an unsocial socialist-第12章

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〃No。　Miss　Wilson　has　described　what　has　occurred。〃

〃Oh；　do　let　me　get　it；〃　she　cried；　rising。　〃It　will　make　Uncle
John　scream　with　laughing。　May　I；　Miss　Wilson？〃

〃There！〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　indignantly。　〃It　is　this　incorrigible
flippancy　of　which　I　have　to　complain。　Miss　Wylie　only　varies　it
by　downright　insubordination。〃

Mr。　Jansenius　too　was　scandalized。　His　fine　color　mounted　at　the
idea　of　his　screaming。　〃Tut；　tut！〃　he　said；　〃you　must　be　serious；
and　more　respectful　to　Miss　Wilson。　You　are　old　enough　to　know
better　now；　Agathaquite　old　enough。〃

Agatha's　mirth　vanished。　〃What　have　I　said　　What　have　I　done？〃
she　asked；　a　faint　purple　spot　appearing　in　her　cheeks。

〃You　have　spoken　triflingly　ofof　the　volume　by　which　Miss
Wilson　sets　great　store；　and　properly　so。〃

〃If　properly　so；　then　why　do　you　find　fault　with　me？〃

〃Come；　come；〃　roared　Mr。　Jansenius；　deliberately　losing　his
temper　as　a　last　expedient　to　subdue　her；　〃don't　be　impertinent；
Miss。〃

Agatha's　eyes　dilated；　evanescent　flushes　played　upon　her　cheeks
and　neck；　she　stamped　with　her　heel。　〃Uncle　John；〃　she　cried；　〃if
you　dare　to　address　me　like　that；　I　will　never　look　at　you；　never
speak　to　you；　nor　ever　enter　your　house　again。　What　do　you　know
about　good　manners；　that　you　should　call　me　impertinent？　I　will
not　submit　to　intentional　rudeness；　that　was　the　beginning　of　my
quarrel　with　Miss　Wilson。　She　told　me　I　was　impertinent；　and　I
went　away　and　told　her　that　she　was　wrong　by　writing　it　in　the
fault　book。　She　has　been　wrong　all　through；　and　I　would　have　said
so　before　but　that　I　wanted　to　be　reconciled　to　her　and　to　let
bygones　be　bygones。　But　if　she　insists　on　quarrelling；　I　cannot
help　it。〃

〃I　have　already　explained　to　you；　Mr。　Jansenius；〃　said　Miss
Wilson；　concentrating　her　resentment　by　an　effort　to　suppress　it；
〃that　Miss　Wylie　has　ignored　all　the　opportunities　that　have　been
made　for　her　to　reinstate　herself　here。　Mrs。　Miller　and　I　have
waived　merely　personal　considerations；　and　I　have　only　required　a
simple　acknowledgment　of　this　offence　against　the　college　and　its
rules。〃

〃I　do　not　care　that　for　Mrs。　Miller；〃　said　Agatha；　snapping　her
fingers。　〃And　you　are　not　half　so　good　as　I　thought。〃

〃Agatha；〃　said　Mr。　Jansenius；　〃I　desire　you　to　hold　your　tongue。〃

Agatha　drew　a　deep　breath；　sat　down　resignedly；　and　said：　〃There！
I　have　done。　I　have　lost　my　temper；　so　now　we　have　all　lost　our
tempers。〃

〃You　have　no　right　to　lose　your　temper；　Miss；〃　said　Mr。
Jansenius；　following　up　a　fancied　advantage。

〃I　am　the　youngest；　and　the　least　to　blame；〃　she　replied。　〃There
is　nothing　further　to　be　said；　Mr。　Jansenius；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；
determinedly。　〃I　am　sorry　that　Miss　Wylie　has　chosen　to　break
with　us。〃

〃But　I　have　not　chosen　to　break　with　you；　and　I　think　it　very
hard　that　I　am　to　be　sent　away。　Nobody　here　has　the　least　quarrel
with　me　except　you　and　Mrs。　Miller。　Mrs。　Miller　is　annoyed
because　she　mistook　me　for　her　cat；　as　if　that　was　my　fault！　And
really；　Miss　Wilson；　I　don't　know　why　you　are　so　angry。　All　the
girls　will　think　I　have　done　something　infamous　if　I　am　expelled。
I　ought　to　be　let　stay　until　the　end　of　the　term；　and　as　to　the
Recthe　fault　book；　you　told　me　most　particularly　when　I　first
came　that　I　might　write　in　it　or　not　just　as　I　pleased；　and　that
you　never　dictated　or　interfered　with　what　was　written。　And　yet
the　very　first　time　I　write　a　word　you　disapprove　of；　you　expel
me。　Nobody　will　ever　believe　now　that　the　entries　are　voluntary。〃

Miss　Wilson's　conscience；　already　smitten　by　the　coarseness　and
absence　of　moral　force　in　the　echo　of　her　own　〃You　are
impertinent；〃　from　the　mouth　of　Mr。　Jansenius；　took　fresh　alarm。
〃The　fault　book；〃　she　said；　〃is　for　the　purpose　of　recording
self…reproach　alone；　and　is　not　a　vehicle　for　accusations　against
others。〃

〃I　am　quite　sure　that　neither　Jane　nor　Gertrude　nor　I　reproached
ourselves　in　the　least　for　going　downstairs　as　we　did；　and　yet
you　did　not　blame　us　for　entering　that。　Besides；　the　book
represented　moral　forceat　least　you　always　said　so；　and　when
you　gave　up　moral　force；　I　thought　an　entry　should　be　made　of
that。　Of　course　I　was　in　a　rage　at　the　time；　hut　when　I　came　to
myself　I　thought　I　had　done　right；　and　I　think　so　still；　though
it　would　perhaps　have　been　better　to　have　passed　it　over。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　that　I　gave　up　moral　force？〃

〃Telling　people　to　leave　the　room　is　not　moral　force。　Calling
them　impertinent　is　not　moral　force。〃

〃You　think　then　that　I　am　bound　to　listen　patiently　to　whatever
you　choose　to　say　to　me；　however　unbecoming　it　may　be　from　one　in
your　position　to　one　in　mine　？〃

〃But　I　said　nothing　unbecoming；〃　said　Agatha。　Then；　breaking　off
restlessly；　and　smiling　again；　she　said：　〃Oh；　don't　let　us　argue。
I　am　very　sorry；　and　very　troublesome；　and　very　fond　of　you　and
of　the　college；　and　I　won't　come　back　next　term　unless　you　like。〃

〃Agatha；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　shaken；　〃these　expressions　of　regard
cost　you　so　little；　and　when　they　have　effected　their　purpose；
are　so　soon　forgotten　by　you；　that　they　have　ceased　to　satisfy
me。　I　am　very　reluctant　to　insist　on　your　leaving　us　at　once。　But
as　your　uncle　has　told　you；　you　are　old　and　sensible　enough　to
know　the　difference　between　order　and　disorder。　Hitherto　you　have
been　on　the　side　of　disorder；　an　element　which　was　hardly　known
here　until　you　came；　as　Mrs。　Trefusis　can　tell　you。　Nevertheless；
if　you　will　promise　to　be　more　careful　in　future；　I　will　waive
all　past　cause　of　complaint；　and　at　the　end　of　the　term　I　shall
be　able　to　judge　as　to　your　continuing　among　us。〃

Agatha　rose；　beaming。　〃Dear　Miss　Wilson；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　so
good！　I　promise；　of　course。　I　will　go　and　tell　mamma。〃

Before　they　could　add　a　word　she　had　turned　with　a　pirouette　to
the　door；　and　fled；　presenting　herself　a　moment　later　in　the
drawing…room　to　the　three　ladies；　whom　she　surveyed　with　a
whimsical　smile　in　silence。

〃Well？〃　said　Mrs。　Jansenius　peremptorily。

〃Well；　dear？〃　said　Mrs。　Trefusis；　caressingly。

Mrs。　Wylie　stifled　a　sob　and　looked　imploringly　at　her　daughter。

〃I　had　no　end　of　trouble　in　bringing　them　to　reason；〃　said
Agatha；　after　a　provoking　pause。　〃They　behaved　like　children；　and
I　was　like　an　angel。　I　am　to　stay；　of　course。〃

〃Blessings　on　you；　my　darling；〃　faltered　Mrs。　Wylie；　attempting　a
kiss；　which　Agatha　dexterously　evaded。

〃I　have　promised　to　be　very　good；　and　studious；　and　quiet；　and
decorous　in　future。　Do　you　remember　my　castanet　song；　Hetty？

〃'Tra！　lalala；　la！　la！　la！　Tra！　lalala；　la！　la！　la！　Tra！
lalalalalalalalalalala！'〃

And　she　danced　about　the　room；　snapping　her　fingers　instead　of
castanets。

〃Don't　be　so　reckless　and　wicked；　my　love；〃　said　Mrs。　Wylie。　〃You
will　break　your　poor　mother's　heart。〃

Miss　Wilson　and　Mr。　Jansenius　entered　just　then；　and　Agatha
became　motionless　and　gazed　abstractedly　at　a　vase　of　flowers。
Miss　Wilson　invited　her　visitors　to　join　the　tennis　players。　Mr。
Jansenius　looked　sternly　and　disappointedly　at　Agatha；　who
elevated　her　left　eyebrow　and　depressed　her　right　simultaneously；
but　he；　shaking　his　head　to　signify　that　he　was　not　to　be
conciliated　by　facial　feats；　however　difficult　or　contrary　to
nature；　went　out　with　Miss　Wilson；　followed　by　Mrs。　Jansenius　and
Mrs。　Wylie。

〃How　is　your　Hubby？〃　said　Agatha　then；　brusquely；　to　Henrietta。

Mrs。　Trefusis's　eyes　filled　with　tears　so　quickly　that；　as　she
bent　her　head　to　hide　them；　they　fell；　sprinkling　Agatha's　hand。

〃This　is　such　a　dear　old　place；〃　she　began。　〃The　associations　of
my　girlhood〃

〃What　is　the　matter　between　you　and　Hubby？〃　demanded　Agatha；
interrupting　her。　〃You　had　better　tell　me；　or　I　will　ask　him　when
I　meet　him。〃

〃I　was　about　to　tell　you；　only　you　did　not　give　me　time。〃

〃That　is　a　most　awful　cram；〃　said　Agatha。　〃But　no　matter。　Go　on。〃

Henrietta　hesitated。　Her　dignity　as　a　married　woman；　and　the
reality　of　her　grief；　revolted　against　the　shallow　acuteness　of
the　schoolgirl。　But　she　found　herself　no　better　able　to　resist
Agatha's　domineering　than　she　had　been　in　her　childhood；　and　much
more　desirous　of　obtaining　her　sympathy。　Besides；　she　had　already
learnt　to