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tragedian。 There was much in her nature; she felt; that did not
find expression in her popular representation of the soldier in
the chimney。

By three o'clock the local visitors had arrived; and tennis was
proceeding in four courts; rolled and prepared by Smilash。 The
two curates were there; with a few lay gentlemen。 Mrs。 Miller;
the vicar; and some mothers and other chaperons looked on and
consumed light refreshments; which were brought out upon trays by
Smilash; who had borrowed and put on a large white apron; and was
making himself officiously busy。

At a quarter past the hour a message came from Miss Wilson;
requesting Miss Wylie's attendance。 The visitors were at a loss
to account for the sudden distraction of the young ladies'
attention which ensued。 Jane almost burst into tears; and
answered Josephs rudely when he innocently asked what the matter
was。 Agatha went away apparently unconcerned; though her hand
shook as she put aside her racket。

In a spacious drawing…room at the north side of the college she
found her mother; a slight woman in widow's weeds; with faded
brown hair; and tearful eyes。 With her were Mrs。 Jansenius and
her daughter。 The two elder ladies kept severely silent whilst
Agatha kissed them; and Mrs。 Wylie sniffed。 Henrietta embraced
Agatha effusively。

〃Where's Uncle John?〃 said Agatha。 〃Hasn't he come?〃

〃He is in the next room with Miss Wilson;〃 said Mrs。 Jansenius
coldly。 〃They want you in there。〃

〃I thought somebody was dead;〃 said Agatha; 〃you all look so
funereal。 Now; mamma; put your handkerchief back again。 If you
cry I will give Miss Wilson a piece of my mind for worrying you。〃

〃No; no;〃 said Mrs。 Wylie; alarmed。 〃She has been so nice!〃

〃So good!〃 said Henrietta。

〃She has been perfectly reasonable and kind;〃 said Mrs。
Jansenius。

〃She always is;〃 said Agatha complacently。 〃You didn't expect to
find her in hysterics; did you?〃

〃Agatha;〃 pleaded Mrs。 Wylie; 〃don't be headstrong and foolish。〃

〃Oh; she won't; I know she won't;〃 said Henrietta coaxingly。
〃Will you; dear Agatha?〃

〃You may do as you like; as far as I am concerned;〃 said Mrs。
Jansenius。 〃But I hope you have more sense than to throw away
your education for nothing。〃

〃Your aunt is quite right;〃 said Mrs。 Wylie。 〃And your Uncle John
is very angry with you。 He will never speak to you again if you
quarrel with Miss Wilson。〃

〃He is not angry;〃 said Henrietta; 〃but he is so anxious that you
should get on well。〃

〃He will naturally be disappointed if you persist in making a
fool of yourself;〃 said Mrs。 Jansenius。

〃All Miss Wilson wants is an apology for the dreadful things you
wrote in her book;〃 said Mrs。 Wylie。 〃You'll apologize; dear;
won't you?〃

〃Of course she will;〃 said Henrietta。

〃I think you had better;〃 said Mrs。 Jansenius。

〃Perhaps I will;〃 said Agatha。

〃That's my own darling;〃 said Mrs。 Wylie; catching her hand。

〃And perhaps; again; I won't。〃

〃You will; dear;〃 urged Mrs。 Wylie; trying to draw Agatha; who
passively resisted; closer to her。 〃For my sake。 To oblige your
mother; Agatha。 You won't refuse me; dearest?〃

Agatha laughed indulgently at her parent; who had long ago worn
out this form of appeal。 Then she turned to Henrietta; and said;
〃How is your caro sposo? I think it was hard that I was not a
bridesmaid。〃

The red in Henrietta's cheeks brightened。 Mrs。 Jansenius hastened
to interpose a dry reminder that Miss Wilson was waiting。

〃Oh; she does not mind waiting;〃 said Agatha; 〃because she thinks
you are all at work getting me into a proper frame of mind。 That
was the arrangement she made with you before she left the room。
Mamma knows that I have a little bird that tells me these things。
I must say that you have not made me feel any goody…goodier so
far。 However; as poor Uncle John must be dreadfully frightened
and uncomfortable; it is only kind to put an end to his suspense。
Good…bye!〃 And she went out leisurely。 But she looked in again to
say in a low voice: 〃Prepare for something thrilling。 I feel just
in the humor to say the most awful things。〃 She vanished; and
immediately they heard her tapping at the door of the next room。

Mr。 Jansenius was indeed awaiting her with misgiving。 Having
discovered early in his career that his dignified person and fine
voice caused people to stand in some awe of him; and to move him
into the chair at public meetings; he had grown so accustomed to
deference that any approach to familiarity or irreverence
disconcerted him exceedingly。 Agatha; on the other hand; having
from her childhood heard Uncle John quoted as wisdom and
authority incarnate; had begun in her tender years to scoff at
him as a pompous and purseproud city merchant; whose sordid mind
was unable to cope with her transcendental affairs。 She had
habitually terrified her mother by ridiculing him with an
absolute contempt of which only childhood and extreme ignorance
are capable。 She had felt humiliated by his kindness to her (he
was a generous giver of presents); and; with the instinct of an
anarchist; had taken disparagement of his advice and defiance of
his authority as the signs wherefrom she might infer surely that
her face was turned to the light。 The result was that he was a
little tired of her without being quite conscious of it; and she
not at all afraid of him; and a little too conscious of it。

When she entered with her brightest smile in full play; Miss
Wilson and Mr。 Jansenius; seated at the table; looked somewhat
like two culprits about to be indicted。 Miss Wilson waited for
him to speak; deferring to his imposing presence。 But he was not
ready; so she invited Agatha to sit down。

〃Thank you;〃 said Agatha sweetly。 〃Well; Uncle John; don't you
know me?〃

〃I have heard with regret from Miss Wilson that you have been
very troublesome here;〃 he said; ignoring her remark; though
secretly put out by it。

〃Yes;〃 said Agatha contritely。 〃I am so very sorry。〃

Mr。 Jansenius; who had been led by Miss Wilson to expect the
utmost contumacy; looked to her in surprise。

〃You seem to think;〃 said Miss Wilson; conscious of Mr。
Jansenius's movement; and annoyed by it; 〃that you may transgress
over and over again; and then set yourself right with us;〃 (Miss
Wilson never spoke of offences as against her individual
authority; but as against the school community) 〃by saying that
you are sorry。 You spoke in a very different tone at our last
meeting。〃

〃I was angry then; Miss Wilson。 And I thought I had a
grievanceeverybody thinks they have the same one。 Besides; we
were quarrellingat least I was; and I always behave badly when
I quarrel。 I am so very sorry。〃

〃The book was a serious matter;〃 said Miss Wilson gravely。 〃You
do not seem to think so。〃

〃I understand Agatha to say that she is now sensible of the folly
of her conduct with regard to the book; and that she is sorry for
it;〃 said Mr。 Jansenius; instinctively inclining to Agatha's
party as the stronger one and the least dependent on him in a
pecuniary sense。 Have you seen the book?〃 said Agatha eagerly。

〃No。 Miss Wilson has described what has occurred。〃

〃Oh; do let me get it;〃 she cried; rising。 〃It will make Uncle
John scream with laughing。 May I; Miss Wilson?〃

〃There!〃 said Miss Wilson; indignantly。 〃It is this incorrigible
flippancy of which I have to complain。 Miss Wylie only varies it
by downright insubordination。〃

Mr。 Jansenius too was scandalized。 His fine color mounted at the
idea of his screaming。 〃Tut; tut!〃 he said; 〃you must be serious;
and more respectful to Miss Wilson。 You are old enough to know
better now; Agathaquite old enough。〃

Agatha's mirth vanished。 〃What have I said  What have I done?〃
she asked; a faint purple spot appearing in her cheeks。

〃You have spoken triflingly ofof the volume by which Miss
Wilson sets great store; and properly so。〃

〃If properly so; then why do you find fault with me?〃

〃Come; come;〃 roared Mr。 Jansenius; deliberately losing his
temper as a last expedient to subdue her; 〃don't be impertinent;
Miss。〃

Agatha's eyes dilated; evanescent flushes played upon her cheeks
and neck; she stamped with her heel。 〃Uncle John;〃 she cried; 〃if
you dare to address me like that; I will never look at you; never
speak to you; nor ever enter your house again。 What do you know
about good manners; that you should call me impertinent? I will
not submit to intentional rudeness; that was the beginning of my
quarrel with Miss Wilson。 She told me I was impertinent; and I
went away and told her that she was wrong by writing it in the
fault book。 She has been wrong all through; and I would have said
so before but that I wanted to be reconciled to her and to let
bygones be bygones。 But if she insists on quarrelling; I cannot
help it。〃

〃I have already explained to you; Mr。 Jansenius;〃 said Miss
Wilson; concentrating her resentment by an effort to suppress it;
〃that Miss Wylie has ignored all the opportunities that have been
made for her to reinstate herself here。 Mrs。 Miller and I have
waived merely personal considerations; and I have only required a
simple acknowledgment of this offence against the college and its
rules。〃

〃I do not care that for

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