"Blyton, Enid - St Clare's 06 - Fifth Formers at St Clare's" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

Jane mended everything beautifully, spending all her free time on the stockings and the vests. Some of her free time should have been spent in learning a part in a play the first form were doing. How could she learn it, when she had to go to bed early, like all the other first formers ?
' I'll take my torch to bed with me, and when the others are asleep, I'll switch it on under the bed-clothes and learn my part then,' thought Jane. She was pleased at having thought of such a good way out. No one would know. She did not think of how tired she would feel the next day !
She took the things to Angela that afternoon when Angela sent for Violet. She went in timidly, her heart beating fast, for she was afraid of Angela's sneers and snubs.
Alison was there alone. She was surprised to see Jane. ' Hallo, kid,' she said. ' Where's Violet ?'
' In the san. with a cold,' said Jane. ' I mended Angela's things instead. Where is she, Alison ? '
'Having a talk with Mirabel,' said Alison. Mirabel had been having serious talks with all the fifth form that day, asking them to help her in making the sports standard for St. Clare's much higher. She would certainly not have much success with Angela, who detested getting hot and untidy !
'Oh,' said Jane, disappointed, and put the mended stockings and vests down. Then her face brightened, for Angela came into the room and shut the door violently. She looked cross.
' That idiot of a Mirabel !' she said to Alison, not seeing Jane at first. ' She wants to turn us all into tomboys like herself, great strapping creatures, striding along instead of walking, shouting instead of speaking, playing
' Jane is here,' said Alison, warningly. Angela turned and saw her. She still looked cross, and Jane hastened to explain why she was there.
' Violet's ill, please Angela,' she said. ' So I have done your mending myself. I hope you don't mind. I-I- would like to do it for you again, if you'll let me.'
Angela stared at Jane unsmilingly. ' But what about dear Mirabel, and her anxiety to make you into a wonderful little sportswoman ? ' she said in a mocking voice.
' I can do both,' said Jane, anxiously. ' I can make time for my work, and my games and for anything you'd like me to do too.'
Angela knew it would annoy Mirabel if she heard that she was making Jane spend her time on all kinds of jobs for her. So she nodded her head and gave the girl a slight smile, which was heaven to Jane.
' All right,' she said. ' I'll have you again. I'm tired of that silly Violet anyway, with her big cow's-eyes. You can come instead.'
Filled with delight Jane sped off. Everything was all right again! The wonderful Angela had smiled at her! She didn't mind if she had to work in bed every night so long as Angela went on being nice to her.


11 MIRABEL MAKES HERSELF A NUISANCE

MIRABEL was really making herself a nuisance just then, especially with the fifth form, who were working very hard indeed for the exam; She was trying to get them interested in the younger ones, to make them go and take practice games with them. They objected to this very much.
' It's a silly idea,' said Pat. ' Those babies much prefer to practise on their own. They don't like being chivvied about by us big ones.'
' Besides, we've got to work,' said Hilary, exasperated. 'I can't imagine when you do any extra work for the exam., Mirabel-I'm sure you spend all your evenings in your study, preparing your sports lists and list for matches, and goodness knows what.'
It was true that Mirabel was doing very little extra work. She was trusting to scrape through the exam., but she did not care whether she got good marks or not. Her whole soul was in the running of the school games, and she often annoyed the games-mistress intensely. But Mirabel's thick skin made her quite invulnerable to cutting remarks or snubs.
' She just drives on like a tank,' said Bobby. ' Nobody can stop her. She'll have us all trailing after her helping her in her sports ideas just because we're so tired of arguing with her.'
' You can't argue with Mirabel,' said Doris. ' She never listens to a word any one says. I doubt if she even listens to Gladys now. It's a pity Gladys isn't a stronger character. She might have some influence over our head-strong Mirabel !'
'Gladys used to have influence over her,' said Pat. ' Do you remember when Mirabel first came to St. Clare's
and was rude and defiant, and said she wouldn't stay longer than half-term, whatever happened ? '
' Yes,' said Isabel, remembering. ' She was simply unbearable-quite unreasonable. And it was the little Mouse Gladys, who got her round, and made her stay on, and become quite a decent member of St. Clare's.'
' But Mirabel has got swelled-head now she's sports captain,' said Bobby. ' Gladys can't do anything with her. I heard her arguing with Mirabel the other day, and all that happened was that Mirabel got angry and shut her up.'
' I have never liked this Mirabel of yours,' remarked Claudine, who had consistently got out of games and gym. whenever she could, all the time she had been at St. Clare's. ' She is always hunting me here, there and everywhere, calling upon me to do this and that.'
The girls smiled. Claudine usually found it quite easy to evade people who wanted her to do something she disliked, but few people were so persistent as Mirabel. No matter where Claudine hid herself Mirabel would run her to earth, produce a list of games and try to pin Claudine down to a practice.
' Yesterday, in my great despair, I went to speak to Miss Theobald,' said Claudine, raising her eyebrows and her shoulders in an amusing way. ' There was Mirabel close behind me, waving a great list, and there was I, taking to my toes.'
'Heels,' said Bobby, laughing.
' I run fast,' said Claudine, ' and I find myself outside Miss Theobald's door. What shall I do to get away from this dreadful Mirabel ? I knock at the door. I go in ! '
The girls were amused and wondered what Claudine could have found so suddenly to say to Miss Theobald.
' What excuse did you make ? ' asked Janet.
' I held a long conversation with Miss Theobald,' said Claudine, solemnly. 'Ah, we talked, and we talked, whilst the poor Mirabel, she waited patiently outside the door !'
' What on earth did you talk about ?' said Bobby, curiously.
Claudine looked mischievous. 'There was no Miss Theobald there !' she said. ' I talked to myself, and then I talked again as if I was answering. The door was shut. How could the good, patient Mirabel know that only I, Claudine, was in the room ?'
' Was Mirabel outside the door when you went out ? ' said Bobby.
' Alas-Miss Theobald herself came to the door when Mirabel was still standing there,' said Claudine. ' The poor Mirabel ! She must have been so surprised to see Miss Theobald, as surprised as I was suddenly to hear her voice outside the door. Me, I did not stay in the room any longer. I jumped out of the window. The gardener was there, and he too jumped-how do you say it-he jumped out of his skin.'
The girls yelled at the thought of Claudine jumping oat of Miss Theobald's window, in order to avoid both Mirabel and Miss Theobald. None of the others, except perhaps Carlotta, would have thought of doing such a thing.
' You really are the limit,' said Bobby.
' What is this " limit" that you are always talking of ? ' inquired Claudine.
' Never mind. What happened next ? ' said Hilary, who always enjoyed Claudine's pranks.
' Ah, well-I went in at the side-door,' said Claudine, ' and I heard Miss Theobald and Mirabel being most surprised at each other. Miss Theobald said " My dear Mirabel, how can Claudine be talking to me in the drawing-room if I am here, outside the door ? Do not be foolish ".'
The girls giggled. 'Didn't Miss Theobald open the door ? ' asked Janet.
' Yes,' said Claudine, ' and there was no one in the room. Ah, it was good to see poor Mirabel's face then ! So surprised it was, so puzzled. And Miss Theobald, she was quite cross.'
' Did Mirabel ask you what had happened ? ' said Pat, grinning.
' Ah yes-she asks me so many times,' said Claudine. And I say,' I do not understand, Mirabel. Speak to me in French. But the poor Mirabel, her French is so bad I do not understand that either!'