In honor of Miss Day's cocoa, the lanterns were all lit now, and the effect, on fans and pictures and on brilliant bits of color, were grotesque1 and almost bizarre.
Miss Day thought her room lovely. It was dazzling, but the reverse of reposeful2.
The girls were lounging about, chatting and laughing; they were having a good time and were absolutely at their ease. One, a red-haired girl, with frank, open blue eyes and a freckled3 face, an inmate4 of Katharine Hall, was sending her companions into fits of laughter.
"Yes," she was saying in a high, gay voice, "I'm not a bit ashamed of it; there's never the least use in not owning the truth. I'm used up, girls: I haven't a pennypiece to bless myself with, and this letter came from Spilman to-night. Spilman says he'll see Miss Eccleston if I didn't pay up. Madame Clarice wrote two nights ago, declaring her intention of visiting Miss Eccleston if I didn't send her some money. I shall have no money until next term. There's a state of affairs!"
"What do you mean to do, Polly?" asked Lucy Marsh5 in a sympathizing tone.
"Do? My dear creature, there's only one thing to be done. I must have an auction6 on the quiet. I shall sell my worldly all. I can buy things again, you know, after dad sends me his next allowance."
"Oh, Polly, but you cannot really mean it!" Miss Marsh, Miss Day and two or three more crowded around Polly Singleton as they spoke7.
"You can't mean to have an auction," began Miss Day; "no one ever heard of such a thing at St. Benet's. Why, it would be simply disgraceful!"
"No, it wouldn't— don't turn cross, Annie. I'll have an auction first and then a great feed in the empty room. I can go on tick for the feed; Jones, the confectioner, knows better than not to oblige me. He's not like that horrid9 Spilman and that mean Madame Clarice."
"But, Polly, if you write to your father, he'll be sure to send you what you want to clear off those two debts. You have often told us he has lots of money."
"My dears, he has more tin than he knows what to do with; but do you think I am going to have the poor old dear worried? When I was coming here he said, Polly, you shall have thirty pounds every term to spend as pocket money; not a penny more, not a penny less. And you must keep out of debt on it; mind that, Polly Singleton.' I gave the dear old dad a hug. He's the image of me— only with redder hair and more freckles10. And I said, I'll do my best, dad, and, anyhow, you sha'n't be put out whatever happens.'"
"Then you didn't tell him you'd keep out of debt?"
"No, for I knew I'd break my word. I've always been in debt ever since I could remember. I wouldn't know how it felt not to owe a lot of money. It's habit, and I don't mind it a bit. But I don't want dad to know, and I don't want Miss Eccleston to know, for perhaps she would write to him. If those old horrors won't wait for their money till next term, why there's nothing for it but an auction. I have some nice things and they'll go very cheap, so there's a chance for you all, girls."
"But if Miss Eccleston finds out?" said Miss Day.
"What if she does? There's no rule against auctions11, and, as I don't suppose any of you will have one, it isn't worth making a rule for me alone. Anyhow, I'm resolved to risk it. My auction will be on Monday, and I shall make out an inventory12 of my goods tomorrow."
"Will you advertise it on the notice-board in your hall, dear?" asked Lucy Marsh.
"Why not? A good idea! The great A. will be held in Miss Singleton's room, from eight to ten o'clock on the evening of Monday next. Great Bargains! Enormous Sacrifice! Things absolutely given away! Oh, what fun! I'll be my own auctioneer."
Polly lay back in her armchair and laughed loudly.
"What is all this noise about?" asked a refined little voice, and Rosalind Merton entered the room.
Two or three girls jumped up at once to greet her.
"Come in, Rosie; you're just in time. What do you think Miss Singleton is going to do now?"
"I can't tell; what?" asked Rosalind. "Something outre', I feel certain."
Polly made a wry13 face and winked14 her eyes at her companions.
"I know I'm not refined enough for you, Miss Merton," she drawled. "I'm rough, like my dad, rough and ready; but, at any rate, I'm honest— at least, I think I'm honest. When I owe money, I don't leave a stone unturned to pay what I owe. Having sinned, I repent15. I enter the Valley of Humiliation16 and give up all. Who can do more?"
"Oh, dear, Polly, I don't think I'd call owing a little money sinning," said Lucy Marsh, whose ideas were known to be somewhat lax.
"Well, my dear, there's nothing for those in debt but to sell their possessions. My auction is on Monday. Will you come, Rosalind?"
"You don't mean it," said Rose, her blue eyes beginning to sparkle.
"Yes, I do, absolutely and truly mean it."
"And you will sell your things— your lovely things?"
"My things, my lovely, lovely things must be sold."
"But not your clothes? Your new sealskin jacket, for instance?"
Polly made a wry face for a moment. Putting her hand into her pocket, she pulled out Spilman's and Madame Clarice's two bills.
"I owe a lot," she said, looking with a rueful countenance17 at the sum total. "Yes, I even fear the sealskin must go. I don't want to part with it. Dad gave it me just before I came here."
"It's a lovely seal," said Annie Day, "and it seems a sin to part with it; it's cut in the most stylish18 way too, with those high shoulders."
"Don't praise it, please," said Polly, lying back in her chair and covering her eyes with her hand. "It cuts like a knife to part with dad's last present. Well, I'm rightly punished. What a fool I was to get all those Japanese things from Spilman and that fancy ball-dress for the theatricals19. Oh, dear! Oh, dear!"
"Perhaps you won't want to part with your seal, dear," said Lucy, who was not so greedy as some of the other girls and really pitied Polly. "You have so many beautiful things without that, that you will be sure to realize a good bit of money."
"No, Lucy, I owe such a lot; the seal must go. Oh, what a worry it is!"
"And at auctions of this kind," said Rosalind in her low voice, "even beautiful things don't realize much. How can they?"
"Rosalind is after that seal," whispered Lucy to Annie Day.
"The seal would swallow you up, Rosie," said Annie in a loud voice. "Don't aspire20 to it; you'd never come out alive."
"The seal can be brought to know good manners," retorted Rose angrily. "His size can be diminished and his strength abated21. But I have not said that I want him at all. You do so jump to conclusions, Miss Day."
"I know what I want," said a girl called Hetty Jones who had not yet spoken. "I'm going in for some of Polly's ornaments22. You won't put too big a price upon your corals, will you, Poll?"
"I shall bid for your American rocking-chair, Polly," exclaimed Miss Day.
"I tell you what you must do, Miss Singleton," shouted another girl, "you must get those inventories23 ready as soon as possible, and send them around the college for every one to read, for you have got such nice things that there will be sure to be a great rush at your auction."
"Don't sell any of the college possessions by mistake, my dear," said Lucy Marsh. "You would get into trouble then. Indeed, as it is, I don't see how you are to keep out of it."
Polly pushed her hands impatiently through her bright red hair.
"Who's afraid?" she said, and laughed.
"When are we to see your things, Polly?" asked Miss Jones. "If the auction is on Monday, there must be a show day, when we can all go round and inspect. I know that's always done at auctions, for I've been at several in the country. The show day is the best fun of all. The farmers' wives come and pinch the feather-beds between their thumbs and forefingers24 and hold the blankets up to the light to see if the moths25 have got in."
"Hetty, how vulgar!" interposed Miss Day. "What has Polly's auction of her recherche26' things to do with blankets and feather-beds? Now the cocoa is ready. Who will help me to carry the cups round?"
"I had some fun to-day?" said Rosalind, when each of the girls, provided with their cups of cocoa, sat round and began to sip27. "I took Miss Propriety28 to town with me."
"Oh, did you, darling? Do tell us all about it!" said Annie Day, running up to Rosalind and taking her hand.
"There isn't much to tell. She behaved as I expected; her manners are not graceful8, but she's a deep one."
"Anybody can see that who looks at her," remarked Lucy Marsh.
"We went to the Elliot-Smiths'," continued Rosalind.
"Good gracious, Rosie!" interrupted Hetty Jones. "You don't mean to say you took Propriety to that house?"
"Yes; why not? It's the jolliest house in Kingsdene."
"But fancy taking poor Propriety there. What did she say?"
"Say? She scolded a good deal."
"Scolded! Poor little proper thing! How I should have liked to have seen her. Did she open her purse and exhibit its emptiness to the company at large? Did she stand on a chair and lecture the frivolous29 people who assemble in that house on the emptiness of life? Oh, how I wish I could have looked on at the fun!"
"You'd have beheld30 an edifying31 sight then, my dear," said Rosalind. "Prissie's whole behavior was one to be copied. No words can describe her tact32 and grace."
"But what did she do, Rosie? I wish you would speak out and tell us. You know you are keeping something back."
"Whenever she saw me she scolded me, and she tripped over my dress several times."
"Oh, you dear, good, patient Rosalind, what a bore she must have been."
"No, she wasn't, for I scarcely saw anything of her. She amused herself capitally without me, I can tell you."
"Amused herself? Propriety amused herself? How diverting! Could she stoop to it?"
"She did. She stooped and— conquered. She secured for herself an adorer."
"Rosalind, how absurd you are! Poor, Plain Propriety!"
"As long as I live I shall hate the letter P," suddenly interrupted Annie Day, "for since that disagreeable girl has got into the house we are always using it."
"Never mind, Rosalind; go on with your story," said Miss Jones. "What did Plain Propriety do?"
Rosalind threw up her hands, rolled her eyes skyward and uttered the terse33 remark:
"She flirted35!"
"Oh, Rosie! who would flirt34 with her? I suppose she got hold of some old rusty36, musty don. But then I do not suppose you'd find that sort of man at the Elliot-Smiths'."
This remark came from Lucy Marsh. Rosalind Merton, who was leaning her fair head against a dark velvet37 cushion, looked as if she enjoyed the situation immensely.
"What do you say to a Senior Wrangler38?" she asked in a gentle voice.
"Rosalind, what— not the Senior Wrangler?"
Rosalind nodded.
"Oh! oh! oh! what could he see— Geoffrey Hammond, of all people! He's so exclusive too."
"Well," said Hetty Jones, standing39 up reluctantly, for she felt it was time to return to her neglected studies, "wonders will never cease! I could not have supposed that Mr. Hammond would condescend40 to go near the Elliot-Smiths', and most certainly I should never have guessed that he would look at a girl like Priscilla Peel."
"Well, he flirted with her," said Rosalind, "and she with him. They were so delighted with one another that I could scarcely get Prissie away when it was time to leave. They looked quite engrossed— you know the kind of air— there was no mistaking it!"
"Miss Peel must have thanked you for taking her."
"Thanked me? That's not Miss Prissie's style. I could see she was awfully41 vexed42 at being disturbed."
"Well, it's rather shabby," said Polly Singleton, speaking for the first time. "Every one at St. Benet's know whom Mr. Hammond belongs."
"Yes, yes, of course, of course," cried several voices.
"And Maggie has been so kind to Miss Peel," continued Polly.
"Yes— shame!— how mean of little Propriety!" the voices echoed again.
Rosalind gave a meaning glance at Annie Day. Annie raised her eyebrows43, looked interrogative, then her face subsided44 into a satisfied expression. She asked no further questions, but she gave Rosalind an affectionate pat on the shoulder.
Soon the other girls came up one by one to say good night. Rosalind, Annie and Lucy were alone. They drew their chairs together and began to talk.
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收听单词发音
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1
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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reposeful
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| adj.平稳的，沉着的 | |
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freckled
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| adj.雀斑；斑点；晒斑；（使）生雀斑v.雀斑，斑点( freckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inmate
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| n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人 | |
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marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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auction
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| n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖 | |
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7
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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8
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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9
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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10
freckles
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| n.雀斑，斑点( freckle的名词复数 ) | |
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auctions
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| n.拍卖，拍卖方式( auction的名词复数 ) | |
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12
inventory
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| n.详细目录，存货清单 | |
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13
wry
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| adj.讽刺的；扭曲的 | |
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14
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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15
repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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humiliation
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| n.羞辱 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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18
stylish
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| adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的 | |
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19
theatricals
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| n.（业余性的）戏剧演出，舞台表演艺术；职业演员；戏剧的( theatrical的名词复数 )；剧场的；炫耀的；戏剧性的 | |
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aspire
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| vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于 | |
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21
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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22
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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23
inventories
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| n.总结( inventory的名词复数 )；细账；存货清单（或财产目录）的编制 | |
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24
forefingers
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| n.食指( forefinger的名词复数 ) | |
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25
moths
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| n.蛾( moth的名词复数 ) | |
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26
recherche
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| adj.精选的；罕有的 | |
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27
sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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28
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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29
frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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30
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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31
edifying
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| adj.有教训意味的，教训性的，有益的v.开导，启发( edify的现在分词 ) | |
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32
tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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33
terse
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| adj.(说话，文笔)精炼的，简明的 | |
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34
flirt
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| v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者 | |
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35
flirted
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| v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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37
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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38
wrangler
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| n.口角者，争论者；牧马者 | |
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39
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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40
condescend
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| v.俯就，屈尊；堕落，丢丑 | |
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41
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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42
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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43
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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44
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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