“A regular gale4 of glee,” Leila spoke5 with a faint touch of good-humored satire6. “What is it that calls for such applause, I wonder?”
“We shall never know.” Vera made a gesture of resigned futility7. “Their worthy8 president has forgotten how much she objected to our demonstrations9 of joy in 15 last year. They are making a great deal more noise than ever we made.”
“They are welcome to make it. Shut up in the living room, they are at least out of mischief10.” Leila promptly11 forgot the demonstrative assemblage below stairs in the writing of a stirring scene in the “melodramer” she had long promised Robin12 and Marjorie she should one day write. She had named it “The Fatal Message,” and it abounded13 in scenes, villains14 and thrilling situations to a 174ludicrous extent. The hero’s name was Rupert and the heroine’s Madelene. The greater part of the stage scenery belonging to Leila’s theatrical16 paraphernalia17 divided the lovers throughout the play until they met in the palatial18 drawing room of Madelene’s long-lost millionaire father in the last scene of the fifth act.
As usual Augusta Forbes had been selected for the heroic part of Rupert. Gentleman Gus had acquired great glory as a portrayer19 of male roles. Because the Hamilton girls loved to see her grace the stage in her golden beauty, Doris Monroe had been selected to play the part of Madelene. In ministerial-appearing Miss Duncan, Leila had also discovered a treasure. Miss Duncan had proved upon acquaintance to be as humorous and jolly as she seemed staid and severe. She had confessed a longing15 to swank about the stage in male attire20 and had covered herself with glory as Henry the Fifth in three scenes from the splendid play which had been given at a “Shakesperian Show” managed by Page and Dean.
“Shut up in the living room,” however, the Orchid Club were hardly verifying Leila’s light supposition. A week had passed since Julia Peyton had triumphantly21 boasted to Clara Carter that she had found the means she had been seeking to drive Leslie Cairns from Wayland Hall. All she and Mildred Ferguson lacked toward starting the ball 175of injustice22 rolling was the promised tabulated23 list from Dulcie Vale.
Dulcie had not seen Leslie since the two girls had been students at Hamilton. She had known herself to be so thoroughly24 despised by Leslie and the other Sans for her treachery toward them that she had preferred to keep at a distance from them. She had once met and greeted Joan Myers and had received a snubbing which she never forgot. In her heart she had the same old envious25 dislike for Leslie as in the days on Hamilton campus when she had resented Leslie’s undeniable sway over the Sans.
During the interval26 of more than two years which had elapsed since the downfall of the San Soucians at Hamilton College, Dulcie Vale had not improved either in wisdom or truth. She had the same lack of regard for the truth as ever. When she had discovered at the Vale’s New Year’s re-union that Mildred Ferguson was a student at Hamilton, and had also learned to her nettled27 amazement28 that Leslie Cairns had by some means or other managed to return to Hamilton, she immediately planned mischief. She was as ready to drag Leslie down into the dust of humiliation29 as ever.
It was with malicious30 pleasure that she set to work on the tabulated list of Leslie’s misdeeds the day following the re-union. She spent the greater part of three days composing and arranging the list, then mailed it to Mildred with satisfaction. It 176had arrived in the afternoon mail of the previous day and the Orchid Club had been notified to a member to be on hand at eight o’clock in the living room of the Hall on the next evening.
Julia and Mildred had spent the entire evening previous to that of the meeting in drawing up the fateful petition. Due to Mildred’s selfish ability to steer31 conveniently clear of snags, the petition was worded so cleverly as to carry the effect of a protest against deep injury reluctantly stated. It began:
“We, the undersigned do hereby make plea for a condition of affairs at Wayland Hall which shall be in entire harmony with the ideals and traditions of Hamilton College.”
Followed in “the interests of truth and honor” a dignified32 protest against Leslie Cairns’ presence at the Hall. The petition ended with the crafty33 assurance that three representatives from among the objectors were prepared to state in private conference with Miss Remson their objections to Leslie Cairns as a resident of Wayland Hall.
While Julia Peyton had a known grievance34 against Leslie, Mildred also had one, though it was less tangible35. She had shrewdly estimated Leslie at sight as a person of some consequence. She had accordingly decided36 to cultivate Leslie’s acquaintance. She had met with a peculiar37 kind of defeat. She had all of a sudden understood that Leslie understood her. She sensed as clearly as though it 177had been said to her that Leslie had quickly plumbed38 her soul and discovered her ignoble39 motive40 for making friendly advances. On this very account she felt aggressive toward Leslie, as is the way with persons of small nature. She was quite content with Julia’s determination to shame Leslie.
Mildred had chosen to read out Dulcie Vale’s list to the members of the club. This to Julia’s only half concealed41 disappointment. She had allotted42 the reading of the petition to Julia, who had accepted the minor43 honor somewhat distantly. The reading of the petition evoked44 far more applause than did Dulcie’s letter, which was gratifying to Julia. She took the credit for its composition though Mildred had dictated45 its policy.
As a matter of fact the members of the Orchid Club were rather horrified46 at the list of offenses47 Dulcie had tabulated against Leslie. The psychological effect produced upon the company by the reading of the list was decidedly unpleasant. They were a thoughtless, pleasure-loving group of girls with undoubted snobbish48 tendencies. They were not in any sense embued with the spirit of lawlessness which had brought the Sans to grief. Nevertheless the list served its purpose to the extent that the majority of the club were in instant favor of presenting the petition to Miss Remson.
There were a few faint-hearted objections to the proposal from four or five girls who presented the arguments that Miss Cairns had powerful friends 178at the Hall in the post graduates, that Miss Remson would fight for Leslie and that Prexy might be a good friend of Miss Cairns’ father. These arguments were energetically swept aside by Julia and Mildred, who made mysterious promises to take the matter “higher” with the surety of receiving justice from the College Board should both Miss Remson and Prexy prove partial.
“In the face of all Miss Cairns has done against the traditions and rules of Hamilton it would be nothing but partiality for President Matthews to refuse to honor our petition.” Julia had risen to argue as eloquently49 against Leslie as a district attorney might have against a murderer. “If he should do this then we must come out boldly and accuse him of partiality. We shall have our parents write letters of protest to him, and to the Board.”
While her hearers were not altogether satisfied with her arguments neither were they pleased to have Leslie at the Hall. They had the innate50 tendency of well-bred girls toward the keeping of honorable company which in other circumstances might have been commendable51.
It was Mildred, however, who put the final touch to Julia’s harangue52. “Oh, what is the use of being afraid to sign that petition?” she demanded, her blue eyes laughing scorn at her clubmates. It was the one thing needed to decide them against Leslie. “What harm can it do you? Haven’t you a right to the courage of your convictions? You can’t 179be executed, you know, for signing. Incidentally we may win. Think it over, then start at the left and come up to the table and sign. But take your chairs again. We have other business to transact53 before the close of the meeting.”
Leslie, coming in later from a little expedition of her own, encountered the chattering54 throng55 of girls as it poured into the hall from the living room. In crossing the hall to the stairs she was curiously56 aware of a stir among the chatterers which she could not but lay to her appearance among them. She bade the students nearest to her a reserved good evening and hurried on up the stairs feeling vexed57 with herself for the odd premonition which had flashed through her mind of the approach of something disagreeable. She shook off the feeling, impatiently attributing it to the constant expectation of being harshly criticised which she unwillingly58 harbored.
Since the beginning of her senior year Leslie had quietly interested herself in the poor of the town of Hamilton. Her program of only two subjects gave her ample time to look about her. She had more money than she could possibly spend. She no longer cared about spending it like water for fancied costly59 luxuries. Her idea of charity consisted in buying a car full of groceries and necessities, then driving around among the needy60 families in the lower part of the town and making them happy. She never stopped to inquire whether they 180were worthy. She simply gave as her sympathies directed. Already she had planned, that, when she and Peter the Great should come to live at Carden Hedge, she would ask him to establish some sort of industry in South Hamilton which should provide work for the poor there at a living wage.
The day following the meeting Leslie came to a grim conclusion that “something must be stirring” against her among her housemates. It was the first time since her advent61 at the Hall that she had noticed anything so general as the peculiarly disapproving62 aloofness63 which showed itself among the tables full of girls as she went into the dining room to breakfast. By night she had become convinced of her suspicion. She set her jaws64 and brought an intrepid65 spirit to bear upon the threatening situation. Whatever it might be she would not go whining66 with it to Miss Remson. She would not run out to meet calamity67, either. But, if calamity came, she would walk bravely out to meet it, alone.
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1
orchid
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| n.兰花，淡紫色 | |
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tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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satire
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| n.讽刺，讽刺文学，讽刺作品 | |
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futility
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| n.无用 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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demonstrations
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| 证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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robin
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| n.知更鸟，红襟鸟 | |
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abounded
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| v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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paraphernalia
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| n.装备；随身用品 | |
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palatial
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| adj.宫殿般的，宏伟的 | |
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portrayer
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| n.肖像画家 | |
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attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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tabulated
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| 把（数字、事实）列成表( tabulate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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plumbed
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| v.经历( plumb的过去式和过去分词 )；探究；用铅垂线校正；用铅锤测量 | |
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ignoble
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| adj.不光彩的，卑鄙的；可耻的 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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evoked
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| [医]诱发的 | |
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dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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offenses
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| n.进攻( offense的名词复数 )；（球队的）前锋；进攻方法；攻势 | |
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snobbish
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| adj.势利的，谄上欺下的 | |
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eloquently
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| adv. 雄辩地(有口才地, 富于表情地) | |
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50
innate
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| adj.天生的，固有的，天赋的 | |
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commendable
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| adj.值得称赞的 | |
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harangue
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| n.慷慨冗长的训话，言辞激烈的讲话 | |
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transact
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| v.处理；做交易；谈判 | |
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54
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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needy
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| adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的 | |
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advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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disapproving
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| adj.不满的，反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 ) | |
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aloofness
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| 超然态度 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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