"Blyton, Enid - Naughtiest Girl 01 - The Naughtiest Girl in the School" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)
The room was divided into six by blue curtains, which were now drawn back to the walls, so that six low white beds could be seen, each with a blue eiderdown. Beside each bed stood a wide chest-of-drawers, with a small mirror on top. The chests were painted white with blue wooden handles, and looked very pretty.
There were three wash-basins in the room, with hot and cold water taps, to be shared by the six girls. There was also a tall white cupboard for each girl, and in these they hung their coats and dresses.
Each bed had a blue rug beside it on the polished brown boards. Elizabeth couldn't help thinking that it all looked rather exciting. She had only slept with Miss Scott before-now she was to sleep with five other girls! "Your trunks and tuck-boxes are beside your beds," said Nora. "You must each unpack now, and put your things away tidily. And when I say tidily I MEAN tidily. I shall look at your drawers once a week. On the top of the chest you are allowed to have six things, not more. Choose what you like-hairbrushes, or photographs, or ornaments-it doesn't matter." "How silly!" thought Elizabeth scornfully, thinking of her own untidy dressing-table at home, "I shall put as many things out as I like!" They all began unpacking. Elizabeth had never packed or unpacked anything in her life, and she found it rather exciting. She put her things neatly away in her chest-of-drawers-the piles of stockings, vests, bodices, blouses, everything she had brought with her. She hung up her school coat and her dresses.
The others were busy unpacking too. Whilst they were doing this two more girls danced into the room, "Hallo, Nora!" said one, a red-haired girl with freckles all over her face. "I'm in your room this term. Good!" "Hallo, Joan," said Nora. "Get on with your unpacking, there's a lamb. Hallo, Ruth-I've got you here again, have I? Well, just see you're a bit tidier than last term!" Ruth laughed. She was the girl who had handed round her sweets in the train, and she was plump and clever. She ran to her trunk and began to undo it.
Nora began to tell the new girls a little about the schooL They listened as they busily put away their things in their drawers.
"Whyteleafe School isn't a very large school," began Nora, "but it's a jolly fine one. The boys have their lessons with us, and we play tennis and cricket with them and we have our own teams of girls only, too. Last year we beat the boys at tennis. We'll beat them this year, too, if only we can get some good players.
Any of you new girls play tennis?" Belinda did but the others didn't. Nora went on talking, as she hung up her dresses.
"We all have the same amount of pocket-money to spend," she said. "And it's plenty too. Two shillings a week." "I shall have a lot more than that," said Belinda, in surprise.
"Oh no, you won't," said Nora. "All th~ money we have is put into a big box, and we each draw two shillings a week from it, unless we've been fined for something." "What do you mean-fined?" asked Helen. "Who fines us? Miss Belle and Miss Best?" "Oh no," said Nora. "We hoki a big meeting once a week-oftener, if necessary-and we hear complaints and grumbles, and if anyone has been behaving badly we fine them. Miss Belle or Miss Best come to the meeting too, of course, but they don't decide anything much. They trust us to decide for ourselves." Elizabeth thought this was very strange. She had always thought that the teachers punished the children -but at Whyteleafe it seemed as if the children did it! She listened in astonishment to all that Nora was saying.
"If there's any money over, it is uiven to anyone who particularly wants to buy something that the meeting approves of." went on Nora. "For instance, suppose you broke your tennis racket, Belinda, and needed a new one, the meeting might allow you to take the money from the box to buy one-especially if they thought you were a very good player." "I see," said Belinda. "It sounds a good idea, Look, Nora-here are the things out of my tuck-box What do I do with them? I want to share them with everybody." "Thanks," said Nora, "Well, we keep all our cakes and sweets and things in the playroom downstairs. There's a big cupboard there, and tins to put cakes into. I'll show you where. Elizabeth, are your tuck-box things ready? If so, bring them along, and we'll put them into the cupboard to share at tea-time." "I'm not going to share," said Elizabeth, remembering that she hadn't been naughty or horrid for some time. "I shall eat them all myself." There was a horrified silence. The five girls stared at Elizabeth as if they couldn't believe their ears Not share her cakes and sweets? Whatever sort of a girl was this?
"Well," said Nora, at last, her merry face suddenly very disgusted. "You can do what you like, of course, with your own things. If they're as horrid as you seem to be, nobody would want to eat them!" CHAPTER 4.
Elizabeth gets into Trouble.
As Nora was about to lead the way down to the playroom, she glanced at the chests-of-drawers to see that they were tidy on the top. To her surprise she saw that Elizabeth had put about a dozen things on her chest! Nora stopped and looked at them. There were two hairbrushes, a mirror, a comb, three photographs, a bottle of scent, two small vases, and a clothes-brush, "Look here ! ░' said Nora, to the others, "this poor child can't count up to six! She's got eleven things on her chest. Poor Elizabeth! Fancy not being able to count six," "I can," said Elizabeth fiercely. "One, two, three, four, five, six." Everybody squealed with laughter. "She can count!" said Nora, "Well, Elizabeth, count your things, and take five away-or can't you do taking-away? There are eleven things on your chest-take away five-and it will leave six-which is the number I told you to have." "I'm not going to take any away," said Elizabeth rudely.
"Aren't you?" said Nora, in surprise. "Well, if you won't-I will !" The angry Irish girl picked up a hairbrush, the three photographs, and the mirror, She went to a box under the window, took a key from her pocket and unlocked it. She put the five things inside and locked the box.
"That's what happens when people can't count," she said. Elizabeth stared at her in a rage.
"Give me my things back," she said. "I want those photographs at once! They are of Mummy and Daddy and my pony too." "Sorry," said Nora, putting the key into her pocket. "You can have them back when you apologise, arid tell me that you know how to count." "I shan't," said Elizabeth, "Just as you please," said Nora. "Now come on, everybody, and let's take the eatables down to the play room." "I don't want to bring mine," said Elizabeth, "I want to leave them here." "Well, if you do, they'll go into that box along with the photographs," said Nora firmly. "The rule is that all eatables go downstairs." Elizabeth stood sulking, looking at her cake, her jam sandwich, her chocolate, toffee, and shortbread. Then she picked up her tuck-box and followed the others. She did not want them to go into that box! She had seen enough of Nora to know that that young lady was very determined! They clattered down the oak staircase. At one side of the hall was an open door, leading into a very large room lined with cupboards and bookcases. It was full of boys and girls.
Some were talking, some were playing games, some were putting away cakes into tins. They were all busy and happy, and called out greetings to Nora as she came into the room.
There was a gramophone going in one corner. Elizabeth stopped to listen to it, for she loved music. It was playing a tune that her mother played at home, and suddenly the little girl felt as if she wanted her mother badly.
"But, never mind!" she thought to herself. "I shan't be here long! I don't expect they'll keep me more than a week if I go on being awfully naughty." "Here are some empty tins," said Nora, handing some down from a shelf. "Catch, Helen. Catch, Elizabeth. Here's a big one for you, Belinda, to take in that enormous cake!" Soon they were all putting away their things. Nora took slips of paper from a pile and wrote their names on. "Stick your name on your tin," she said, licking hers and sticking it to the side of her tin.
"I'd like to see the classrooms," said Belinda. Ruth said she would show her round the whole school, and off she went with Belinda and Helen. Elizabeth followed a little way behind, curious to see what a school was like, for she had never seen inside one before, The dining-hall she had already seen-a great high room, with big windows. Tables ran down the middle of it. It was only used for meals.
Then there were the classrooms, big, sunny rooms all over the place, with neat desks and chairs, and a bigger desk for the teacher. There were blackboards everywhere, just like the one that Miss Scott had used for Elizabeth, "This is our classroom," said Ruth to the new girls, "I expect we'll all be in Miss Ranger's class. She's pretty strict, I can tell you! Nora'~ in a higher class, of course. She's older, She's a jolly good sort, don't you think so?" "Yes," agreed Helen and Belinda at once. But Elizabeth thought differently. She pursed up her mouth and said nothing.
"This is the gym," said Ruth, and the three new girls looked in wonder at the great room, with its ropes and climbing-ladders, and bars and poles. Elizabeth suddenly felt excited. She loved climbing and swinging and jumping. She hoped she could do some gym before she left.
There were many other bedrooms like her own, and then there was the part of the house put aside for Miss Belle and Miss Best and the other teachers.
"You'll each have to go and see the heads after tea," said Ruth. "They're good sorts." By the time the four girls had gone over the lovely grounds and had seen the cricket-fields, the tenniscourts, and the flower-filled gardens, it was time for tea, A bell rang loudly, and the girls looked cheerful, "Good! Tea!" said Ruth. "Come on. Wash first, all of you, and do your hairs. Yours looks awful, Elizabeth." Elizabeth did not like her dark curls being called "awful." She went up to her bedroom and did her hair neatly, and washed her hands. She was very hungry, and thought with pleasure of her currant cake and jam sandwich.
There were also some large plain cakes here and there, and some big pots of plum jam.
The children put their tuck-boxes on a bare table, and placed on some empty plates there the cake or sandwich, jam or paste they meant to share at tea.
These plates they took to their own table.
Once again they were allowed to sit where they liked.
Elizabeth put out her sandwich and her currant cake and took her place too. Grace was said and then the boys and girls began to chatter quietly.
Suddenly Nora banged on the table. She was at the head of it. Everyone at her table stopped speaking.
"I nearly forgot to say something," said Nora.
"Elizabeth Allen does not wish to share her things with anyone, so don't ask her for a piece of her cake, wifi you? She wants it all herself." "All right!" said the other children, and they stared at Elizabeth in surprise. Elizabeth went on eating her bread and butter. Next to her was Ruth, opening a large pot of shrimp-paste that smelt simply delicious. She passed it round the table-but did not offer Elizabeth any.
Nobody offered her anything at all. Belinda counted how many there were at the table-eleven-and then cut her cake into ten big pieces. Ten was enough, because she missed Elizabeth out! Elizabeth watched the others munching the chocolate cake, which looked and smelt marvellous and longed for a piece.
She cut her currant cake. It looked quite nice. She suddenly felt that she really couldn't eat it all by her self, she must offer it to the others too. She didn't mind being thought naughty, but being thought mean was different.
"Wifi you have a piece of my cake?" she asked Ruth, Ruth stared at her in surprise, "How you do change your mind!" she said, "No thanks. I've bad enough." Elizabeth offered her cake to Belinda. Belinda shook her head. "No, thank you," she said. Elizabeth held out her plate to Helen, but Helen simply made a face at her and turned away, Nobody would have any of Elizabeth's cake or of her sandwich either. Everyone else had either cut up half or all their cakes, and had finished up their pots of jam or paste. Only Elizabeth's cake and sandwich stood almost untouched on their plates.
A bell rang. Miss Thomas stood up and spoke to the girls and boys, "You may go out to play," she said, "but the new children must stay behind in the play room, and see the headmistresses." So Helen, Elizabeth, and Belinda went to the play room, and also two boys named Kenneth and Ronald. They set the gramophone going. Belinda did a funny dance and made them all laugh.
Then someone poked her head in at the door and called to the children.
"Miss Belle and Miss Best are waiting to see you. Go and line up outside the drawing-room door- -and mind you each say you're going to do your best for Whyteleafe School, and will work and play hard!" The girl disappeared. The new children went to line up outside the drawing-room door. it opened and Miss Best appeared. "Come in," she said to Belinda, and in Belinda went. The door shut.
"Well, I'm not going to say I shall work hard and play hard," said Elizabeth to herself. "I'm going just to warn them that II won't stay here and I'll be so bad they'll have to send me away. I won't stay at this horrid school !" The door opened and Belinda came out, smiling. "You're to go in next, Elizabeth," she said. "And for goodness' sake behave yourself!" CHAPTER 5.
Elizabeth is Naughty.
ELIZABBTH pushed open the door and went into the big drawing-room. It was a lovely room, with a few beautiful pictures on the walls, and glowing cushions on the chairs and the couches. The two mistresses were sitting on chairs near the window, They looked up as Elizabeth came m.
"Well, Elizabeth! We are very glad to see you at Whyteleafe School," said Miss Belle, She was young and pretty, but Miss Best was older, and, except when she smiled, she had rather a stern face.
"Sit down, Elizabeth," said Miss Best, smiling her lovely smile. "I hope you have made a few friends already." "No, I haven't," said Elizabeth. She sat down on a chair, Miss Best looked at her in surprise, when she answered so shortly.
"Well, I expect you will soon make plenty," said the headmistress. "I hope you will be very happy with us, Elizabeth," "I shan't be," said Elizabeth in a rude voice.
"What a funny little girl!" said Miss Belle, and she laughed. "Cheer up, dear-you'll soon find things are very jolly here, and I am sure you will do your best to work hard, and make us proud of you." "I'm not going to," said Elizabeth, going red, "I'm going to be as bad and naughty and horrid as I can possibly be, so there! I don't want to go to school. I hate Whyteleafe School! I'll be so bad that you'll send me home next week!" The little girl glared at the two mistresses as she said all this, expecting them to jump up in anger. Instead they both threw back their heads and laughed and laughed! "Oh, Elizabeth, what an extraordinary child you are!" said Miss Belle, wiping away the tears of laughter that had come into her eyes. "You look such a good, pretty little girl too-no one would think you wanted to be so bad and naughty and horrid!" "I don't care how you punish me," said Elizabeth, tears coming into her own eyes-but tears of anger, not of laughter. "You can do all you like-I just shan't care!" "We never punish anyone, Elizabeth," said Miss Best, suddenly looking stern again. "Didn't you know that?" "No, I didn't," said Elizabeth in astonishment. "What do you do when people are naughty, then?" "Oh, we leave any naughty person to the rest of the children to deal with," said Miss Best. "Every week the school holds a meeting. you know, and the children themselves decide what is to be done with boys and girls who don't behave themselves, it won't bother us if you are naughty-but you may perhaps find that you make the children angry~" "That seems funny to me," said Elizabeth, "I thought it was always the teachers that did the punishing." "Not at Whyteleafe School," said Miss Belle. "Well, Elizabeth, my dear, perhaps you'd go now and tell the next child to come in, will you? Maybe one day Whyteleafe School will be proud of you, even though you are quite sure it won't!" Elizabeth went out without another word, She couldn't help liking the two headmistresses, though she didn't want to at all. She wished she had been ruder to them. What a funny school this was! She spoke to Helen outside the door, "You're to go in now," she said. "The Beauty and the Beast are waiting for!" "Oh, you naughty girl !" said Helen, with a giggle. "Miss Belle and Miss Best--the Beauty and the Beast! That's rather clever of you to think of that, Elizabeth!" Elizabeth had meant it to be very rude. She did not know enough of other children to know that they always loved nicknames for their masters and mistresses. She was surprised that Helen thought her clever- and secretly she was pleased.
But she stuck her nose in the air and marched off. She wasn't going to be pleased with anything or anybody at Whyteleafe School! She wandered round by herself until the supper-bell went at seven o'clock. She felt hungry and went into the dining-hall. The children were once more opening their tins of cakes, and a lively chatter was going on. It all looked very jolly.
There were big mugs on the table and big jugs of steaming hot cocoa here and there. There were piles of bread again, butter, cheese, and dishes of stewed fruit. The children sat down and helped themselves.
Nobody took any notice of Elizabeth at all, till suddenly Helen remembered what she had called Miss Belle and Miss Best. With a giggle she repeated it to her neighbour, and soon there was laughter all round the table.
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