“I had expected to be out of town this week-end,” he told her. “On business.”
“Oh, very well,” replied Marjorie, coolly. “It doesn’t matter—you might be bored anyhow.”
“Hardly that. But—the fact is, the firm wanted me to go on Wednesday, and I begged off. I myself suggested Saturday. But if it means that you will have to stay home——”
“Certainly not!” flashed Marjorie, resentfully. “It happens that I do have two or three other friends——”
“Marjorie, you know I didn’t imply that,” he apologized.
“Well, I’ll find somebody else!” she retorted, cutting him off.
“No—please——”
But the connection was broken.
Marjorie walked away, with a strange sensation at her heart. It was really the first time that she and John had actually quarreled, and she suddenly felt ashamed of herself. How childish it was to be angry because he had a business engagement! If anyone should have been resentful, it was his right, not hers.
The more that she thought about the conversation, the more reluctant she was to tell Lily. Yet sooner or later her room-mate would know that John was not to be her escort at the dance.
She postponed1 the news until after Mr. Richards’ visit, and her scout2 program was settled to her satisfaction. Then, on Thursday evening, when the girls were dressing3 for dinner, she informed her.
“What!” exclaimed the other, turning about from the mirror, and facing her in consternation5.
“John can’t go—he’ll be out of town over the week-end on business.”
Lily crossed the room, and, tilting6 Marjorie’s chin with her hand, looked her straight in the eyes.
“I did—on my scout word of honor!”
Lily shook her head, incredulously.
“If I know John Hadley, he’d manipulate his engagements, even if they were important, so that he could go with you. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Only of course I didn’t get down on my knees to beg him to.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” murmured Lily, regretfully. “I thought that it was going to be such a wonderful party—with John and Dick both there.”
“It can still be wonderful without John,” returned Marjorie, lightly. “But tell me, Lil, whom shall I invite?”
On Friday morning she told Lily that she was not going at all.
“I think that I’ll drop in on my scout troop, instead,” she remarked.
Lily knitted her brows.
“I don’t believe I would, Marj,” she advised.
“Why not?” demanded the other.
“Because—it might look funny. I forgot to tell you last night because I was asleep when you came home, that Queenie Brazier called up and asked for one of us. Naturally I answered, since you were at the athletic9 association. She wanted to know Mr. Richards’ address, and whether she might invite him to the scout meeting on Saturday night.”
“Well, of all things!” cried Marjorie, bursting out laughing.
“So you see it would look rather queer if you went after all,” Lily concluded.
“Yes, it would——. Well, there’s only one thing left for me to do at this late date—and that is invite Jack10.”
“Great! Go to it, Marj!”
Marjorie used all her powers of persuasion11 upon her brother, and finally prevailed upon him to promise to break another engagement in her interest. So long as John could not go, she knew that she preferred Jack to anyone else.
Though not wildly excited about the event herself, she could not help catching12 some of Lily’s contagious13 spirits.
“Do your hair nicely, Marj!” the latter commanded.
“You want to ask Mr. Richards, don’t you?” The question was fired like a shot, and it startled Marjorie, all the more because the idea had never entered her head.
“I never thought of him, Lil. I don’t believe that he dances.”
“Still, you could call him up and find out.”
“I wouldn’t have the nerve. I wouldn’t admit to him that I was planning to go to a dance on a scout night. He might not think I was in earnest about my troop, and I don’t want to antagonize him—I may need his help again.”
“Well, then, you’ll have to dig up some of your old friends. You’re suffering now because you’ve neglected them for the scouts14.”
“I’m not actually suffering!” denied Marjorie. “Because I won’t feel so dreadful if I do have to stay home.”
“Naturally,—without John——”
“Stop it, Lil! I positively15 won’t stand any more teasing without revenge! I’ll pay you back!”
“You wouldn’t dare!” laughed Lily. “Now I’m going into the other room, to leave you alone to think. You’ll have to decide upon somebody tonight.”
But the more Marjorie thought about it, the less she liked the idea. It had been several years since she had attended a class affair without John Hadley, and she knew that a change would cause comment. Moreover, she admitted it to herself, though she would not have to anyone else,—she really did not care to go without him. “Brothers are more critical than anyone else.”
“Only they never look at their sisters,” remarked Marjorie. “Still, I don’t want to disgrace you.”
“You won’t—but do hurry. The boys must be downstairs waiting for us now.”
“Are they coming together?” inquired her roommate, in surprise. “They don’t come from the same place—the same city.”
“I guess your escort was in Philadelphia today,” returned Lily, unable to conceal16 a mischievous17 little twinkle.
“Come on—I’m ready now,” announced Marjorie. “Do I look all right?”
Lily did not trust herself to say anything further, for fear that she might disclose the secret at the last minute, and spoil the fun. Marjorie, however,97 was totally unconscious of any by-play; when she walked into the reception room and saw John Hadley standing19 there with Dick Roberts, she was absolutely non-plussed.
“Your brother couldn’t come, and sent a substitute,” Dick began solemnly. “Allow me to present——”
“Don’t be so crazy, Dick!” laughed Marjorie, seizing John’s hand impulsively20. “The substitute’s perfectly satisfactory.”
Lily looked away contentedly21; she felt that she might dismiss Marjorie from her mind for that evening. She was right, too, for before the little party had reached the country club, the girl had made her apologies, and she and John were established again in the old pleasant friendly relationship.
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1
postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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2
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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3
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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4
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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5
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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6
tilting
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| 倾斜，倾卸 | |
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7
accusation
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| n.控告，指责，谴责 | |
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8
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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9
athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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10
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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11
persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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12
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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13
contagious
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| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
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14
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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15
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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16
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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17
mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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18
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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19
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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20
impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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21
contentedly
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| adv.心满意足地 | |
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