"Blyton, Enid - Malory 02 - Second Form at Malory Towers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

"Goodness, what an ass I am!" said Belinda, and stuffed all the things back untidily into the case. "I thought it was my case!"
She went out of the room again, presumably to hunt once more for her lost case. Darrell grinned at Irene. "I don't know what we're going to do if we have two people like you, Irene!Ф she said. "One's bad enoughЧbut two! You'll drive Mam'zelle cracked between you. And as for Miss Parker, our form-mistressЧwell, you know what she is! She can't stand anything vague or careless. We shall have some fun this term with you and Belinda in the class together!" Irene didn't in the least mind being teased. She was a clever, good-humoured girl, brilliant at music, but very thoughtless and vague over the ordinary little everyday things. If anyone lost a grammar book it was Irene. If anyone forgot to turn up at a special lesson. it was Irene. And now here was another girl. Belinda, who seemed to be just as bad. Irene very much liked the look of her, and had already made up her mind to be friends.
Belinda soon came back again, this time, fortunately, with her own case. She tipped everything out, and then proceeded to put her things in place, just as the others didЧpyjamas under the pillowЧtoothbrush, face-flannel, tooth-paste and sponge on a glass
ledge at one end of the dormy where the wash-basins were. Brush and comb in their bag inside the top drawer of the dressing-table. Then the empty night-case was pat with the pile outside in the corridor, waiting to be taken to the box-room.
There came a great clatter op the stairs and the girls in the dormy raised their heads. The train-girls! They've come at last. Arent they late!Ф
More girls clattered into the dormy. Alicia Johns came in her eyes bright. Behind her came Jean, the straightforward, sensible Scots girl. Then came Emily, a quiet girl whose only real interest was sewing, and the most elaborate embroidery.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight of us." said Darrell. counting. "Two more to come. Who are they?"
"Gwendoline Mary for one. I suppose." said Irene, with a grimace. "Dear Gwendoline Mary! I expect her mother is still sobbing over letting her darling lamb go away from her I Who's the tenth?"
"Here comes Gwendoline," said Darrell, and the girls heard that familiar, rather whining voice. Gwendoline was a spoilt child, and although Malory Towers had done her a lot of good, the holidays always seemed to make her worse again.
She came inЧand with her was the tenth girl Gwendoline Mary introduced her. "Hallo, everyone!This is Daphne Millicent Turner, a new girl. She's in our form and in our dormy. She travelled down in my carriage and I'm sure she's going to be a favourite with all of us in no time!Ф
First Day of Term.
This, of course, was a silly way to introduce any new girl, especially as every listening girl immediately felt that anyone likely to be Gwendoline's favourite was not at all likely to be theirs! They smiled politely at die new gilt taking her in from top to bottom.
She was very pretty. Her golden hair curled about her forehead, and her blue eyes were much bluer than Gwendoline's large pale ones, but they were set nearer together than Gwendoline's, giving her rather a sly look. She had beautiful white teeth, and a very charm-tag smile.
She used it now. 'Tm so pleased to come to Malory Towers," she said. I've never been to a school before."
That's one thing we had in common!" said Gwendoline, in a pleased voice. "I didn't go to school before I came here either."
"It would have been better for you if you had," said Alicia. "You wanted a lot of licking into shape. Gwendoline. I suppose, as usual, you were waited on hand and foot at home these hols., with your old governess and your mother telling you that you were the most wonderful girl in the world!Ф
Gwendoline looked annoyed. "You don't need to be rude immediately you see me, Alicia." she said. "Come along, Daphne, IТll show you what to do. You are in our dormy. which will be very nice. I can show you round quite a lot. I know how I felt when I first got here and didn't know anyone." Daphne seemed very grateful. She had very good
manners, and thanked everyone nicely whenever they showed her or told her anything. She certainly was very pretty and graceful It was dear that for some reason Gwendoline had quite made up her mind to be her friend and helper.
"I told you she'd have to be silly about somebody." said Sally to Darrell, as they went downstairs to their sapper. "Well, she's welcome to Daphne. She's got too many airs and graces for me!Ф
"Gwendoline says that Daphne's father is practically a millionaire," said Darrell. "She had a nurse, a governess and her own maid before she came here."
"OhЧso that's why dear Gwendoline is sucking up to her!" said Sally. I thought there must be something. Hey, IreneЧyou've still got your hat on! Do you particularly want to wear it at supper?"
"Oh, gosh!" said Irene, putting her hand up to her head. "Have I forgotten to take it off? Belinda, you might have told me!"
Belinda grinned. I don't know that I noticed h," she said. "So many things strike me as odd here, at the moment. Wearing a hat to supper didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary."
"What a pair you'll make!" said Sally. "Come on. Darrell, come on, Mary-Lou. We shan't get any supper if we don't hurry."
All the girls were tired that night, and the second-formers were very glad to tumble into bed. Gwendoline bad chosen the bed next to Daphne. "If you feel homesick, just tell me," she said to Daphne, who looked really charming in blue pyjamas, her curly hair all about her shoulders in a golden mass. Gwendoline's hair. too. was golden, but it was straight She envied Daphne her curls.
"I expect I shall feel rather queer." said Daphne, getting into bed. "You see, I'm so used to lots of
people round meЧMummy coming to kiss me good nightЧand my governess popping in to see if I'm all rightЧand my maid folding all my things. I shall..." "No more talking." said Sally, suddenly. Gwendoline sat up. "You're not head of form or dormy. Sally," she said. "Don't give orders, then!" "I'm not." said Sally. "You know the roles, Gwendoline. I'm just reminding you of them, that's all."
Gwendoline lay down. Presently the whispering began again. Sally got cross.
"Shut up, Gwendoline. It's long past time to stop talking. We all want to go to sleep."
"Wait till you're head and I'll obey you, but not till then!" said Gwendoline, rather anxious to show off in front of her grand new friend. "Well know tomorrow who's head."
"Well, it won't be you" said Alicia's malicious voice from down the room.
"Shhhht" said Darrell, hearing a footstep. It was Matron. She came in quietly, saw the wakeful girls, and spoke kindly to them. "Not asleep yet? Hurry up! No more talking now, of course. Good night."
She went out. Gwendoline debated whether or not to begin whispering to Daphne again. But a tiny snore from Daphne showed that she was asleep. So it wouldn't be any good to defy SallyЧDaphne wouldn't be able to whisper back!
Soon all the girls were fast asleep. They didn't bear Miss Potts peep into the room and shut the door quietly. They didn't even hear the sixth-formers trooping upstairs later on. They were all tired out.
The dressing-bell awoke everyone with a jump.
Sally sat straight up, startled. "OhЧit's only the
school bell," she said, and laughed. "I couldn't think
what it was for a moment."
The first day was always fun. No real lessons were
done, though classes were held Tests were given to see what the new girls knew. New books.' pencils and so on were given out. A list of various duties was com* piled, each girl taking her torn at them, week by week.
The new girls all had to go to see Miss Grayling, the quiet, low-voiced Head Mistress. She told the girls exactly the same as she had told Darrell the year before. "You will all get a lot out of your years at Malory Towers. See that you give a lot back! Be just and responsible, kind and hardworking. I count as our successes those who leave here as young women good* hearted and kind, sensible and trustable, good sound people that the world can lean on. Our failures are those who do not leant these things in the years they are here."
Daphne, Ellen, Belinda and all the other new girls in various forms, heard these words that morning. All of them listened, impressed. Some remembered the words and never forgot them. They would be the successes. All three new girls in the second form seemed to be listening earnestly and sincerely, especially Daphne. Miss Grayling glanced at her, looking at her closely without appearing to. She knew quite a lot about Daphne Millicent Turner.
Daphne looked back, putting all her soul into her eyes. She wanted badly to make a good impression on Miss Grayling. She smiled her charming smile, but the Head Mistress did not return it. She spoke a few more serious words and then dismissed the girls. They went silently out of the room.
"Isn't she wonderful?" said Daphne, fervently. "Gwendoline said she'd make a real impression on me. and she has."
Nobody appeared to care whether any impression had been made on Daphne or not. They separated and went their different ways.
This term Darrell and Salty made their way to the second-form room. They passed the door of the tirst-formers, the room where they themselves had sat for many terms. The door was open. A tangled crowd of small girls were choosing desks and bagging seats.
"Babies!Ф said Darrell. loftily. "Just inky-fingered kids who probably don't know their twelve-times table yet."
Two old second-formers, now third-formers, passed them in the passage. "Hallo, kids!" said one of the third-formers, condescendingly. "Look out for old Nosey! She's hard on people who make too many spelling mistakes!"
Nosey was the popular name for Miss Parker, the second-form mistress. She had rather a large nose, which, so the girls said, she kept putting into things that was no concern of hers. Certainly she was a most inquisitive person when she suspected any mischief was going on. and did not rest till she had got to the bottom of it.
She was strict but sometimes she had dreamy fits when she seemed to forget the class and sit gazing into the distance. The class lived for these rare moments and then made the most of them. Darrell was sure she would not like Miss Parker nearly as much as she had liked Potty, the mistress who had taught her in the first form.