11 THE SPIDER AFFAIR
THE first lesson that afternoon was mental arithmetic. The girls groaned¹ over this, except the quickones, like Irene, who delighted in it. But it meant that there was no need for anyone to open a desk,because it was all oral work.
Miss Potts was lenient² with the girls, for it was a very hot afternoon. Darrell was glad that Miss Pottswas not as exacting³ as usual, for arithmetic was not her strong point, especially mental arithmetic.
The next leson was to be taken by Mam'zelle Dupont. It was to be a French conversation lesson, inwhich the girls would endeavour to answer all Mam'zelle's simple questions in French. Miss Pottsleft, and Mam'zelle arrived, not quite so beaming as usual, because of the heat. She was too plump toenjoy the hot weather, and little beads⁴ of perspiration⁵ shone on her forehead as she sat down at thebig desk, opposite the rows of girls.
'Assevez-vous,' she said, and the girls sat down thankfully, feeling that the only lesson they wouldreally enjoy that weather would be a swimming lesson.
The lesson proceeded slowly and haltingly. The flow of French conversation was not at all brisk onthe girls' part, and the constant pauses began to irritate Mam'zelle.
'Ah!' she cried at last, 'it is too hot to make conversation with such stupid ones as you are thisafternoon! Get out your grammar books and I w ill explain a few things to you that will help yourconversation if you can get them into your so-stupid heads!'
The girls opened their desks to get out their grammar books. Gwendoline watched eagerly to seewhat would happen when Mary-Lou opened hers. But nothing did happen. Mary Lou had neitherseen the spider nor disturbed it. She shut her desk.
All the girls opened their grammar books at the page Mam'zelle commanded. Then Mary-Lou foundthat she had her English grammar instead of her French one. So she re?opened her desk to get theright book.
Que /aires vous, Mary-Lou?" demanded Mam'zelle, who hated desks being opened and shut toooften. 'What are you doing?'
Mary-Lou stuffed her English grammar into the back of her desk and pulled out the French one. Thespider, feeling itself dislodged by the book, ran out in a fright. It ran almost up to Mary-Lou beforeshe saw it. She let the desk-lid drop with a terrific bang and gave a heart-rending scream.

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