"Blyton, Enid - St Clare's 04 - The Second Form At St Clare's (b)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

said Gladys, unexpectedly. ' And I like lacrosse. That's all. But I
don't like them here. I don't like anything here.' She wouldn't say any
more, and Isabel gave her up. She went across to Pat. ' Hopeless!' she
said. ' Just a mass of self-pity and tears I She'll fade away and we'll
never notice she's gone if she doesn't buck up! I'd almost rather have
that rude Mirabel than Gladys.' Mirabel had been the source of much
annoyance and amusement to the second form. She was rude to the point of
being unbearable, and reminded every one every day that she wasn't going
to stay a day beyond half-term. ' Don't tell me that any more,' begged
Bobby. ' You can't imagine how glad I am you're going at half-term. It's
the only bright spot I can see. But I warn you- don't be too rude to
Mam'zelle, or sparks will fly-and don't get on the high horse too much
with our dear head-girl, Elsie Fanshawe, or you'll get the worst of it.
Elsie is pretty clever you know, and you're rather stupid.' ' No, I'm
not!' flashed Mirabel, angrily. ' I only seem stupid because I don't
want to try-but you should hear me play the piano and the violin I Then
you'd see!' ' Why, you don't even learn music!' said Bobby. ' And I've
never seen you open your mouth in the singing dass. We all came to the
conclusion that you couldn't sing a note.' ' That's all you know!' said
Mirabel, rudely. ' Golly, what a school this is! I always knew
boarding-school would be awful-but it's worse than I expected. I hate
living with a lot of rude girls who think they're the cat's whiskers
just because they've been here a year or two!' ' Oh, you make me tired,'
said Bobby, and walked off. ' Really, what with you and the Misery-girl,
and spiteful old Elsie we're badly off this term!' Miss Jenks kept a
very firm hand on Mirabel. ' You may not intend to work,' she said, '
but you are not going to stop the others from working I You will do one
of three things, my dear Mirabel-you will stay in the classroom and
work-or you will stay in the classroom and do nothing at all, not even
say a word-or you will go and stand outside the classroom till the
lesson is finished!' At first Mirabel thought it was marvellous to defy
Miss Jenks and be sent outside. But she soon found it wearisome to stand
there so long, waiting for the others to come out. Also, she was always
a little afraid that the Head Mistress, Miss Theobald, would come along.
Loudly as Mirabel declared that she cared for nobody, nobody at all at
silly St. Clare's, she was in awe of the quiet Head Mistress. ' Did you
tell Miss Theobald that you didn't mean to stay here longer than
half-term?' asked Pat. Every girl had to go to see the Head Mistress
when she arrived on the first day. ' Of course I did! * said Mirabel,
tossing her head. ' I told her I didn't care for anyone, not even the
Head!' This was untrue. Mirabel had meant to say quite a lot-but Miss
Theobald had somehow said it first. She had looked gravely at the
red-eyed girl when she had come in, and had told her to sit down.
Mirabel opened her mouth to speak, but Miss Theobald silenced her. ' I
must finish this letter,' she said. ' Then we will talk.' She kept
Mirabel waiting for ten minutes. The girl studied the Head's calm face,
and felt a little awed. It would be difficult to be rude to someone like
this. The longer she waited, the more difficult it would be to say what
she had meant to say. Miss Theobald raised her head at last. ' Well,
Mirabel,' she said, ' I know you feel upset, angry and defiant. Your