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

father insisted you should come away to school because you are spoilt
and make bis home unbearable. You also domineer over your smaller
brother and sister. He chose St. Clare's because he thought we might be
able to do something for you. No-don't interrupt me. Believe me, I know
all you want to say-but you don't know what / have to say.' There was a
pause. Even defiant Mirabel did not dare to say a word. 'We have had
many difficult girls here,' said Miss Theobald. ' We rather pride
ourselves on getting the best out of them. You see, Mirabel, difficult
children often have fine things hidden in their characters-things that
perhaps more ordinary children don't possess . . .' ' What things? '
asked Mirabel, interested in spite of herself. ' Well-sometimes
difficult children have a great talent for something-a gift for art or
drama, a talent for music -or maybe they have some great
quality-out-standing courage, perhaps. Well, I don't know if this is the
case with you, or whether you are just a spoilt and unruly girl-we shall
see. All I want to say now is-give yourself a chance and let me see if
there is anything worthwhile in you this half-term. If there is not, we
don't want you to stay. We shall be glad for you to go.' was so
unexpected that Mirabel again had nothing ^ne ka<* mean* *° say tnat
nothing on earth would make her stay at St. Clare's beyond the half-t
here was Miss Theobald saying that she didn't to keep her longer than
that-unless-unless she worth-while I Worth-while ! I don't care if I'm
worth-while or not!' thought to herself, indignantly. ' And how dare
Daddy write and tell Miss Theobald those things about me? Why couldn't
he keep our affairs to himself?' Mirabel voiced this thought aloud. ' I
think it was horrid of my father to tell you things about me/ she said,
in a trembling voice. ' They were said in confidence to some one who
understood," said Miss Theobald. ' Have you kept your own tongue quiet
about your private affairs this afternoon, Mirabel? No-I rather think
you gave yourself away to the whole school at tea-time when you
arrived!' Mirabel flushed. Yes-she had said far too much. She always
did. She could not keep control over her tongue. ' You may go,' said
Miss Theobald, picking up her pen again. ' And remember-it is not St.
Clare's which is on trial-it is you! I hope I shall not say good-bye to
you and rejoice to see the last of you at half-term. But- I shall not be
surprised if I do!' Mirabel went out of the room, her ears tingling, her
face still red. She had been used to getting all her own way, to letting
her rough tongue say what it pleased, and to ruling her parents and
brother and sister as she pleased. When her father had at last declared
in anger that she must go away, there had been a royal battle between
them. The spoilt girl had imagined she could rule the roost at St.
Clare's too. But she certainly could not rule Miss Theobald! 'Never
mind-I'll lead everyone else a dance!' she thought. ' I'll show Daddy
and the others that I mean what I say! I won't be sent away from home if
I don't want to go.' And so Mirabel set herself to be as annoying as
possible, to spoil things for the others, and to try and domineer in the
classroom, as she had always done at home. But she had not bargained for
the treatment she got at last from an exasperated class. 4 MIRABEL IS A
NUISANCE THE second form did not so much mind when Mirabel was annoying
in classes they disliked, such as the maths, class, which they found