Villette 27-33, "I wish you were at Jericho"

   WOW, can we talk about M. Paul? SIR WHAT IS YOUR DEAL.

   M. Paul, as he is played:

• Lends books and gives chocolate! Adorable!
• Cuts pages out of the books that he doesn't want Lucy to read? WHAT?
•  Helps Lucy learn math! So nice!
• Yells at her for learning and says that women shouldn't be intelligent? WTH?
• Gracefully accepts gifts that others would sneer at. (Sort of)
• Throws a tantrum when one person doesn't acknowledge his birthday with a bouquet fast enough? Excuse me?
• Genuinely apologizes when he's been in the wrong! Refreshing!
• Is SO OFTEN in the wrong what with hissing insults in her ear at parties and being, in general, a dick. 
• Also sees Ghost Nun! Lucy Snowe ain't mad!
• Spies on everyone in the school for girls that doesn't have curtains in a major way. NO THANK YOU. 
• Acknowledges that Lucy isn't "inoffensive as a shadow"! Hooray!
• Is SUPER OPPRESIVE, ugh 
• Tells Lucy she looks nice in her pink cotton picnic dress, CUTE
• PINCHES her EAR, ach NEIN

   I am of two minds regarding M. Paul and they are diametrically opposed. He is basically two people. One is perceptive and thoughtful and the other is just the woooorst. He covers her with a shawl when she's sleeping and gives her a pillow BUT he only knew she was there because he was prowling about and then expected recognition for taking care of her. I just...I just do not understand.

this is how I feel about you, M. Paul

BUT ALSO LIKE THIS UUUUUUGH

   Did any of you read any of the Elsie Dinsmore books when you were young? My sister loved them and I hated them, because that idiot Elsie had zero faults beyond sometimes blotting her ink and was simpering and sweet and yet people didn't appreciate her but of course she bore it well. GUESS WHO REMINDS ME OF ELSIE DINSMORE, it's Paulina. Paulina! she's a ne'er-do-bad and she is perfect and is better at everything than everyone else, including speaking French, carrying on conversation, and of course looking good. I feel so thoroughly sorry for Ginevra, and am so thoroughly fed up with Paulina. ALSO I just now noticed that there's a Paulina and there's a Paul and maybe that's meant to symbolize something?

Paul? Paulina?

   And even though Polly is so flawless, and not in a Beyonce way, she still feels like she has to change all sorts of things about herself in order to please Dr John and aaaaaggghhhh I dislike EVERYONE this week. M. Paul is at one moment sweet and kind, then turns awful. Ginevra is all sadness and regret. Paulina is just TOO MUCH. Dr John insists on himself and his whims. AND NOW it seems like M. Paul will be leaving and Lucy Snowe is by turns crying over his leaving and panicking when he wants to talk with her. Hoooooo boy.


P.S. my post next week might be sub-par, because I am going to Skaha in BC to climb HELLA rocks, and it is a venture not conducive to much effective reading/blog writing.

damn RIGHT
(I wish I could climb like this)(or take photos like this)