaster is
much abroad； and there is no hedge so thick or so thorny as the
dulness of culture。
It may be； again； that ever so many years hence； when Mr。 Darwin's
earth…worms shall have buried Oropa hundreds of feet deep； some one
sinking a well or making a railway…cutting will unearth these
chapels； and will believe them to have been houses； and to contain
the exuviae of the living forms that tenanted them。 In the
meantime； however； let us return to a consideration of the chapel as
it may now be seen by any one who cares to pass that way。
The work consists of about forty figures in all； not counting
Cupids； and is divided into four main divisions。 First； there is
the large public sitting…room or drawing…room of the College； where
the elder young ladies are engaged in various elegant employments。
Three； at a table to the left； are making a mitre for the Bishop； as
may be seen from the model on the table。 Some are merely spinning
or about to spin。 One young lady； sitting rather apart from the
others； is doing an elaborate piece of needlework at a tambour…frame
near the window； others are making lace or slippers； probably for
the new curate； another is struggling with a letter； or perhaps a
theme； which seems to be giving her a good deal of trouble； but
which； when done； will； I am sure； be beautiful。 One dear little
girl is simply reading 〃Paul and Virginia〃 underneath the window；
and is so concealed that I hardly think she can be seen from the
outside at all； though from inside she is delightful； it was with
great regret that I could not get her into any photograph。 One most
amiable young woman has got a child's head on her lap； the child
having played itself to sleep。 All are industriously and agreeably
employed in some way or other； all are plump； all are nice looking；
there is not one Becky Sharp in the whole school； on the contrary；
as in 〃Pious Orgies；〃 all is piousor sub…piousand all； if not
great； is at least eminently respectable。 One feels that St。
Joachim and St。 Anne could not have chosen a school more
judiciously； and that if one had daughter oneself this is exactly
where one would wish to place her。 If there is a fault of any kind
in the arrangements； it is that they do not keep cats enough。 The
place is overrun with mice； though what these can find to eat I know
not。 It occurs to me also that the young ladies might be kept a
little more free of spiders' webs； but in all these chapels； bats；
mice and spiders are troublesome。
Off the main drawing…room on the side facing the window there is a
dais； which is approached by a large raised semicircular step；
higher than the rest of the floor； but lower than the dais itself。
The dais is； of course； reserved for the venerable Lady Principal
and the under…mistresses； one of whom； by the way； is a little more
mondaine than might have been expected； and is admiring herself in a
looking…glassunless； indeed； she is only looking to see if there
is a spot of ink on her face。 The Lady Principal is seated near a
table； on which lie some books in expensive bindings； which I
imagine to have been presented to her by the parents of pupils who
were leaving school。 One has given her a photographic album；
another a large scrap…book； for illustrations of all kinds； a third
volume has red edges； and is presumably of a devotional character。
If I dared venture another criticism； I should say it would be
better not to keep the ink…pot on the top of these books。 The Lady
Principal is being read to by the monitress for the week； whose duty
it was to recite selected passages from the most approved Hebrew
writers； she appears to be a good deal outraged； possibly at the
faulty intonation of the reader； which she has long tried vainly to
correct； or perhaps she has been hearing of the atrocious way in
which her forefathers had treated the prophets； and is explaining to
the young ladies how impossible it would be； in their own more
enlightened age； for a prophet to fail of recognition。
On the half…dais； as I suppose the large semicircular step between
the main room and the dais should be called； we find； first； the
monitress for the week； who stands up while she recites； and
secondly； the Virgin herself； who is the only pupil allowed a seat
so near to the august presence of the Lady Principal。 She is
ostensibly doing a piece of embroidery which is stretched on a
cushion on her lap； but I should say that she was chiefly interested
in the nearest of four pretty little Cupids； who are all trying to
attract her attention； though they pay no court to any other young
lady。 I have sometimes wondered whether the obviously scandalised
gesture of the Lady Principal might not be directed at these Cupids；
rather than at anything the monitress may have been reading； for she
would surely find them disquieting。 Or she may be saying； 〃Why；
bless me！ I do declare the Virgin has got another hamper； and St。
Anne's cakes are always so terribly rich！〃 Certainly the hamper is
there； close to the Virgin； and the Lady Principal's action may be
well directed at it； but it may have been sent to some other young
lady； and be put on the sub…dais for public exhibition。 It looks as
if it might have come from Fortnum and Mason's； and I half expected
to find a label； addressing it to 〃The Virgin Mary； Temple College；
Jerusalem；〃 but if ever there was one the mice have long since eaten
it。 The Virgin herself does not seem to care much about it； but if
she has a fault it is that she is generally a little apathetic。
Whose the hamper was； however； is a point we shall never now
certainly determine； for the best fossil is worse than the worst
living form。 Why； alas！ was not Mr。 Edison alive when this chapel
was made？ We might then have had a daily phonographic recital of
the conversation； and an announcement might be put outside the
chapels； telling us at what hours the figures would speak。
On either of side the main room there are two annexes opening out
from it； these are reserved chiefly for the younger children； some
of whom； I think； are little boys。 In the left…hand annex； behind
the ladies who are making a mitre； there is a child who has got a