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De Daumier-Smith’s Blue Period
WhenIgotmysightback,thegirlhadgonefromthewindow,leavingbehindherashimmeringfieldofexquisite,twice-blessed,enamelflowers.
Ibackedawayfromthewindowandwalkedaroundtheblocktwice,tillmykneesstoppedbuckling.Then,withoutdaringtoventureanotherlookintotheshopwindow,Iwentupstairstomyroomandlaydownonmybed.Someminutes,orhourslater,Imade,inFrench,thefollowingbriefentryinmydiary:"IamgivingSisterIrmaherfreedomtofollowherowndestiny.Everybodyisanun."(Toutlemondeestunenonne.)
Beforegoingtobedforthenight,Iwroteletterstomyfourjust-expelledstudents,reinstatingthem.Isaidamistakehadbeenmadeintheadministrationdepartment.Actually,thelettersseemedtowritethemselves.Itmayhavehadsomethingtodowiththefactthat,beforesittingdowntowrite,I’dbroughtachairupfromdownstairs.
Itseemsaltogetheranticlimactictomentionit,butLesAmisDesVieuxMaitrescloseddownlessthanaweeklater,forbeingimproperlylicensed(fornotbeinglicensedatall,asamatteroffact).IpackedupandjoinedBobby,mystepfather,inRhodeIsland,whereIspentthenextsixoreightweeks,tillartschoolreopened,investigatingthatmostinterestingofallsummer-activeanimals,theAmericanGirlinShorts.
Rightorwrong,IneveragaingotintouchwithSisterIrma.
Occasionally,IstillhearfromBambiKramer,though.ThelastIheard,she’dbranchedoverintodesigningherownChristmascards.They’llbesomethingtosee,ifshehasn’tlosthertouch.
