Before he reached it, however, there was a sharp rap. It was opened, the latch rattling viciously, and a common-looking woman, whose face told its own tale that its owner had been working herself up ready for the task in hand, entered, dragging behind her a freshly-washed girl of eleven or twelve, whose face bore the marks of recent tears. "Youkem here," exclaimed the woman, dragging in the unwilling child, and finishing by giving her a rough shake. "Youkem here, and I'll see as you're reighted, Miss." To Sage Portlock's great disgust, instead of the old schoolmaster passing through the open door, he carefully closed it behind the woman, set the ink-bottle down upon a form, and, taking out his knife, began to remake the pen, well attent the while to what went on. "Now, Miss, if you please," said the woman, "I want to know why my girl was kep' in yesterday and punished. I told my master last night I'd come on wi' her this morning, and see her reighted; and, if _you_ please, I want to know what she's done." "I am sorry to say, Mrs Searby--" began the young mistress. "Oh, you needn't be sorry, Miss. Strite up and down's my motto. I want to know what my 'Lizabeth's done. There's no getting her to school nowadays. When Mrs Marley was alive all the gals loved to come to school, but now they hates it, and all the noo-fangled ways." As the woman spoke, she darted a glance at the old schoolmaster, who chuckled softly, and shook his head. "If you will allow me to speak--" began the young mistress. "Oh, lor', yes, Miss, I'll allow yer to speak. I don't forget my position. I'm only a humble woman, I am; but I says to my master only last night, the trouble there is to get them gals to school now is orful. When Mrs Marley was alive--" "Your daughter, Mrs Searby--" began the young mistress, again. "Yes, Miss, my daughter went to Mrs Marley, she did, and there was never no trouble with the gal then. As I said to Mrs Marley, I said, all she wants is properly putting forward, that's all she wants; for there couldn't be a quicker gal wi' her book; but nowadays there's no gettin' of her to come; and when she do come she don't larn a bit, with the noo-fangled ways, and gettins up and sittins down, and holdin' out their hands, and being drilled, and stood out, and kep' in for doing nowt. I say it isn't fair to a child, for as I said to Mrs Marley, I said, and she said to me, all my gal wanted was putting forward, for a quicker gal with her book there never was, and now there's no getting of her to school of a morning, and never no getting her back when she does come; and the boys as goes to Mr Bone a loving their master and their books, and a getting on wonderful. And now, if you please, Miss," said the woman, with a derisive curtsey, and so far run down that she had to keep taking up the tantalising iteration of uneducated people in a fit of temper, "I want to know, if you please, what my gal has done."