"He is wise and kind," she said, as the parson passed on, "and I must wait for learning French until comes the right time for it, but learn it I must some day."
"Think no more about it, but do the best you can with the fine teaching you have already," advised her Fairy.
And Sally tried to heed the advice.
It was but the next week on Wednesday afternoon, when Mistress Kent returned from visiting her sister, that she said to Sally:
"I met our good parson but just now, and he would like seeing you at his house on your way home. I hope he hath good tidings for you."
Sally trembled with hope as she went toward the parson's house, and it may have been that he feared lest the little maid might find it hard to use the great brass knocker on the front-door, for there he was in the garden as Sally entered the gate.
"It hath all been arranged, dear maiden," he said, in so father-like a tone that Sally felt tears starting to her eyes. "I deemed it best to see Mistress Brace before saying more to thee about the French lessons, but the use of one morning is to be given thee. Come on Thursday by nine o'clock, and an hour and a half will I give thee.
"No payment will be required save that one or two simple rules must be observed. No more than half an hour a day at present must be given to French. This will make progress slow, but it is of more importance that figures, history, geography, and thy native speech should be well learned than that thou shouldst know a foreign tongue while so young.
"And so, see to it that other studies are not neglected for this new one with a new teacher. This is all."
When Sally began, to thank Mistress Cory Ann for her kindness in allowing her to go of a morning to the parson, sharp words arose to the mistress's lips, but she kept them back.