Thief of Time - Advanced

'The reason I've called you here, Susan, is that, er, the reason is-' Madam Frout faltered.

'There have been complaints?' said Miss Susan.

'Er, no... er ... although Miss Smith has told me that the children coming up from your class are, er, restless. Their reading ability is, she says, rather unfortunately advanced…’

'Miss Smith thinks a good book is about a boy and his dog chasing a big red ball,' said Miss Susan. 'My children have learned to expect a plot. No wonder they get impatient. We're reading Grim Fairy Tales at the moment.'

'That is rather rude of you, Susan.’

'No, madam. That is rather polite of me. It would have been rude of me to say that there is a circle of Hell reserved for teachers like Miss Smith.’

'But that's a dreadf-' Madam Frout stopped, and began again. 'You should not be teaching them to read at all yet!' she snapped.

***

The Thief of Time - p70-71