an unsocial socialist-第4节

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to　and　fro；　repeating；　〃He　shall　answer　to　me　for　this。　He　shall
answer　for　it。〃

Mrs。　Jansenius　frowned　at　her　daughter　to　remain　silent；　and　said
soothingly；　〃Don't　lose　your　temper；　John。〃

〃But　I　will　lose　my　temper。　Insolent　hound！　Damned　scoundrel！〃

〃He　is　not；〃　whimpered　Henrietta；　sitting　down　and　taking　out　her
handkerchief。

〃Oh；　come；　come！〃　said　Mrs。　Jansenius　peremptorily；　〃we　have　had
enough　crying。　Let　us　have　no　more　of　it。〃

Henrietta　sprang　up　in　a　passion。　〃I　will　say　and　do　as　I
please；〃　she　exclaimed。　〃I　am　a　married　woman；　and　I　will　receive
no　orders。　And　I　will　have　my　husband　back　again；　no　matter　what
he　does　to　hide　himself。　Papa；　won't　you　make　him　come　back　to
me？　I　am　dying。　Promise　that　you　will　make　him　come　back。〃

And；　throwing　herself　upon　her　father's　bosom；　she　postponed
further　discussion　by　going　into　hysterics；　and　startling　the
household　by　her　screams。



CHAPTER　III

One　of　the　professors　at　Alton　College　was　a　Mrs。　Miller；　an
old…fashioned　schoolmistress　who　did　not　believe　in　Miss　Wilson's
system　of　government　by　moral　force；　and　carried　it　out　under
protest。　Though　not　ill…natured；　she　was　narrow…minded　enough　to
be　in　some　degree　contemptible；　and　was　consequently　prone　to
suspect　others　of　despising　her。　She　suspected　Agatha　in
particular；　and　treated　her　with　disdainful　curtness　in　such
intercourse　as　they　hadit　was　fortunately　little。　Agatha　was
not　hurt　by　this；　for　Mrs。　Miller　was　an　unsympathetic　woman；　who
made　no　friends　among　the　girls；　and　satisfied　her　affectionate
impulses　by　petting　a　large　cat　named　Gracchus；　but　generally
called　Bacchus　by　an　endearing　modification　of　the　harsh　initial
consonant。

One　evening　Mrs。　Miller；　seated　with　Miss　Wilson　in　the　study；
correcting　examination　papers；　heard　in　the　distance　a　cry　like
that　of　a　cat　in　distress。　She　ran　to　the　door　and　listened。
Presently　there　arose　a　prolonged　wail；　slurring　up　through　two
octaves；　and　subsiding　again。　It　was　a　true　feline　screech；
impossible　to　localize；　but　it　was　interrupted　by　a　sob；　a　snarl；
a　fierce　spitting；　and　a　scuffling；　coming　unmistakably　from　a
room　on　the　floor　beneath；　in　which；　at　that　hour；　the　older
girls　assembled　for　study。

〃My　poor　Gracchy！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Miller；　running　downstairs　as
fast　as　she　could。　She　found　the　room　unusually　quiet。　Every　girl
was　deep　in　study　except　Miss　Carpenter；　who；　pretending　to　pick
up　a　fallen　book；　was　purple　with　suppressed　laughter　and　the
congestion　caused　by　stooping。

〃Where　is　Miss　Ward？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Miller。

〃Miss　Ward　has　gone　for　some　astronomical　diagrams　in　which　we
are　interested；〃　said　Agatha；　looking　up　gravely。　Just　then　Miss
Ward；　diagrams　in　hand；　entered。

〃Has　that　cat　been　in　here？〃　she　said；　not　seeing　Mrs。　Miller；
and　speaking　in　a　tone　expressive　of　antipathy　to　Gracchus。

Agatha　started　and　drew　up　her　ankles；　as　if　fearful　of　having
them　bitten。　Then；　looking　apprehensively　under　the　desk；　she
replied；　〃There　is　no　cat　here；　Miss　Ward。〃

〃There　is　one　somewhere；　I　heard　it；〃　said　Miss　Ward　carelessly；
unrolling　her　diagrams；　which　she　began　to　explain　without
further　parley。　Mrs。　Miller；　anxious　for　her　pet；　hastened　to
seek　it　elsewhere。　In　the　hall　she　met　one　of　the　housemaids。

〃Susan；〃　she　said；　〃have　you　seen　Gracchus？〃

〃He's　asleep　on　the　hearthrug　in　your　room；　ma'am。　But　I　heard
him　crying　down　here　a　moment　ago。　I　feel　sure　that　another　cat
has　got　in；　and　that　they　are　fighting。〃

Susan　smiled　compassionately。　〃Lor'　bless　you；　ma'am；〃　she　said；
〃that　was　Miss　Wylie。　It's　a　sort　of　play…acting　that　she　goes
through。　There　is　the　bee　on　the　window…pane；　and　the　soldier　up
the　chimley；　and　the　cat　under　the　dresser。　She　does　them　all
like　life。〃

〃The　soldier　in　the　chimney！〃　repeated　Mrs。　Miller；　shocked。

〃Yes；　ma'am。　Like　as　it　were　a　follower　that　had　hid　there　when
he　heard　the　mistress　coming。〃

Mrs。　Miller's　face　set　determinedly。　She　returned　to　the　study
and　related　what　had　just　occurred；　adding　some　sarcastic
comments　on　the　efficacy　of　moral　force　in　maintaining　collegiate
discipline。　Miss　Wilson　looked　grave；　considered　for　some　time；
and　at　last　said：　〃I　must　think　over　this。　Would　you　mind　leaving
it　in　my　hands　for　the　present？〃

Mrs。　Miller　said　that　she　did　not　care　in　whose　hands　it　remained
provided　her　own　were　washed　of　it；　and　resumed　her　work　at　the
papers。　Miss　Wilson　then；　wishing　to　be　alone；　went　into　the
empty　classroom　at　the　other　side　of　the　landing。　She　took　the
Fault　Book　from　its　shelf　and　sat　down　before　it。　Its　record
closed　with　the　announcement；　in　Agatha's　handwriting：

〃Miss　Wilson　has　called　me　impertinent；　and　has　written　to　my
uncle　that　I　have　refused　to　obey　the　rules。　I　was　not
impertinent；　and　I　never　refused　to　obey　the　rules。　So　much　for
Moral　Force！〃

Miss　Wilson　rose　vigorously；　exclaiming：　〃I　will　soon　let　her
know　whether〃　She　checked　herself；　and　looked　round　hastily；
superstitiously　fancying　that　Agatha　might　have　stolen　into　the
room　unobserved。　Reassured　that　she　was　alone；　she　examined　her
conscience　as　to　whether　she　had　done　wrong　in　calling　Agatha
impertinent；　justifying　herself　by　the　reflection　that　Agatha
had；　in　fact；　been　impertinent。　Yet　she　recollected　that　she　had
refused　to　admit　this　plea　on　a　recent　occasion　when　Jane
Carpenter　had　advanced　it　in　extenuation　of　having　called　a
fellow…student　a　liar。　Had　she　then　been　unjust　to　Jane；　or
inconsiderate　to　Agatha？

Her　casuistry　was　interrupted　by　some　one　softly　whistling　a
theme　from　the　overture　to　Masaniello；　popular　at　the　college　in
the　form　of　an　arrangement　for　six　pianofortes　and　twelve　hands。
There　was　only　one　student　unladylike　and　musical　enough　to
whistle；　and　Miss　Wilson　was　ashamed　to　find　herself　growing
nervous　at　the　prospect　of　an　encounter　with　Agatha；　who　entered
whistling　sweetly；　but　with　a　lugubrious　countenance。　When　she
saw　in　whose　presence　she　stood；　she　begged　pardon　politely；　and
was　about　to　withdraw；　when　Miss　Wilson；　summoning　all　her
Judgment　and　tact；　and　hoping　that　they　wouldcontrary　to　their
custom　in　emergenciesrespond　to　the　summons；　said：

〃Agatha；　come　here。　I　want　to　speak　to　you。〃

Agatha　closed　her　lips；　drew　in　a　long　breath　through　her
nostrils；　and　marched　to　within　a　few　feet　of　Miss　Wilson；　where
she　halted　with　her　hands　clasped　before　her。

〃Sit　down。〃

Agatha　sat　down　with　a　single　movement；　like　a　doll。

〃I　don't　understand　that；　Agatha；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　pointing　to
the　entry　in　the　Recording　Angel。　〃What　does　it　mean？〃

〃I　am　unfairly　treated；〃　said　Agatha；　with　signs　of　agitation。

〃In　what　way？〃

〃In　every　way。　I　am　expected　to　be　something　more　than　mortal。
Everyone　else　is　encouraged　to　complain；　and　to　be　weak　and
silly。　But　I　must　have　no　feeling。　I　must　be　always　in　the　right。
Everyone　else　may　be　home…sick；　or　huffed；　or　in　low　spirits。　I
must　have　no　nerves；　and　must　keep　others　laughing　all　day　long。
Everyone　else　may　sulk　when　a　word　of　reproach　is　addressed　to
them；　and　may　make　the　professors　afraid　to　find　fault　with　them。
I　have　to　bear　with　the　insults　of　teachers　who　have　less
self…control　than　I；　a　girl　of　seventeen！　and　must　coax　them　out
of　the　difficulties　they　make　for　themselves　by　their　own　ill
temper。〃

〃But；　Agatha〃

〃Oh；　I　know　I　am　talking　nonsense；　Miss　Wilson；　but　can　you
expect　me　to　be　always　sensibleto　be　infallible？〃

〃Yes；　Agatha；　I　do　not　think　it　is　too　much　to　expect　you　to　be
always　sensible；　and〃

〃Then　you　have　neither　sense　nor　sympathy　yourself；〃　said　Agatha。

There　was　an　awful　pause。　Neither　could　have　told　how　long　it
lasted。　Then　Agatha；　feeling　that　she　must　do　or　say　something
desperate；　or　else　fly；　made　a　distracted　gesture　and　ran　out　of
the　room。

She　rejoined　her　companions　in　the　great　hall　of　the　mansion；
where　they　were　assembled　after　study　for　〃recreation；〃　a　noisy
process　which　always　set　in　spontaneously　when　the　professors
withdrew。　She　usually　sat　with　her　two　favorite　associates　on　a
high　window　seat　near　the　hearth。　That　place　was　now　occupied　by
a　little　girl　with　flaxen　hair；　whom　Agatha；　regardless　of　moral
force；　lifted　by　the　shoulders　and　deposited　on　the　floor。　Then
she　sat　down　and　said：

〃Oh；　such　a　piece　of　news！〃

Miss　Carpenter　opened　her　eyes　eagerly。　Gertrude　Lindsay　affected
indifference。

〃Someone　is　going　to　be　expelled；〃　said　Agatha。

〃Expelled！　Who？〃

〃You　will　know　soon　enough；　Jane；〃　replied　Agatha；　suddenly
grave。　〃It　is　someone　who　made　an　impudent　entry　in　the　Recording
Angel。〃

Fear　stole　upon　Jane；　and　she　became　very　red。　〃Agatha；〃　she
said；　〃it　was　you　who　told　me　what　to　write。　You　know　you　did；
and　you　can't　deny　it。〃

〃I　can't　deny　it；　can't　I？　I　am　ready　to　swear　that　I　never
dictated　a　word　to　you　in　my　life。〃

〃Gertrude　knows　you　did；〃　exclaimed　Jane；　appalled；　and　almost　in
tears。

〃There；〃　said　Agatha；　petting　her　as　if　she　were　a　vast　baby。　〃It
shall　not　be　expelled；　so　it　shan't。　Have　you　seen　the　Recording
Angel　lately；　either　of　you？〃

〃Not　since　our　last　entry；〃　said　Gertrude。

〃Chips；〃　said　Agatha；　calling　to　the　flaxen…