Madame is testing her authority as disciplinarian

Today Madame was exasperated in general, and there was one thing in particular that may or may not have been my fault, hard to know.

"Thomas," she said, "Remove your glasses."

I did so. She took aim for a slap, hesitated, then said, "Oh, I can't."

I laughed and said, "Madame stops and thinks too much."

"Keep those glasses off!" she said sharply, and plastered me with a good, hard slap. "Don't laugh at me!" she said, and stalked off smirking.