Another question, compiler problem?

I was trying to do this:

class RelativePathName (thePathName : String)

extends PathName
(new java.io.File (WORKING_DIRECTORY,
normalizeName (thePathName))) {

And defined WORKING_DIRECTORY and normalizeName in the companion object
as privates. That didn't work. Making them public DOES work, but I thought
the class and the object recognize each others names?

Job