"Blyton, Enid - Malory Towers 04 - The Upper Fourth at Malory Towers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

"Matron," she said, "you haven't by any chance seen my little sister, have you?"
"Yes," said Matron. "She was here a few minutes ago, and handed in her health certificate. She said you had her money. Nice to have her here, Darrell."
Darrell was astonished. Felicity had actually gone to Matron and given in her own certificate without waiting to be taken! It didn't seem like Felicity at all—she was so shy.
"Where's she gone now?" she wondered out loud.
"She's gone to have a look at her dormy," said Matron, and turned to deal with Belinda, who seemed to have lost all her money and was turning out her pockets in despair. "Belinda! I vow and declare that I'll ask Miss Grayling to put you and Irene into another Tower next term. If I have to deal with you two much more I shall go raving mad. Sally, go and see if Irene has found her health certificate yet."
Sally went off to find Irene in the dormy, and Darrell went off to find Felicity. Sally found Irene sitting mournfully on her bed, the contents of her night-case strewn on the eiderdown—but there was no health certificate there.
"Oh, Irene—you really are a mutt," said Sally, rummaging round and shaking out the legs of Irene's pyjamas just in case she had put the precious piece of paper there. "I thought your mother always posted the certificate now."
"She does," groaned Irene. "She never fails. She's marvellous like that"
"Well, all I can say is that she must have given it to you to post this time!" said Sally. "And you must have forgotten."
A sudden light spread over Irene's humorous face. She slapped Sally on the back. "Sally, you've got it!" she
said. That’s just what happened! Mother did give it to me to post, and I forgot it."
"Well, where did you put it? Left it on your bedroom table at home, I suppose?" said Sally, half-impatient.
"No. I didn't," said Irene, triumphantly. "I put it into the lining of my hat, so that I shouldn't lose it on the way to the post—but when I got to the post-office, I just bought some stamps and walked home again. So the certificate should be in my hat-lining still. In fact, I'm sure it is because now I come to think of it, my hat felt jolly uncomfortable all day long."
It took some time to find Irene's hat, which had tolled under the next bed—but to Irene's joy the envelope with the certificate in was actually still under the lining. She shot off to Matron joyfully with it
"I put it in my hat to remember to post it," she explained, "but I forgot, so it came with me today still in my hat"
Matron didn't understand a word of this, but dismissed it as all part of Irene's usual irresponsibility, and thankfully took the certificate before Irene could possibly lose it again.
"Did Darrell find her young sister?" she asked Irene,
But Irene didn't know. "I'll go and find out," she said, and wandered off again.
Darrell had found Felicity. She had found her in the dormy of the first-form, with June and several others. June was talking away to everyone as if she was a third-termer, and Felicity was standing by shyly, listening,
"Felicity!” said Darrell, going up to her. "Why didn't you wait for me? Whatever made you go and find Matron by yourself? You knew I was going!"
"Oh, I took her," said June. "I thought she might as well come with me. We're both new. I knew Alicia wouldn't bother herself with me and I didn't think you'd
want to bother yourself with Felicity. We've given in our certificates but you've got to give in Felicity's money."
"I know that," said Darrell, very much on her dignity. What cheek of this new first-former to talk to her like that! She turned to Felicity.
"I do think you might have waited," she said. "I wanted to show you your dormy and everything."
The First Evening.
Darrell went back to her own dormy to unpack her night-things, feeling puzzled and cross. She had so much looked forward to taking Felicity round and showing her her dormy, her bed and every single thing. How could her young sister have gone off with June and not waited for her?
"Did you find Felicity?" asked Alicia.
"Yes," said Darrell, shortly. "She'd gone off with that cousin of yours—what's her name—June. It struck me as rather extraordinary. You'd think these youngsters would, wait for us to take them round a bit I know I'd have been glad to have a sister or a cousin here, the first term I came."
"Oh, June can stand on her own feet very well," said Alicia. "She's a hard and determined little monkey. She'll always find things out for herself—and as for taking her under my wing, I wouldn't dream of putting anyone so prickly and uncomfortable there! Wait till you hear her argue! She can talk the hind leg off a donkey."
"I don't like the sound of her much," said Darrell, hoping that June wouldn't take Felicity under her wing. Surely Felicity wouldn't Eke anyone Eke June!
"No. She's a bit brazen," said Alicia. "We all are! Fault of my family, you know."
Darrell looked at Alicia. She didn't sound as if she minded it being a fault—in fact she spoke rather as if she were proud of it. Certainly Alicia was sharp-tongued and hard, though her years at Malory Towers had done a great deal to soften her. The trouble was that Alicia's brains and health were too good! She could always beat anyone else if she wanted to, without any effort at all—and Darrell didn't think she had ever had even a chilblain or a headache in her life. So she was always very scornful of illness or weakness in any form as well as contemptuous of stupidity.
Darrell determined to see as much of Felicity as she could. She wasn't going to have her taken in tow by any brazen cousin of Alicia's. Felicity was young and shy, and more easily led than Darrell. Darrell felt quite fiercely protective towards her, as she thought of the cheeky, determined young June.
They all unpacked their night-cases and set out their things for the night. Their trunks, most of them sent on in advance, would not be unpacked till the next day. Darrell looked round her dormy, glad to be back.
It was a nice dormy, with a lovely view of the sea, which was as deep blue as a delphinium that evening. Far away the girls could hear the faint plash-plash of waves on the rocks. Darrell thought joyfully of the lovely swimming-pool, and her heart lifted in delight at the thought of the summer term stretching before her—nicest term in the year!
The beds stood in a row along the dormy, each with its own coloured eiderdown. At the ends of the dormy were hot and cold water taps and basins.
Irene was splashing in one basin, removing the dust of the journey. She always arrived dirtier than anyone else.
No one would ever guess that the scatter-brain was a perfect genius at music and maths, and quite good at her other lessons too! Everyone liked Irene, and everyone laughed at her.
She was humming a tune now as she washed. "Tumty-tooty-tumpty-tooty, ta, ta, ta!"
"Oh, Irene—don't say we're going to have that tune for weeks," groaned Gwendoline, who always complained that Irene's continual humming and singing got on her nerves.
Irene took no notice at all, which maddened Gwendoline, who loved to be in the limelight if she possibly could.
"Irene" she began, but at that moment the door opened and in came two new girls, ushered by Matron.
"Girls—here are the Batten twins," she said in her genial voice. "Connie—and Ruth. They are fourth-formers and will be in this dormy. Look after them, Sally and Barrel!, will you?"
The girls stood up to look at the twins. Their first thought was—how unlike for twins!
Connie was bigger, fatter, sturdier and bolder-looking than Ruth, who was a good deal smaller, and rather shy-looking. Connie smiled broadly and nodded to everyone. Ruth hardly raised her head to look round, and as soon as she could she stood a little way behind her sister.
"Hallo, twins!" said Alicia. "Welcome to the best dormy in the school! Those must be your beds up there—the two empty ones together."
"Got your night-cases?" said Darrell. "Good. Well, if you'd like to unpack them now, you can. Supper will be ready soon. The bell will go any minute."
"Hope it's good," said Connie, with a comradely grin. "I'm frightfully hungry. It's ages since we had tea."
"Yes—we get a wizard supper the first evening," said Sally. "I can smell it now!"
Connie and Ruth put their noses in the air and sniffed hungrily.