"I might do more harm than good," she reflected. "After the way Tootie has been inciting6 them to take sides against the seniors, they'd be up in arms at the least hint. It will be worse if they know they're discovered, and yet go on in an even more underhand fashion."
Ulyth's abstraction was so marked that her room-mate could not fail to notice it.
"What's the matter with you to-night?" she asked. "I've never seen you so glum7 before. Have you been getting into a row with Teddie?"
"I'm all right. One can't always be talking, I suppose," returned Ulyth rather huffily. "Some people go on like a perpetual gramophone."[Pg 209]
"Meaning Corona8 Margarita Mitchell, I suppose? As you like, O Queen! I'll shut up if my babble9 offends the royal ears. There! Don't look so tragic10. I don't want to make myself a nuisance. But all the same it's depressing to see you looking like a mixture of Hamlet and Ophelia and Iphigenia and—and—Don Quixote. Was he tragic too? I forget."
"Hardly," said Ulyth, smiling in spite of herself.
"Well, I get mixed up among history and literature, can't always remember which is real and which is make-up. It's a fact. I put down Portia as history in my exercise yesterday, and said the story of the Spanish Armada was told by Chaucer. Now you're laughing, and you look more like Ulyth Stanton. Sit down on this bed. There! Open your mouth and shut your eyes, and see what the king will send you!"
Rona was fumbling11 in her drawer as she spoke12. She turned round, seized her friend boisterously13 and forced her on to the bed, then, holding a hand over her eyes, crammed14 a chocolate almond into her mouth.
"Rona! What are you doing?" protested Ulyth, shaking herself free. "Where did you get this chocolate?"
Rona pulled a face expressive15 of mingled16 secrecy17, delight, and triumph.
"Rats!" she chuckled18 enigmatically. "Little girls shouldn't ask questions."
"But I want to know."[Pg 210]
"That's not sporty! Take the goods the gods send you, and don't ask 'em what tree they picked them from."
"But, Rona——"
"Are you two girls still out of bed and talking?" said an indignant voice, as Miss Lodge19 opened the door and glared reproval. "Make haste. I give you three minutes, and if you're not ready by then I shall report you. Not another word! I'm astonished at you, Ulyth, for breaking the silence rule."
"I didn't hear the half-past nine bell," replied Ulyth, abashed20.
"Then it's your business to hear it. It's loud enough. Everybody else on the landing is in bed."
Miss Lodge put out the light and walked away, with a final warning against further conversation. Rona was asleep in a few minutes, breathing calmly and peacefully as was her wont21, but Ulyth lay awake for a long time watching a shadow on the wall cast from the beech-tree outside. Where had Rona got her chocolates? The answer was perfectly22 plain. With the little brooch for evidence there could be no mistake.
"She's not so bad as the others, because I really don't think she quite realizes even yet what school honour means. But Tootie and her scouts23 know. There's no excuse for them. Well, only two days now, and Mrs. Arnold will be here. What a tower of strength she is! I can tell her everything. Friday will very soon come now, thank goodness!"[Pg 211]
But those two days were to bring events of their own, events quite unprecedented24 in the school, and unexpected by everybody. How they affected25 Ulyth and Rona will be related farther on in our story; but meantime, for a true understanding of their significance, we must pause to consider a certain feature of the life at The Woodlands. When Miss Teddington had joined partnership27 with Miss Bowes she had added many new ideas to the plan of education which had formerly28 been pursued.
She was determined29 that the school should not be dubbed30 "old-fashioned", and by all means in her power she kept it abreast31 of the times. So well did she succeed that the girls were apt to complain that their second Principal was a crank on education, and fond of trying every fresh experiment she could get hold of. The various enterprises added an atmosphere of novelty, however, and prevented the daily life from degenerating32 into a dull routine. No one ever knew what scheme Miss Teddington might suggest next; and even if each course was not pursued for very long, it did its work at the time, and was a factor in the general plan. All kinds and varieties of health exercises had had their day at The Woodlands—poles, dumb-bells, clubs, had been in turn discarded for deep breathing or for swimming motions. Slow minuets or lively tarantellas were danced, according to the fashion of the moment, and had the virtue33 of teaching stately dignity as well as poetry of motion. It was rumoured34 sometimes that Miss Teddington, with her eye on the past, contem[Pg 212]plated a revival35 of backboards, stocks, and chest-expanders; but those instruments of torture, fortunately, never made their appearance, much to the relief of the intended victims, who had viewed their advent36 with apprehension37.
Naturally, dancing and indoor P.T. went on mostly in the winter months, their place being taken by outdoor drill during the summer term. The Camp-fire movement had appealed to Miss Teddington. She would herself have liked to be "Guardian38 of the Fire" and general organizer of the League, but her better judgment39 told her it was wiser to leave that office to one who had not also to wield40 the authority of a teacher. She supported the League in every way that came within her province. As Camp-fire honours were given for nature study, astronomy, and geology, she took care that all had a chance to qualify in those directions; and lately, acting41 on a hint from Mrs. Arnold, she had made a special point of manual training. Since Christmas the studio had assumed a new importance in the school. It was a big glass-roofed room at the top of the house, reached by a small stair from the west bedroom landing. A carpenter's bench stood at one end of it, and wood-carving went on fairly briskly. The girls might come in at any time during their recreation hours, and the occupation was a great resource on wet days. Bookbinding, stencilling42, clay modelling, and fretwork were included among the hobbies, and though there might not be definite lessons given, there were handy primers of instruction on[Pg 213] the book-shelf, and it was interesting to try experiments.
"Do something on your own initiative. Take the book and puzzle it out, even if you make a few mistakes," urged Miss Teddington. "Nothing but practice can give you the right feel of your tools; you'll learn more from a couple of failures than from a week's work with a teacher at your elbow the whole time, saying 'Don't!'"
So the girls struggled on, making merry at each other's often rather indifferent efforts, but gaining more skill as they learnt to handle the materials with which they worked. If the mallet43 hit the chisel44 so vigorously as to spoil a part of the pattern, its wielder45 was wiser next time; and the experimenters in pyrography soon learned that a red-hot needle used indiscreetly can dig holes in leather instead of ornamenting46 it. Such "dufferisms", as the girls called them, became rarer, and many quite creditable objects were turned out, and judged worthy47 of a temporary place on the view-shelf.
Since Christmas a very special feature had been added to the handicraft department. Miss Teddington had caused apparatus48 to be fixed49 for the working of art jewellery. A furnace and a high bench with all necessary equipment had been duly installed. This was a branch much too technically50 difficult for the girls to attempt alone, so a skilled teacher had been procured51, who came weekly from Elwyn Bay to give lessons. Those girls who took the course became intensely enthusiastic over it. To make even a simple chain was interesting, but[Pg 214] when they advanced to setting polished pebbles52 or imitation stones as brooches or pendants, the work waxed fascinating. Some of the students proved much more adept53 than others, and turned out really pretty things.
There was not apparatus for many pupils to work, so the class had been limited to seniors, among whom Doris Deane, Ruth White, and Stephanie Radford had begun to distinguish themselves. Each had made a small pendant, and while the craftsmanship54 might be amateurish55, the general effect was artistic56. Miss Teddington was delighted, and wishing to air her latest hobby, she decided57 to send the three pendants, together with some other specimens58 of school handiwork, to a small Art exhibition which was to be held shortly at Elwyn Bay. Miss Edwards, the teacher who came weekly to give instruction, was on the exhibition committee, and promised to devote a certain case to the articles, and place them in a good light. Though small shows had been held at The Woodlands occasionally in connection with the annual prize distribution, the school had never before ventured to send a contribution to a public exhibition, and those whose work was to be thus honoured became heroines of the moment.
On the very evening after Ulyth's and Lizzie's excursion down the garden, a number of girls repaired to the studio to view the objects that Miss Teddington had chosen as worthy to represent the artistic side of the school.
"I wish I were a senior," said Winnie Fowler[Pg 215] plaintively59. "I'd have loved this sort of thing. To think of being able to make a little darling, ducky brooch! It beats drawing hollow. I'd never want to touch a pencil again."
"You've got to have some eye for drawing, though," said Doris, "or you'd have your things all crooked60. It's not as easy as eating chocolates, I can tell you!"
"I dare say. But I'll try some day, when I am a senior."
"Are these the three that are to go to the exhibition?" asked Rona, pushing her way to the front. "Which is which?"
"This is mine, that's Ruth's, and that's Stephanie's," explained Doris.
"Why isn't Ulyth's to go? It's just as nice as Stephanie's, I'm sure."
"Miss Teddington decided that."
"How idiotic61 of her! Why couldn't she send Ulyth's? I think hers is the nicest, and it's just the same pattern as Stephie's—exactly."
"Do be quiet, Rona!" urged Ulyth, laying her hand on the arm of her too partial friend. "My pendant has a defect in it. I bungled62, and couldn't get it right again afterwards."
"It doesn't show."
"Not to you, perhaps; but any judge of such things would notice in a moment."
"Well, your work's as good as Stephanie's any day, and I hate for her name to be put into the catalogue and not yours. Yes, I mean what I say."[Pg 216]
"Oh, Rona, do hush63! I don't want my name in a catalogue. Here's Stephie coming in. Don't let her hear you."
"I don't mind if she does. It won't do her any harm to hear somebody's frank opinion."
"Rona, if you care one atom for me, stop!"
Rather grumbling64, Rona allowed herself to be suppressed. She was always ready to throw a shaft65 at Stephanie, though she knew Ulyth heartily66 disliked the scenes which invariably followed. She took up Ulyth's pendant, however, and, after ostentatiously admiring it, laid it for a moment side by side with Stephanie's.
"There isn't a pin to choose between them," she murmured under her breath, hoping Stephanie might overhear.
Ulyth was at the other side of the room, but Stephanie's quick ears caught the whisper. She looked daggers67 at Rona, but she made no remark, and Ulyth, returning, gently took her pendant away and placed it with the other non-exhibits on the bench. It had been a wet afternoon. No outdoor exercise had been possible that day, and the girls were tired of all their usual indoor occupations.
"I wish somebody'd suggest something new to cheer us up," yawned Nellie Barlow. "There's a quarter of an hour more 'rec.' It's too short to be worth while getting out any apparatus, but it's long enough to be deadly dull."
"Can't someone do some tricks?" asked Edie Maycock.[Pg 217]
"All right, Toby; sit on your hind68 legs and beg for biscuits," laughed Marjorie Earnshaw.
"I mean real tricks—conjuring69 and fortune telling; the amateur wizard, you know."
"I don't know."
"Then you're stupid. Have you never seen amateur conjuring—coins that vanish, and things that come out of hats?"
"Yes; but I couldn't do it, my good child. Being in the Sixth doesn't make me a magician."
"We tried a little bit at home," pursued Edie. "We had a book that told us how; only I never could manage it quickly. People always saw how I did it."
"Rona's the girl for that," suggested Hattie Goodwin.
"Is she? Come here, Rona, I want you. Can you really and truly do conjuring?"
"Oh, not properly!" laughed Rona. "But when I was on board ship there was a gentleman who was very clever at it, and I and some boys I'd made friends with were tremendously keen at learning. We got him to show us a few easy tricks, and we were always trying them. I could manage it just a little, but I'm out of practice now. You'd see in a second how it was done, I'm afraid."
"Oh, do show us, just for fun!"
"What do you want to see?"
"Oh, anything!"
"The vanishing coin?"
"Yes, yes. Go ahead!"[Pg 218]
"Then give me two pennies or shillings, either will do."
The audience who had clustered round looked at one another, each expecting somebody else to produce a coin. Then everybody laughed.
"We haven't got so much as a copper70 amongst us! We're a set of absolute paupers71!" declared Doris. "Can't you do some other trick?"
"There is nothing else I could manage so well," said Rona disconsolately72. "This was the only one I really learnt."
"Can't it be done with anything but coins?"
"Something the same size and round, perhaps?"
"My pendant?" said Ulyth, fetching the trinket from the bench. "It's just as big as a penny."
"Yes, I could try it with this and another like it. Give me Stephanie's."
"No, no! You shan't try tricks with mine!" objected Stephanie indignantly.
"I won't do it a scrap73 of harm."
"Oh, Stephie, don't be mean! She'll not hurt it. Here, Rona, take it!" exclaimed several of the girls, anxious to witness the experiment.
Stephanie's protests and grumbles74 were overridden75 by the majority, and Rona, in her new capacity of wizard, faced her audience.
"It'll be rather transparent76, because you oughtn't really to know that I've got two pendants," she explained apologetically. "Please forget, and think it's only one. I must put some patter in, like Mr. Thompson always used to do. Ladies and gentleman, you've no doubt heard that the art of[Pg 219] conjuring depends upon the quickness of the hand. That's as it may be, but there is a great deal that can't be accounted for in that way. Ladies and gentlemen, you see this coin—or rather pendant, as I should say. I am going to make it fly from my left hand to my right. One, two, three—pass! Here it is. Did you see it go? No. Well, I can make it travel pretty quickly. Now we'll try another pretty little experiment. You see my hand. It's empty, isn't it? Yet when I wave it over this desk Miss Stephanie Radford's pendant will be returned to its place. Hey, presto77! Pass! There you are! Safe and sound and back again!"
Stephanie took up her treasure and examined it anxiously.
"This isn't mine!" she declared.
"Rubbish! It is."
"I tell, you it isn't! Don't I know my own work? This is Ulyth's. What have you done with mine?"
"Vanished under the wizard's wand," mocked Rona.
"Give it me this instant!" cried Stephanie angrily, shaking Rona by the arm.
Rona had been standing26 upon one leg, and the unexpected assault completely upset her balance. She toppled, clutched at Doris, and fell, bumping her head against the corner of the table. It was a hard blow, and as she got up she staggered.
"I feel—all dizzy!" she gasped78.
An officious junior, quite unnecessarily, ran for Miss Lodge, magnifying the accident so much in[Pg 220] her highly coloured account that the mistress arrived on the scene prepared to find Rona stretched unconscious. Seeing that the girl looked white and tearful, she ordered her promptly79 to bed.
"It may be nothing, but any rate you will be better lying down," she decreed. "Go downstairs, girls, all of you. Nobody is to come into the studio again to-night."
"Rona had my pendant in her hand all the time," grumbled80 Stephanie to Beth as she obeyed the mistress's orders. "She dropped it as she fell. I've put it back safely, though, and I don't mean to let anybody interfere81 with it. I shall complain to Miss Bowes if it's touched again."
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
agitation
|
|
| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
frankly
|
|
| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
breach
|
|
| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
emphatic
|
|
| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
hesitation
|
|
| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
inciting
|
|
| 刺激的，煽动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
glum
|
|
| adj.闷闷不乐的，阴郁的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
corona
|
|
| n.日冕 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
babble
|
|
| v.含糊不清地说，胡言乱语地说，儿语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
tragic
|
|
| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
fumbling
|
|
| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
boisterously
|
|
| adv.喧闹地，吵闹地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
crammed
|
|
| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
expressive
|
|
| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
mingled
|
|
| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
secrecy
|
|
| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
chuckled
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
lodge
|
|
| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
abashed
|
|
| 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 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
wont
|
|
| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
scouts
|
|
| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
unprecedented
|
|
| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
affected
|
|
| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
partnership
|
|
| n.合作关系，伙伴关系 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
formerly
|
|
| adv.从前，以前 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
dubbed
|
|
| v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
abreast
|
|
| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
degenerating
|
|
| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
virtue
|
|
| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
rumoured
|
|
| adj.谣传的；传说的；风 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
revival
|
|
| n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
advent
|
|
| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
apprehension
|
|
| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
guardian
|
|
| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
wield
|
|
| vt.行使，运用，支配；挥，使用(武器等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
stencilling
|
|
| v.用模板印（文字或图案）( stencil的现在分词 )；型版 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
mallet
|
|
| n.槌棒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
chisel
|
|
| n.凿子；v.用凿子刻，雕，凿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
wielder
|
|
| 行使者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
ornamenting
|
|
| v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
apparatus
|
|
| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
technically
|
|
| adv.专门地，技术上地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
procured
|
|
| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
pebbles
|
|
| [复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
adept
|
|
| adj.老练的，精通的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
craftsmanship
|
|
| n.手艺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
amateurish
|
|
| n.业余爱好的，不熟练的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
artistic
|
|
| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
specimens
|
|
| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
plaintively
|
|
| adv.悲哀地，哀怨地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
crooked
|
|
| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
idiotic
|
|
| adj.白痴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
bungled
|
|
| v.搞糟，完不成( bungle的过去式和过去分词 )；笨手笨脚地做；失败；完不成 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
hush
|
|
| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
grumbling
|
|
| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
shaft
|
|
| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
daggers
|
|
| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
hind
|
|
| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
conjuring
|
|
| n.魔术 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
copper
|
|
| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
paupers
|
|
| n.穷人( pauper的名词复数 )；贫民；贫穷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
disconsolately
|
|
| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
scrap
|
|
| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
grumbles
|
|
| 抱怨( grumble的第三人称单数 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
overridden
|
|
| 越控( override的过去分词 )； （以权力）否决； 优先于； 比…更重要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
transparent
|
|
| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
presto
|
|
| adv.急速地；n.急板乐段；adj.急板的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
grumbled
|
|
| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
interfere
|
|
| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |