Four days later Darsie went by appointment to her _tete-a-tete_ tea with
the professional chaperon with a pleasurable expectation which was
largely streaked with curiosity.
If physiognomy counted for anything, Mrs Reeves must surely be a most
sweet and noble character. Her grey eyes looked into yours with a
straight, transparent gaze, her lips closed one upon another firmly
enough to debar all trace of weakness, yet not so firmly as to hint at
undue severity, her hair waved back from a broad white brow. It was, as
Dan had said, difficult to understand how such a woman could be the
willing companion of men whom even fellow-students were anxious to shun.
Darsie wondered if the afternoon's conversation would throw any light
on this knotty point.
She was shown, not into the drawing-room but into a cosy little den on
the second floor, a sort of glorious edition of a college study, where
Mrs Reeves sat reading by the fire, clad in a loose velvet gown of a
curious reddish-brown, like the autumn tint of a leaf, which matched the
high lights of her chestnut hair. Darsie watched her with fascinated
attention as she presided over the tea-table, with lithe, graceful
movements which made a poem out of the every-day proceeding, and Mrs
Reeves studied her in return, as she chatted lightly about a dozen
casual subjects. Then the tea-things were carried away, and with the
drawing nearer to the fire conversation took a more intimate turn.
"I hope your friend did not think me inhospitable for not including her
in my invitation to-day, but when I want to get to know a girl I prefer
to have her entirely to myself. Perhaps she will come another day.
Vernon's sister ought to be worth knowing."
"You know Dan?" Darsie's smile was somewhat anxious, for Dan's own
manner with respect to her hostess was still a disturbing element. "You
know him well?"
"No," Mrs Reeves smiled; "not well. But I like him well by repute!
Vernon has no need of my services. He is strong: enough to stand by
himself."
"You mean tea-parties?" queried Darsie vaguely, whereat Mrs Reeves
subsided into a ripple of laughter.
"No, I do _not_ mean tea-parties--something very much wider. I don't
fancy, however, that Vernon is sociably disposed, and the authorities
here are not inclined to encourage meetings between the men and girl
students. The head of his college is my brother-in-law, and one of your
Dons is a very old friend, so I hear the question discussed from both
sides, and then--like a wise woman--I gang my own gait! So long as men
are men, and girls are girls, they are bound to attract each other; it's
natural and right, and when they are bound to meet in any case, it is my
little hobby to help them to do so under the best conditions. I flatter
myself I am quite an expert in the art of being just chaperon enough,
and not too chaperon, and I never refuse to act if I can possibly
contrive to do so."
"No! Dan said--" began Darsie involuntarily, and then stopped short
with a furious blush. Mrs Reeves, however, did not share her
discomfiture; she laughed, and said shrewdly--
"Oh, I have observed his disapproving eye. I can guess what he said.
Many people feel the same, who judge only from the surface, and don't
take the trouble to realise my motives. One doesn't explain such things
to the world in general, but I want _you_ to understand. If one man
less admirable than another; if his friends and his entertainments are
inclined to become rowdy and discreditable, does he need help _less_, or
more? Vernon and other men of his kind consider that they do their duty
by leaving such a man severely alone. I find mine in being with him--
just--as much--as ever I can!" She emphasised the words by a series of
taps with the poker on the top of an obstinate coal, given in the most
delightfully school-girlish manner. "I chaperon his parties; I talk to
him and his friends; I make myself so agreeable that they love to have
me, and want to have me again. I try with every power I possess to
encourage all that is good, and kind, and honest, and cheering in
themselves and their conversation, and deftly, delicately, invisibly, as
it were, to fight against everything that is mean and unworthy. It's
difficult, Darsie!--I may call you Darsie, mayn't I? it's such a
beguiling little name!--one of the most difficult feats a woman could
set herself to accomplish, and though I've had a fair measure of
success, it's only a measure. It's such a great big work. Think of all
that it means, that it _may_ mean to England, if we can keep these men
from drifting, and give them a pull-up in time! I am constantly
looking, looking out for fellow-workers. That's why I invited you here
to-day--to ask _you_ to be on my side!"
"I!" Darsie's gasp of amazement sounded throughout the room. "I! Oh,
you can't mean it! What could I do? I can do nothing--I'm only a
girl!"
"Only a girl! But, dear child, that's your finest qualification! You
can do more than I can ever accomplish, just because you _are_ a girl,
and will be admitted to an intimacy which is impossible for me.
Besides, Darsie, you are a particularly pretty and attractive girl into
the bargain; you know that, don't you? You _ought_ to know it, and be
very, very thankful for a great weapon given into your hands. If you
will join the ranks with me, and act as my curate, you will immensely
increase my power for good."
"But I can't! I can't! I'd love to if I could, but you don't know how
impossible it is. I couldn't preach to save my life."
"I'm thankful to hear it. I don't want you to preach. You'd soon lose
your influence if you did. It's a case of _being_, Darsie, rather than
doing; being your truest, sweetest, highest self when you are with these
men, so that they may feel your influence through all the fun and
banter. Lots of fun, please; you can't have too much of that; a dull
girl is soon left to herself. People in general don't half realise the
influence of just right _thinking_--the atmosphere which surrounds a
person who is mentally fighting for good. The sunbeams fall on the dark
earth and soak up the poisoned waters, and so may our thoughts--our
prayers," She was silent for a few moments, her hand resting lightly on
Darsie's knees. "There is a girl in your house--Margaret France--I
expect you know her! She has been one of my best helpers these last
years. Wherever Margaret is there is fun and laughter; she is just
brimful of it, but--can you imagine any one going to Margaret with an
unworthy thought, an unworthy cause? I want you to follow in her
steps!"