The Parents

           WhenMissHoneyemergedfromtheHeadmistress’sstudy,mostofthechildrenwereoutsideintheplayground.Herfirstmovewastogoroundtothevariousteacherswhotaughttheseniorclassandborrowfromthemanumberoftext-books,booksonalgebra,geometry,French,EnglishLiteratureandthelike.ThenshesoughtoutMatildaandcalledherintotheclassroom.

           "Thereisnopoint",shesaid,"inyousittinginclassdoingnothingwhileIamteachingtherestoftheformthetwo-timestableandhowtospellcatandratandmouse.SoduringeachlessonIshallgiveyouoneofthesetext-bookstostudy.AttheendofthelessonyoucancomeuptomewithyourquestionsifyouhaveanyandIshalltrytohelpyou.Howdoesthatsound?"

           "Thankyou,MissHoney,"Matildasaid."Thatsoundsfine."

           "Iamsure,"MissHoneysaid,"thatwe’llbeabletogetyoumovedintoamuchhigherformlateron,butforthemomenttheHeadmistresswishesyoutostaywhereyouare."

           "Verywell,MissHoney,"Matildasaid."Thankyousomuchforgettingthosebooksforme."

           Whatanicechildsheis,MissHoneythought.Idon’tcarewhatherfathersaidabouther,sheseemsveryquietandgentletome.Andnotabitstuckupinspiteofherbrilliance.Infactshehardlyseemsawareofit.

           Sowhentheclassreassembled,Matildawenttoherdeskandbegantostudyatext-bookongeometrywhichMissHoneyhadgivenher.Theteacherkepthalfaneyeonherallthetimeandnoticedthatthechildverysoonbecamedeeplyabsorbedinthebook.Sheneverglanceduponceduringtheentirelesson.