“I’ll be with her in ten minutes. Miss Monroe has gone out to mail a letter. She’ll be back directly.” Leslie closed the door upon Annie’s retreating back with slow reflectiveness. “I wonder,” she murmured: “I wonder.”
“Miss Remson just sent Annie for us,” she said to Doris as the latter entered, her perfect face in charming relief against the dark bear’s fur collar of her coat. Her head was bare and her hair was massed gold in the lamplight.
“For us?” Doris lifted her dark brows. “Why?”
“Don’t know. I think I’m due to hear something unpleasant,” Leslie returned with frowning conviction. “I saw it coming this morning.”
“Saw what coming?” Doris looked concerned. “I mean, what did you see?”
Leslie explained as well as she could. “I can’t 182kick, you know. Here it is, January, and I’ve had smooth sailing. But I’m going to hit the rocks, I guess. The question is: Who supplied the rocks, and how big are they?” Leslie finished with mocking humor.
“If you really are correct in your suspicion, Leslie, you can blame Julia Peyton for the whole thing,” Doris spoke3 with anxious warmth. “She supplied the rocks, if there are any. But she is so untruthful, no one will take her word long for anything. She has probably woven a weird4 tale about the Rustic5 Romp6. I’ll soon put a stop to it if I can find out what she has said.”
“It may not be that at all.” Leslie shook her head. “It’s more apt to be something I did when I was on the campus before. I did so many things I shouldn’t have done. She may have happened to unearth7 one of them. Well,” unconsciously Leslie squared her shoulders, “let’s go and see.”
“Come in, girls.” To their surprise Doris and Leslie found Miss Remson standing8 in the door of her upstairs sitting room, evidently on watch for them. She beckoned9 the girls into the room and closed the door quickly.
“There,” she declared, “I am as well pleased to have no one see you. I am so angry. Gr—r—r!” The little woman accompanied the growl10 with a violent shake of the head. “I know you’d prefer me to be direct, Leslie. Read this.” She handed Leslie a folded paper. “Then we’ll talk.”
183Leslie unfolded the sheet, scanned it eagerly, then passed it on to Doris with a bitter little laugh. “Here’s the rock,” she said. “It’s a big one.”
“Outrageous11!” Doris cried out indignantly, letting the fateful petition flutter to the floor.
Leslie picked it up and re-read it. “No one is to blame but myself,” she asserted doughtily12. “I’ll not have you annoyed, Miss Remson, by anything I’m responsible for. I’ll leave the Hall tomorrow and go back to the Hamilton House. At least I’ve Prexy’s permission to finish my course here.”
“You’ll not leave the Hall, Leslie. Such a contemptible13 thing for a crowd of girls to do,” Miss Remson’s eyes showed an angry sparkle.
“Not half so bad as the things I——”
“Now, now, Leslie. This is the present, you know.” Miss Remson said soothingly14. “That petition is only the beginning. Read this. But, first, glance at the signature.” She tendered Leslie a thicker fold of paper.
“Dulcie Vale!” Leslie’s voice rose in astonishment15 as she scanned the well-remembered signature: “Dulciana Maud Vale.” “Now I begin to understand what it’s all about. Please, pardon me, both of you, while I give Dulcie’s latest outbreak the once-over. ‘The Leslie Cairns’ List,’” she read out. “That’s exactly like Dulcie Vale, the little stupid.”
Miss Remson waited silently for Leslie to read the several sheets of typed paper. At last she glanced up with a laugh of satirical amusement. 184“Dulcie must have hired a stenographer16 to type this. She never typed it herself,” was her characteristically unexpected comment. “Here is a full account of the crimes of Cairns, Doris. Only Dulcie has tied the truth up in an awful snarl17. Read about me in this monograph18. If you are still my friend after you read it, you deserve a friendship medal.”
“That petition was handed to me last night after the meeting in the living room,” Miss Remson said. “I read it, and went to Miss Peyton before the ten-thirty bell rang. Her name heads the list, you see. I suspected her as being at the bottom of the trouble. I told her very sternly that I should expect to meet her committee of three next day at noon in my office. Today at noon Miss Ferguson came to my office with a great pretence19 of dignity. She brought with her this outrageous piece of spite work,” she indicated the list Doris was perusing20, her beautiful face utterly21 impassive.
“She said she would prefer me to read the list she handed me, then she, Miss Peyton and Miss Waters would meet me in conference. At first I thought of handing the list and petition back to her with a lecture. Instead, I accepted the list and said that I would take up the matter with them in three days. As yet I had nothing to say. They went away. There was nothing else for them to do.” Miss Remson’s lips tightened22.
“Once upon a time, Leslie,” she continued, 185“Ronny Lynne and I held a meeting in the living room. You remember why.”
“Yes, I remember.” Leslie flushed. “I wish I had been wise enough to profit by the experience of that evening.”
Miss Remson referred to the eventful evening during Leslie’s sophomore23 year at Hamilton when she had called a meeting in the living room of Wayland Hall in order to see justice done to Marjorie Dean. Leslie had then been the prime mover in an unworthy attempt to traduce24 Marjorie which had ended in deserved defeat for Leslie.
“Forgive me for mentioning it.” The little manager flashed Leslie a smile of stanch25 friendship. “History may repeat itself. I wish you would leave this matter entirely26 to me, Leslie. Think nothing further of it. Don’t consider leaving the Hall. This report of you compiled by Dulcie Vale is grossly untrue.”
“It is, of course, garbled27. It’s an entirely different story of the hazing28 than the one she wrote in the letter to President Matthews. That was our finish at Hamilton. Dulcie ought to do well writing fiction.” In the midst of her dejection Leslie could not refrain from this humorous thrust at Dulcie.
“It’s too bad, Leslie.” Doris looked up from the papers in her hand, her tone one of affection. “You are doing your best to make up for what you once did that wasn’t honorable. We all make plenty of mistakes. Only it takes a brave person to go 186back and try to retrieve29 them. I’ll stand by you. So will the Travelers.” She came over to where Leslie sat, elbow on chair, chin in hand, her dark face immobile as an Indian’s. She put a reassuring30 arm across Leslie’s shoulders.
“You are a good pal31, Goldie.” Leslie raised her head from her hand in an upward appreciative32 glance. “I’ve always said that, even when we squabbled.”
“I shall continue to be a good pal,” Doris assured, smiling. Secretly she intended to find a means, if she could, to make the signers of the petition feel ashamed and foolish.
When the two friends left Miss Remson’s sitting room a few moments later Doris went to her own room instead of stopping in Leslie’s. There she found Muriel industriously33 writing to her fiancé, Harry34 Lenox.
“Tell me about a meeting that once took place in the living room downstairs because of something Leslie said about Marjorie,” she began abruptly35.
“Um-m. Wait a minute until I have wound up my weekly love letter to my intended,” giggled36 Muriel. “That’s what Annie calls the plumber38 she is going to marry. My intended!” Muriel repeated the phrase admiringly. “Isn’t that sweet?”
“How romantic you are!” Doris duplicated the giggle37.
“Ain’t I jist?” Muriel came back buoyantly. “You ought to read my letters to Harry. They are 187almost business-like enough to be signed ‘Yours very truly.’ Would you like me to read you this one?”
“Mercy, no. I should not care to hear it.” Doris said with amused stress.
“And I shouldn’t care to read it to you,” Muriel replied with great affability.
“Nor to tell me about that meeting, either,” reminded Doris slyly.
“Oh, yes, the meeting.” Muriel appeared to remember vaguely39 Doris’s question. “Why don’t you ask—. No, you wouldn’t care to do that.” Muriel stopped, surveying Doris quizzically.
“You mean ask either Leslie or Marjorie,” Doris said quickly. “Not if I can help it.”
“What has happened?” Muriel continued to eye Doris shrewdly.
“That’s what I should like to tell you.”
“Don’t be afraid to confide40 in me,” Muriel assured flippantly. Sobering her merry features, she added: “I’ll tell you about the meeting.” She snapped her fountain pen shut, leaned back in her chair and recounted a trifle sketchily41 the happenings of the eventful meeting in the living room in which Marjorie had figured so prominently.
“Poor Leslie.” Doris shook her head pityingly after Muriel had finished the little story. “What a lot of trouble she has made for herself in the past. I’m so glad everything is different with her now. I’m glad I found myself in time. We girls who’ve 188been left without our mothers when we are children to grow up in the care of servants are bound to be selfish, even unprincipled. What ought I to do, Muriel? You are so clever at suggestion. I have an idea that the way to deal with these girls is to show them themselves from the standpoint of foolishness. Such attempts from a group of students at injuring another student are so terribly underbred, I think.”
A sudden mischievous42 smile overspread Muriel’s face. “I know a good way to do,” she said. She began outlining a plan which seemed to amuse her more and more as she continued. Before she had finished speaking both she and Doris were laughing.
“Let’s go and tell it to Miss Remson now,” Doris proposed eagerly. She held out her hand to Muriel.
“The present is ours.” Muriel blithely43 accepted the hand and away the two went. When they returned to their room almost an hour later they left Miss Remson smiling over the surprise she had in store for the Orchid44 Club.
For the next three days Julia and Mildred held long, concerned confabs regarding what Miss Remson intended to do about the petition. Her manner, when they had talked with her, had been impersonal45. They argued it as a good sign, however, that she should have asked for three days in which to consider the matter.
“If she had been down on us for getting up the 189petition she would probably have exploded like a firecracker,” Mildred declared to Julia on the afternoon of the second day as they came from Science Hall. “We may be doing her a favor by objecting to Miss Cairns. It may be that she disapproves46 of Miss Cairns, too, but has to walk softly because Prexy has shown such marked partiality in her case.”
“Miss Remson likes Miss Cairns,” differed Julia. “She makes quite a good deal of fuss over her. Of course, there is just a chance that she only pretends to like her on account of her father’s money.”
“The P. G.’s don’t act as though they knew a thing about the petition,” Mildred observed triumphantly47. “They are too busy with plays and college welfare work to trouble themselves to watch us.”
“It’s a good thing. I’m glad Miss Dean isn’t at the Hall now. Miss Remson would surely tell her about our petition. She is Miss Remson’s pet. She used always to be stirring up things here and interfering48 in the girls’ private affairs. Doris Monroe is the only one I am uncertain of. She is really Miss Cairns’ friend. Let her hear a word of this business!” Julia paused impressively.
“Oh, she isn’t so formidable. She dearly loves to swank. She is altogether too top-lofty to suit me.” Mildred’s face clouded. Doris’s superior air was a great cross to her. “She poses with that white fur motor coat, and white car on purpose to keep herself before the campus.”
“She knows better than to be top-lofty with me,” 190Julia said in an independent tone. “I am the only girl on the campus who made her understand that I’d not fall down and worship her.”
“Hm-m,” was Mildred’s sole response. It reminded Julia forcibly of Clara. Clara had signed the petition, but had secretly regretted the act. She was hourly growing more disgusted with Julia and frequently wondered how she had ever even believed she liked her quarrelsome roommate. She was no longer jealous of Mildred. She detested49 the bold freshman50 more than ever, and derived51 a resentful pleasure from the thought that Julia and Mildred could not possibly stay friends for any length of time.
On the morning of the third day Miss Remson called Julia and Mildred into her office from the breakfast table to inform them that she would meet the Orchid Club as a body in the living room that evening at eight o’clock to discuss with them the matter of the petition.
At half past seven Annie ushered52 Marjorie, winsome53 and smiling into the kitchen by way of the back door. “Miss Remson’s in her sitting room watching for you, Miss Marjorie,” she gigglingly announced. Annie was under the impression that a huge joke was to be played upon someone. She had no idea as to what it might be, or who was the victim. She merely giggled in sympathy.
Up in Miss Remson’s room Marjorie found Leslie Cairns, Doris Monroe, Muriel Harding and the 191manager awaiting her arrival at the Hall. As she had spent the previous evening with them in the same sitting room she responded to her friends’ laughingly significant greetings in the same spirit.
“Now girls,” Miss Remson addressed the quartette in her bright fond fashion. “I leave the carrying out of the program to you. Keep in line behind me when the door is opened and I step into the living room. If objection to your presence at the meeting is made, let me talk to the objectors.”
“We’ll be silent as specters till it comes our turn to talk,” Muriel assured, her velvety54 brown eyes twinkling her enjoyment55 of the occasion.
At precisely56 eight o’clock Miss Remson’s doubled fist beat an imperative57 little tattoo58 on the living room door. A small blue-eyed freshman with a worried expression opened the door. She sent up an abashed59 “Oh!” and watched the line of five file into the room in amazed fascination60. The manager led her companions straight up the aisle61 formed by the arrangement of rows of chairs, oblivious62 to the growing murmur2 of voices which attended her progress up the room. She paused near the two chairs set in an open space at the end of the room which were occupied by the president and vice-president of the Orchid Club. The four girls grouped themselves behind her. A dead stillness descended63 upon the room. It was an ominous64 stillness such as precedes a storm.
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1
gratuities
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| n.报酬( gratuity的名词复数 )；小账；小费；养老金 | |
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2
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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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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weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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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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7
unearth
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| v.发掘，掘出，从洞中赶出 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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11
outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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doughtily
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| adv.强地，勇敢地 | |
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13
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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14
soothingly
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| adv.抚慰地，安慰地；镇痛地 | |
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15
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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stenographer
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| n.速记员 | |
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17
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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18
monograph
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| n.专题文章，专题著作 | |
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19
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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20
perusing
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的现在分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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21
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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22
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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23
sophomore
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| n.大学二年级生；adj.第二年的 | |
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24
traduce
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| v.中伤；n.诽谤 | |
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25
stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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26
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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27
garbled
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| adj.（指信息）混乱的，引起误解的v.对（事实）歪曲，对（文章等）断章取义，窜改( garble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
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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29
retrieve
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| vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索 | |
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30
reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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pal
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| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
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32
appreciative
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| adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的 | |
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33
industriously
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34
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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35
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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36
giggled
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
giggle
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| n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说 | |
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38
plumber
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| n.(装修水管的)管子工 | |
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39
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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40
confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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41
sketchily
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| adv.写生风格地，大略地 | |
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42
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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43
blithely
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| adv.欢乐地，快活地，无挂虑地 | |
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44
orchid
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| n.兰花，淡紫色 | |
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45
impersonal
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| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
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46
disapproves
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| v.不赞成( disapprove的第三人称单数 ) | |
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47
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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48
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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49
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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50
freshman
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| n.大学一年级学生(可兼指男女) | |
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51
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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52
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
winsome
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| n.迷人的，漂亮的 | |
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54
velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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55
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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56
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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57
imperative
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| n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的 | |
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58
tattoo
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| n.纹身，(皮肤上的)刺花纹；vt.刺花纹于 | |
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59
abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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61
aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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62
oblivious
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| adj.易忘的，遗忘的，忘却的，健忘的 | |
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63
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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64
ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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