ot sit too
close to it, or roast herself too thoroughly for her own satisfaction. I
sometimes wondered if the bony woman who kept the library ever
complained of the curled condition of the backs of the books Miss Perry
held between her eyes and the hot coals for so many hours.

In this highly heated state our governess was, of course, sensitive to
the smallest inlet of cooler air, and "draughts" were accordingly her
abhorrence. How we contrived to distinguish a verb from a noun, or
committed anything whatever to memory in the fever-heat and "stuffy"
atmosphere of the little room which was sacred to our studies, I do not
know. At a certain degree of the thermometer Miss Perry's face rises
before me and makes my brain spin even now.

This was, no doubt, one cause of the very severe headaches to which
Matilda became subject about this time, though, now I look back, I do
not think she had been quite strong since we all had the measles. They
were apt to end in a fainting condition, from which she recovered by
lying on the floor. Then, if Miss Perry happened to be in good humour,
she would excuse Matilda from further lessons, invariably adding, in her
"mystery" voice--"But not a word to your mamma!"

It was the most unjustifiable use she made of influence she gained over
us (especially over poor Matilda, who was very fond of her, and believed
in her) that she magnified her own favours at the expense of Major
Buller and my aunt. For some time they had no doubts as to the wisdom of
Mrs. Minchin's choice.

Miss Perry was clever enough not to display her romantic side to Mrs.
Buller. She amused her, too, with Riflebury gossip, in which she was an
adept. She knew equally well how far she might venture with the Major;
and the sleight-of-hand with which she threw needlework over a novel
when Aunt Theresa came into the school-room was not more skilful than
the way in which she turned the tail of a bit of scandal into a remark
upon the weather as Uncle Buller opened the drawing-room door.

But Miss Perry was not skilful enough to win the Major's lasting favour.
He was always slow to interfere in domestic matters, but he was not
unobservant.

"I'm sure you see a great deal more than one would think, Edward," Aunt
Theresa would say; "although you are so wrapt up in insects and things."

"The insects don't get into my eyes, my dear," said Major Buller.

"And hear too," Mrs. Buller continued. "Mrs. O'Connor was saying only
the ot