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

' Sh-here is Mirabel,' said Pauline, as the sports captain came into the room. You always knew when Mirabel was coming-she walked heavily, she flung doors open, and her voice was loud and confident. She came towards the girls.
' I say,' she said, ' I've just got Miss Theobald's permission to call a big sports meeting tomorrow night in the assembly hall. Seven o'clock. It's to discuss all the matches this term-and there are some jolly important ones. Seven o'clock, don't forget. And I shall expect every member of the fifth form to be there. The younger girls are all coming, of course, and it wouldn't do to let them see any of us slacking or not attending the meeting.
' Yes, but Mirabel-it's Saturday night, and you know we were going to have a dance,' protested Angela. ' You know that. It was all arranged. The third and fourth form were coming too. It was to be real fun.'
' Well, I put the meeting tomorrow night because the dance isn't a bit important and the meeting is,' said Mirabel. 'We can have a dance any other Saturday. But I've got quite a lot of new ideas to put before the school. I've been working them all out.'
' You might ask us if we would agree to exchanging a dance fervour silly meeting,' said Alison. ' You're so jolly high-handed ! I shan't come to the meeting. I've got better things to do.'
Mirabel looked shocked. How could there be better things to do than attend a sports meeting, and discuss the ins and cuts of matches ? She stared at Alison and frowned.
' You've got to come,' she said. ' Miss Theobald said
Claudine jumped out of the window
I could arrange the meeting, and tell every one to attend. It won't take long.'
' You always say that-but your meetings take hours,' said Carlotta. ' You stand up and talk and talk and talk. I shan't come.'
'I shall report any one who doesn't,' said Mirabel, beginning to look angry.
' Mirabel-put the meeting another time,' said Hilary. ' You're only getting every one's back up. You really are. We want a little fun tomorrow night. We've aU worked hard this week.'
' I'm sorry,' said Mirabel, stiffly. ' The meeting will be held tomorrow night, and nothing, will prevent it, not even your wish, my dear Hilary. You may be head of the form, but I am head of the whole school for sports.'
She went out and shut the door loudly. She knew the girls would say hard things about her, but she didn't care. She meant to have her way. The girls would thank her all right when every single match against other schools was won! She would put St. Clare's at the top.
' She has a wasp in her hat, that girl,' said Claudine, disgusted.
' A bee in her bonnet, you mean,' said Pat. ' How yon do get things mixed up, Claudine! Yes, old Mirabel certainly has got a bee in her bonnet-its-sports, sports, sports with her all the time, and every one else has got to be dragged into it too. I love games-but honestly, I find myself not wanting to turn out on the field now, simply because I know Mirabel will be there, ready to check aU shirkers and late-comers !'
' Shall we have to go to this beastly boring meeting ? ' said Felicity. ' I wanted to work at my music.'
' And I wanted to finish my new poem,' said Anne-Marie at once.
' We'll have to go, if Miss Theobald has agreed to let Mirabel call the meeting,' said Hilary, reluctantly. ' I suppose she told Miss Theobald that we were all keen on
the meeting. It's a nuisance-but we'll have to turn up.'
' Maybe the meeting will not be held after all.' said Claudine.
' Not a hope,' said Bobby. ' I know Mirabel. Once she makes up her mind about something, that something happens. She's a born dictator. She'll be appalling in the sixth form !'
' I think maybe the meeting will not happen after all,' said Claudine, looking dreamily into space.
' What do you mean ? ' said Bobby.
' I have a feeling here,' said Claudine, pressing a hand to her tummy. ' It tells me, this feeling, that something will stop the meeting tomorrow night. What can it be?'
Hilary looked suspiciously at Claudine, who was wearing one of her most innocent and angelic expressions. Claudine returned her look with candid wide-open eyes.
' Are you planning anything ? ' said Hilary. ' Because if so, don't. You can't meddle with things like school meetings, once you're a fifth former.'
' How true t' said Claudine, with a sigh, and went off to her study with Carlotta.
That night, when every one in Claudine's room was asleep the little French girl slipped out of bed and went along the corridor. She went down the stairs and soon returned with something that shone brightly each time she passed under a dimmed light. She deposited it in an unused chest outside the dormitory door, covered it with an old rug, and then slipped along another corridor to the dormitory in which her sister Antoinette slept.
She awoke Antoinette by a light touch, and knelt by her sister's bed to whisper.
' Out, out,' whispered back Antoinette, ' yes ! Yes, Claudine, I will do as you say. Do not fear. It will be done !'
Claudine slipped back to bed like a little white ghost. She climbed between the sheets, grinning to herself.
Dear Mirabel, it will be difficult for you to hold your meeting tomorrow, poor Mirabel, you will be disappointed, foolish Mirabel, you cannot get the better of the little French Claudine ! With these pleasant thoughts Claudine fell fast asleep.


12 THE MEETING IS SPOILT

THE third, fourth, and fifth forms were very much annoyed and upset by Mirabel's command to attend the sports meeting on Saturday night. They had looked forward to the dance so much-it was just like Mirabel to spoil everything !
' She walks about with those long strides of hers as if she owns the whole school,' said Belinda of the fourth form.
' I used to like games but now I'm getting fed up with them,' complained Rita of the third form. ' Mirabel ticks me off in public on the field as if I were one of the first form. I won't stand it !'
But she did stand it because Mirabel was a very strong personality determined to get her own way. She was using her power to the utmost and beyond.
The fifth formers all put away their various occupations that Saturday night as seven o'clock drew near. They grumbled.as they shut their books, rolled up their knitting, put away their letters. But not one of them refused to go when the time came, for they knew that, as fifth formers, they must turn up even if only as a good example to the younger ones.
Mirabel was standing on the platform of the assembly hall, running through the list of things she meant to say. She glanced up as the girls came filing in, her quick eyes
watching to see that every one turned up. Woe betide any unlucky first or second former who did not arrive ! Mirabel would be after them the next day !
Antoinette came up to Mirabel. The sports captain glanced up impatiently. ' What is it, Antoinette ? '
' Please, Mirabel, may the second form have a new ball to practise with ? ' said Antoinette. ' It seems that we have lost the one we had, and we are oh, so keen, to practise hard for you.'
' Hm,' said Mirabel, rather disbelievingly, for Antoinette could not by any means have been called keen on games. ' Why didn't Violet come to me about it ? '
' Violet is in the san.,' said Antoinette.
' Well, come to me on Monday about the ball. I can't possibly deal with matters like that now,' said Mirabel. ' You ought to know better than to come just before an important meeting like this.'
' Yes, Mirabel,' said Antoinette, and sidled away. Mirabel thought of her with exasperation. She was a slacker, just like Claudine-but she would pin her down and make her play games properly if it took her three terms to do it !