Chapter 6

           “Hereyouallare,”begantheprince,“settlingyourselvesdowntolistentomewithsomuchcuriosity,thatifIdonotsatisfyyouyouwillprobablybeangrywithme.No,no!I’monlyjoking!”headded,hastily,withasmile.

           “Well,then—theywereallchildrenthere,andIwasalwaysamongchildrenandonlywithchildren.TheywerethechildrenofthevillageinwhichIlived,andtheywenttotheschoolthere—allofthem.Ididnotteachthem,ohno;therewasamasterforthat,oneJulesThibaut.Imayhavetaughtthemsomethings,butIwasamongthemjustasanoutsider,andIpassedallfouryearsofmylifethereamongthem.Iwishedfornothingbetter;Iusedtotellthemeverythingandhidnothingfromthem.Theirfathersandrelationswereveryangrywithme,becausethechildrencoulddonothingwithoutmeatlast,andusedtothrongaftermeatalltimes.Theschoolmasterwasmygreatestenemyintheend!Ihadmanyenemies,andallbecauseofthechildren.EvenSchneiderreproachedme.Whatweretheyafraidof?Onecantellachildeverything,anything.Ihaveoftenbeenstruckbythefactthatparentsknowtheirchildrensolittle.Theyshouldnotconcealsomuchfromthem.Howwellevenlittlechildrenunderstandthattheirparentsconcealthingsfromthem,becausetheyconsiderthemtooyoungtounderstand!Childrenarecapableofgivingadviceinthemostimportantmatters.