an unsocial socialist-第5章

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room　unobserved。　Reassured　that　she　was　alone；　she　examined　her
conscience　as　to　whether　she　had　done　wrong　in　calling　Agatha
impertinent；　justifying　herself　by　the　reflection　that　Agatha
had；　in　fact；　been　impertinent。　Yet　she　recollected　that　she　had
refused　to　admit　this　plea　on　a　recent　occasion　when　Jane
Carpenter　had　advanced　it　in　extenuation　of　having　called　a
fellow…student　a　liar。　Had　she　then　been　unjust　to　Jane；　or
inconsiderate　to　Agatha？

Her　casuistry　was　interrupted　by　some　one　softly　whistling　a
theme　from　the　overture　to　Masaniello；　popular　at　the　college　in
the　form　of　an　arrangement　for　six　pianofortes　and　twelve　hands。
There　was　only　one　student　unladylike　and　musical　enough　to
whistle；　and　Miss　Wilson　was　ashamed　to　find　herself　growing
nervous　at　the　prospect　of　an　encounter　with　Agatha；　who　entered
whistling　sweetly；　but　with　a　lugubrious　countenance。　When　she
saw　in　whose　presence　she　stood；　she　begged　pardon　politely；　and
was　about　to　withdraw；　when　Miss　Wilson；　summoning　all　her
Judgment　and　tact；　and　hoping　that　they　wouldcontrary　to　their
custom　in　emergenciesrespond　to　the　summons；　said：

〃Agatha；　come　here。　I　want　to　speak　to　you。〃

Agatha　closed　her　lips；　drew　in　a　long　breath　through　her
nostrils；　and　marched　to　within　a　few　feet　of　Miss　Wilson；　where
she　halted　with　her　hands　clasped　before　her。

〃Sit　down。〃

Agatha　sat　down　with　a　single　movement；　like　a　doll。

〃I　don't　understand　that；　Agatha；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　pointing　to
the　entry　in　the　Recording　Angel。　〃What　does　it　mean？〃

〃I　am　unfairly　treated；〃　said　Agatha；　with　signs　of　agitation。

〃In　what　way？〃

〃In　every　way。　I　am　expected　to　be　something　more　than　mortal。
Everyone　else　is　encouraged　to　complain；　and　to　be　weak　and
silly。　But　I　must　have　no　feeling。　I　must　be　always　in　the　right。
Everyone　else　may　be　home…sick；　or　huffed；　or　in　low　spirits。　I
must　have　no　nerves；　and　must　keep　others　laughing　all　day　long。
Everyone　else　may　sulk　when　a　word　of　reproach　is　addressed　to
them；　and　may　make　the　professors　afraid　to　find　fault　with　them。
I　have　to　bear　with　the　insults　of　teachers　who　have　less
self…control　than　I；　a　girl　of　seventeen！　and　must　coax　them　out
of　the　difficulties　they　make　for　themselves　by　their　own　ill
temper。〃

〃But；　Agatha〃

〃Oh；　I　know　I　am　talking　nonsense；　Miss　Wilson；　but　can　you
expect　me　to　be　always　sensibleto　be　infallible？〃

〃Yes；　Agatha；　I　do　not　think　it　is　too　much　to　expect　you　to　be
always　sensible；　and〃

〃Then　you　have　neither　sense　nor　sympathy　yourself；〃　said　Agatha。

There　was　an　awful　pause。　Neither　could　have　told　how　long　it
lasted。　Then　Agatha；　feeling　that　she　must　do　or　say　something
desperate；　or　else　fly；　made　a　distracted　gesture　and　ran　out　of
the　room。

She　rejoined　her　companions　in　the　great　hall　of　the　mansion；
where　they　were　assembled　after　study　for　〃recreation；〃　a　noisy
process　which　always　set　in　spontaneously　when　the　professors
withdrew。　She　usually　sat　with　her　two　favorite　associates　on　a
high　window　seat　near　the　hearth。　That　place　was　now　occupied　by
a　little　girl　with　flaxen　hair；　whom　Agatha；　regardless　of　moral
force；　lifted　by　the　shoulders　and　deposited　on　the　floor。　Then
she　sat　down　and　said：

〃Oh；　such　a　piece　of　news！〃

Miss　Carpenter　opened　her　eyes　eagerly。　Gertrude　Lindsay　affected
indifference。

〃Someone　is　going　to　be　expelled；〃　said　Agatha。

〃Expelled！　Who？〃

〃You　will　know　soon　enough；　Jane；〃　replied　Agatha；　suddenly
grave。　〃It　is　someone　who　made　an　impudent　entry　in　the　Recording
Angel。〃

Fear　stole　upon　Jane；　and　she　became　very　red。　〃Agatha；〃　she
said；　〃it　was　you　who　told　me　what　to　write。　You　know　you　did；
and　you　can't　deny　it。〃

〃I　can't　deny　it；　can't　I？　I　am　ready　to　swear　that　I　never
dictated　a　word　to　you　in　my　life。〃

〃Gertrude　knows　you　did；〃　exclaimed　Jane；　appalled；　and　almost　in
tears。

〃There；〃　said　Agatha；　petting　her　as　if　she　were　a　vast　baby。　〃It
shall　not　be　expelled；　so　it　shan't。　Have　you　seen　the　Recording
Angel　lately；　either　of　you？〃

〃Not　since　our　last　entry；〃　said　Gertrude。

〃Chips；〃　said　Agatha；　calling　to　the　flaxen…haired　child；　〃go
upstairs　to　No。　6；　and；　if　Miss　Wilson　isn't　there；　fetch　me　the
Recording　Angel。〃

The　little　girl　grumbled　inarticulately　and　did　not　stir。

〃Chips；〃　resumed　Agatha；　〃did　you　ever　wish　that　you　had　never
been　born？〃

〃Why　don't　you　go　yourself？〃　said　the　child　pettishly；　but
evidently　alarmed。

〃Because；〃　continued　Agatha；　ignoring　the　question；　〃you　shall
wish　yourself　dead　and　buried　under　the　blackest　flag　in　the　coal
cellar　if　you　don't　bring　me　the　book　before　I　count　sixteen。
Onetwo〃

〃Go　at　once　and　do　as　you　are　told；　you　disagreeable　little
thing；〃　said　Gertrude　sharply。　〃How　dare　you　be　so　disobliging？〃

〃nineteneleven〃　pursued　Agatha。

The　child　quailed；　went　out；　and　presently　returned；　hugging　the
Recording　Angel　in　her　arms。

〃You　are　a　good　little　darlingwhen　your　better　qualities　are
brought　out　by　a　judicious　application　of　moral　force；〃　said
Agatha；　good…humoredly。　〃Remind　me　to　save　the　raisins　out　of　my
pudding　for　you　to…morrow。　Now；　Jane；　you　shall　see　the　entry　for
which　the　best…hearted　girl　in　the　college　is　to　be　expelled。
Voila！〃

The　two　girls　read　and　were　awestruck；　Jane　opening　her　mouth　and
gasping；　Gertrude　closing　hers　and　looking　very　serious。

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　had　the　dreadful　cheek　to　let　the
Lady　Abbess　see　that？〃　said　Jane。

〃Pooh！　she　would　have　forgiven　that。　You　should　have　heard　what　I
said　to　her！　She　fainted　three　times。〃

〃That's　a　story；〃　said　Gertrude　gravely。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Agatha；　swiftly　grasping　Gertrude's
knee。

〃Nothing；〃　cried　Gertrude；　flinching　hysterically。　〃Don't；
Agatha。〃

〃How　many　times　did　Miss　Wilson　faint？〃

〃Three　times。　I　will　scream；　Agatha；　I　will　indeed。〃

〃Three　times；　as　you　say。　And　I　wonder　that　a　girl　brought　up　as
you　have　been；　by　moral　force；　should　be　capable　of　repeating
such　a　falsehood。　But　we　had　an　awful　row；　really　and　truly。　She
lost　her　temper。　Fortunately；　I　never　lose　mine。〃

〃Well；　I'm　browed！〃　exclaimed　Jane　incredulously。　〃I　like　that。〃

〃For　a　girl　of　county　family；　you　are　inexcusably　vulgar；　Jane。　I
don't　know　what　I　said；　but　she　will　never　forgive　me　for
profaning　her　pet　book。　I　shall　be　expelled　as　certainly　as　I　am
sitting　here。〃

〃And　do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　are　going　away？〃　said　Jane；
faltering　as　she　began　to　realize　the　consequences。

〃I　do。　And　what　is　to　become　of　you　when　I　am　not　here　to　get　you
out　of　your　scrapes；　or　of　Gertrude　without　me　to　check　her
inveterate　snobbishness；　is　more　than　I　can　foresee。〃

〃I　am　not　snobbish；〃　said　Gertrude；　〃　although　I　do　not　choose　to
make　friends　with　everyone。　But　I　never　objected　to　you；　Agatha。〃

〃No；　I　should　like　to　catch　you　at　it。　Hallo；　Jane！〃　（who　had
suddenly　burst　into　tears）：　〃what's　the　matter？　I　trust　you　are
not　permitting　yourself　to　take　the　liberty　of　crying　for　me。〃

〃Indeed；〃　sobbed　Jane　indignantly；　〃I　know　that　I　am　a　ffool
for　my　pains。　You　have　no　heart。〃

〃You　certainly　are　a　ffool；　as　you　aptly　express　it；〃　said
Agatha；　passing　her　arm　round　Jane；　and　disregarding　an　angry
attempt　to　shake　it　off；　〃but　if　I　had　any　heart　it　would　be
touched　by　this　proof　of　your　attachment。〃

〃I　never　said　you　had　no　heart；〃　protested　Jane；　〃but　I　hate　when
you　speak　like　a　book。〃

〃You　hate　when　I　speak　like　a　book；　do　you？　My　dear；　silly　old
Jane！　I　shall　miss　you　greatly。〃

〃Yes；　I　dare　say；〃　said　Jane；　with　tearful　sarcasm。　〃At　least　my
snoring　will　never　keep　you　awake　again。〃

〃You　don't　snore；　Jane。　We　have　been　in　a　conspiracy　to　make　you
believe　that　you　do；　that's　all。　Isn't　it　good　of　me　to　tell
you？〃

Jane　was　overcome　by　this　revelation。　After　a　long　pause；　she
said　with　deep　conviction；　〃I　always　knew　that　I　didn't。　Oh；　the
way　you　kept　it　up！　I　solemnly　declare　that　from　this　time　forth
I　will　believe　nobody。〃

〃Well；　and　what　do　you　think　of　it　all？〃　said　Agatha；
transferring　her　attention　to　Gertrude；　who　was　very　grave。

〃I　thinkI　am　now　speaking　seriously；　AgathaI　think　you　are　in
the　wrong。〃