"To teach ignorant and refractory children to become good young ladies," spoke Madame, who did not seem in the least to lose her temper. Flora did not like the calmness: it augured badly for the future. It was so totally unlike her experience of former governesses. They were either driven wild, or had subsided into a state of apathy. "I drove those other governesses away, and I'll drive you. I'll never do anything you tell me. I won't learn and I won't practise." "The less you learn, the more persistently I will stay on to make you," said Madame, quite unruffled. "A lesson that you do not get by heart to-day, you will have to get to-morrow: the studies broken off this week, must be completed next. As to your trying to drive me away, it will be labour lost; I simply tell you I am not to be driven. If there is anything I like, and for which I think I have an especial fitness, it is the ruling of refractory children. We shall see which will be strongest, Miss Flora, you or I." "Once, when one of my governesses wanted to make me learn, I had a fever. Mamma said it was all her fault." "Very good," said Madame. "We will risk the fever. If you get one I will nurse you through it. I am a capital nurse." Ethel burst out laughing. "The fever was a headache, Flora; you brought it on with crying." "You ugly story-teller! I did have a fever. I lay in bed and had broth." "Yes, for a day. Why, you have never had a fever in your life. Mr. Parker saw you and brought some medicine; you would not take it and got up." "Ugh! you old tell-tale!" "Come to my side, Miss Flora," spoke Madame. "You will stand here and read a little of French and of English that I may see how you read. And I must tell you that if we have not got through this morning what we want to get through and put the studies en train, I shall not allow you to go out this afternoon, and I shall request that you have no dinner. Instead of that, you will stay in this room with me. Mind! I never break my word." After a few moments' delay, the young lady moved round. Probably she saw that her new mistress was not one to break her word. And, thus, a beginning made, the morning wore away rather better than its commencement had promised. Never was there a child with better abilities than Flora Castlemaine: it was only the will to use them that was lacking. She had been brought up to exercise her own will and disobey that of others. Bad training! bad training for a child.