"Oh, at times. But see now, servants must do what they see their masters do. After the death of my poor madame I prayed often, but little by little I seemed to lose the habit. Your father hardly ever spoke to me, and excepting Catalina, you were all too small to understand important things, and the neighbors!--Oh, you know among our neighbors one never hears any prayers at their houses either. I would be so happy before I die to see the day when my poor madame's prayers be heard regarding us." "It's a shame," said Rosa, "that Paula is so small. If she were only a few years older perhaps she could"--"I'll tell you what's a shame, and that is that she is coming at all," interrupted Catalina with the return of her bad humor. "Oh," sighed Teresa, "poor little thing! What could she do at her age! A child of ten years will never be able to change your father's ideas. The more you speak to him the worse he is. No, the one who has to change will be the child _herself_! She must learn to do as we do. I do hope she may not have to suffer too much. Of course, at her age she will adapt herself quickly to her surroundings, and after all, your father is a good-hearted man. There! At last the sock is done! It was time, for I cannot see any more. What a lovely day it has been! The fruit ought to ripen quickly with a few more days like this." One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine ... it was the great clock of Darnetal that recalled us to the present. "Nine o'clock!" exclaimed Teresa, "how the time has passed! Lisita! Off to bed!" "Please, Teresa, let me stay a few minutes more; it's lovely here by the open window." "Yes, it won't be so lovely tomorrow morning when you must rise early to be in class on time. Isn't that so? Now go, Lisita! No more nonsense!" "Here, take this," said Catalina, handing me a lovely orange that she had received; "You can have it if you go to bed immediately!" "Oh," I exclaimed beamingly; "I do love you so, dear Catalina." "Is it me or the orange that you love?" "It's you, and the orange, and Teresa, and Papa, and Rosa, and Louis, and Paula." "There! there! Go to bed," said Catalina, disentangling herself from my arms. "If you don't go to bed at once I will take away your orange." Laughing, I embraced her again, and Rosa too, and then rushed off to my room, but not without slamming Catalina's door with a noise that shook the whole house. CHAPTER THREE PAULA ARRIVES For nearly a week I couldn't think of another thing but the coming of Paula. My father had gone to Paris. He would be there some days to arrange certain important matters of business in connection with his factory, and also to wait for the little orphan to be placed in his care by a lady who was journeying from Villar to Paris. In school I talked of nothing else. In fact, I talked about her all day and every day. I learned nothing, nor could I seem to do anything around the house.