CHAPTER IX A HAPPY TEA

rtospellcheese,whichsheatoncedidinFrench,FROMAGE.Thenshetranslatedawordforusverycleverly.Someonewrotepferd,theGermanforhorse,onaslate.Blanchelookedatitandpretendedtoreadit,puttingbytheslatewithherpawwhenshehaddone.'NowgiveustheFrenchforthatword,'saidthemanandsheinstantlybroughtCHEVAL.'Now,asyouareatanEnglishman'shouse,giveittousinEnglish'andshebroughtmeHORSE.Thenwespeltsomewordswrong,andshecorrectedthemwithwonderfulaccuracy.Butshedidnotseemtolikeit,andwhinedandgrowledandlookedsoworried,thatshewasallowedtogoandrestandeatcakesinacorner. "ThenLydatookherplaceonthetable,anddidsumsontheslatewithasetoffigures.Alsomentalarithmetic,whichwasverypretty.'Now,Lyda,'saidhermaster,'Iwanttoseeifyouunderstanddivision.Supposeyouhadtenbitsofsugar,andyoumettenPrussiandogs,howmanylumpswouldyou,aFrenchdog,givetoeachofthePrussians?'Lydaverydecidedlyrepliedtothiswithacipher.'But,supposeyoudividedyoursugarwithme,howmanylumpswouldyougiveme?'Lydatookupthefigurefiveandpolitelypresentedittohermaster." "Wasn'tshesmart?Sanchcan'tdothat,"exclaimedBen,forcedtoownthattheFrenchdoggiebeathischerishedpet. "Heisnottoooldtolearn.ShallIgoon?"askedMissCelia,seeingthattheboyslikedit,thoughBettywasabsorbedwiththedoll,andBabdeepinapuzzle. "Oh,yes!Whatelsedidtheydo?" "Theyplayedagameofdominoestogether,sittinginchairsoppositeeachother,andtouchedthedominoesthatwerewantedbutthemanplacedthemandkepttellinghowthegamewent.Lydawasbeaten,andhidunderthesofa,evidentlyfeelingverybadlyaboutit.Blanchewasthensurroundedwithplaying-cards,whilehermasterheldanotherpackandtoldustochooseacardthenheaskedherwhatonehadbeenchosen,andshealwaystookuptherightoneinherteeth.Iwasaskedtogointoanotherroom,putalightonthefloorwithcardsroundit,andleavethedoorsnearlyshut.Thenthemanbeggedsomeonetowhisperinthedog'searwhatcardshewastobring,andshewentatonceandfetchedit,thusshowingthatsheunderstoodtheirnames.Lydadidmanytrickswiththenumbers,socuriousthatnodogcouldpossiblyunderstandthemyetwhatthesecretsignwasIcouldnotdiscover,butsupposeitmusthavebeeninthetonesofthemaster'svoice,forhecertainlymadenonewitheitherheadorhands. "Ittookanhouradayforeighteenmonthstoeducateadogenoughtoappearinpublic,and(asyousay,Ben)thenightwasthebesttimetogivethelessons.Soonafterthisvisit,themasterdiedandthesewonderfuldogsweresoldbecausetheirmistressdidnotknowhowtoexhibitthem." "Wouldn'tIhavelikedtosee'emandfindouthowtheyweretaught!Sanch,you'llhavetostudyuplively,forI'mnotgoingtohaveyoubeatenbyFrenchdogs,"saidBen,shakinghisfingersosternlythatSanchogrovelledathisfeetandputbothpawsoverhiseyesinthemostabjectmanner. "Isthereapictureofthosesmartlittlepoodles?"askedBen,eyingthebook,whichMissCelialeftopenbeforeher. "Notofthem,butofotherinterestingcreaturesalsoanecdotesabouthorses,whichwillpleaseyou,Iknow,"andsheturnedthepagesforhim,neitherguessinghowmuchgoodMr.Hamerton'scharming"ChaptersonAnimals"weretodotheboywhenheneededcomfortforasorrowwhichwasverynear.