"I wish I knew shorthand," grumbled4 Ingred, comparing scribbles5 with Verity as the girls tidied their hair for tea. "How anybody's expected to get down all Miss Strong tells us, I can't imagine! It's impossible."
"I don't try," admitted Fil. "At least I do try—I put a bit here and there, but I write so slowly, I'm only half-way through before she's bounced on to something else, and I've missed the beginning of it. I have to stop, too, sometimes, to think how to spell the words."
The others laughed, for Fil's spelling was proverbial in the form, and was often of a purely6 phonetic7 character. Miss Strong had periodical crusades to improve it, but generally gave them up as a bad job, and recommended constant use of a dictionary instead.
"Though you can't go about the world with a dictionary perpetually under your arm," she had remarked on the last occasion. "If you have to write a letter in a hurry, and you begin 'Dear Maddam' and end 'Yours trueley'—well! Please don't let anybody know you've been educated here, that's all, or it will be a poor advertisement for the College!"
Ingred was not at all delighted to be still in Miss Strong's form. She only moderately liked this mistress. Undoubtedly8 Miss Strong was a clever teacher, but sarcasm9 was one of her favorite weapons of discipline. Some of the girls did not mind it, indeed thought it rather amusing, even when directed against themselves, and enjoyed it hugely when someone else was the victim of the sally. Ingred, however, proud and sensitive, writhed10 under the attacks of Miss Strong's sharp tongue, and would often have preferred a punishment to a witticism11. As a matter of fact, the mistress rarely gave punishments, and was proud of her ability to control her form without resorting to them. She was short in stature12, but made up in spirit for her lack of inches, and would fix her dark eyes on offenders13 against discipline with the personal magnetism14 of a circus trainer or a leopard-tamer. Schoolgirls are irreverent beings, and though to her face her pupils showed her all respect, behind her back they spoke15 of her familiarly as "The Bantam," in allusion16 to her small size but plucky17 disposition18, or sometimes, in reference to her sarcastic19 powers, as "The Sark," which by general custom became "The Snark." On the whole Miss Strong's pithy20, racy, humorous style of teaching made her a far greater favorite than mistresses of duller caliber21. She had a remarkable22 faculty23 for getting work out of the most unwilling24 brains. Her form always made excellent progress, and she had a reputation for obtaining record successes in examinations. To judge from the first few days of term, she meant to keep up her standard of efficiency. Miss Burd had mapped out a heavy time-table for Va., and it was Miss Strong's business to see that the girls got through it. Of course they grumbled. After the long weeks of the summer holidays it was doubly difficult to apply their minds to lessons, and set to work in the evenings to perform the enormous amount of preparation demanded from them. To some the task was wellnigh impossible, and poor Fil would send in very imperfect exercises, but others, Ingred and Verity among the number, had ambitions, and boosted up the record of the form.
It was after a most strenuous25 few days that Ingred came to the close of the first week of the new term, and, taking her books and hand-bag, started off to spend the week-end at home. She left the College with a feeling of intense relief. She had dreaded26 the return there, and the confession27 of her altered circumstances. It had not proved quite so disagreeable an ordeal28 as she had anticipated, for, after the first expressions of surprise, nobody had referred again to Rotherwood; yet Ingred, on the look-out for slights, imagined that she was not treated with as much consideration as formerly29. Avis Marlowe and Jess Howard had hardly spoken to her, and, though the omission30 was probably owing to sheer lack of time or opportunity, she chose to set it down to a desire to show her the cold shoulder.
"Now I have no parties to offer them, they don't care about me!" she thought bitterly. "They'll hunt about till they find somebody else who's likely to act entertainer."
Fortunately, as Ingred stepped out of the College on that first Friday afternoon, the fresh breeze and the bright September sunshine blew away the cobwebs, and sent her almost dancing down the street. She had a naturally buoyant disposition, and her uppermost thought was: "I'm going home! I'm going home! Hurrah31!"
The journey was really quite a little business. She had to take a tram to the Waterstoke terminus, then change on to a light electric railway that ran along the roadside for seven miles to Wynch-on-the-Wold. Grovebury, an old town that dated back to mediæval times, lay in a deep hollow among a rampart of hills, so that, in whatever direction you left it, you were obliged to climb. The scenery was very beautiful, for trees edged the river, and clothed the slopes till they gave way to the gorse and heather of the wild moorlands. Wynch-on-the-Wold was a hamlet which, since the opening of the electric railway, was just beginning to turn into a suburb of Grovebury. Close to the terminus neat villas33 had sprung up like mushrooms; there were a few shops and a branch post office, and a brass34 plate to the effect that Dr. Whittaker had consulting hours twice a week. Tradesmen's carts drove out constantly, and the electric railway did quite a little business in the conveyance35 of parcels.
Wynchcote, the house where the Saxons had retired36 to try their scheme of retrenchment37, lay at some little distance beyond the terminus, and might be considered the outpost of the new suburb. It was a small, picturesque38 modern bungalow39; Mr. Saxon had built it as an architectural experiment, intending it for a sort of model country cottage. The tenants40 who had occupied it during the period of the war had just returned to Scotland, so, as it was vacant, it had seemed a convenient place in which to settle. It was near enough to Grovebury to allow him to attend his office, and far enough away to cut them adrift from old associations. After four and a half years of war work, Mrs. Saxon wanted a complete rest from committees, crèches, canteens, and recreation huts, and would be glad to urge the excuse of distance to those who appealed for her help. Perhaps also she felt that in their straitened circumstances it was wiser to live where they could not enter into social competition with their former acquaintances.
"I just want to be quiet, to attend to my family, and to enjoy the moors41 and our garden," she declared. "I believe I'm going to be very happy at Wynchcote."
Though it was small, the bungalow was admirably planned, and had many advantages. The view from its French window was one of the finest in the district, and it faced a magnificent gorge42, wild, rocky, and thickly wooded, at the bottom of which wound the silver river that ran through Grovebury. Civilization, in the shape of fields and hedges, stretched out fingers as far as Wynchcote, and there stopped abruptly43. Past the bungalow lay the open wold with miles of heather, gorse, and bracken, and a road edged with low, grassy44 fern-covered banks instead of walls. The air blew freshly up here, and was far more bracing45 and healthy than down in the hollow of Grovebury. The residents of the new suburb affected46 seaside fashions, and went their moorland walks without hats or gloves.
Ingred was joined in the tram-car by Hereward, who attended the King George's School, and made the journey daily.
"Getting quite used to it now!" he assured his sister airily. "I had a terrific run yesterday for the train, but I caught it! There's another fellow in our form living up here, so we generally go together—Scampton, that chap in the cricket cap standing47 by the door. He's A1. He won't come near now, though, because he says he's terrified of girls. He's going to give me a rabbit, and I shall make a hutch for it out of one of those packing-cases. See, I've bought a piece of wire-netting for the door. There's heaps of room at the bottom of the garden. I believe I'll ask him to bring it over after tea."
"But the hutch isn't ready," objected Ingred.
"Oh, that won't matter! I can keep it in a packing-case for a day or two."
When Ingred and Hereward reached home they found that tea had been set out on the patch of grass under the apple trees, and Mother and Quenrede were sitting sewing and waiting for them. It was one of those beautiful September days when the air seems almost as warm as in August, and with the clock still at summer time, the sun had not climbed very far down the valley. The garden, where Mother and Quenrede had been working busily all the afternoon, was gay with nasturtiums and asters, and overhead hung a crop of the rosiest48 apples ever seen. Minx, the Persian cat, wandered round, waving a stately tail and mewing plaintively49 for her saucer of milk. Derry, the fox terrier, barked an enthusiastic greeting.
"Come along, you poor starving wanderers!" said Mrs. Saxon. "The kettle's boiling, and we'll make the tea in half a moment. Isn't it glorious here? Queenie and I have been digging up potatoes, and we quite enjoyed it. We felt exactly as if we were 'on the land.' How is your cold, Hereward? Ingred, you look tired, child! Sit down and rest while Queenie fetches the teapot."
Ingred sank into a garden-chair with much satisfaction. Wynchcote might not be Rotherwood, but it looked an uncommonly50 pretty little place in the September sunshine. To live there would be like a perpetual picnic. Mother and Queenie looked so complacently51 smiling that it seemed impossible to grouse52, especially with newly-baked scones53 and rock-cakes on the tea-table.
The men kind of the family had not yet returned home. Mr. Saxon and Egbert rarely left their office before six, and Athelstane had that day gone over to Birkshaw on the motor-bicycle, to arrange about the medical course which he was to take at the University. There was plenty of news, however, to be exchanged. Ingred had to give a full account of her experiences at school and hostel, and to hear in return the various achievements in the shape of home-carpentry, mending, making, and altering which are always an essential part of settling into a new establishment.
"I hardly feel I've been round the estate properly yet," she said, when tea was over, and she sat leaning back lazily in her deck-chair, with Minx purring upon her knee.
"Then come and lend me a hand with my rabbit-hutch," suggested Hereward. "Put down that wretched pampered54 beast of a cat, for goodness sake! If it gets at my new rabbit, I'll finish it! Yes, I will! I'll hang it or drown it! Get along, you brute55!"
Hereward's blood-thirsty remarks were ignored by Minx, who, finding herself dropped from Ingred's lap, took a flying run up his back, and settled herself on his shoulder, rubbing her head into his neck. He scratched her under the chin, swung her gently down, and shook a reproving finger at her.
"Don't try to come round me with your blarneyings, you siren!" he declared. "Who was it ate my goldfinch? Yes, you may well look guilty! Don't blink your eyes at me like that! I haven't forgiven you yet, and I don't think I ever shall. Ingred, old sport, are you coming to help me, or are you not? I want some one to hold the wire."
"All right, Uncle Podger, I'll come and 'podge' for you," laughed Ingred. "Don't hammer my fingers, that's all I bargain for. Wait a moment till I get my overall. Your joinering performances are apt to be somewhat grubby and messy."
There was quite a good garden at the back of the bungalow, with rows of vegetables and gooseberry bushes and fruit-trees. At the end was a wooden shed where the motor-bicycle was kept, and a small wired enclosure originally made for hens.
"It's exactly the place for rabbits, when I get a hutch for them," explained Hereward, putting down his box of tools, and turning over the packing-case with a professional eye. "Now a wooden frame covered with wire, and a pair of hinges will just do the job. I can saw these pieces to fit. Hold the wood steady, that's a mascot56!"
The two were kneeling on the ground by the side of the packing-case, much absorbed in the process of exact measurements, when suddenly there was a rustling57 and a scrambling58 noise, and on the wall close to them appeared a collie dog, growling59, snarling60, and showing its teeth. Ingred sprang to her feet in alarm. Wynchcote was so retired that they had scarcely realized that its garden adjoined the garden of another house. The collie must have jumped up on to the dividing wall, and, being an ill-tempered beast, did not use proper discrimination between neighbors and tramps.
"Shoo! Get away!" urged Ingred, with rather shaking knees.
"Be off, you ill-mannered brute!" shouted Hereward.
The dog, however, appeared to think the wall was his own special property, and that it was his business to drive them away from their own garden. It continued to bark and snarl61. Now, as Hereward wished to fix the rabbit-hutch in exactly the spot over which the creature had mounted guard, he was naturally much annoyed, and sought for some ready means of dislodging it from its point of vantage. He did not relish62 the prospect63 of being bitten, so did not want to engage it at close quarters, and no pole or other weapon lay handy.
Looking hastily round, his eye fell upon the garden-syringe with which Athelstane sometimes cleaned the motor-bicycle. It had been left, with a bucket of water, outside the shed. He drew out the piston64, filled the syringe, then discharged its contents straight at the dog. But at that most unlucky moment a quick change took place on the wall; the collie retired in favor of his master, and the stream of water charged full into the astonished countenance65 of a precise and elderly gentleman from next door. For a few moments there was a ghastly silence, while he wiped his face and recovered his dignity. Then he demanded in withering66 tones:
"May I ask what is the meaning of this?"
Ingred and Hereward, overwhelmed with confusion, stuttered out apologies and explanations. The old gentleman listened with his busy gray eyebrows67 knitted and his mouth pursed into a thin line.
"I shall immediately take steps to ensure that my dog has no further opportunities of annoying you," he remarked stiffly, and took his departure.
"Who is he?" whispered Ingred, as the footsteps on the other side of the wall shuffled68 away.
"His name's Mr. Hardcastle. He's retired, and lives there with a housekeeper69. Great Scot! I've put my foot in it, haven't I? Who'd have thought he was just going to pop his head up? Dad was going to ask him to lend us his garden-roller, but it's no use now. I expect I've made an enemy of him for life!"
"I hope he means to keep that savage70 dog fastened up," said Ingred. "It's a horrid71 idea to think that it may, any time, pounce72 over the wall at us. It's like having a wolf loose in the garden."
As a matter of fact, Mr. Hardcastle kept his word in a way that the Saxons least anticipated. Instead of chaining the dog, he had a tall wooden paling erected73 along the top of the wall, making an effectual barrier between the two gardens. It was not a beautiful object, and it cut off the sunshine from a whole long flower-bed; so, though it insured privacy, it might be regarded as a doubtful benefit for the bungalow.
"It makes one feel so suburban," mourned Quenrede.
"We shan't be visible, at any rate, when we're digging potatoes," laughed Mrs. Saxon, "and that's a great point to me, for I'm past the age that looks fascinating in an overall. If we've Suburbia on one side of us, we've the open moor32 on the other, which is something to be thankful for."
"Yes, until it's sold in building plots," sighed Quenrede, who was in a fit of blues74, and unwilling to count up her blessings75.
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1
hostel
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| n.（学生）宿舍，招待所 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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verity
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| n.真实性 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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scribbles
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| n.潦草的书写( scribble的名词复数 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下v.潦草的书写( scribble的第三人称单数 )；乱画；草草地写；匆匆记下 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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phonetic
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| adj.语言的，语言上的，表示语音的 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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witticism
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| n.谐语，妙语 | |
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stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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offenders
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| n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物） | |
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magnetism
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| n.磁性，吸引力，磁学 | |
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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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allusion
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| n.暗示，间接提示 | |
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plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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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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sarcastic
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| adj.讥讽的，讽刺的，嘲弄的 | |
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pithy
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| adj.(讲话或文章)简练的 | |
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caliber
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| n.能力；水准 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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faculty
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| n.才能；学院，系；(学院或系的)全体教学人员 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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ordeal
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| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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villas
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| 别墅，公馆( villa的名词复数 )； （城郊）住宅 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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retrenchment
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| n.节省，删除 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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bungalow
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| n.平房，周围有阳台的木造小平房 | |
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tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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bracing
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| adj.令人振奋的 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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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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rosiest
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| adj.玫瑰色的( rosy的最高级 )；愉快的；乐观的；一切都称心如意 | |
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plaintively
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| adv.悲哀地，哀怨地 | |
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50
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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51
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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52
grouse
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| n.松鸡；v.牢骚，诉苦 | |
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scones
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| n.烤饼，烤小圆面包( scone的名词复数 ) | |
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pampered
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| adj.饮食过量的，饮食奢侈的v.纵容，宠，娇养( pamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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mascot
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| n.福神，吉祥的东西 | |
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57
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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58
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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59
growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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61
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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62
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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piston
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| n.活塞 | |
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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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66
withering
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| 使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的 | |
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67
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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68
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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69
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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70
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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71
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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72
pounce
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| n.猛扑；v.猛扑，突然袭击，欣然同意 | |
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73
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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74
blues
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| n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐 | |
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75
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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