an unsocial socialist-第5节

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Angel　lately；　either　of　you？〃

〃Not　since　our　last　entry；〃　said　Gertrude。

〃Chips；〃　said　Agatha；　calling　to　the　flaxen…haired　child；　〃go
upstairs　to　No。　6；　and；　if　Miss　Wilson　isn't　there；　fetch　me　the
Recording　Angel。〃

The　little　girl　grumbled　inarticulately　and　did　not　stir。

〃Chips；〃　resumed　Agatha；　〃did　you　ever　wish　that　you　had　never
been　born？〃

〃Why　don't　you　go　yourself？〃　said　the　child　pettishly；　but
evidently　alarmed。

〃Because；〃　continued　Agatha；　ignoring　the　question；　〃you　shall
wish　yourself　dead　and　buried　under　the　blackest　flag　in　the　coal
cellar　if　you　don't　bring　me　the　book　before　I　count　sixteen。
Onetwo〃

〃Go　at　once　and　do　as　you　are　told；　you　disagreeable　little
thing；〃　said　Gertrude　sharply。　〃How　dare　you　be　so　disobliging？〃

〃nineteneleven〃　pursued　Agatha。

The　child　quailed；　went　out；　and　presently　returned；　hugging　the
Recording　Angel　in　her　arms。

〃You　are　a　good　little　darlingwhen　your　better　qualities　are
brought　out　by　a　judicious　application　of　moral　force；〃　said
Agatha；　good…humoredly。　〃Remind　me　to　save　the　raisins　out　of　my
pudding　for　you　to…morrow。　Now；　Jane；　you　shall　see　the　entry　for
which　the　best…hearted　girl　in　the　college　is　to　be　expelled。
Voila！〃

The　two　girls　read　and　were　awestruck；　Jane　opening　her　mouth　and
gasping；　Gertrude　closing　hers　and　looking　very　serious。

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　had　the　dreadful　cheek　to　let　the
Lady　Abbess　see　that？〃　said　Jane。

〃Pooh！　she　would　have　forgiven　that。　You　should　have　heard　what　I
said　to　her！　She　fainted　three　times。〃

〃That's　a　story；〃　said　Gertrude　gravely。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Agatha；　swiftly　grasping　Gertrude's
knee。

〃Nothing；〃　cried　Gertrude；　flinching　hysterically。　〃Don't；
Agatha。〃

〃How　many　times　did　Miss　Wilson　faint？〃

〃Three　times。　I　will　scream；　Agatha；　I　will　indeed。〃

〃Three　times；　as　you　say。　And　I　wonder　that　a　girl　brought　up　as
you　have　been；　by　moral　force；　should　be　capable　of　repeating
such　a　falsehood。　But　we　had　an　awful　row；　really　and　truly。　She
lost　her　temper。　Fortunately；　I　never　lose　mine。〃

〃Well；　I'm　browed！〃　exclaimed　Jane　incredulously。　〃I　like　that。〃

〃For　a　girl　of　county　family；　you　are　inexcusably　vulgar；　Jane。　I
don't　know　what　I　said；　but　she　will　never　forgive　me　for
profaning　her　pet　book。　I　shall　be　expelled　as　certainly　as　I　am
sitting　here。〃

〃And　do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　are　going　away？〃　said　Jane；
faltering　as　she　began　to　realize　the　consequences。

〃I　do。　And　what　is　to　become　of　you　when　I　am　not　here　to　get　you
out　of　your　scrapes；　or　of　Gertrude　without　me　to　check　her
inveterate　snobbishness；　is　more　than　I　can　foresee。〃

〃I　am　not　snobbish；〃　said　Gertrude；　〃　although　I　do　not　choose　to
make　friends　with　everyone。　But　I　never　objected　to　you；　Agatha。〃

〃No；　I　should　like　to　catch　you　at　it。　Hallo；　Jane！〃　（who　had
suddenly　burst　into　tears）：　〃what's　the　matter？　I　trust　you　are
not　permitting　yourself　to　take　the　liberty　of　crying　for　me。〃

〃Indeed；〃　sobbed　Jane　indignantly；　〃I　know　that　I　am　a　ffool
for　my　pains。　You　have　no　heart。〃

〃You　certainly　are　a　ffool；　as　you　aptly　express　it；〃　said
Agatha；　passing　her　arm　round　Jane；　and　disregarding　an　angry
attempt　to　shake　it　off；　〃but　if　I　had　any　heart　it　would　be
touched　by　this　proof　of　your　attachment。〃

〃I　never　said　you　had　no　heart；〃　protested　Jane；　〃but　I　hate　when
you　speak　like　a　book。〃

〃You　hate　when　I　speak　like　a　book；　do　you？　My　dear；　silly　old
Jane！　I　shall　miss　you　greatly。〃

〃Yes；　I　dare　say；〃　said　Jane；　with　tearful　sarcasm。　〃At　least　my
snoring　will　never　keep　you　awake　again。〃

〃You　don't　snore；　Jane。　We　have　been　in　a　conspiracy　to　make　you
believe　that　you　do；　that's　all。　Isn't　it　good　of　me　to　tell
you？〃

Jane　was　overcome　by　this　revelation。　After　a　long　pause；　she
said　with　deep　conviction；　〃I　always　knew　that　I　didn't。　Oh；　the
way　you　kept　it　up！　I　solemnly　declare　that　from　this　time　forth
I　will　believe　nobody。〃

〃Well；　and　what　do　you　think　of　it　all？〃　said　Agatha；
transferring　her　attention　to　Gertrude；　who　was　very　grave。

〃I　thinkI　am　now　speaking　seriously；　AgathaI　think　you　are　in
the　wrong。〃

〃Why　do　you　think　that；　pray？〃　demanded　Agatha；　a　little　roused。

〃You　must　be；　or　Miss　Wilson　would　not　be　angry　with　you。　Of
course；　according　to　your　own　account；　you　are　always　in　the
right；　and　everyone　else　is　always　wrong；　but　you　shouldn't　have
written　that　in　the　book。　You　know　I　speak　as　your　friend。〃

〃And　pray　what　does　your　wretched　little　soul　know　of　my　motives
and　feelings？〃

〃It　is　easy　enough　to　understand　you；〃　retorted　Gertrude；
nettled。　〃Self…conceit　is　not　so　uncommon　that　one　need　be　at　a
loss　to　recognize　it。　And　mind；　Agatha　Wylie；〃　she　continued；　as
if　goaded　by　some　unbearable　reminiscence；　〃if　you　are　really
going；　I　don't　care　whether　we　part　friends　or　not。　I　have　not
forgotten　the　day　when　you　called　me　a　spiteful　cat。〃

〃I　have　repented；〃　said　Agatha；　unmoved。　〃One　day　I　sat　down　and
watched　Bacchus　seated　on　the　hearthrug；　with　his　moony　eyes
looking　into　space　so　thoughtfully　and　patiently　that　I
apologized　for　comparing　you　to　him。　If　I　were　to　call　him　a
spiteful　cat　he　would　only　not　believe　me。〃

〃Because　he　is　a　cat；〃　said　Jane；　with　the　giggle　which　was
seldom　far　behind　her　tears。

〃No；　but　because　he　is　not　spiteful。　Gertrude　keeps　a　recording
angel　inside　her　little　head；　and　it　is　so　full　of　other　people's
faults；　written　in　large　hand　and　read　through　a　magnifying
glass；　that　there　is　no　room　to　enter　her　own。〃

〃You　are　very　poetic；〃　said　Gertrude；　〃but　I　understand　what　you
mean；　and　shall　not　forget　it。〃

〃You　ungrateful　wretch；〃　exclaimed　Agatha；　turning　upon　her　so
suddenly　and　imperiously　that　she　involuntarily　shrank　aside：
〃how　often；　when　you　have　tried　to　be　insolent　and　false　with　me；
have　I　not　driven　away　your　bad　angelby　tickling　you？　Had　you　a
friend　in　the　college；　except　half…a…dozen　toadies；　until　I　came？
And　now；　because　I　have　sometimes；　for　your　own　good；　shown　you
your　faults；　you　bear　malice　against　me；　and　say　that　you　don't
care　whether　we　part　friends　or　not！〃

〃I　didn't　say　so。〃

〃Oh；　Gertrude；　you　know　you　did；〃　said　Jane。

〃You　seem　to　think　that　I　have　no　conscience；〃　said　Gertrude
querulously。

〃I　wish　you　hadn't；〃　said　Agatha。　〃Look　at　me！　I　have　no
conscience；　and　see　how　much　pleasanter　I　am！〃

〃You　care　for　no　one　but　yourself；〃　said　Gertrude。　〃You　never
think　that　other　people　have　feelings　too。　No　one　ever　considers
me。〃

〃Oh；　I　like　to　hear　you　talk；〃　cried　Jane　ironically。　〃You　are
considered　a　great　deal　more　than　is　good　for　you；　and　the　more
you　are　considered　the　more　you　want　to　be　considered。〃

〃As　if；〃　declaimed　Agatha　theatrically；　〃increase　of　appetite　did
grow　by　what　it　fed　on。　Shakespeare！〃

〃Bother　Shakespeare；〃　said　Jane；　impetuously；　〃old　fool　that
expects　credit　for　saying　things　that　everybody　knows！　But　if　you
complain　of　not　being　considered；　Gertrude；　how　would　you　like　to
be　me；　whom　everybody　sets　down　as　a　fool？　But　I　am　not　such　a
fool　as〃

〃As　you　look；〃　interposed　Agatha。　〃I　have　told　you　so　scores　of
times；　Jane；　and　I　am　glad　that　you　have　adopted　my　opinion　at
last。　Which　would　you　rather　be；　a　greater　fool　than　y〃

〃Oh；　shut　up；〃　said　Jane；　impatiently；　〃you　have　asked　me　that
twice　this　week　already。〃

The　three　were　silent　for　some　seconds　after　this：　Agatha
meditating；　Gertrude　moody；　Jane　vacant　and　restless。　At　last
Agatha　said：

〃And　are　you　two　also　smarting　under　a　sense　of　the
inconsiderateness　and　selfishness　of　the　rest　of　the　worldboth
misunderstoodeverything　expected　from　you；　and　no　allowances
made　for　you？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean　by　both　of　us；〃　said　Gertrude　coldly。

〃Neither　do　I；〃　said　Jane　angrily。　〃That　is　just　the　way　people
treat　me。　You　may　laugh；　Agatha；　and　she　may　turn　up　her　nose　as
much　as　she　likes；　you　know　it's　true。　But　the　idea　of　Gertrude
wanting　to　make　out　that　she　isn't　considered　is　nothing　but
sentimentality；　and　vanity；　and　nonsense。〃

〃You　are　exceedingly　rude；　Miss　Carpenter；〃　said　Gertrude。

〃My　manners　are　as　good　as　yours；　and　perhaps　better；〃　retorted
Jane。　〃My　family　is　as　good；　anyhow。〃

〃Children；　children；〃　said　Agatha；　admonitorily；　〃do　not　forget
that　you　are　sworn　friends。〃

〃We　didn't　swear；〃　said　Jane。　〃We　were　to　have　been　three　sworn
friends；　and　Gertrude　and　I　were　willing；　but　you　wouldn't　swear；
and　so　the　bargain　was　cried　off。〃

〃Just　so；〃　said　Agatha；　〃and　the　result　is　that　I　spend　all　my
time　in　keeping　peace　between　you。　And　now；　to　go　back　to　our
subject；　may　I　ask　whether　it　has　ever　occurred　to　you　that　no
one　ever　considers　me？〃

〃I　suppose　you　think　that　very　funny。　You　take　good　care　to　make
yourself　considered；〃　sneered　Jane。

〃You　cannot　say　that　I　do　not　consider　you；〃　said　Gertrude
reproachfully。

〃Not　when　I　tickle　you；　dear。〃

〃I　consider　you；　and　I　am　not　ticklesome；〃　said　Jane　tenderly。

〃Indeed！　Let　me　try；〃　said　Agatha；　slipping　her　arm　about　Jane's
ample　waist；　and　eliciting　a　piercing　combination　of　laugh　and
scream　from　her。

〃Shsh；〃　whispered　Gertrude　quickly。　〃Don't　you　see