herself to the schoolroom for an hour every morning, with a desire to
be useful. She thought she did great things in undertaking those
tasks of Phyllis's which Emily most disliked. But Lilias was neither
patient nor humble enough to be a good teacher, though she could
explain difficult rules in a sensible way. She could not, or would
not, understand the difference between dulness and inattention; her
sharp hasty manner would frighten away all her pupil's powers of
comprehension; she sometimes fell into the great error of scolding,
when Phyllis was doing her best, and the poor child's tears flowed
more frequently than ever.

Emily's gentle manner made her instructions far more agreeable,
though she was often neither clear nor correct in her explanations;
she was contented if the lessons were droned through in any manner,
so long as she could say they were done; she disliked a disturbance,
and overlooked or half corrected mistakes rather than cause a cry.
Phyllis naturally preferred being taught by her, and Lily was vexed
and unwilling to persevere. She went to the schoolroom expecting to
be annoyed, created vexation for herself, and taught in anything but
a loving spirit. Still, however, the thought of Claude, and the wish
to do more than her duty, kept her constant to her promise, and her
love of seeing things well done was useful, though sadly
counterbalanced by her deficiency in temper and patience.



CHAPTER V--VILLAGE GOSSIP