eard it, miss.''
''He keeps a great library. The largest library, of its kind, in all of England. I dare say you will see it soon.''
''That will be something, miss, I''m sure.''
She smiled again. ''You like to read, of course?''
I swallowed. ''To read, miss?'' She nodded, waiting. ''Pretty much,'' I said at last. ''That is, I am sure I should, if I was ever much in the way of books and papers. By which I mean''—I coughed—''if I was to be shown.''
She stared.
''To learn, I mean,'' I said.
She stared, even harder; and then she gave a short, disbelieving sort of laugh. ''You are joking,'' she said. ''You don''t mean, you cannot read? Not really? Not a word, not a letter?'' Her smile became a frown. There was, beside her, a little table with a book upon it. Still half smiling, half frowning, she took the book up and handed it to me. ''Go on,'' she said kindly. ''I think you are being modest. Read me any part, I shan''t mind if you stumble.''
I held the book, saying nothing; but beginning to sweat. I opened it and looked at a page. It was full of a close black print. I tried another. That one was worse. I felt Maud''s gaze, like a flame against my hot face. I felt the silence. My face grew hotter. Take a chance, I thought.
''Our Father,'' I tried, ''which art in heaven—''
But then, I forgot the rest. I closed the book, and bit my lip, and looked at the floor. I thought, very bitterly, ''Well, here will all our scheming end. She won''t want a maid that can''t read her a book, or write fancy letters in a curling hand!'' I lifted my eyes to hers and said,