With the opening of the spring term began the final and most arduous
preparations for the Easter examinations.
The school had been endowed, some years before, under the will of a
former pupil, with a scholarship, a valuable one, ensuring not only the
freedom of the school, but substantial help in the subsequent college
career, that the winning of it entailed.
The rules were strict. The papers were set and corrected by persons
chosen by the trustees of the bequest. The scholarship was open to the
school, but no girl over seventeen might enter: and though an
unsuccessful candidate might compete a second time, she must gain a
percentage of marks in the first attempt. Total failure debarred her
from making a second. This last rule limited in effect, the entries to
members of the Sixths and Fifths, for the scholarship was too valuable
for a chance of it to be risked through insufficient training. The
standard, too, was high, and the rules so strictly enforced that
withheld the grant if it were not attained, that Miss Marsham was
accustomed to make special arrangements for those competing. They were
called the "Scholarship Class," and had certain privileges and a great
amount of extra work. To most of them the particular privilege that
compensated for six months' drudgery was the fact that they were almost
entirely under Miss Hartill's supervision. She considered their training
her special task and spared neither time nor pains. She loved the
business. She understood the art of rousing their excitement, pitting
ambition against ambition. She worked them like slaves, weeding out
remorselessly the useless members. Theoretically all had the right to
enter; but none remained against Miss Hartill's wishes.
In spite of the work, the members of the Scholarship Class had an envied
position in the school. Clare saw to that. Without attackable bias, she
differentiated subtly between them and the majority. Each of the group
was given to understand, without words, impalpably, yet very definitely,
that if Miss Hartill, the inexorable, could have a preference, one had
but to look in the glass to find it; and that to outstrip the rest of
the class, to be listed an easy first, would be the most exquisite
justification that preference could have. And as the type of girl who
succumbed the most surely to Clare's witchcraft was also usually of the
type to whom intellectual work was in itself attractive, it was not
surprising if her favourite class were a hot-bed of emulation and
enthusiasm--enthusiasm that was justified of its origin, for not even
Henrietta Vigers denied that Clare contributed her full share to the
earning of the scholarship, Miss Marsham, towards the end of the spring,
was wont to declare, with her usual kindly concern, that she was
thankful that the examination was not an annual affair.... Their good
Miss Hartill was too anxious, too conscientious.... Miss Marsham must
really forbid her to make herself ill. And, indeed, when the class was a
large one, Clare was as reckless of her own strength as of that of her
pupils, and suffered more from its expenditure. Where they were
responsible, each for herself, Clare toiled early and late for them all.
She fed them, moreover, from her own resources of energy, was entirely
willing to devitalise herself on their behalf. The strain once over, she
appeared slack, gaunt, debilitated. She had, however, her own methods of
recuperation. Her ends gained, she could take back what she had
given--take back more than ever she had given. Moreover, the supply of
child-life never slackened. Old scholars might go--but ever the new ones
came. Was it not Clare who gave the school its latter-day reputation? By
the end of the summer term Clare would be once more in excellent
condition.
When the promotion of Louise to the Upper School had first been mooted,
Miss Hartill had not forgotten that the scholarship examination was once
more drawing near. She saw no reason why Louise should not compete. That
Louise, the whilom dullard of the Third, the youngest girl in the Upper
School, should snatch the prize from the expectants of the Sixths and
Fifths, would be an effective retort on Clare's critics, would redound
very pleasantly to Clare's credit.
If she let the opportunity pass, Louise must wait two years: at thirteen
it would be a triumph for Louise and Clare; at fifteen there would be
nothing notable in her success. And the baby herself would be delighted.
Clare was already sufficiently taken with Louise to enjoy the
anticipation of her delight.
She was quite aware that it would entail special efforts on her own
part, as well as on the child's, and that she had a large class already
on her hands, and in need of coaching. But there was always Alwynne.
Alwynne was so reliable; she could safely leave Louise's routine work in
Alwynne's hands. It remained to consult Louise and incidentally the
parent Dennys.
Louise was awestruck, overwhelmed by the honour of being allowed to
compete, absurdly and touchingly delighted. No doubt as to Louise's
sentiments. No doubt as to the sincerity of her efforts. No doubt, until
the spring term began, of the certainty of her success.
The spring term opened with Clare in Miss Marsham's carved seat at
morning prayers. The school had grown accustomed to its head-mistress's
occasional absence. Miss Marsham, who had for some time felt the strain
of school routine too much for her advanced years, was only able to
sustain the fiction of her unimpaired powers by taking holidays, as a
morphineuse takes her drug, in ever-increasing doses. She was confident
in the discretion alike of Clare Hartill and Henrietta Vigers, and,
indeed, but for their efficiency, the school would have suffered more
quickly than it actually did. Nevertheless, the absence of supreme
authority had, though but slightly, the usual disintegrating effect.
There was always, naturally, an increase of friction between the two
women, especially when the absence of the directress occurred at the
beginning of a term. There would be the usual agitations--problems of
housing and classification. There would arrive parents to be interviewed
and impressed, new girls to be gracefully and graciously welcomed. Clare
(to whom Henrietta, for all her hostility, invariably turned in
emergencies), showing delicately yet unmistakably that she considered
herself unwarrantably hampered in her own work, would submit to being on
show with an air of bored acquiescence, tempered with modest surprise at
the necessity for her presence. It was sufficiently irritating to
Henrietta, under strict, if indirect, orders to leave the decorative
side of the vice-regency to her rival. She was quite aware of Clare's
greater effectiveness. She did not believe that it weighed with Miss
Marsham against her own solid qualities. She affected to despise it. Yet
despising, she envied.
She was unjust to Clare, however, in believing the latter's reluctance
entirely assumed. Clare enjoyed ruffling the susceptibilities of
Henrietta, but she was none the less genuinely annoyed at being even
partially withdrawn from her classes and was relieved when, at the end
of a fortnight, Miss Marsham returned to her post. Clare had been forced
to neglect her special work. Classes had been curtailed and interrupted,
the many extra lessons postponed or turned over to Alwynne, whom more
than any other mistress she had trained and could trust.
It was Alwynne who, reporting to her at the end of the first fortnight,
had made her more than ever eager to be rid of her deputyship.
There were new girls in the Fifth in whom Alwynne was interested. One,
at least, she prophesied, would be found to have stuff in her. It was a
pity she was not in the Scholarship Class.... She was too good for the
Lower Fifth.... Alwynne supposed it would be quite impossible to let
her enter?
"At this time of day? Impossible! Do you realise that we've only another
three months?"
"I don't suppose she'd want to, anyhow," said Alwynne. "She's a quaint
person! Talk about independence! She informed me to-day that she
shouldn't stay longer than half-term, unless she liked us."
"Oho! Young America!" Clare was alert. "I didn't know you referred to
Cynthia Griffiths. I interviewed the parents last week. Immensely rich!
She was demure enough, but I gathered even then that she ruled the
roost. Her mother was quite tearful--implored me to keep her happy for
three months anyhow, while they both indulged in a rest cure abroad. She
seemed doubtful of our capacities. But she was not explicit."
"Cynthia is. I've heard the whole story while I tried to find out how
much she knew. She's a new type. Her French and her German are
perfect--and her clothes. Her bedroom is a pig-sty and she gets up when
she chooses. I gather that she has reduced Miss Vigers to a nervous
wreck already. Thank goodness I'm a visiting mistress! I wonder what the
girls will make of her!"
"Or she of them."
"That won't be the question," surmised Alwynne shrewdly. "Clare, she has
five schools behind her, American and foreign--and she's fifteen! We are
an incident. I know. There were two Americans at my school."
"It remains to be seen." Clare's eyes narrowed. "Well, what else?"
Alwynne fidgeted.
"I'm glad you're taking over everything again. I prefer my small kids."
"Why?"
"Easier to understand--and manage."
Clare looked amused.
"Been getting into difficulties? Who's the problem? Agatha?"
"That wind-bag! She only needs pricking to collapse," said Alwynne
contemptuously. Then, with a frown: "I wish poor little Mademoiselle
Charette would realise it. Have you ever seen a Lower Fifth French
lesson? But, of course, you haven't. It's a farce."
Clare frowned.
"If she can't keep order----"
"She can teach anyhow," said Alwynne quickly. "I was at the other end of
the room once, working. I listened a little. It's only Agatha.
Mademoiselle can tackle the others. She's effective in a delicate way;
but senseless, noisy rotting--it breaks her up. She loses her temper. Of
course, it's funny to watch. But I hate that sort of thing. I did when I
was a schoolgirl even, didn't you?"
"I don't remember." But in the back of Clare's mind was a class-room and
herself, contemptuously impertinent to a certain ineffective Miss
Loveday.
Alwynne continued, frowning--
"Anyhow, I wish you'd do something."
Clare yawned.
"One mustn't interfere with other departments--unasked."
"Well, I ask you." Alwynne was in earnest.
"Why?"
"I want you to."
"Why?"
Alwynne blushed.
"Why this championship? I didn't know you and Mademoiselle Charette were
such intimates?"
"It's just because we aren't. I like her, but----"
"But what?"
"Well--we had a row. You see--You won't tell, Clare?"
Clare smiled.
"She doesn't like you," blurted out Alwynne indignantly. "And I just
want to show her how altogether wrong----"
"What a crime! How did you find it out?" Clare was amused.
"She was telling me about Agatha. And I said--why on earth didn't she
complain to you? And she said--nothing on earth would induce her to. I
said--I was sure you would be only too glad for her to ask you. And she
said----" Alwynne paused dramatically: "She said--she hadn't the
faintest doubt you would, and that I was a charming child, but that she
happened to understand you. Then we had a row of course."
Clare pealed with laughter.
"She's quite right, Alwynne. You are a charming child. So that is
Mademoiselle Charette, is it? And I never guessed." She mused, a curious
little smile on her lips.
"She's a dear, really," said Alwynne apologetically. "Only she's what
Mrs. Marpler calls ''aughty.' I can't think why her knife's into you."
"Suppose----" Clare's eyes lit up, she showed the tip of her
tongue--sure sign of mischief afloat. "Suppose I pull it out? What do
you bet me, Alwynne?"
Alwynne laughed.
"I wish you would. I don't like it when people don't appreciate you.
Anyhow, I wish you'd settle Agatha. You know, it's not doing the
scholarship French any good. The class slacks. Mademoiselle is worried,
I know."
Clare was serious at once.
"That must stop. The standard's too high for trifling. And one or two of
them are weak as it is. Especially Louise. Isn't she? Don't you coach
her for the grammar? How is her extra work getting on, by the way? Like
a house on fire, I suppose?"
"Not altogether." Alwynne looked uneasy.
"What?" Clare looked incredulous.
"She's the problem," said Alwynne.
She had a piece of paper on the table before her and was drawing
fantastic profiles as she spoke, sure sign of perturbation with Alwynne,
as Clare knew.
"Well?" demanded Clare, after an interval.
Alwynne paused, pencil hovering over an empty eyesocket. She seemed
nervous, opened her lips once or twice and closed them again.
"What's wrong?" Clare prompted her.
"Nothing's wrong exactly." Alwynne flushed uncomfortably. "After all,
you've seen her in class. Her work is as good as usual?"
"I think so. Her last essay was a little exotic, by the bye, not quite
as natural--but you corrected them. I was so busy."
"You don't think she's getting too keen, working too hard?" Alwynne's
tone was tentative.
"Do you think so?" Clare was thoroughly interested. She was tickled at
Alwynne's anxious tones. She always enjoyed her occasional bursts of
responsibility. But she was nevertheless intrigued by Alwynne's hints.
She had certainly not given her class its usual attention lately. To
Louise she had scarcely spoken unofficially since term began; no
opportunity had occurred, and she had been too busy to make one. Louise
had returned a bundle of books to her on the opening day of the term,
and had been bidden to fetch herself as many more as she chose. But
Clare had been out when Louise had called. Clare, to tell the truth, had
not once given a thought to Louise since Christmas Day. She had taken a
trip to London with Alwynne soon after. The two had enjoyed themselves.
The holidays had flown. But she had been glad to find her class
radiantly awaiting her. She had found it much as usual. Alwynne's
perturbation was the more intriguing.
"Do you think so?" she repeated, with a lift of her eyebrows that
reduced Alwynne's status to that of a Kindergarten pupil teacher. She
enjoyed seeing her grow pink.
"Of course, it's no affair of mine," said Alwynne aggrievedly. She went
on with her drawing.
Clare swung herself on to the low table and sat, skirts a-sway, gazing
down at Alwynne's head, bent over its grotesques. There was a curl at
the nape of the neck that fascinated her. It lay fine and shining like a
baby's. She picked up a pencil and ran it through the tendril. Alwynne
jumped.
"Clare, leave me alone. You only think I'm impertinent."
"Does she want a finger in the pie, then?" said Clare softly. "Poor old
Alwynne!" The pencil continued its investigations.
Alwynne tried not to laugh. She could never resist Clare's soft voice,
as Clare very well knew.
"I don't! I only thought----"
"That Louise--your precious Louise----"
"She's trying so awfully hard----"
"Yes?"
"She's overdoing it. The work's not so good. She's too keen, I
think----"
"Yes?"
"I think----"
"Yes, Alwynne?"
"You won't be annoyed?"
"That depends."
"Then I can't tell you."
"I think you can," said Clare levelly.
Alwynne was silent. Clare took the paper from her and examined it.
"You've a fantastic imagination, Alwynne. When did you dream those
faces? Well--and what do you think? Be quick."
"I think she's growing too fond of you," said Alwynne desperately.
She faced Clare, red and apprehensive. She expected an outburst. But
Clare never did what Alwynne expected her to do.
"Is that all? Pooh!" said Clare lightly and began to laugh. She swung
backwards, her finger-tips crooked round the edge of the table, her neat
shoes peeping and disappearing beneath her skirts as she rocked herself.
She regarded Alwynne with sly amusement.
"So I've a bad influence, Alwynne? Is that the idea?"
Alwynne protested redly. Clare continued unheeding.
"Well, it's a novel one, anyhow. Could you indicate exactly how my
blighting effect is produced? Don't mind me, you know." Then, with a
chuckle: "Oh, you delicious child!"
Alwynne was silent.
"Tell me all about it, Alwynne dear!" cooed Clare.
Alwynne shrugged her shoulders with a curiously helpless gesture.
"I can't," she said. "I thought I could--but I can't. You don't help me.
I was worried over Louise. I thought--I think she alters. I think she
gets a strained look. I know she thinks about you all the time. I
thought--but, of course, if you see nothing, it's my fancy. There's
nothing definite, I know. If you don't know what I mean----"
"I don't!" said Clare shortly. "Do you know yourself?"
"No!" said Alwynne. She searched Clare's face wistfully. "I just thought
perhaps--she was too fond of you--I can't put it differently. I'm a
fool! I wish I hadn't said anything."
"So do I," said Clare gravely.
"I didn't mean to interfere: it wasn't impertinence, Clare," said
Alwynne, her cheeks flaming.
Clare hesitated. She was annoyed at Alwynne's unnecessary display of
insight, yet tickled by her penetration, not displeased by the jealousy
which, as it seemed to her, must be at the root of the protest. Alwynne
had evidently not forgotten her chilly Christmas afternoon.... Louise,
as obviously, had talked.... There must have been some small degree of
friction for Alwynne to complain of Louise.... Curiously, it never
occurred to Clare that Alwynne's remarks hid no motive, that Alwynne
was genuinely anxious and meant exactly what she had said, or tried to
say. Possibly in Alwynne's simplicity lay her real attraction for Clare.
It made her as much of a sphinx to Clare as Clare was to her.
As she stood before her, apprehensive of her displeasure, obviously
afraid that she had exceeded those bounds to their intercourse that she,
more than Clare, had laid down, yet withal, a curiously dogged look upon
her face, Clare was puzzled as to her own wisest attitude. She was
inclined to batter her into a retraction; it would have relieved her own
feelings. Clare could not endure criticism. But she was not yet so sure
of Alwynne as to allow herself the relief of invective. She thought that
she might easily reserve her annoyance for Louise. It was Louise, after
all, who had exposed her to criticism.... And if Alwynne chose to be
jealous, it was at least a flattering display.... She supposed she must
placate Alwynne.... After all, fifty Louises and her own dignity could
not weigh against the possession of Alwynne.... She spoke slowly,
choosing her words,
"As if I could think you impertinent! But, my dear--I'm older than you.
Can't you trust me to understand my girls? After all, I devote my life
to them, Alwynne." Clare's quiet dignity was in itself a reproof.
"I know." Alwynne lifted distressed eyes. "I didn't mean--I didn't
imply--of course, you know best. I only thought----"
"That I took more notice of Louise than was wise?"
"No, no!" protested Alwynne unhappily.
Clare continued--
"If you think I'm to blame for encouraging a lonely child--she has no
mother, Alwynne--lending her a few books--asking her to tea with
me--because I felt rather sorry for her----"
"I didn't mean that----" Alwynne twisted her fingers helplessly.
"Then what did you mean?" Clare asked her. She had slipped on to the
floor, and was facing Alwynne, very tall and grave and quiet. "Won't you
tell me just exactly what you did mean?" she allowed a glimmer of
displeasure to appear in her eyes.
And Alwynne, tongue-tied and cornered, had nothing whatever to say. She
had been filled with vague uneasiness and had come to Clare to have it
dispelled. The uneasiness was still there, formless yet insistent--but
the only effect of her clumsy phrases was to hurt Clare's feelings.
After all, was she not worrying herself unduly? Was she to know better
than Clare? She had felt for some moments that she had made a fool of
herself. There remained to capitulate. Her anxiety over Louise melted
before the pain in Clare's eyes--the reproof of her manner.
"Would you like me to speak to Louise, before you?" went on Clare
patiently. "Perhaps she could explain what it is that worries you----"
"No, no! for goodness' sake, Clare!" cried Alwynne, appalled. Then
surrendering, "Clare--I didn't mean anything. I do see--I've been
fussing--impertinent--whatever you like. I didn't mean any harm. Oh,
let's stop talking about it, please."
"I'd rather you convinced yourself first," said Clare frigidly. "I don't
want the subject re-opened once a week." Then relenting, "Poor old
Alwynne! The trials of a deputy! Has she worried herself to death? But
I'm back now. I think I can manage my class, Alwynne--as long as you
stand by to give me a word of advice now and then."
Alwynne squirmed. Clare laughed tenderly.
"My dear--give Louise a little less attention. It won't hurt either of
you. Are you going to let me feel neglected?" Then, with a change of
tone. "Now we've had enough of this nonsense." She curled herself in her
big chair. "Alwynne, there's a box of Fuller's in the cupboard, and an
English Review. Don't you want to hear the new Masefield before you go
home?"
And Alwynne's eyes grew big, and she forgot all about Louise, as Clare's
"loveliest voice" read out the rhyme of _The River_.
Yet Clare had a last word as she sent her home to Elsbeth.
"Sorry?" said Clare whimsically, as Alwynne bade her good-bye.
"I always was a fool," said Alwynne, and hugged her defiantly.
But Clare, for once, made no protest. She patted her ruffled hair as she
listened to the noises of the departure.
"Too fond of me?" she said softly. "Too fond of me? Alwynne--what about
you?"
But if Alwynne heard, she made no answer.