第10部分(第5/7 页)

as　a　pocket…　handkerchief　tied　to　her　side　with　a　yellow　ribband；　is　Madame　Pierrot：　she　es　from　Lisle；　in　France；　and　teaches　French。”

“Do　you　like　the　teachers？”

“Well　enough。”

“Do　you　like　the　little　black　one；　and　the　Madame　—？—I　cannot　pronounce　her　name　as　you　do。”

“Miss　Scatcherd　is　hasty—you　must　take　care　not　to　offend　her；　Madame　Pierrot　is　not　a　bad　sort　of　person。”

“But　Miss　Temple　is　the　best—isn’t　she？”

“Miss　Temple　is　very　good　and　very　clever；　she　is　above　the　rest；　because　she　knows　far　more　than　they　do。”

“Have　you　been　long　here？”

“Two　years。”

“Are　you　an　orphan？”

“My　mother　is　dead。”

“Are　you　happy　here？”

“You　ask　rather　too　many　questions。　I　have　given　you　answers　enough　for　the　present：　now　I　want　to　read。”

But　at　that　moment　the　summons　sounded　for　dinner；　all　re…entered　the　house。　The　odour　which　now　filled　the　refectory　was　scarcely　more　appetising　than　that　which　had　regaled　our　nostrils　at　breakfast：　the　dinner　was　served　in　two　huge　tin…plated　vessels；　whence　rose　a　strong　steam　redolent　of　rancid　fat。　I　found　the　mess　to　consist　of　indifferent　potatoes　and　strange　shreds　of　rusty　meat；　mixed　and　cooked　together。　Of　this　preparation　a　tolerably　abundant　plateful　was　apportioned　to　each　pupil。　I　ate　what　I　could；　and　wondered　within　myself　whether　every　day’s　fare　would　be　like　this。

After　dinner；　we　immediately　adjourned　to　the　schoolroom：　lessons　remenced；　and　were　continued　till　five　o’clock。

The　only　marked　event　of　the　afternoon　was；　that　I　saw　the　girl　with　whom　I　had　conversed　in　the　verandah　dismissed　in　disgrace　by　Miss　Scatcherd　from　a　history　class；　and　sent　to　stand　in　the　middle　of　the　large　schoolroom。　The　punishment　seemed　to