o
French. This will make progress slow, but it is of more importance that
figures, history, geography, and thy native speech should be well
learned than that thou shouldst know a foreign tongue while so young.

"And so, see to it that other studies are not neglected for this new one
with a new teacher. This is all."

When Sally began, to thank Mistress Cory Ann for her kindness in
allowing her to go of a morning to the parson, sharp words arose to the
mistress's lips, but she kept them back.

Sally was yet a great help to her. And a maid whom the parson would take
pains to teach the French language was not to be too harshly treated. So
she only said:

"Ah, well, it seems not strange to me that one who thinks not much of
our king should want to get able to talk with the French some day. So I
told the parson he was welcome to teach you all the queer stuff he chose
to, as I am sure he is."

Mistress Cory Ann Brace did not speak to Parson Kendall in that way at
all, and Sally knew it. She curtseyed and bobbed and tried at first to
pretend that she could not spare Sally during a morning.

But when the parson said, quietly, "Very well, then we must try some
other plan," she came around as if the word "burgesses" was again
sounding in her ears, and said that after all she reckoned that on
Thursdays she could let the girl off for a couple of hours in the
morning, and so it was settled without more ado.

Before spring again gave place to summer, the parson said to Goodwife
Kendall:

"It doth astonish me, the way in which the Maid Sally Dukeen taketh her
French! I have of late granted her an hour a day at the study, she so
desired it. She hath verbs, accent, the speech itself to a degree that
will soon enable her to speak and write it correctly. And to-day the
pretty wench asked if in the fall she could drop geography and take up
Greek!"

"I bethink me she must have come of a race strong of will, keen of
intellect, and quick to learn. I would that we knew more of the maid."

Did Sally grieve that no Fairy Prince would come sailing home on the
_Belle Virgeen_ when June would be rich with flowers and song?

Yes, and no. Down deep in her heart was a little murmur of pain. But her
Fairy had cried as if in scorn:

"And what, prithee, have you to do with the comings and the goings of
the Fairy Prince? If it be the will of his father that he should stick
to his studies and not mix at all with the strife, and, it may be, t