“Those of which you can make no use,” said Mad. de Rosier, with simplicity.
“You don’t mean, though, all the names, and dates, and kings, and Roman emperors, and all the remarkable events that I have learned by heart?”
“It is useful, I allow,” replied Mad. de Rosier, “to know by heart the names of the English kings and Roman emperors, and to remember the dates of their reigns, otherwise we should be obliged, whenever we wanted them, to search in the books in which they are to be found, and that wastes time.”
“Wastes time — yes; but what’s worse,” said Isabella, “a person looks so awkward and foolish in company, who does not know these things — things that every body knows.”
“And that every body is supposed to know,” added Mad. de Rosier.
“That never struck me before,” said Isabella, i
