MissJones，hervoicetrembling：“Children，Ireallyinsist——“Andmorebooksdropped，andmorewhispersandmoreprotests，andsoonadinfinitum。Abeautifulgametobeplayedallthemorning。
　　OrtherewasthegameofNotHearing。MissJoneswouldsay：“Andtwicetwoarefour。“Marywouldrepeatloudly：“Andtwicetwoisfive——“
　　“Four，Mary。“
　　“Oh，Ithoughtyousaidfive。“
　　AndthenasecondlaterJeremywouldask：
　　“Didyousayfourorfive，MissJones？“
　　“ItoldMaryIsaidfour——“
　　“Oh，I’vewrittenfive——andnowit’sallwrong。Didn’tyouwritefive，Mary？“
　　“Yes，I’vewrittenfive。Youdidsayfour，didn’tyou，MissJones？“
　　“Yes——yes。Andthreemakes——“
　　“Whatdidyousaymadefive？“askedJeremy。
　　“Ididn’tsayfive。Isaidfour。Twicetwo。“
　　“Isthataswellas’addthree，’MissJones？I’vegottwicetwo，andthenaddthree，andthentwicetwo——“
　　“No，no。IwasonlytellingJeremy——“
　　“Please，MissJones，wouldyoumindbeginningagain——“
　　Thisisaveryunpleasantgameforaladywithneuralgia。
　　OrthereisthegameofMakingaNoise。Atthisgame，withoutanyearliertrainingorpractice，Jeremywasaperfectmaster。Thethreechildrenwouldbesittingtherevery，veryquiet，learningthefirstverseof“Tiger，Tiger，burningbright——“Averygentlecreakingsoundwouldbreakthestillness——acreakingsoundthatcanbemade，ifyouareclever，byrubbingabootagainstaboot。Itwouldnotcomeregularly，butonce，twice，thrice，apause，andthenonce，twiceandanotherpause。
　　“Who’smakinganoise？“
　　Deadsilence。Averylongpause，andthenitwouldbeginagain。
　　“Thatnoisemustcease，Isay。Jeremy，whatareyoudoing？“
　　Hewouldlifttohertheneyesfullofmeeknessandlove。
　　“Nothing，MissJones。“
　　Soonitwouldbeginagain。MissJoneswouldbesilentthistime，andthenMarywouldspeak。
　　“Please，wouldyouaskJeremynottorubhisbootstogether？Ican’tlearnmyverse——“
　　“Ididn’tknowIwas，“saysJeremy。
　　Thenitwouldbeginagain。Jeremywouldsay：
　　“Please，mayItakemybootsoff？“
　　“Takeyourbootsoff？Why？“
　　“Theywillrubtogether，andIcan’tstopthem，becauseIdon’tknowwhenIdoit，anditishardforMary——“
　　“Ofcoursenot！Ineverheardofsuchathing！Nexttimeyoudoityoumuststandonyourchair。“
　　SoonJeremyisstandingonhischair。Soonhispoetrybookdropswithaterriblecrashtotheground，andfivemillionpinsstabMissJones’sheart。Withwhitefaceandtremblinghands，shesays：
　　“Goandstandinthecorner，Jeremy！Ishallhavetospeaktoyourmother！“
　　Hegoes，grinningatMary，andstandsthereknowingthathisvictimiswatchingthedoorinanagonylestMrs。ColeshouldsuddenlycomeinandinquirewhatJeremyhaddone，andthatsothewholestoryofhisinsubordinationberevealedandMissJoneslosehersituationforincapacity。
　　HowdidhediscoverthisfinalweaknessofMissJones？Noonetoldhim；butheknew，and，asthedayspassed，rejoicedinhispowerandhismightandhisglory。
　　Thencametheclimax。Thechildrenwerenotperfectlysurewhether，afterall，MissJonesmightnottelltheirmother。Theydidnotwishthistohappen，andsolongasthiscalamitywaspossibletheywerenotcompletemastersofthepoorlady。Thencameamorningwhentheyhadbeenextremelynaughty，wheneverygamehadbeenplayedandeverytriumphscored。MissJones，almostintears，hadthreatenedfourtimesthatthePowersAboveshouldbeinformed。SuddenlyMrs。
　　Coleentered。
　　“Well，MissJones，howhavethechildrenbeenthismorning？Ifthey’vebeengoodIhavealittletreattopropose。“
　　Thechildrenwaited，theireyesupontheirgoverness。Hereyesstaredbackuponhertormentors。Herhandsworkedtogether。Shestruggled。WhynotcallinMrs。Cole’sauthoritytoheraid？No；sheknewwhatitwouldmean——“I’mverysorry，MissJones，butIthinkayoungergoverness，perhaps——“
　　Herthroatmoved。
　　“They’vebeenverygoodthismorning，Mrs。Cole。“
　　TheeyesofMaryandofJeremywerealightwithtriumph。
　　Theyhadwontheirfinalvictory。
　　III
　　IknowwhatMissJonessufferedduringthoseweeks。Shewasnotanoldladyofverygreatpowerofresistance，anditmusthavepositivelyterrifiedherthatthesesmallchildrenshouldsovindictivelyhateher。Shecouldnothaveseenitasanythingbuthatred，beingentirelyignorantofchildrenandthestrangeforcestowhosepowertheyaresubject，andshemusthaveshiveredinherbedroomatthedrearinessandterroroftheprospectbeforeher。
　　Many，manytimesshemusthaveresolvednottobebeaten，andmany，manytimesshemusthaveadmittedherselfbeatenasbadlyasanyonecanbe。
　　Herlifewiththepeopledownstairswasnotintimateenough，norwerethosepeoplethemselvesperceptiveenoughforanyrealisationofwhatwasoccurringtopenetrate。
　　“Ihopeyou’rehappywiththechildren，MissJones，“onceortwicesaidMrs。Cole。
　　“Very，thankyou，“saidMissJones。
　　“They’regoodchildren，Ithink，althoughparentsarealwaysprejudiced，ofcourse。Jeremyisalittledifficultperhaps。It’ssohardtotellwhathe’sreallythinking。Youfindhimaquiet，reservedlittleboy？“
　　“Very，“saidMissJones。
　　“Inalittlewhile，whenyouknowhimbetter，hewillcomeout。Onlyyouhavetolethimtakehistime。Hedoesn’tliketobeforced——“
　　“No，“saidMissJones。
　　Meanwhile，thatmorningdescentintotheschoolroomwasrealhellforher。Shehadtosummonuphercourage，walkingaboutherbedroom，pressingherhandstogether，evokingthememoryofhermagnificentiron-souledbrother，whowould，sheknew，despisesuchtremors。Ifonlyshecouldhavediscoveredsomeremedy！Butsentiment，attemptedtyranny，anger，contempt，atallthesethingstheylaughed。Shecouldnottouchthemanywhere。AndshesawJeremyasarealchildofEvilintheverybaldestsense。Shecouldnotimaginehowanyonesoyoungcouldbesocruel，soheartless，somaliciouslycleverinhiselaboratemachinations。Sheregardedhimwithrealhorror，andontheoccasionswhenshefoundhimactingkindlytowardshissistersoraservant，orwhenshewatchedhimdiscoursingsolemnlytoHamlet，shewashelplesslypuzzled，anddecidedthatthesebettermanifestationsweresimplymaskstohidehisdevilishyoungheart。Sheperceivedmeanwhiletheinevitablecrisisslowlyapproaching，whenshewouldbecompelledtoinviteMrs。Cole’ssupport。Thatwouldmeanherdismissalandahopelessfuture。Therewasnoonetowhomshemightturn。Shehadnotarelation，notafriend——toolatetomakefriendsnow。
　　Shecouldseenothinginfrontofheratall。
　　Thecrisisdidcome，butnotassheexpectedit。
　　Therearrivedamorningwhenthedarkmistoutsideandbadlymadeporridgeinsidetemptedthechildrentotheirveryworst。MissJoneshadhadawakefulnightstrugglingwithneuralgiaandherownhesitatingspirit。Thechildrenhadlosteventheircustomaryhalf-
　　humourous，half-contemptuousreserve。Theyletthemselvesappearforwhattheywere——infantsavagesdiscontentedwithfood，weatherandeducation。
　　Iwillnotdetailtheincidentsofthatmorning。Theepisodesthatwereonothermorningsgamesweretodaytortures。TherewastheTortureofLosingThings，theTortureofNotHearing，theTortureofManyNoises，theTortureofSuddenAlarm，theTortureofOutrightDefiance，theTortureofExpressedContempt。Whentwelvestruckandthechildrenwerefree，MissJoneswasnotfarfromanervouspanicthatcanbecalled，withoutanyexaggeration，incipientmadness。Theneuralgiatoreatherbrain，herownself-contempttoreatherheart，herbaffledimpotencebewilderedandblindedher。Shedidnotleavetheschoolroomwiththechildren，butwenttothebroadwindow-sillandsattherelookingoutintothedrearyprospect。
　　Then，suddenlyfornoreasonexceptgeneralweaknessandphysicalandspiritualcollapseshebegantocry。
　　Jeremywasconsideredtohaveacold，andwas，therefore，notpermittedtoaccompanyhismotherandsistersonanexcitingshoppingexpedition，whichwouldcertainlyleadasfarasoldPoole’s，thebookseller，andmightevenextendtoMartins’，thepastrycook，whomadelemonbiscuitsnextdoortotheCathedral。Hewas，therefore，inaverybadtemperindeedwhenhereturnedsulkilytotheschoolroom。Hestoodforamomentthereunawarethattherewasanybodyintheroom，hesitatingastowhetherheshouldcontinue“AFlatIronforaFarthing“orhuntupHamlet。Suddenlyheheardthesoundofsobbing。HeturnedandsawMissJones。
　　Hewouldhavefledhadflightbeeninanywaypossible，butshehadlookedupandseenhim，andhersuddenarrestedsniffheldthemboththereasthoughbysomethirdinvisiblepower。Hesawthatshewascrying；hesawherrednose，mottledcheeks，untidyhair。Itwasthemostawfulmomentofhisyounglife。Hehadneverseenagrown-uppersoncrybefore；hehadnoideathattheyeverdidcry。Hehad，indeed，neverrealisedthatgrown-uppersonshadanyactivehistoriesatall，anyhistoriesinthesenseinwhichheandMaryhadthem。Theywereallabackground，simplyabackgroundthatblewbackwardsandforwardsliketapestryaccordingtoone’sneedofthem。HistortureofMissJoneshadbeenfoundedonnosortofrealisationofherasahumanbeing；shehadbeenasillyoldwoman，ofcourse，butjustasthebatteredweather-beatenAuntSallyinthegardenwasasillyoldwoman。