At ten Mademoiselle was assembling her German class. Seven only of the pupils learnt it. I rose and went up with them: and was rewarded with a stare.
"What will be the use of German to her?" rudely cried Miss Peacock, a tall, stout girl, directing to me all the scorn of which a look is capable. "I should not fancy Miss Hereford is to learn German, Mademoiselle Leduc. It may be as well to inquire."
Mademoiselle Leduc looked at me, hesitated, and then put the question to Miss Fenton, her imperfect English sounding through the room.
"Dis new young lady, is she to learn de German, madam?"
Miss Fenton directed her eyes towards us.
"Miss Hereford? Yes. Miss Hereford is to learn everything taught in my establishment."
"Oh!" said Nancy Tayler, sotto voce. "Are you to be a governess, pray, Miss Hereford?"
A moment's hesitation between pride and truth, and then, with a blush of shame in my cheeks for the hesitation, came the brave answer.
"I am to be a governess; mamma gave the directions in her will. What fortune she left is to be expended upon my education, and she said there might be no better path of life open to me."
"That's candid, at any rate," cried Miss Peacock. And so I began German.