I knew what _I _ meant by quantity; but whether the English
language had anything in common for Miss Pinshon and me, I had
great doubts. I hesitated.

"I always teach my little girls to answer promptly when they
are asked anything. I notice that you do not answer promptly.
You can always tell whether you know a thing or whether you do
not."

I was not so sure of that. Miss Pinshon desired me now to
repeat the multiplication table. Here at least there was
certainty. I had never learned it.

"It appears to me," said my governess, "you have done very
little with the first ten years of your life. It gives you a
great deal to do for the next ten."

"Health has prevented her applying to her studies," said my
aunt.

"The want of health. Yes, I suppose so. I hope Daisy will be
very well now, for we must make up for lost time."

"I do not suppose so much time need have been lost," said my
aunt; "but parents are easily alarmed, you know; they think of
nothing but one thing."

So now there was nobody about me who would be easily alarmed.
I took the full force of that.