Her father was perturbed.
The teacher laughed. Then she said: “My good man, she does not answer you, because she did not see the movements of your lips: you spoke in her ear! Repeat your question, keeping your face well before hers.”
The father, gazing straight in her face, repeated, “Are you glad that your father has come back? that he is not going away again?”
The girl, who had observed his lips attentively, seeking even to see inside his mouth, replied frankly:—
“Yes, I am de-light-ed that you have re-turned, that you are not go-ing a-way a-gain—nev-er a-gain.”
Her father embraced her impetuously, and then in great haste, in order to make quite sure, he overwhelmed her with questions.
“What is mamma’s name?”
“An-to-nia.”
“What is the name of your little sister?”
“Ad-e-laide.”