Part 39 (1/2)
While she was absent Lady Frances felt a cold dew breaking out on her forehead.
”This is beyond everything,” she thought. ”But it is impossible; the child could never have done it. What motive would she have? She is not as bad as that; and it was her very first day at school.”
Miss Henderson re-entered the room, accompanied by Miss Thompson. In Miss Thompson's hand was a copy of the History of England that Evelyn had been using.
”Will you kindly open that book,” said Miss Henderson, ”and show Lady Frances what you have found there?”
Miss Thompson did so. She opened the History at the reign of Edward I.
Between the leaves were to be seen two fragments of torn paper. Miss Thompson removed them carefully and laid them upon Lady Frances's hand.
Lady Frances glanced at them, and saw that they were beyond doubt torn from a copy of Ruskin's _Sesame and Lilies_. She let them drop back again on to the open page of the book.
”I accuse no one,” said Miss Henderson. ”Even now I accuse no one; but I grieve to tell you, Lady Frances, that this book was in the hands of your niece, Evelyn Wynford, on that afternoon.-Miss Thompson, will you relate the entire circ.u.mstances to Lady Frances?”
”I am very, very sorry,” said Miss Thompson. ”I wish with all my heart I had understood the child better, but of course she was a stranger to me.
The circ.u.mstance was this: I gave her the history of the reign of Edward I. to look over during cla.s.s, as of course on her first day at school she had no regular lessons ready. She glanced at it, told me she knew the reign, and amused herself looking about during the remainder of the time. At recess I called her to me and questioned her. She seemed to be totally ignorant of anything relating to Edward I. I reproved her for having made an incorrect statement--”
”For having told a lie, you mean,” snapped Lady Frances.
Miss Thompson bowed.
”I reproved her, and as a punishment desired her to look over the reign while the other girls were in the playground.”
”And quite right,” said Lady Frances.
”She was very much annoyed, but I was firm. I left her with the book in her hand. I have nothing more to say. At six o'clock that evening I removed _Sesame and Lilies_ from its place in the cla.s.sroom, and took it away to continue the preparation of a lecture. I then found that several pages had been removed. This morning, early, I happened to take this very copy of the History, and found these fragments in the part of the book which contains the reign of Edward I.”
”Suspicion undoubtedly now points to Evelyn,” said Miss Henderson; ”and I must say, Lady Frances, that although a matter of this kind pertains entirely to the school, and must be dealt with absolutely by the head-mistress, yet your having called, and in a measure taken the matter up, relieves me of a certain responsibility.”
”Suspicion does undoubtedly point to the unhappy child,” said Lady Frances; ”but still, I can scarcely believe it. What do you mean to do?”
”I shall to-morrow morning have to state before the entire school what I have now stated to you.”
”It might be best for me to remove Evelyn, and let her confess to you in writing.”
”I do not think that would be either right or fair. If the girl is taken away now she is practically injured for life. Give her a chance, I beseech you, Lady Frances, of retrieving her character.”
”Oh, what is to be done?” said Lady Frances. ”To think that my daughter should have a girl like that for a companion! You do not know how we are all to be pitied.”
”I do indeed; you have my sincere sympathy,” said Miss Henderson.
”And what do you advise?”
”I think, as she is a member of the school, you must leave her to me.
She committed this offense on the very first day of her school-life, and if possible we must not be too severe on her. She has not been brought up as an English girl.”
Lady Frances talked a little longer with the head-mistress, and went away; she felt terribly miserable and unhappy.