Part 11 (2/2)
”Nothing would have induced her to give up her determination,” replied Mabel, quietly, ”and I would have been the last to advise her to do so, seeing she made it a matter between herself and her conscience.”
”Oh!” exclaimed Mona, recollecting herself, ”That is just what I want to know about. What was her real reason? you know she did not give any to Miss Marsden. Don't be afraid to tell me, I have no sinister motive in asking it, I merely wish to do Minnie justice.”
Mabel glanced at her in some astonishment before she replied. ”I am not sure that the reason she gave to me was her real one,” she said, ”at least, I think it was only a part of it. However, I will tell you what she gave to me as such. She said that she had studied Latin so long with her brothers, that she would be able to place any one at a disadvantage who was obliged to study it alone. She considered that she occupied a rather unfair position with regard to you particularly, and probably also to many of the others who would take part in the examination.
”I think she was pretty sorry about it, for I can a.s.sure you, she spared no pains on that translation, and was very proud of it. I remember how regretfully she looked at it, when she told me she was not going to send it after all, and then laughed and said she should be satisfied with the power to do it, even if no one knew about it but herself.”
”I am sure I would if I had been Minnie,” remarked Mona. ”No, I wouldn't either--I would have liked it to be known and appreciated--but I wouldn't have cared for the prize in comparison with the translation itself. But have you no idea about the rest of her reason? That isn't the whole of it, as you say.”
”Well, I have my own ideas,” admitted Mabel, ”but I don't consider myself at liberty to give expression to them, even as conjectures.”
”Then I _am_ right!” exclaimed Mona, triumphantly, ”I have got on to the right track at last, and you will see what I shall make of it. Mabel,”
she continued earnestly, ”you can't think how miserable I have been all this while about my conduct to Minnie. Often I have been on the point of giving in and acknowledging how wrong it was, but my pride has always stood in the way and dared me to do it. I don't think I am a coward in most things, but I am a perfect dastard before that, my worst enemy. I think he is down now, though, and if I can help it, he'll never recover from the defeat Minnie has administered to him this morning.”
Mabel did not know very well what to say in reply to this confession.
She felt very much inclined to get up and embrace Mona on the spot, a most uncommon circ.u.mstance with our calm, quiet, undemonstrative Mabel, but it being within school hours, and consequently such an exhibition being altogether out of the question, she merely slipped her hand into Mona's and gave it a hearty squeeze which was cordially returned by Mona, at the same time furtively wiping some imperceptible spots of dust off her cheek, while she narrowly examined the points of her compa.s.ses which she still held in her hand.
”Don't say anything,” whispered Mona, after a long pause, ”I'll manage it myself.”
”Very well,” agreed Mabel, as she rolled up her work and went out.
Mona was determined to do what she had made up her mind to do, thoroughly, and to do it at once, before her purpose began to cool, and perhaps die out all together. Accordingly, she watched diligently for an opportunity to speak to Minnie, which seemed to be a particularly difficult matter to obtain that afternoon; but at last her perseverance was rewarded by the sight of Minnie alone in the dressing-room.
She was rummaging about in her jacket-pocket for something, and started slightly when she became aware of Mona's presence. She did not speak, but continued her search, and Mona looked at her wistfully for a moment, not knowing how to begin--her carefully prepared appeal having vanished as if by magic.
”Minnie,” was all she could falter out, ”I--have been so--so--unjust to you--always. Can you forgive me?”
For the s.p.a.ce of a minute Minnie stood gazing at her in sheer amazement, and then with impulsive swiftness flung her arms round her neck, whispering, ”Oh, Mona, I am so glad we may be friends at last.”
Mona forgot all about the Latin translation, and Minnie's motive in connection with it--forgot everything in her new friends.h.i.+p, and not till many days after did she recur to the subject.
The girls were all dying of curiosity to know the history of the wonderful alliance between the quondam enemies and rivals, but neither Mona, nor Minnie, nor Mabel, who alone knew any of the circ.u.mstances connected with it, uttered a word of explanation, so they were fain to accept it as it stood.
Mona entered heart and soul into the arrangements for the floral entertainment, and won the admiration as well as the grat.i.tude of all, by the remarkable genius she displayed in the creation of novel devices, and before unheard-of improvements in their plans.
She had evidently made good use of her time during her self-imposed banishment from their councils; she had listened to all their plans and revised and improved them in her own mind, using up every little atom of good suggestion till she had perfected and rounded them to her own satisfaction, which was a much harder matter to gain than the satisfaction of the young ladies to whom she had now the opportunity of propounding them, indeed, it was a matter of such universal congratulation when Mona Cameron joined them that, had Minnie been just a little less anxious for the good of others, and a little more desirous of her own glorification, she would certainly have become jealous of Mona's new-found popularity. But Mona was at this time a good deal softened by the ordeal of humiliation through which she had pa.s.sed, albeit, the ceremony was performed before only one witness, and did not feel any great inclination for the applause with which her efforts were invariably greeted.
CHAPTER VIII.
A SUCCESS.
On Friday all was bustle and preparation for the entertainment which was to take place on the next day. Minnie was everywhere at once, and yet was in constant request.
The girls had begged and been granted a holiday that their preparations might be as complete as possible, and their unfailing allies--the children of Hollowmell--were at hand to render them every possible sort of help.
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