Anne Clavering was but five years old. As yet, no taste for French "had dawned upon her soul," and very little for English; her mind being constantly occupied with her doll, and other playthings. Monsieur Ravigote, with all the excitability of his nation, was, in the main, a very good-natured man, and was really anxious for the improvement of his pupil. But all was in vain. Little Anne never knew her lessons, and had as yet acquired no other French phrase than "_Oui, Monsieur_."[31] [Footnote 31: Yes, sir.] Every morning, Mr. Ravigote came with a face dressed in smiles, and earnest hope that his pupil was going that day to give him what he called "one grand satisfaction;" but the result was always the same. One morning, as Uncle Philip sat reading the newspaper, and holding little Anne on his knee while she dressed her doll, Mr. Ravigote came in, bowing and smiling as usual, and after saluting Captain Kentledge, he said to the little child: "Well, my dear little friend, _ma gentille Annette_,[32] I see by the look of your countenance that I shall have one grand satisfaction with you this day. Application is painted on your visage, and docility also. Is there not, _ma chère_?"[33] [Footnote 32: My pretty Annette.] [Footnote 33: My dear.] "_Oui, Monsieur_," replied the little Anne. "_J'en suis ravi._[34] Now, _ma chère, commençons--commençons tout de suite_."[35] [Footnote 34: I am delighted at it.] [Footnote 35: Now, my dear, let us begin--let us begin immediately.] Little Anne slowly descended from her uncle's knee, carefully put away her doll and folded up her doll's clothes, and then made a tedious search for her book. "_Eh! bien, commençons_," said Mr. Ravigote, "you move without any rapidity." "_Oui, Monsieur_," responded little Anne, who, after she had taken her seat in a low chair beside Mr. Ravigote, was a long time getting into a comfortable position, and at last settled herself to her satisfaction by crossing her feet, leaning back as far as she could go, and hooking one finger in her coral necklace, that she might pull at it all the time. "_Eh! bien, ma chère_; we will first have the lessons without the book," said Mr. Ravigote, commencing with the vocabulary. "Tell me the names of all the months of the year--for instance, January." "_Janvier_," answered the pupil, promptly. "Ah! very well, very well, indeed, _ma chère_--for once, you know the first word of your lesson. Ah! to-day I have, indeed, great hope of you. Come, now, February?" "_Fevrier_," said little Anne. "Excellent! excellent! you know the second word too--and now, then, March?" "Marsh." "Ah! no, no--but I am old; perhaps I did not rightly hear. Repeat, _ma chère enfant_,[36] repeat." [Footnote 36: My dear child.] "Marsh," cried little Anne in a very loud voice. "Ah! you are wrong; but I will pardon you--you have said two words right. _Mars, ma chère, Mars_ is the French for March the month. Come now, April." "Aprile."