Part 15 (1/2)

”Then I will speak more plainly--we will speak more plainly, Miss Thorne, and tell you that your conduct since you have been here has not been marked by the discretion that should be a decided feature in the acts of a young person in your position.”

”Madam, I--!”

”Silence, Miss Thorne!” cried Miss Beatrice; and the young mistress's cheeks were now aflame with indignation. ”I will finish, sister Rebecca,” she continued. ”For your own sake we wish you to be more guarded, and to remember what is expected of a young person in your position. From the very first Sunday that you came. Miss Thorne, we have noted a tendency--innocent enough, no doubt--towards trying to attract the attention of the other s.e.x.”

”Indeed, madam--”

”Silence, Miss Thorne, and once more I beg that you will not adopt that haughty tone when addressing the vicar's sisters.”

Hazel remained silent, and just at that moment, as ill-luck had it, the door opened and Mr Chute stepped in, saw the ladies, and stepped out again.

”You see,” said Miss Beatrice with triumph in her tones, as the sisters exchanged meaning glances, while Hazel maintained an indignant silence, ”such things are not seemly in any schoolmistress, and certainly not in the mistress of Plumton All Saints' School.”

”There was the gentleman on the first Sunday,” said Miss Lambent cutting in so as to preclude her sister speaking; ”Mr Chute comes in a great deal too often; we did not at all approve of your conduct when Mr Canninge spoke to you at the school treat; and, taken altogether, my sister and I felt it to be our duty to--”

At that moment there was a sharp tap at the door, and two of the bigger girls rushed to open it, orders being forgotten as ”teacher” was so busy, and Feelier Potts triumphed, throwing open the door, and revealing the round, smiling features of Mr William Forth Burge--features which ceased to smile as he realised the fact that the vicar's sisters were there.

”Oh, isn't Miss Burge here?” he said.

”No, sir, plee, sir. Miss Burge goed ever so long ago.”

”Oh, thank you. Good-day,” said Mr William Forth Burge hastily; then raising his hat he walked on, and the door closed very slowly. Miss Feelier Potts finding an opportunity to make a face at a pa.s.sing boy through the last six inches of slit between door and jamb, to which the young gentleman replied by throwing a stone with a smart rap against the panels.

Miss Lambent's eyes nearly closed, and as the girls buzzed and went on with their lessons, staring hard the while. Hazel Thorne was asking herself whether this would be the last week of her stay in Plumton, for she felt that after this indignity it would be impossible for her to retain her post. Her heart beat fast, her cheeks were alternately white and scarlet with shame and mortification, and her goaded spirit rose as she longed to sharply chastise those who degraded her by their unwomanly charges with their own weapon--the tongue.

But she could not speak--she dared not for fear that the anger and indignation that were choking her should find vent in hysterical sobs and tears.

This she could not bear, for it would have been humiliating herself before her tormentors. No; she felt that they might say what they liked: she would not stoop to answer; and seeing that they had the poor girl at their mercy, the sisters took it in turns to deliver a lecture upon the unseemly behaviour of a young person in her position, exhorting her to remember the greatness of her charge, and the probabilities of the girls taking their cue from their mistress.

Of course, Miss Lambent did not make use of the objectionable theatrical word _cue_--it is doubtful whether she had ever heard it but she managed to express the petty vindictive spite that she felt against the young mistress for her grievous sin in receiving so much attention from Mr William Forth Burge, whose vulgarity she was quite ready to forgive, should he have made her an offer; and Beatrice's eyes flashed as she felt her own pulses thrill with satisfaction at the way in which she was metaphorically trampling under foot this impertinent stranger who had dared to take Mr Canninge's arm.

”And now. Miss Thorne,” said Miss Lambent, in conclusion, ”we will leave you to think over what we have said, and we trust that it will have due effect.”

”Making you see how foolishly you have behaved,” put in Miss Beatrice.

”And that you will take it as a warning. Here is a book that we have brought you. Take it, read it and inwardly digest its beautiful teachings. Good morning.”

Hazel took the book mechanically, and her eyes lit upon its t.i.tle--”The Dairyman's Daughter.” Then she started and coloured painfully again, beneath the searching, triumphant glances of the sisters, who seemed to glory in her humiliation, for once more there was a quiet tap at the door, the latch clicked, and Miss Lambent said to herself, ”Another gentleman.”

She was quite right. Another gentleman stepped into the school--his mission to see Miss Thorne.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

THE VICAR'S SYMPTOMS.

The Reverend Henry Lambent was born when his mother was in very bad health, and the consequence was that he had to be brought up ”by hand,”

which in those days meant by spoon, and, as the reader is most probably in utter ignorance of the process, it shall be described, as even the wisest may have something to learn, and there is always a possibility that information, however small, may some day be of service.

In bringing up by hand--i.e. by spoon--take a moderate portion of rusks, tops and bottoms, nursery biscuits, captain's biscuits, or similar highly-baked farinaceous preparation, boil soft, add milk and sugar to suit baby's taste--for babies have taste, and can appreciate sweets and show disgust at bitters as well as the best of us--then mix and beat to the consistency of cream, and by testing on the lips get it to the right heat--just moderately warm. Next, take the baby, lay it softly upon its back; coo, simmer, and talk soft broken English to it while a diaper bib is placed neatly beneath its chin, tightly, so as to confine the arms and fists as well; then take the preparation, about half a small teaspoonful at a time, make believe to eat it yourself by putting it in your mouth, and taking it out again, so as to be certain that it will not burn, and then apply it to the baby's lips.