The girls had been talking of the initiation1 and the part that Elinor had played.
"Your sister has covered herself with glory by the way she took her hazing," said Margaret, deftly2 winding3 a long string of the rarebit around a bread stick and popping it in her mouth.
"She certainly saved us from a fluke by the nice fashion in which she turned the popular attention from that idiot who was leading the band," added Griffin, reaching for the mustard.
Patricia longed to ask a question, but Margaret Howes saved her the necessity.
"Who was it, do you know, Griffin?" she inquired in a lowered tone.
"Can't be certain, of course, but I have my doubts," replied Griffin, in the same pitch. "I think that I recognized the silvery tones of a fair one who is not too far away from us," and she glanced significantly across the table to where Doris Leighton sat with the candle-light shining in her bright hair and a little smile curving her pink lips.
Patricia caught the look, and was instantly both astonished and indignant.
"I don't see how you can think that!" she cried hotly, and then hastily lowering her voice, she added: "You must have known who they chose for leader, even if you both were at the tail of the march."
Griffin grinned good-naturedly. "Keep your righteous wrath4 for the right fellow, young 'un. When you've been in the night life as many years as I have, you'll know that we don't choose a leader—she simply elects herself by taking the head of the procession. We never know who's who after we rig up. That's part of the game. So, you see, it may have been the charming Doris, or Howes here, or my unworthy self, that put those obnoxious5 questions to your sister—no one knows for sure, and the mean cuss won't tell."
"Why should she want to be horrid6 to Elinor?" persisted Patricia, frowning a little in her earnestness. "We don't know her very well yet, but she's been perfectly7 sweet to us both."
"That describes her to a T, doesn't it, Howes?" grinned the imperturbable8 Griffin. "That's the way we find her—so sweet that she is sickening, eh?"
"Hush9, she'll hear you!" warned Howes, laughing a little, nevertheless, whereupon Patricia instantly decided10 that she had been mistaken in Margaret Howes' character, and that she was less open-minded and warm-hearted than she had believed.
"I can't see why you should pitch on her," insisted Patricia, kneading her cake into pills in her agitation11. "What could she have against Elinor?"
"This young person, though evidently of an investigating turn of mind, has not quite fathomed13 the nature of the reigning14 beauty of our little coterie15. Being of a candid16 and affable nature herself, she fails to comprehend how the fangs17 of the green-eyed monster, once fastened in the tender heart of said beauty, make the said beauty so mortally uncomfy that she's bound to take it out on somebody—and who so natural or convenient as the critter who sicked the serpent on her."
"You mean that she is jealous of Elinor?" asked Patricia, opening her eyes very wide. "Why, Elinor is only a beginner, and she's studied abroad!"
"All the same, she sees that Kendall Major is about to snatch the laurel wreath from all our heads, and she doesn't want to do without any of her ornaments18."
"But Elinor didn't even get a criticism in the head class yet," protested Patricia, unconvinced. "Mr. Benton didn't get around to her this morning, and she doesn't get any criticism in the night life till tomorrow afternoon. I don't see how she could be jealous."
Griffin made a face over a sip20 of over-heated cocoa. "Just as you please," she murmured benevolently21. "Make the best of it, like a good child. Charity is the chief Christian22 virtue23 and an ornament19 to all. Are you going in for the prize design, Howes? I hear that it's open to the whole class."
"Haven't heard of it," replied Margaret Howes, with eager interest. "What is it? And who's giving it?"
"Roberts, the big New York decorator. He's offering a hundred dollars for the best design for a panel for a library—originality24 to be the chief feature. Popsy Brown told me. I thought it had been announced."
"It wasn't on the bulletin board this afternoon," said a girl across the table, who had been listening to this last speech. "Tell us about it, Griffie dear. We're all dying to hear."
"Spout25 it out loud!" called another from the end of the table. "We can't catch your muffled26 accents down here."
The announcement of the prize was received with such lively interest that it routed all other subjects, and even Patricia caught the enthusiasm.
"I hope Elinor tries for it," she said excitedly. "She'll say she's too green, I suppose."
"Tell her to make a hack27 at it anyway," urged Margaret Howes earnestly. "Originality is the thing that counts, and she's got as good a chance as any of us there."
"Better," said Griffin tersely28. "We're so filled with other people's ideas that we've degenerated29 into regular copy-cats. I can't undertake any subject but that I have a lot of designs by famous painters popping into my mind and mixing me up horribly."
"I wish I could draw," mused30 Patricia, absently sugaring her Frankfurter. "I've got tons of ideas already."
"That reminds me," broke out Griffin. "There's a prize for the mud larks31, too. I've forgotten what it is, but it'll be posted in the morning. There's your chance, young 'un. You're eligible32 for it."
Patricia was about to speak, but there was a general stir and a voice cried, authoritatively33:
"Eight o'clock. Time to break up! Three cheers for Kendall Major and her candy toys. The Academy Howl, ladies, if you please!"
A space was hurriedly cleared at the other end of the table, a chair placed and Patricia saw Elinor, blushing and protesting, thrust into it by a dozen laughing students.
Patricia stood to one side, as they formed a hasty group in the open space by the door, and, with Griffin beating time, stretched their mouths to the utmost and gave the Academy Howl with a vim34 that was deafening35, drawing out the final deep growling36 notes to a weirdly37 wailing38 finish that sent Patricia and Elinor into gales39 of mirth.
"How in the world did you make up such an unearthly yodel?" demanded Elinor, preparing to descend40 from her chair of state. "I hope I'm not expected to answer in kind."
"You don't budge41 from there, young lady, till you've given us a song," declared Griffin, vigorously. "We know your dark secrets. We've heard that you can warble a bit."
Elinor sat down in surprise. "Oh, but I can't," she protested. "I can't sing at all. Miss Pat——"
A glare from Patricia stopped her, but it was too late. A chorus of laughing voices took up the demand, "A song, Miss Pat!" "Don't be stingy, Kendall Minor42; tune43 up!" "Give us a sample, Miss Pat!" until Griffin, with a bow, offered her arm to the rebellious44 Patricia and led her, protesting and abashed45, to the chair whence Elinor had escaped.
Once on the impromptu46 platform, Patricia's embarrassment47 dropped from her, and she smiled a ready acknowledgment to the shouts that demanded a dozen different songs at once.
"I can't sing them all at once," she said, gayly. "But if you'll settle on one that I know, I'll do my best for you. You've given me an awfully48 good time tonight, and I'm only too glad to sing for you."
After a great deal of good-humored bickering49 and sifting50 of requests to suit Patricia's repertoire51, the tumult52 gradually quieted and Patricia rose.
"I'll sing 'Mary of Argyle' first, and then a new little song, but it won't sound very well without any accompaniment," she said simply, and then, folding her hands before her and tilting53 her head like a bird, she began to sing, softly at first and then louder till her voice soared and rang echoing through the bare, empty rooms that flanked the lunch rooms.
"I have watched thy heart, my Mary,
That has made me thine forever,
Bonnie Mary of Argyle."
Patricia's voice swelled55 and sank on the last lines of the old song, and the girls broke into hearty56 applause, which was startlingly reinforced from the doorway57 of the lumber58 cellar. The janitor59's sallow face appeared from the gloom and his deep voice boomed an encore.
"Fine! Fine!" he cried, nodding his head approvingly. "That beats them all! My wife, she used to sing that song, and I liked it fine, but you beat them all!"
Patricia blushed with pleasure, and Griffin called out heartily60, "Bring her in, Eitel. There's going to be another!"
As the janitor padded away to the domestic portion of the basement to fetch his smiling wife, Griffin added to Patricia, "They're an awfully good sort. You don't mind, do you?"
"No, indeed!" cried Patricia. "It's sweet of them to like it!"
Doris Leighton smiled at Elinor in the crowd and murmured a word of praise for the singing, adding, however, that she was afraid that the janitor could hardly appreciate it.
"What's that?" asked Griffin, whose quick ear had caught the last words. "Not appreciate it? Why, do you know that Eitel used to be butler for Patti in his youth? Fie, fie, my child; likewise, go to."
Patricia caught her breath. "I hope he likes the next one," she said anxiously, whereat Griffin chuckled61.
"Don't be too scared," she said in a quick undertone. "It's forty years since he served the Diva, and he only stayed a month. I merely exploited him musically to bluff62 off the Class Beauty. Hush! here they are, large as life. Now, warble your prettiest, for Mrs. Eitel really knows good stuff when she hears it."
So Patricia flung her whole self into the sparkling "April Girl," and at the finish had the reward of an ovation63. The students clapped and the Eitels applauded with hands and feet, and cried "Encore!" till they were red in the face.
"I'll sing just one more, and then I'll have to stop," she said with eager brightness. "My voice isn't strong enough to do much, you know, though I'm awfully glad you like the songs."
So she sang another, a lullaby, that sank to its finish in flattering silence. Not a word was spoken as she stepped to the floor, but Elinor put out her hand and gave Patricia's a hard squeeze.
Mrs. Eitel broke the silence. "That music has made me strong," she declared, beaming. "These dishes I will now wash up for the reward of those songs. Go along now, young ladies, and think nothing about the disorder64 and the scrappishness, for it is I who will make them to come to order."
There were a few feeble protests, but Mrs. Eitel bore them down, and the students trooped off upstairs to their lockers65 and the dressing66 room, well pleased to escape the prosaic67 end to their fun.
On the way home Patricia told Elinor of the suspicions that had been whispered about Doris Leighton's part in the initiation, and, much to her satisfaction, Elinor was as indignant as she had been.
"I can't see how they can be so unfriendly to her," she said warmly. "She is so kind and agreeable. Of course, she doesn't associate with everybody, but neither does Margaret Howes nor Griffin either, for that matter. So far from being jealous, she's been specially68 sociable69 with me, and I felt quite flattered by it."
"I knew you'd feel just that way about it," said Patricia, relieved and triumphant70. "I told them she'd been awfully sweet to us."
"I think it more likely that it was Griffin herself," said Elinor with spirit. "She's such a wild, harum-scarum thing, and she does love to tease."
Patricia was silent, weighing this suggestion. They both broke into negation71 at once as they reached their own front door.
"It couldn't be Griffin," said Patricia earnestly. "She was too disgusted with it."
"No, I didn't really mean that," cried Elinor, repentantly. "It wasn't a bit like her teasing. Her's always has a good flavor."
"I wonder who it could have been," they both murmured as they went upstairs to their rooms.
Judith was deeply interested with their recital72 of the whole affair, and grew quite excited in the discussion as to the identity of the leader of the Ghost Dance.
"If I were there enough to know the different girls, I'd know who it was without much trouble," she declared.
"How would you manage it, Sherlock?" asked Patricia. "Give us a hint of your method, and we may be able to locate the fiend ourselves."
Judith tossed her head.
"Oh, you may laugh, Miss Pat. But all the same, I'd know. I could tell by the little things that you grown-ups don't notice."
"Mercy, Judy!" cried Patricia in genuine consternation73. "You mustn't examine us all with your private microscope. It isn't fair!"
Elinor put an end to the discussion by pointing to the clock.
"Do you see the hour, infants?" she demanded. "Tomorrow is a full day, and we must get to our beds. Toddle74, Judy dear. If you aren't asleep in ten minutes you'll have to take a nap in the afternoon."
"Oh, but Miss Jinny's coming at five, and David won't leave till half-past four!" protested Judith, horrified75 at such a prospect76, and beginning to scramble77 out of her clothes with lively haste. "And you promised to show me the night-life room, too, when all the students were there and the model wasn't posing! Oh, dear Elinor, you're a very agitating78 person! I'm twice as wide-awake as I was a minute ago!"
When Elinor and Patricia were alone, Patricia opened the subject that had been occupying her thought for the last few minutes.
"You'll try for that library panel prize, won't you, Norn?" she asked, pleadingly. "Griffin and Margaret Howes both say you ought. I know you could do something worth while."
Elinor paused in her hair brushing, and sank down on the stool, absently propping79 her chin on her brush.
"It doesn't seem worth while," she began, but Patricia broke in impatiently:
"You never know what you can do till you try. I'd try for anything I was eligible for, if I couldn't draw a stroke, just to be in with the rest."
Elinor smiled and pulled Patricia down beside her on the stool.
"Don't be too hard on your lazy old sister, Miss Pat," she said with a kiss. "I'll promise to go in for it if you won't scold any more. If I disgrace the family, you mustn't cast it up to me."
Patricia tossed her bright head scornfully.
"'Disgrace!'" she repeated hotly. "Why, do you know, Elinor Kendall, that they're all saying already that you're a wonder?" Then with a swift change, she broke into a giggle80. "Wait till you lay eyes on my contribution to the modeling competition. You'll have the treat of your young life then!"
"What's it to be?" asked Elinor, releasing her and beginning to braid her dark hair.
"Don't know," replied Patricia gayly. "Don't care, either. Whatever it is, I'm going into it tooth and nail. I'll show them that I'm on the turf even if I can't win a ribbon."
Judith's voice came plaintively81 from her room.
"I don't think it's fair," she faltered82. "You girls keep chattering83 so I can't go to sleep, and the ten minutes are up long ago."
"Bless your heart, Infant, you're a martyr84 to our long tongues!" cried Patricia, jumping up and putting out the light. "Go to sleep now. We won't chirp85 a single note. Good-night, and happy dreams!"
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1
initiation
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| n.开始 | |
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deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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obnoxious
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| adj.极恼人的，讨人厌的，可憎的 | |
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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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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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imperturbable
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| adj.镇静的 | |
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hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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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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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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fathomed
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| 理解…的真意( fathom的过去式和过去分词 )； 彻底了解； 弄清真相 | |
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reigning
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| adj.统治的，起支配作用的 | |
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coterie
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| n.(有共同兴趣的)小团体，小圈子 | |
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candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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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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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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sip
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| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
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benevolently
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| adv.仁慈地，行善地 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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originality
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| n.创造力，独创性；新颖 | |
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spout
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| v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱 | |
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muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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hack
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| n.劈，砍，出租马车；v.劈，砍，干咳 | |
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tersely
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| adv. 简捷地, 简要地 | |
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degenerated
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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larks
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| n.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的名词复数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了v.百灵科鸟（尤指云雀）( lark的第三人称单数 )；一大早就起床；鸡鸣即起；（因太费力而不想干时说）算了 | |
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eligible
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| adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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authoritatively
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| 命令式地，有权威地，可信地 | |
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vim
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| n.精力，活力 | |
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deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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growling
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| n.吠声, 咆哮声 v.怒吠, 咆哮, 吼 | |
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weirdly
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| 古怪地 | |
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wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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gales
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| 龙猫 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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budge
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| v.移动一点儿；改变立场 | |
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minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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abashed
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| 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 ) | |
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impromptu
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| adj.即席的，即兴的；adv.即兴的(地)，无准备的(地) | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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bickering
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| v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁 | |
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50
sifting
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| n.筛，过滤v.筛( sift的现在分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审 | |
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51
repertoire
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| n.(准备好演出的)节目，保留剧目；(计算机的)指令表，指令系统， <美>(某个人的)全部技能；清单，指令表 | |
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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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tilting
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| 倾斜，倾卸 | |
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wile
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| v.诡计，引诱；n.欺骗，欺诈 | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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56
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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janitor
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| n.看门人，管门人 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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61
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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ovation
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| n.欢呼，热烈欢迎，热烈鼓掌 | |
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disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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lockers
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| n.寄物柜( locker的名词复数 ) | |
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66
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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prosaic
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| adj.单调的，无趣的 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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sociable
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| adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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negation
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| n.否定；否认 | |
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recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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toddle
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| v.（如小孩）蹒跚学步 | |
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horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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agitating
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| 搅动( agitate的现在分词 )； 激怒； 使焦虑不安； （尤指为法律、社会状况的改变而）激烈争论 | |
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propping
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| 支撑 | |
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giggle
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| n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说 | |
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plaintively
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| adv.悲哀地，哀怨地 | |
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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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chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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martyr
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| n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲 | |
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chirp
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| v.(尤指鸟)唧唧喳喳的叫 | |
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