Part 3 (2/2)
Even then, if Marion's self-possession had given way, she would have been called back and severely reprimanded. But it did not; she pa.s.sed all her school-mates, whose faces were turned towards her br.i.m.m.i.n.g with laughter and a keen appreciation of the affair, with a sort of preoccupied air, and, taking her books from her desk, followed M.
Beranger into the anteroom.
At recess the girls with one impulse flocked round her, exclaiming, ”Oh!
it was too good; just the richest scene I ever saw.”
”What do you mean?” coolly replied Marion.
”Why!” exclaimed Sarah Brown, an unencouraged admirer of Marion's, ”the way you turned the tables on Miss Stiefbach.”
”Indeed, Sarah, you are very much mistaken; I simply apologized to her for a great piece of rudeness.”
And Marion turned away and ran upstairs to her own room, where Florence and Julia were already giving vent to their long pent-up feelings in only half-suppressed bursts of laughter.
As Marion made her appearance it was the signal for another shout; but she only replied by a quiet smile, which caused Julia to e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.e in her most earnest manner, ”I declare, Marion, you don't look a bit elated! If I had done such a bright thing as you have, I should be beaming with satisfaction.”
”Well, Julia, I don't think I _have_ done anything so very smart. To be sure I have had my revenge, and the only satisfaction I've got out of it is to feel thoroughly and heartily ashamed of myself.”
”Marion Berkley, you certainly _are_ the queerest girl I ever did see,”
exclaimed Julia.
But Florence, who knew her friend best, said nothing, for she understood her feelings, and admired her the more for them.
Marion had been determined to make her apology such as would reflect more absurdity on her teacher than on herself, and in that way to have her revenge for what she rightly considered her very unjust punishment.
She had succeeded; but now that her momentary triumph was over, she sincerely wished that it had never occurred.
The next day she went to Miss Christine, and told her just how she felt about it, and that, if she advised her to do so, she would go to Miss Stiefbach and ask her forgiveness. But Miss Christine told her, that, although she heartily disapproved of her conduct, she thought nothing more had better be said about it, for Miss Stiefbach had only been half inclined to believe that Marion could _intend_ a fresh impertinence.
And so there the matter ended; but Marion could never fully satisfy her own conscience on the subject.
She wrote a long letter to her mother, telling her the whole thing from beginning to end; and received one in reply, gently, but firmly, rebuking her for her conduct.
But the next day came four pages from her father, full of his amus.e.m.e.nt and enjoyment of the whole matter, and highly complimenting her on what he called ”her brilliant coup d'etat.”
No wonder Marion's better nature was sometimes crushed, when the inward fires which she longed to extinguish were kindled by a father's hand.
CHAPTER VI.
THE NEW SCHOLAR
”O girls, the new scholar has come!” shouted little Fannie Thayer, as she bounced into the library one afternoon, where some of the older girls were studying.
”Do hush, Fannie!” exclaimed her sister Julia; ”you do make such an awful noise! Of course you've left the door open, and it's cold enough to freeze one. Run away, child.”
”But, Julia,” remonstrated Fannie, as her sister went on reading without taking any notice of her communication, ”you didn't hear what I said,--the new scholar has come.”
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