It is the only way of dealing with diffident, easily embarrassed characters, and with some slight manual aid I presently got her placed just where I wanted her to be, that is, between my desk and the window, where she was screened from the rush of the second division, and where no one could sneak behind her to listen.
"Take a seat," I said, placing a tabouret; and I made her sit down.

I knew what I was doing would be considered a very strange thing, and, what was more, I did not care.

Frances knew it also, and, I fear, by an appearance of agitation and trembling, that she cared much.

I drew from my pocket the rolled-up devoir.
"This it, yours, I suppose ?" said I, addressing her in English, for I now felt sure she could speak English.
"Yes," she answered distinctly; and as I unrolled it and laid it out flat on the desk before her with my hand upon it, and a pencil in that hand, I saw her moved, and, as it were, kindled; her depression beamed as a cloud might behind which the sun is burning.
"This devoir has numerous faults," said I."It will take you some years of careful study before you are in a condition to write English with absolute correctness.

Attend: I will point out some principal defects." And I went through it carefully, noting every error, and demonstrating why they were errors, and how the words or phrases ought to have been written.