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“Ah! I see you have left out the rainbow. Do you mean to tell me you don’t know what a rainbow is for?”

“I don’t think so,” replied Philomène with some hesitation; Noah was in her mind, but she fancied that Sweet William might find him as little acceptable as the Saints. She therefore determined to run no risks this time.

“It is the triumphal arch,” explained Sweet William, “which is thrown up whenever the fairy queen is expected to pass that way.”

“I never heard that before,” said Philomène, “and I like the idea very much (though I feel quite sure Nurse wouldn’t),” she added to herself.

“It isn’t an idea,” retorted Sweet William rather huffily, “it is a custom. Let me see, that makes four out of five marks for the fourth question,” he continued, “and now for number five.

“‘V. Copy three bars of music from the song, either of a mermaid, or of the Lorelei.’

“Five marks for that question. But I see you have left it out altogether?”

“I have never had a chance of hearing the Lorelei,” answered Philomène, “for no one has ever taken me to the Rhine, and I have not heard any mermaids either, though the Cushats is near the sea.”