rman girls.... She could say, "There are no rules for English
pronunciation, but what is usual at the University of Oxford is decisive
for cultured people"--"decisive for cultured people." She must remember
that for the class.

"Na, was sticken Sie da Miss Henderson?"

It was Fraulein Pfaff.

Miriam who had as yet hardly spoken to her, did not know whether to
stand or to remain seated. She half rose and then Fraulein Pfaff took
the chair near her and Miriam sat down, stiff with fear. She could
not remember the name of the thing she was making. She flushed and
fumbled--thought of dressing-tables and the little objects of which
she had made so many hanging to the mirror by ribbons; "toilet-tidies"
haunted her--but that was not it--she smoothed out her work as if to
show it to Fraulein--"Na, na," came the delicate caustic voice. "Was
wird das wohl sein?" Then she remembered. "It's for a pin-cushion," she
said. Surely she need, not venture on German with Fraulein yet.

"Ein Nadelkissen," corrected Fraulein, "das wird niedlich aussehen," she
remarked quietly, and then in English, "You like music, Miss Henderson?"

"Oh, yes," said Miriam, with a pounce in her voice.

"You play the piano?"

"A little."

"You must keep up your practice then, while you are with us--you must
have time for practice."

11

Fraulein Pfaff rose and moved away. The girls were arranging the chairs
in two rows--plates and cups were collected and carried away. It dawned
on Miriam that they were going to have prayers. What a wet-blanket
on her evening. Everything had been so bright and exciting so
far. Obviously they had prayers every night. She felt exceedingly
uncomfortable. She had never seen prayers in a sitting-room. It had been
nothing at school--all the girls standing in the drill-room, rows of
voices saying "adsum," then a Collect and the Lord's Prayer.

A huge Bible appeared on a table in front of Fraulein's high-backed
chair. Miriam found herself ranged with the girls, sitting in an
attentive hush. There was a quiet, slow turning of pages, and then a
long indrawn sigh and Fraulein's clear, low, even voice, very gentle,
not caustic now but with something child-like about it, "Und da kamen
die Apostel zu Ihm...." Miriam had a moment of revolt. She would not
sit there and let a woman read the Bible at her... and in that "smarmy"
way.... in spirit she rose and marched out of the room. As the English
pupil-teacher bound to suffer