MADHAV. Hullo! Is that you, Amal?

AMAL. Mayn't I be out of the courtyard at all?

MADHAV. No, my dear, no.

AMAL. See, there where Auntie grinds lentils in the quirn, the
squirrel is sitting with his tail up and with his wee hands he's
picking up the broken grains of lentils and crunching them.
Can't I run up there?

MADHAV. No, my darling, no.

AMAL. Wish I were a squirrel!--it would be lovely. Uncle, why
won't you let me go about?

MADHAV. Doctor says it's bad for you to be out.

AMAL. How can the doctor know?

MADHAV. What a thing to say! The doctor can't know and he reads
such huge books!

AMAL. Does his book-learning tell him everything?

MADHAV. Of course, don't you know!

AMAL [With a sigh] Ah, I am so stupid! I don't read books.

MADHAV. Now, think of it; very, very learned people are all like