"It wouldn't be much comfort to me," said Ellen, laughing; "Mamma wanted me to learn Latin, but I wanted to learn French a great deal more; I don't care about Latin except to please her."
"Permit me to ask if you know English?"
"Oh, yes, Maam, I hope so; I knew that a great while ago."
"Did you? I am very happy to make your acquaintance then; for the number of young ladies who do know English is, in my opinion, remarkably small. Are you sure of the fact, Ellen?"
"Why, yes, Miss Alice."
"Will you undertake to write me a note of two pages that shall not have one fault of grammar, nor one word spelt wrong, nor anything in it that is not good English? You may take for a subject the history of this afternoon."
"Yes, Maam, if you wish it. I hope I can write a note that long without making mistakes."
Alice smiled.
"I will not stop to inquire," she said, "whether that long is
Latin or French; but Ellen, my dear, it is not English."
Ellen blushed a little, though she laughed too.