“How do you suppose she ever got in here?” was the question she most frequently addressed to Clara Carter during the first two days following Leslie’s return to the Hall. Neither she nor Clara had been able to glean3 any information in the matter from other students at the Hall. Wayland Hall was filling up rapidly. The upper classmen were busy arranging their programs and looking up their friends. The entering freshmen4 at the Hall were busy either with entrance examinations or unpacking5 and straightening their belongings6.
To add to Julia’s disgruntlement, Doris Monroe had been back at the Hall almost a week, yet not once had she noticed either Julia or Clara except 141by the distant courtesy of a bow or salutation whenever she chanced to encounter her two treacherous7 classmates.
Doris was far too greatly delighted with the way matters had shaped themselves for Leslie to think much of anything else. Of all the girls Leslie had known in her lawless days Doris had been the only one who had liked her for herself. From the day of Leslie’s reconciliation8 with her father Doris and Leslie had continued their growing friendship on an even better basis than before. At last, each of the two girls knew the joy of claiming a real “pal.”
Muriel had generously offered to release Doris from rooming with her, thus leaving her free to room in 15 with Leslie. Not only did Doris refuse to take advantage of the offer, Leslie herself would not hear to it. “Stay where you are,” she had laughingly ordered Doris. “I’ll hang around with both of you.” Secretly she courted the prospect9 of Muriel’s enlivening company as a third in the chumship. More than once in the old days she had reluctantly admired “Harding’s nerve.”
When, in the course of a week, Julia learned that Leslie Cairns had re-entered Hamilton College as a member of the senior class her surprise at the news was soon superceded by a resentful desire to oust10 Leslie from Wayland Hall. Her jealous, vengeful disposition11 was an inheritance from her father, who bore the title of “Wolf Peyton” among Wall Street brokers12 where his offices were situated13. 142Added to this grave flaw of character was her paramount14 will to gossip which had developed in her as a result of being the youngest child among three grown-up married sisters who were prone15 to gossip freely in her presence about friends and acquaintances.
For two weeks succeeding Leslie’s advent16 at Wayland Hall, Julia racked her brain for a plan of malicious17 procedure which she might turn against Leslie. She consulted long and darkly with Clara Carter, whose ideas were not more feasible than her own.
“There’s only one way to force Miss Remson to take action against Miss Cairns,” she declared moodily18 to Clara one evening after dinner as the two sat down opposite each other at their study table.
“What’s that?” Clara closed the Horace she had just opened and fixed19 expectant eyes upon Julia.
“Start a petition against having Miss Cairns in the house and then get the majority of students here to sign it. There’s only one trouble. We need something specially20 definite to charge her with.”
“Well, what about the Rustic21 Romp22?” Clara instantly suggested.
“That doesn’t amount to much.” Julia shrugged23 scornfully. “Besides Miss Dean and Doris would fight for her if I started that story again. I don’t care to have them interfering24 in this business. I’ll have to be careful. I shall expect you to nominate me for president of our new club. I’ll nominate 143you in return for vice-president. Caroline Phelps has promised to propose my name for class president. I’m letting her use my new car, you know. She ought to do something for me. However, that’s not to the point about Miss Cairns. What I’d like to find out is just why she was expelled from Hamilton College.”
“I thought you knew!” Clara opened innocent eyes. Here was an opportunity to nettle25 Julia. She seized it with avidity. “Why, it was for hazing26. How strange that you——”
“You may think you are telling me something, but you are not.” Julia grew emphatically rude. “I knew before ever you knew that it was for hazing. They say she and a crowd of girls, called the Sans Soucians Club, hazed27 Miss Dean. Did you know that?” she inquired, loftily incredulous.
“Of course I knew it. You told me that yourself, long ago.”
“Oh.” Julia showed a slightly crestfallen28 air. “It doesn’t interest me,” she continued after a moment. “I’ve heard that she would have been expelled long before that hazing affair if it hadn’t been for her father’s millions. What are some of the other things she did that might warrant expulsion here? That’s what I should like to know. It’s what I’m going to find out. She made trouble between Doris and me. Doris only speaks to me when she can’t avoid speaking. I’ll never forgive Leslie Cairns for that.” Julia’s voice rose angrily.
144“Sh-h-h. You are talking loudly.” Clara held up a warning hand. “Someone passing through the hall might hear you.”
Julia frowned, but discreetly29 lowered her voice. “If I can learn just one very dishonorable thing she did before she was expelled I can start the petition and carry it out. Most of the girls here are juniors, and will be on our side. You see last year Doris and Augusta Forbes were at swords’ points at class election. Doris made a great mistake when she buried the hatchet30 after class election and was nice to Miss Forbes. The girls who rooted for her, and against Miss Forbes, are not going to forget in a hurry the way Doris went back on them. Now she is crazy about Miss Harper and Miss Dean and that provoking Miss Harding. She always looks as though she’d like to laugh in my face every time I happen to meet her on the campus, or in the house.”
“I can’t endure her.” Clara was willing to agree with Julia regarding Muriel. More than once she had vaguely31 detected a furtive32, laughing gleam in Muriel’s velvety33 brown eyes when they had chanced to meet. “I’d love to be vice-president of our club. I’d not care to be president. You would make a better president than I—probably.” She could not resist delivering this one tiny thrust.
“Naturally. I have more initiative than you.” Julia retorted complacently34. “I am more competent to manage a club than you would be. But you generally 145work very nicely with me,” she allowed with condescension35.
“I always try to, unless you are too provoking,” Clara flung back. “How many girls at the Hall do you believe we can count upon already? I’ll write down their names in the back of my note book.” She was determined36 to show herself as extremely useful to Julia’s scheme.
“Very well.” Julia raised dignified37 brows. “First put down the name of Miss Ferguson and Miss Waters, those two freshies in 17. They are dandy girls. I’m rather glad now that I didn’t make a fuss about the noise in 15 that night before college opened. Miss Ferguson has told me since I met her that she heard it but was too good a sport to make a fuss. She said she detested38 a fusser, a dig, a prig or a wet blanket. When she was at Davidson Prep she said she used to cut classes and stay out after ten-thirty. Once she and another girl went to a dinner dance in New York without permission.” Julia forgot dignity and grew animated39. “Davidson is only a few miles from New York. They had asked permission of the registrar40 and she had refused them. They went just the same, came back at noon the next day and not a soul except the girls in the next room to them knew they were away. Wasn’t that cunning?”
“Rash, I should say. I imagine I might like Miss Waters better than Miss Ferguson. She’s not so swanky and flapperish.”
146“Go ahead then, and be nice to her. It will help our cause along,” Julia advised with simulated heartiness41. She craftily42 avoided arguing with Clara. Her disagreement with Doris of the previous spring had taught her at least one virtue43. She could accomplish more by craftiness44 than by belligerency. She was doggedly45 determined upon one point—the utter humiliation46 of Leslie Cairns.
As maliciously47 as Leslie Cairns had once planned to humiliate48 Marjorie Dean, just as strongly Julia Peyton was now arrayed against Leslie Cairns.
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1
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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glean
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| v.收集(消息、资料、情报等) | |
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freshmen
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| n.（中学或大学的）一年级学生( freshman的名词复数 ) | |
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5
unpacking
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| n.取出货物，拆包[箱]v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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belongings
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| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
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7
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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8
reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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10
oust
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| vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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12
brokers
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| n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排… | |
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13
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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paramount
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| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
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prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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moodily
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| adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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romp
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| n.欢闹；v.嬉闹玩笑 | |
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23
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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nettle
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| n.荨麻；v.烦忧，激恼 | |
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26
hazing
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| n.受辱，被欺侮v.（使）笼罩在薄雾中( haze的现在分词 )；戏弄，欺凌（新生等，有时作为加入美国大学生联谊会的条件） | |
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27
hazed
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| v.（使）笼罩在薄雾中( haze的过去式和过去分词 )；戏弄，欺凌（新生等，有时作为加入美国大学生联谊会的条件） | |
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crestfallen
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| adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的 | |
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discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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30
hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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detested
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| v.憎恶，嫌恶，痛恨( detest的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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registrar
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| n.记录员，登记员；(大学的)注册主任 | |
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41
heartiness
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| 诚实，热心 | |
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42
craftily
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| 狡猾地，狡诈地 | |
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43
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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44
craftiness
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| 狡猾，狡诈 | |
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45
doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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46
humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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47
maliciously
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| adv.有敌意地 | |
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48
humiliate
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| v.使羞辱，使丢脸[同]disgrace | |
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