If rain
or snow prevented her from her strolls, she spent her afternoons in
Martha's cosy chamber. There she had the most pleasant times, for the
old woman's conversation and tales were for Cornelli a never ending
source of enjoyment.
The teacher had just left the house. Owing to her father's departure,
there had been plenty of material for sentences in her grammar lesson.
All the child's answers to his questions had come so promptly to-day
that the teacher had ended his lesson on the stroke of the hour. He
also gave Cornelli special praise for the excellent work she had done.
Then he heartily shook her hand.
The two were the best of friends and the teacher knew his pupil well.
Whenever she was very bright and lively, he would work very hard with
her and in a short time accomplish three times more than usual. In
order not to spoil their mutual pleasure he would let her off most
punctually. But whenever Cornelli was absent-minded and unwilling to
work, he progressed slowly and carefully, treating her as if she were
the least bit weak minded.
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