"Eh! bien, ma chère; we will first have the lessons without the book," said Mr. Ravigote, commencing with the vocabulary. "Tell me the names of all the months of the year—for instance, January."
"Janvier," answered the pupil, promptly.
"Ah! very well, very well, indeed, ma chère—for once, you know the first word of your lesson. Ah! to-day I have, indeed, great hope of you. Come, now, February?"
"Fevrier," said little Anne.
"Excellent! excellent! you know the second word too—and now, then, March?"
"Marsh."
"Ah! no, no—but I am old; perhaps I did not rightly hear. Repeat, ma chère enfant,[36] repeat."
"Marsh," cried little Anne in a very loud voice.
"Ah! you are wrong; but I will pardon you—you have said two words right. Mars, ma chère, Mars is the French for March the month. Come now, April."
"Aprile."