He began to speak to her in French, and she would have to ask him to repeat himself and still not understand. It was a little game he played. You should have come to me for French lessons. In December, the school geared up for the customary Christmas concert of recitations, songs, drills, plays, a mighty endeavour that involved every child and turned Connie’s classroom back into a theatre. The children stayed in at recess writing out copies of the songs and skits, they stayed after school and helped each other memorize their parts, and soon whole Friday afternoons were given over to practising. Tula drew Christmas scenes freehand on the blackboard with coloured chalk, and it was her idea to string across the ceiling blue crepe paper of various lengths in a great X-shaped fringe that moved prettily in the air currents. At noon on the Friday of the evening concert, the children went home and the school trustees came in and set up a Christmas tree in the hallway and adorned it with glass and paper ornaments.
