"We'd have seen them," declared Elsie. "Besides, they'd have boasted about it. Whoever's the trick was, it wasn't ours. If you want my opinion I should say ask some of those juniors. They're absolute imps3 and ready for anything."
This was quite a new view of the case. The Camellia Buds had fixed4 the mischief5 so certainly on the rival sorority that they had never thought of the younger girls. Peachy, catching6 Olive, Doris, and Natalie, the trio whom she had named her "triplets," taxed them solemnly with the crime. They burst out laughing.[231]
"We 'did' you neatly7!"
"Were you all this time guessing it was us?"
"I expect you had a hunt for those cakes!"
Peachy focussed a stern eye upon their giggling8 faces, and hypnotized them into attention.
"Now, what d'you mean by such impudence9? How dare you go into our dormitory? Juniors aren't to play tricks on their seniors! That was bumped into my head when I was a kid, and I'll bump it jolly well into yours!"
The trio pouted10.
"We thought you called yourself our Fairy Godmother," said Olive sulkily.
"Well! So I do!"
"Not much fairy about it, or godmother either. You do nothing for us now."
"You ungrateful little wretches11! Haven't we settled Bertha and Mabel for you? Don't you get your biscuits all right at lunch now?"
"Oh, yes. But——"
"But what?"
"You haven't given us a candy party for ages," broke out Natalie. "You keep all your cakes and fun to yourselves."
"You promised us all sorts of things. We don't think Fairy Godmothers are any use," snorted Olive. "Ta—ta! We're off to a basket-ball."
"Some people make a mighty12 palaver13 over next to nothing," sneered14 Doris, as the trio linked arms and tore away.[232]
Peachy stood looking after them with wrinkled brows. She was a peppery little person, and her temper was up for the moment. All the same, Doris's parting shot struck home. Unfortunately it was true. The Camellia Buds had proclaimed themselves as "Fairy Godmothers, Limited," had adopted juniors with much flourish of trumpets15, had certainly fought a crusade and defended them against injustice16 and infringement17 of their rights, and then—and then—alack!—in the excitement of other matters had almost forgotten all about them.
Peachy remembered clearly that for the first week of her championship she had made a point of speaking daily to Olive, Doris, and Natalie. Now, for a full fortnight she had scarcely nodded to them at the breakfast table. They had certainly had no opportunity of pouring their childish woes18 into the sympathetic and motherly ear which she had quite intended should be always open to them.
"I've a wretched memory," she ruminated19 remorsefully20. "Poor kiddies. They've really got rather a grievance21, though they needn't have been so cheeky—the young imps! I guess I'd better call a meeting of the Camellia Buds and see what's to be done. I don't believe any of us have taken any notice of them just lately."
Nine would-have-been philanthropists, reminded of past schemes of benevolence22, blushed uneasily, and tried to revive interest in their protégées.
"They always seemed very busy with basket-ball[233] and other things, and not exactly hankering after us," urged Agnes in excuse.
"They could have come to us if they'd wanted, of course," added Mary.
"That wasn't entirely23 the pact," said Peachy, driving in her tacks24 with firm hammer. "We offered to 'mother' them, and then forgot all about them. No wonder they think us frauds. What's to be done about it?"
"Get some more cakes somehow and ask them all to a party," suggested Irene enthusiastically. "We have been pigs! I promised Désirée to paint something in her album, and the book's been in my drawer for weeks, and I've never touched it."
"How are we going to get the cakes?"
"Wheedle25 Antonio again, I suppose. We needn't have any ourselves. If there are two slices apiece for the kids, it will do. We must keep some of our biscuits from lunch so that we can seem to be eating something ourselves. Peachy, you can coax26 him."
"You always leave it to me. Antonio isn't so easy to manage. Sometimes he's an absolute Pharisee, and won't buy me so much as a single bit of candy. I'll do what I can. Those poor kids shall have a treat if it costs me my last dollar. We owe them something decent."
Antonio, whose lapses27 from duty were only occasional, and who had been reprimanded lately by Miss Rodgers, who suspected his delinquencies,[234] proved deaf on this occasion to Peachy's blandishments. He protested, with quite aggravating28 virtue29, that it was as much as his place was worth to smuggle30 even a solitary31 cream-cake, and that for the future he must no more be the conveyor of contraband32 sweet stuff.
"Stumped33 in that quarter," mourned Peachy. "But I'm not going to let this beat me. I've been cultivating a friendship with the cook! Don't laugh! I thought it might come in useful some day. I gave her my blue butterfly brooch (I had two of them!), and I took a snap-shot of her in her Sunday clothes, and she was immensely pleased and flattered. I haven't developed it yet, by the by, but I will, and print her two copies and mount them. If that doesn't melt her heart into sparing me a little butter and sugar it ought to. We can square it this way: none of us ten must eat any butter or sugar at breakfast or tea to-morrow, then we'll have a real right to have it given us afterwards. Don't pull faces! You can have marmalade or jam. What sybarites you are!"
"Right-o," agreed the Camellia Buds, sorrowfully accepting the sacrifice.
"But couldn't the juniors contribute some butter, too?" added Sheila.
"It might be noticed if too many went without. Besides, it's the hostesses who ought to provide the party, not the guests."
Benedicta, the cook, was vulnerable, especially in[235] view of the self-restraint exercised by the heroic ten. She made a hasty calculation of the amount of butter they would normally have consumed, added a package of sugar, and lent them a pan and a spoon. Peachy carried away these spoils chuckling35, and hid them carefully behind the summer-house. Then she racked her brains and composed what she considered a suitable and telling invitation:
"To all who'd love a Fairy Fête
I beg you come, and don't be late,
We offer fun that will not wait.
"The time is fixed for half-past four,
You'll have to squat36 upon the floor,
We ask you all—but can't do more.
"Our summer-house is small but handy,
Indeed we think the place most dandy,
We're going to try and make you candy.
"So leave your game of basket-ball,
And come and make a friendly call,
You'll find a welcome for you all.
"From
"Your Fairy Godmothers."
Peachy wrote her effusion upon a sheet torn from her best pad, folded it, sought out Olive and handed it to her, telling her to pass it round the form.[236] The juniors grinned at its contents. They had felt themselves neglected, but were quite ready to forgive past omissions37 on the strength of a present invitation.
"Better late than never," decreed Doris. "I suppose we'll go?"
"It sounds as if it might be rather nice," agreed the others.
So once more the Camellia Buds were placed in the position of hostesses. Owing to the difficulty of the catering38 they judged it best to make the candy before the very eyes of their guests, so that they might see for themselves how little there was of it and not grouse39 if the supply only ran to one bit apiece.
"Otherwise they might think we'd had first go and only given them the leavings," remarked Peachy, who was a born diplomat40.
They had counted on borrowing the spirit-lamp which the seniors used for brewing41 their after-dinner coffee, but at the last moment they found the bottle of methylated spirit was empty.
"What a nuisance! There's no time to send for more. Never mind! We won't be 'done.' Let's light a camp-fire and cook on that. We must manage somehow."
"We certainly can't disappoint them!"
"Not after all this fuss."
The back of the summer-house, as being a particularly retired42 and secluded43 spot, was chosen as[237] the rendezvous44, and when the nineteen juniors, interested and appreciative45, came fluttering up the garden, they were met by scouts46, conducted round, commanded to squat in a circle on the ground, and requested to make less noise.
"D'you want the whole of the school to butt34 in?" warned Jess. "Then keep quiet, can't you? Much taffy you'll get if Rachel catches us. Your only chance is to lie low, you little sillies."
"Rachel's playing tennis!" giggled47 Evelyn Carr.
"There are other prefects as well as Rachel. Pull yourselves together and don't get so excited."
The juniors, who had been talking at the top of their voices, squealing48, and otherwise raising the echoes, restrained their transports and contented49 themselves with whispers and giggles50. The Camellia Buds were fetching fuel, which they had purloined51 from the gardener's wood-shed. They commenced to build a camp-fire.
Before very long the flames were dancing up. Now, the hostesses in their enthusiasm to be hospitable52 had foolishly forgotten that it is one thing to stir a pan over a methylated spirit lamp, and quite another to hold it over a camp-fire. Peachy, Agnes, and Mary tried in turns and scorched53 their hands, egged on by the interested circle watching their performance.
"Make a big bonfire, and let it die down, and put the pan in the hot ashes, just as we cook chestnuts," proposed Irene.[238]
It was, at least, a feasible suggestion. Anything seemed better than open failure before those nineteen pairs of expectant eyes. Volunteers went off for fresh supplies of wood, which was soon crackling merrily. But alas54! the Camellia Buds, being rather overwrought and flustered55 with their experiments, did not calculate on the fact that the smoke of their bonfire would give away their secret. Rachel had handed her tennis racket to Phyllis, and was taking a turn among the orange trees to try to memorize her recitation for the elocution class.
"'All the world's a stage
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,'"
she repeated; then, catching sight of the gray cloud rising from the back of the summer-house, "Hello! What's Giovanni burning? He'll set those orange trees on fire if he doesn't mind."
Abandoning Shakespeare Rachel stalked away to investigate, and surprised the candy party by a sudden appearance in their midst.
"Good gracious, girls! Whatever are you doing here?" she demanded in idiomatic56, if hardly strictly57 classical English.
At the unwelcome sight of the head prefect the juniors one and all simply stampeded, and I regret to say that the more timid of the Camellia Buds[239] followed their example. Peachy, Irene, Lorna, Delia, and Jess stood their ground, however.
"We—we were only giving those kids a little fun," answered Peachy.
In dead silence Rachel reviewed the pan, its contents, and the blushing faces before her. Then she said:
"Rather dangerous fun. If that tree catches it will set the summer-house in a blaze next. You know your fire drill? Well, each fetch a bucket of water and put this out! Right turn! Quick march!"
At the words of command the luckless five fled to the house and into the back hall where the fire buckets were kept. They returned with what speed they could, and thoroughly58 soused their bonfire. Rachel assured herself that it was safely out, then commenced further inquiries59.
"We didn't mean any harm," explained Peachy, much on the defensive60. "We were only trying to amuse those juniors. They never have a chance to get hold of the tennis courts, and they're tired of eternal basket-ball, and they've rather a thin time of it. We started taking them up because they were so bullied61. Bertha and Mabel used to snatch their biscuits away from them at lunch."
Rachel's face was a study.
"Bertha and Mabel snatched their biscuits?" she repeated.
"Yes; we stopped that though."[240]
"I never saw it!"
"They took jolly good care you shouldn't."
"Why didn't you come and tell me?"
Peachy looked embarrassed.
"Well, if you really want to know," she blurted62 out, "you're so aloof63 and superior nobody cares to come and tell you anything. We managed it by ourselves."
Rachel winced64 as if Peachy had struck her a blow.
"I'm sorry if—if that's how I seem to you," she faltered65. "I must have failed utterly66 as head girl if you can't confide67 in me. The prefects want to be the friends of all the school."
Peachy shrugged68 her shoulders eloquently69.
"I don't quite see where the friendship comes in," she murmured. "You bag the best tennis courts and have the best dormitories, and give your own stunts70 there. You never ask any of us to them. Do you, now?"
"No, I'm afraid we don't," admitted Rachel, still in the same constrained71, almost bewildered, manner. "We really never thought of it."
The four Camellia Buds, listening to their friend's outspoken72 comments, expected an explosion of wrath73 from the head prefect, but Rachel only told them to take the buckets back to the house.
"And that too," she added, pointing to the pan. Peachy stooped and picked it up, turned to go, then delivered herself of a last manifesto74:
"It's our own butter and sugar that we saved[241] from breakfast and tea, so please don't blame anybody else."
"I blame myself most," whispered Rachel, as she was left alone.
The immediate75 result of the incident was a prefects' meeting, at which the head girl, full of compunction, stated the facts of the case to her fellow officers.
"We thought we were doing our duty, but it isn't enough just to act as police," she urged. "Those girls in the Transition were on the right track in getting hold of the juniors, though perhaps they did it in the wrong way. This school isn't really united. We're all divided up into our own sororities, and we're not doing enough for one another. We've got to alter it somehow or confess ourselves failures. Do any of us seniors really know the little ones? I'm sure I don't! Yet we ought to be elder sisters to them! That's the real function of prefects—we're not just assistant-mistresses to help to keep order. Don't you agree?"
Sybil, Erica, Phyllis, and Stella were conscientious76 girls, and when the matter was thus stated they saw it from Rachel's new point of view. They were ready and willing to talk over plans. They decided77, amongst other developments, that with Miss Morley's permission, they would invite the juniors in relays to dormitory teas, in order to win their confidence and establish more friendly relations with them. The Transition were also to be cultivated,[242] and their opinion asked on the subject of term-end festivities and other school affairs about which the prefects had never before deigned78 to consult them. The altered attitude promised a far more healthy and satisfactory state, and Miss Morley, to whom Rachel hinted some of their reasons for offering hospitality, readily agreed, and allowed the juniors to be entertained with cakes and tea upon the veranda79.
"The seniors gave us a simply top-hole time," confided80 Désirée to Irene afterwards. "We'd cream puffs81 and almond biscuits and preserved ginger82, and we played games for prizes. But don't think we liked it any better than your candy parties. The prefects are awfully83 kind to us now, but it was you who took us up first! We can't forget that!"
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1
envoy
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| n.使节，使者，代表，公使 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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imps
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| n.（故事中的）小恶魔( imp的名词复数 )；小魔鬼；小淘气；顽童 | |
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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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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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giggling
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
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impudence
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| n.厚颜无耻；冒失；无礼 | |
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10
pouted
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| v.撅（嘴）( pout的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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12
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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13
palaver
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| adj.壮丽堂皇的；n.废话，空话 | |
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14
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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16
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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infringement
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| n.违反；侵权 | |
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18
woes
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| 困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉 | |
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19
ruminated
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| v.沉思( ruminate的过去式和过去分词 )；反复考虑；反刍；倒嚼 | |
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remorsefully
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| adv.极为懊悔地 | |
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21
grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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22
benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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23
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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tacks
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| 大头钉( tack的名词复数 )； 平头钉； 航向； 方法 | |
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wheedle
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| v.劝诱，哄骗 | |
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coax
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| v.哄诱，劝诱，用诱哄得到，诱取 | |
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27
lapses
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| n.失误，过失( lapse的名词复数 )；小毛病；行为失检；偏离正道v.退步( lapse的第三人称单数 )；陷入；倒退；丧失 | |
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28
aggravating
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| adj.恼人的，讨厌的 | |
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29
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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smuggle
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| vt.私运；vi.走私 | |
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31
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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contraband
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| n.违禁品，走私品 | |
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33
stumped
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| 僵直地行走，跺步行走( stump的过去式和过去分词 )； 把（某人）难住； 使为难； （选举前）在某一地区作政治性巡回演说 | |
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34
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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35
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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omissions
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| n.省略( omission的名词复数 )；删节；遗漏；略去或漏掉的事（或人） | |
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catering
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| n. 给养 | |
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grouse
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| n.松鸡；v.牢骚，诉苦 | |
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diplomat
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| n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人 | |
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brewing
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| n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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44
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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45
appreciative
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| adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的 | |
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scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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giggled
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
squealing
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 ) | |
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49
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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50
giggles
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| n.咯咯的笑( giggle的名词复数 )；傻笑；玩笑；the giggles 止不住的格格笑v.咯咯地笑( giggle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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51
purloined
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| v.偷窃( purloin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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53
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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54
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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55
flustered
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| adj.慌张的；激动不安的v.使慌乱，使不安( fluster的过去式和过去分词) | |
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56
idiomatic
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| adj.成语的，符合语言习惯的 | |
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57
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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59
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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61
bullied
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| adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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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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stunts
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| n.惊人的表演( stunt的名词复数 )；（广告中）引人注目的花招；愚蠢行为；危险举动v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的第三人称单数 ) | |
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constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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outspoken
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| adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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manifesto
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| n.宣言，声明 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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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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deigned
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| v.屈尊，俯就( deign的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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puffs
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| n.吸( puff的名词复数 )；（烟斗或香烟的）一吸；一缕（烟、蒸汽等）；（呼吸或风的）呼v.使喷出( puff的第三人称单数 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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ginger
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| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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