, opened her mouth again as before, and pronounced extremely well,
"_a_."

In the same manner, the mistress made her pronounce _c_ and _d_, still
keeping the two little hands on her own throat and chest.

"Now do you understand?" she inquired.

The father understood; but he seemed more astonished than when he had
not understood.

"And they are taught to speak in the same way?" he asked, after a moment
of reflection, gazing at the teacher. "You have the patience to teach
them to speak in that manner, little by little, and so many of them? one
by one--through years and years? But you are saints; that's what you
are! You are angels of paradise! There is not in the world a reward that
is worthy of you! What is there that I can say? Ah! leave me alone with
my daughter a little while now. Let me have her to myself for five
minutes."

And drawing her to a seat apart he began to interrogate her, and she to
reply, and he laughed with beaming eyes, slapping his fists down on his
knees; and he took his daughter's hands, and stared at her, beside
himself with delight at hearing her, as though her voice had been one
which came from heaven; then he asked the teacher, "Would the Signor
Director permit me to thank him?"

"The director is not here," replied the mistress; "but there is another
person whom you should thank. Every little girl here is given into the
charge of an older companion, who acts the part of sister or mother to
her. Your little girl has been intrusted to the care of a deaf-mute of
seventeen, the daughter of a baker, who is kind and very fond of her;
she has been assisting her for two years to dress herself every morning;
she combs her hair, she teaches her to sew, she mends her clothes, she
is good company for her.--Luigia, what is the name of your mamma in the
institute?"

The girl smiled, and said, "Ca-te-rina Gior-dano." Then she said to her
father, "She is ve-ry, ve-ry good."

The attendant, who had withdrawn at a signal from the mistress, returned
almost at once with a light-haired deaf-mute, a robust girl, with a
cheerful countenance, and also dressed in the red and white striped
stuff, with a gray apron; she paused at the door and blushed; then she
bent her head with a smile. She had the figure of a woman, but seemed
like a child.

Giorgio's daughter instantly ran to her, took her by the arm, like a
child, and drew her to her father, saying, in her heavy voice,
"Ca-te-rina Gior-dano."

"Ah, what