“I suppose you consider yourself grown up?”
“Yes, sir, I have left the schoolin’.”
“And so your education is complete?”
“I would not say that, but,” shifting her basket to her other arm, “I learnt all they taught, so I did.”
“Reading, writing, arithmetic. The three R’s.”
“Yes, and grammar, history, and geography. I loved geography.”
“Well, it is a harmless passion. Can you tell me where Malta is?”
“Faix, unless it’s lost, sir, it should be in the Mediterranean Sea.”
“Oh, I see you cannot be puzzled, can you?”
“Oh, then indeed I can, and am, often and many a time.”