Page:Zodiac stories by Blanche Mary Channing.pdf/200

the amusements of his age. He had positively never seen a little girl to speak to before, and was in some doubt as to what he ought to say and do when she should come to see him next day. He had a general impression that little girls were extremely shy and easily frightened, and that you had to speak softly to them and let them have their own way. This last was not a hard prospect as regarded Ellie Vaughn, for her own way was likely to be a pretty and harmless way; but the curé had told him that in history the greatest troubles had been caused by Kings letting silly, selfish women do as they liked; so the female way must be a bad one sometimes. To be sure, the curé did not think much of women, and very likely did not think much of little girls because they would be women if they lived to grow up. He hoped Ellie would live to be a woman; she would be such a sweet, gentle, beautiful woman!