"I? To school? Here?"
"Of course. Wouldn't you like to be such a teacher like Miss Miflin?"
Sarah's face grew almost white. It was as though he had said, "Would you like to be President of the United States?"
"I! Like Miss Miflin! Ach, pop, do you surely mean it? But I am too dumb."
Her father laughed.
"No, you are not dumb. If you are good, and if you study, you dare come here."
Ah, but how could one study with a sick mother, and then a sick father and a baby to look after, and twins like Ellen Louisa and Louisa Ellen to bring up, and—
Sarah went slowly back to the kitchen. It was like going into church, all was so still and solemn. Albert and the twins slept, Aunt 'Liza and Aunt Mena had taken their places on the opposite side of the table from Uncle Daniel and Jacob Kalb.
"Come, come," cried Uncle Daniel impatiently. He did not like black-eyed little Sarah. She looked too much like her father, whom his sister had married against his will. "We must get this fixed up. Sit down, once."
Sarah sat down on the nearest seat, which was the lower end of the settle on which Albert lay. She wiped her hot face on her gingham apron, then laid her hand on Albert's stubby little shoes, as though she needed something to hold to.