'Oh!' she said. 'I supposed that was the reason she gave me such a
stupid, childish, sing-song nursery rhyme to learn. I can say lots of
Schiller and some Goethe.'

'I advise you not to let any one hear you call Lord Macaulay's poem a
nursery rhyme, or it might never be forgotten,' said Miss Vincent
gaily. Then seeing the cloud return to Dolores's face, she added, 'You
have been brought forward in German, I see. We must try to bring your
knowledge of English literature up to be even with it.'

Dolores liked this better than anything she had yet heard, chiefly
because she had learnt from her books that governesses were not
uniformly so cruel as aunts. And besides, she felt that she had been
spared a public humiliation.

By this time the guests were ringing at the door, and Miss Vincent,
with her had on, only waiting till their entrance was made to depart.
Dolores asked whether to go into the drawing-room, and was told that
Lady Merrifield preferred that the children should only appear in the
dining-room on the sound of the gong, which was not long in being
heard.

The Merrifields were trained not to chatter when there was company at
table, besides Mysie and Val were in low spirits about the chance of
the blackberry cookery. Miss Hacket sat on one side of Lady Merrifield,
and talked about what associates had answered her letters, and what
villages would send contingents of girls, and it sounded very dull to
the young people. Miss Constance was next to Hal. She looked amiable
and sympathetic at Dolores on the opposite side of the table, but