Page:De Amicis - Heart, translation Hapgood, 1922.djvu/339

Rh times, a thousand times, dear Signora Teacher! and forgive me for not knowing how to say anything else!”

“But she not only speaks,” said the teacher; “your daughter also knows how to write. She knows how to reckon. She knows the names of all common objects. She knows a little history and geography. She is now in the regular class. When she has passed through the two remaining classes, she will know much more. When she leaves here, she will be in a condition to adopt a profession. We already have deaf-mutes who stand in the shops to serve customers, and they perform their duties like any one else.”

Again the gardener was astounded. It seemed as though his ideas were becoming confused again. He stared at his daughter and scratched his head. His face demanded another explanation.

Then the teacher turned to the attendant and said to him:—

“Call a child of the preparatory class for me.”

The attendant returned, in a short time, with a deaf-mute of eight or nine years, who had entered the institution a few days before.

“This girl,” said the mistress, “is one of those whom we are instructing in the first elements. This is the way it is done. I want to make her say e. Pay attention.”

The teacher opened her mouth, as one opens it to pronounce the vowel e, and motioned to the child to open her mouth in the same manner. Then the mistress made her a sign to throw out her voice. She did so; but instead of e, she pronounced o.