"I don't want to learn any more," said Amina, much disgusted; "I
shall tell him I can make sweetmeats, and roll rose-leaves. What
should I learn for?"

"Should you not like to read and write?"

"Teaching is only meant for men," replied Amina. "They have got to
read the Koran, but it is all ugly letters; I won't learn to read."

"You don't know how nice it is to read stories all about different
countries," said Lucy. "Ah! I wish I was in the schoolroom, at
home, and I would show you how pleasant it is."

And Lucy seemed to have her wish all at once, for she and Amina stood
in her own schoolroom, but with no one else there. The first thing
Amina did was to scream, "Oh, what shocking windows! even men can
see in; shut them up." She rolled herself up in her veil, and Lucy
could only satisfy her by pulling down all the blinds, after which
she ventured to look about a little. "What have you to sit on?" she
asked with great disgust.

"Chairs and stools," said Lucy, laughing and showing them.

"These little tables with four legs! How can you sit on them?"

Lucy sat down and showed her. "That is not sitting," she said, and
she tried to curl herself up cross-legged.

"Our teacher always makes us write a long grammar lesson if she sees
us sitting with our legs crossed," said Lucy, laughing with much