I hate these old sums ! Mother 's always making me do sums in the holidays . It is n't fair . Seven times three is — what 's father reading ?That 's French , I know . Father 's always reading French . G. Y. P . Gyp ? I wonder what it 's about .Seven times three is — twenty-one . Put down one and carry two . Oh , but it 's pence and shillings . I can n't do pence and shillings !Horrid old things ! they 're always coming wrong .I say , what fun to make a libation to Demeter ! I will ! Let 's see . I wish I had mother 's Greek dress . I must have one of father 's rags . This 'll do .It 's awfully jolly dressing up . But I have no wine . Oh , I know — I 'll take some of father 's painting water — though it 's rather black-and-whity .Hail , Demeter ! I have no wine for you , but here 's some water .I suppose I should pray for something now . Oh , I do wish you 'd stop mother persecuting me in the holidays like this ! But you can n't , you dear old thing . Father says the old gods are dead . I wish they 'd come alive again . It 's very hard to have to do sums in the holidays . Let 's see — twenty-one ? I suppose two shillings and one penny . Twelve — I suppose . But , father , I think there ought to be ten pence in a shilling . Oh , because then , do n't you see , you could count on your fingers all right , but now there are too many pennies for your fingers , and so you never can tell how many are over . Nine ? Oh , you jolly old father ! I should like to do my sums with you always . Father ! Father ! I say , FATHER ! But , father — Do the Greeks worship Demeter now ? The old Greeks were the cleverest people that ever lived , and they had the nicest gods . Do n't you wish there were goddesses now , father ? Goddesses sometimes fell in love with people , father — did n't they ? And one might fall in love with you , father . That would be fun ! She 'd give me all sorts of jolly things . Oh , bother these horrid old sums ! Please , mother , I only made a libation . But , mother , I only — I was n't climbing trees . I only climbed one tree . But you 're hurting me . Not all . I do n't know . Yes , mother . I do n't know . Father , I 'm going to bring you some buttercups , to put on your table and make your work look pretty . I will . I 'll bring you some speedwell , mother . And I 'll make a daisy chain for Demeter . Good-bye . Mother ! Are you sick ? I 'm sorry , mother . May I go and play with Maude and Bertie after school to-morrow , and stay to tea ? Oh , but why ? They want me to stay to tea . But I forgot — I really did . Well , I promise . But it 's very hard to remember promises , when you want to do a thing very much . You said you wished I was dead , and I thought you did n't want me any more . I thought perhaps you were going to kill me with a knife , like Medea , and I did n't like that . I thought the river would be kinder . But I thought you meant what you said . You ought n't to say what you do n't mean , mother . Yes , you know I 'll always forgive you , mother . But you said I had brought shame upon father .I do n't want to bring shame upon father ! But there 's no use promising . Oh , I am so tired ! Yes .