"Blyton, Enid - Naughtiest Girl 01 - The Naughtiest Girl in the School" - читать интересную книгу автора (Blyton Enid)

THE Meeting the next day was at the same time as before. All the children went, and once again the two Judges, Rita and William, sat at the big table, and the twelve monitors, the Jury, sat at the smaller table.
Other teachers were there too, this time, besides Miss Belle and Miss Best. They sometimes came to hear what was being done at the Meeting, although they never interfered, Rita hammered on the table for quiet. Elizabeth sat looking sulky. She knew quite well that she would be scolded and punished, and she kept telling herself that she didn't care. But one week at Whyteleafe School had made her see that it really was a splendid school and she couldn't help feeling rather ashamed of her behaviour.
"Well, it can't be helped. They won't send me home unless I behave badly," she kept saying to herself, "Has anyone any more money to put into the Box?" asked William. He looked at a sheet of paper. "Jill Kenton and Harry Wills have received money this week and have already put it in. Has anyone else any?" Nobody had. "Nora, give out the two shillings to everyone, please," ordered William.
Nora began to give out the money. She even gave it to Elizabeth, who was most surprised. She had quite thought that, owing to her behaviour, she would get no money at all. She made up her mind to buy some peppermints and some toffee and share them with Joan. She whispered this to her friend, who was sitting beside her.
"Thank you," whispered back Joan, "I shall want most of my money to buy stamps this week, so I shall love to share your sweets!" "Does anyone want extra money?" asked William. George got up and spoke.
"We need a new cricket ball for a practice game," he said. "We lost ours in the shrubbery." "You must look for it again before you get the money," said William. "Come to me to-morrow." George sat down. Queenie got up. "Could I have some money to buy a birthday present for somebody?" she asked. "It's my old nurse's birthday this week, and I'd like to send her something. Half a crown will do nicely." Half a crown was given to Queenie.
"I'd like a new garden spade," said John Terry, standing up. "I'm afraid it will cost rather a lot, though." Mr. Warlow, the games master, got up and spoke for John, "I should just like to say that in my opinion John deserves a new spade," he said. "He is the best gardener in the school, and I believe the peas we had for dinner to-day were due to his hard work." John's spade was passed at once. "Give him the money," said William. "How much is it, John?" "I'm afraid it is twelve shillings and sixpence," said John. "I've asked at three shops and the price is the same in each." Twelve shillings and sixpence was handed out. John sat down, blushing with pleasure.
Other things were asked for. Some were granted and some were refused. Then came the complaints and grumbles.
"Any reports or complaints?" asked Rita, knocking on the table for silence.
"I want to report Harry Dunn for cheating," said a monitor firmly.
There was a buzz at once. Everyone knew Harry Dunn, a sly-faced boy in the class above Elizabeth's.
He sat on his form, looking red.
"Cheating is awful!" said William, shocked. "We haven't had a proper case of that here for three terms." "Don't give him any money to spend for the rest of the term!" called someone.
"No. That's a silly punishment for cheating," said William at once. "It wouldn't stop him and would only make him angry." There was a loud discussion about Harry. Rita banged on the table with her hammer.
"Quiet!" she said. "I want to ask Harry something.
Harry, what lesson do you cheat in?" "Arithmetic," said Harry sulkily.
"Why?" asked William.
"Well, I missed five weeks last term, and I got behind in my arithmetic," said Harry. "My father doesn't like me to be bad at arithmetic, and I knew I'd be almost bottom if I didn't cheat. So I thought I'd better cheat, and copy Humphrey's sums. That's all." "Yes-he did miss five weeks last term," said a monitor. "He had mumps, I remember." "And his father does get wild if he isn't near the top in arithmetic," said another monitor.
"Well, it seems to me that we'd better ask Mr. Johns if he'd be good enough to give Harry extra help in arithmetic this term, so that he can catch up what be missed," said William. "Then he won't need to cheat.
Mr. Johns, I can see you at the back this evening-do you think it would help Harry if you gave him extra time?" "Rather!" said Mr. Johns, "I've already suggested it to Harry-and now that this has happened I think he'll be glad of extra help in arithmetic, won't you, Harry?" "Yes, thank you, sir," said Harry.
But William hadn't finished with Harry.
"We can't let you sit with the others in your class until we know you won't cheat again," he said. "You had better put your desk apart from the others until you have caught up with the arithmetic you've missed-and then you can go back, if you will come and tell me that you won't cheat again." "All right, William," said Harry. He hated the idea of being set apart because he was a cheat-and he made up his mind he would soon know as much as anyone else-and then he'd beat them with his own brains, and never cheat again.
"Cheating is only done by stupid or lazy people," said William. "Now-any more complaints?" Then it was Elizabeth's turn to go red and look sulky! Up got Nora at once.
"I have a serious complaint to make," she said. "It is about Elizabeth Allen again. I am the monitor in her bedroom, and I can't make her go to bed at the right time. Not only that-she is awfully rude and horrid. I don't think she cares how she behaves at all." "Anything else?" asked Rita, staring in disgust at Elizabeth.
"Yes-she has poured ink twice over her bedside rug, and refuses to clean it," said Nora.
"Well, we will send it to the cleaner's and Elizabeth can pay for it," said Rita, "It costs two shillings to get those rugs cleaned-so I am afraid you will have to give up your two shillings, Elizabeth." Elizabeth really didn't like to be rude to Rita. So she meekly took out her two shillings and passed them back to Nora, who put them into the money-box.
"About the going late to bed," said William, "that's easily dealt with. In future Elizabeth's bedtime will be altered, and she will go at half-past seven, instead of eight." "But I shall miss the concerts and the dancing," said Elizabeth in dismay.
"That's your own fault," said Rita sternly. "If you are sensible, we will alter your bedtime next week- but only if you are sensible." "And now about the rudeness and horridness," said William. "I'm not sure we can blame Elizabeth for that. You know, we've usually found that rude children are caused by silly parents, who spoil them and let them say and do what they like. I should think Elizabeth's parents are to blame for her present rude behaviour. They haven't taught her good manners." Elizabeth leapt up at once, her face full of anger. "Mummy and Daddy have taught me good manners!" she said. "They've beautiful manners themselves, and Mummy is never rude to anyone." "Well, we shall only believe that when we see that you are following their example!" said William. "Whenever you are rude this week we shall each say to ourselves: 'Poor Elizabeth! She can't help it! She wasn't brought up properly!'" "i'll show- you I've got good manners!" shouted Elizabeth. "I'll just show you, you horrid boy!" Everyone began to laugh at the angry little girl.
William banged on the table with his hammer. "Silence! Elizabeth wants to show us that she has good manners.
Go on, Elizabeth, shout a little more and call us names.
Then we shall see exactly what your good manners are." Elizabeth sat down, boiling. So they thought her mother and father didn't know how to bring children up with good manners, did they? Well, nobody would be more polite than she would be, next week! They would have to say they were wrong! Kenneth, the monitor in Elizabeth's class, got up next. "Please, William and Rita," he said, "could you do something about Elizabeth's behaviour in class? It is simply impossible. She spoils all our lessons, and we are getting very tired of it. I guess Miss Ranger is too." "This is really dreadful," said Rita. "I had no idea Elizabeth was so bad. I am very disappointed. Has nobody a good word to say for her?" No one spoke. No one said a word. And then every74 one got a surprise, for up got Joan Townsend, the Mouse! She was blushing red, for she hated to speak in public.
"I-I-I should like to speak for Elizabeth," she said. "She can be very kind. She isn't really as horrid as she pretends to be." Joan sat down with a bump, as red as fire. Elizabeth looked at her gratefully. It was good to have a friend! "Well, it's something to hear that!" said William. "But it isn't enough. What are Elizabeth's favourite lessons?" "Music, painting, and riding," shouted Elizabeth's class, "Well, Elizabeth, until you can behave in the lessons you don't seem to like, you must miss those you do like," said William, after consulting with Rita for a while, "You will miss riding, music, and painting this week, and you will not go down to the village at all. We hope there will be better reports next week, so that we can give you back the things you love. We simply can't let you spoil lessons for the rest of your class." Elizabeth could not stand the Meeting for one moment more. She stood up, pushed a chair aside, and rushed out. "Let her go," she heard Rita say, in a sorry sort of voice. "She's being awfully silly-but she's really not as bad as she makes out!" Poor Elizabeth! No money to spend-an early bed~ time-no concerts, no dancing, no riding, painting, or music! The little girl sat on her bed and wept. She knew it was all her own fault, but it didn't make things any better. Oh when, when would she be able to leave this horrid school?
CHAPTER 12.
Elizabeth has a Bad Time.
Joan went to find Elizabeth as soon as the Meeting was over. She guessed she would be in their bedroom. Elizabeth dried her eyes as soon as she heard Joan coming. She wasn't going to let anyone see her crying! "Hallo!" said Joan. "Come down to the playroom. It's raining or we could go and have a game of tennis." "Joan, it was decent of you to speak up for me," said Elizabeth. "Thanks awfully. But don't do it again, because, you see, I want everyone to think I'm too bad for this school, so that I'll be sent home," "Oh, Elizabeth, do get that silly idea out of your head!" said Joan. "I'm quite sure that the school won't send you home, and you'll only go on getting yourself into more and more trouble. Do be sensible." "Do you really think they won't send me home, however badly I behave?" said Elizabeth in dismay. "But surely no school would want to keep a really bad child?" "Whyteleafe School has never expelled anyone yet," said Joan. "So I don't expect they'll start on you. You'll just have a perfectly horrid time, instead of haying a lovely one. You'd have much more chance of going home if you went to Rita and said you'd be good if only she would do her best to get you home because you were so unhappy here," "Really?" said Elizabeth, astonished. "Well, I didn't think of that. Perhaps I'll go to Rita. I'll see. I am really getting a bit tired of remembering to be bad. There are so many nice things to do here, that 1 can't help enjoying myself sometimes." "I think you're a silly goose," said Joan. "Come on down. It will soon be seven o'clock, and you know you've got to go to bed directly after supper for a whole week, instead of at eight o'clock." Elizabeth frowned. "I've a good mind to go at eight o'clock, just to spite them!" she said.
"Oh, don't be foolish," said Joan. "Do you suppose the Meeting cares if you go to bed at seven or eight? You'll only be hurting yourself, not anyone else, if you're silly." "Oh," said Elizabeth, seeing for the first time that she was spoiling things for herself far more than she was spoiling them for other people. She sat and thought for a minute.
"Listen, Joan," she said, "I'll do as I'm told this week, See? I'll obey the orders of the Meeting, and go to bed early, and miss all the things I love-and at the end I'll go to Rita and tell her I'm so unhappy that I simply must go home, and I'll see what she says. I'm sure she could tell Miss Belle and Miss Best and they could write to Mummy for me." "Well, you do that," said Joan, getting a bit tired of Elizabeth's curious ideas. "Now do come on-bother- there's the supper-bell, and we've wasted all this time!" They had supper-and then poor Elizabeth had to go straight upstairs to bed. Nora popped in to see that she had obeyed the orders of the Meeting and felt quite surprised to see Elizabeth under the sheets.
"Good gracious!" she said. "You are learning to be sensible at last! Now just you listen to me, Elizabeth -the Meeting hates punishing anyone as much as they have punished you this week-so be good and sensible and obedient, and you'll find that everything will be all right at the next Meeting. By the way, I'll take up your bedside rug-the cleaner comes to-morrow, and I'll see that it's put ready for him to take." "Thank you, Nora," said Elizabeth, in a very good voice.
The week that followed was not a pleasant one for Elizabeth. She had to see the others go out riding without her. She had to sit indoors and copy out sums instead of going out sketching with the painting class. Worst of all she had to tell Mr. Lewis that she couldn't have her music lessons that week.
Mr. Lewis was disappointed. "Well, aren't you a little silly?" he said, patting her on the shoulder.
"What a pity! And we were going to do something rather exciting this week too-I've got Richard Watson to learn a duet, and I thought you and he could play it together. Duets are fun." "Oh dear," said Elizabeth in dismay. "I've never played a duet, and I've always thought it would be fun, Could you wait till next week, do you think, Mr. Lewis?
I might get all my punishments taken off by that time." "I should hope you would!" said the music-master.
"Now, Elizabeth, although you are going to miss your lessons with me this week, there is no need for you to miss your practice. Take this duet and try to learn your part by yourself-and next week I'll have Richard alone too, and we'll all have a go at it. Practice your other pieces too, and don't forget your scales," "I won't forget," promised Elizabeth, and she ran off. Richard Watson was a big boy, and Elizabeth couldn't help feeling rather proud to think that Mr. Lewis had chosen her to play a duet with him. She knew that Richard Watson played the piano and the violin beautifully.
Elizabeth turned over a new leaf that week. Nobody could have worked harder in class than she did She only got one sum wrong the whole of the week. She didn't get a single mistake in dictation. Even the French mistress, Mademoiselle, was pleased with her because she learned a French song so quickly.
"Ah, but you are a clever little girl!" she said to Elizabeth. "Will you not help this poor little Joan to learn her piece? Always she makes mistakes, and is at the bottom of my class." "Yes, I'll help Joan," said Elizabeth eagerly. "I can easily teach her the song." "You have a good heart," said Mademoiselle. Elizabeth went red with pleasure. The other children stared at her. They couldn't understand this strange girl who was so bad and horrid one week, and so good and helpful the next! Elizabeth helped Joan to learn the song. She and Joan went off to a corner of the garden and Elizabeth sang each line of the song in her clear voice, and made Joan sing it after her. It wasn't long before Joan knew it perfectly.
"You are very decent to me, Elizabeth," said Joan gratefully. "I wish I was going to have a birthday cake on my birthday-I'd give you the biggest piece of all!" "When is your birthday?" asked Elizabeth.
"It's in two weeks' time," said Joan. "And I do hate it so, because I know I shan't get a single card, and my parents are certain not to remember it. Everyone else seems to have a big cake, and presents and cards." "I think it's a shame," said Elizabeth warmly. "I shall give you a present, anyhow-that is if only the Meeting will give me my two shillings! I shan't pour ink on my rug again, anyway-that was an awful waste of two shillings. I could have bought toffees with that. I haven't had a sweet for ages!" "I'll buy some this afternoon and share them with you," said Joan. "I want most of my money for stamps, but I shall have a few pence over for sweets. It's a pity you can't go down to the village with me and choose the sweets. It would be fun to go together." "It would," agreed Elizabeth. "But I'm not going down till I'm allowed to. For one thing I promised Rita I wouldn't go alone-and for another thing, I'm jolly well not going to have the Meeting taking away my good times any more!" They went indoors. On the way they met three of the boys, going out to practise bowling.
"Hallo, Bold Bad Girl!" said one of them. Elizabeth went red, and tried to rush at them. But Joan held her arm firmly.
"Don't take any notice," she said. "They only want to see you get angry-and after all, you do deserve the name, you know!" The boys went off to the cricket field, grinning. Elizabeth felt very angry. She still had not got used to the good-natured teasing that went on all around her, She wished she could tease back, or laugh, as the other children did.
Miss Ranger was delighted with Elizabeth that week, The little girl really had a fine brain, and was fond of a joke. She could say clever things that made Miss Ranger and the class laugh heartily. She had only to look at a page once or twice and she knew it by heart! She liked her work and did everything well, "Elizabeth, you are a lucky little girl," said Miss Ranger. "Lessons come easily to you, and you should be able to do something fine in the world when you grow up. Whyteleafe School and your parents will be proud of you one day." "Whyteleafe School won't," said Elizabeth firmly.