"But if you're very good--I dare say some of the great ladies like the Rothschilds will buy you nice clothes. I have heard they are very good to clever children."
"No, then the other teachers would know I was getting charity! And they would mock at me. I heard Miss Hyams make fun of a teacher because she wore the same dress as last winter. I don't think I should like to be a teacher after all, though it is nice to be able to stand with your back to the fire in the winter. The girls would know--'" Esther stopped and blushed.
"Well, they would know father," said Esther in low tones. "They would see him selling things in the Lane and they wouldn't do what I told them."
"Nonsense, Esther. I believe most of the teachers' fathers are just as bad--I mean as poor. Look at Miss Hyams's own father."
"Oh Debby! I do hope that's true. Besides when I was earning five shillings a week, I could buy father a new coat, couldn't I? And then there would be no need for him to stand in the Lane with lemons or 'four-corner fringes,' would there?"
"No, dear. You shall be a teacher, I prophesy, and who knows? Some day you may be Head Mistress!"
Esther laughed a startled little laugh of delight, with a suspicion of a sob in it. "What! Me! Me go round and make all the teachers do their work. Oh, wouldn't I catch them gossiping! I know their tricks!"
"You seem to look after your teacher well. Do you ever call her over the coals for gossiping?" inquired Dutch Debby, amused.
"No, no," protested Esther quite seriously. "I like to hear them gossiping. When my teacher and Miss Davis, who's in the next room, and a few other teachers get together, I learn--Oh such a lot!--from their conversation."
"Then they do teach you after all," laughed Debby.
"Yes, but it's not on the Time Table," said Esther, shaking her little head sapiently. "It's mostly about young men. Did you ever have a young man, Debby?"
"Don't--don't ask such questions, child!" Debby bent over her needle-work.
"Why not?" persisted Esther. "If I only had a young man when I grew up, I should be proud of him. Yes, you're trying to turn your head away. I'm sure you had. Was he nice like Lord Eversmonde or Captain Andrew Sinclair? Why you're crying, Debby!"