. Boys have
to, for examinations, but if we want to grow up nice, domesticated women
it's better to learn modern things, and leave those old fusties alone.
They do one no good."

The girls stared at her in stunned surprise. Agnes, the second Webster,
dropped her chin to an abnormal length; the youngest, Susan, bit
nervously at her lips; Mary cleared her throat and showed signs of
returning to the attack, but Dreda was already tired of the subject, and
made a diversion by leaping from her seat and approaching the table
where piles of blue-covered exercise books were neatly arranged at
intervals of about a yard apart.

"Let me look at your books, and see what you are doing! I didn't bring
any books till I saw what you used. I expect they will be the same.
All school books are. I've got the ones Rowena used." She broke off,
staring with dismay at the underlined questions which met her eye in one
of Agnes's neatly written books:

"_Characterise the work of Praxiteles, comparing it with that of
Phidias_."

"_Describe the Caryatids of the Erectheum_."

"_More_ Greeks! How awful! You seem saturated in Greece." She threw
down the book impatiently and took up another. "Write a short essay on
Chaucer (I know Chaucer!) and his times (When did he live? Ages ago, I
know, for he couldn't spell), dwelling on (1) the state of society as
shown by the attitude of Wycliffe to the Pope, and the higher clergy;
(2) the peasants' revolt"--Dreda looked round with horrified eyes.
"_What_ a thing! Do you often have essays like that? Your governess
must be a man in disguise!"

"She is exceedingly clever and well read, and a most interesting and
original teacher."

"Humph!--I prefer the old school! Our governess gives us essays on
Spring, and Happiness, and quotations from poetry. They are far better,
for if you don't know anything, you can make it up. You know the sort
of thing. `One has often felt--' `Should we not all--' `At this season
of the year our hearts overflow--' I assure you I have often sat down
not knowing what on earth I was going to say, and have written _pages_!
That's far better for you than learning dull facts about people who were
dead and buried hundreds of years ago, because it exercises your
imagination and resource, and they are so useful for a woman. Now, just
suppose you were married, and a lot of dull people were coming to
dinner--it would help you awfully if you'd been trained to make
convers