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scream from her。
〃Shsh；〃 whispered Gertrude quickly。 〃Don't you see the Lady
Abbess？〃
Miss Wilson had just entered the room。 Agatha； without appearing
to be aware of her presence； stealthily withdrew her arm； and
said aloud：
〃How can you make such a noise； Jane？ You will disturb the whole
house。〃
Jane reddened with indignation； but had to remain silent； for the
eyes of the principal were upon her。 Miss Wilson had her bonnet
on。 She announced that she was going to walk to Lyvern； the
nearest village。 Did any of the sixth form young ladies wish to
accompany her？
Agatha jumped from her seat at once； and Jane smothered a laugh。
〃Miss Wilson said the sixth form； Miss Wylie；〃 said Miss Ward；
who had entered also。 〃You are not in the sixth form。〃
〃No；〃 said Agatha sweetly； 〃but I want to go； if I may。〃
Miss Wilson looked round。 The sixth form consisted of four
studious young ladies； whose goal in life for the present was an
examination by one of the Universities； or； as the college phrase
was； 〃the Cambridge Local。〃 None of them responded。
〃Fifth form； then；〃 said Miss Wilson。
Jane； Gertrude； and four others rose and stood with Agatha。
〃Very well；〃 said Miss Wilson。 〃Do not be long dressing。〃
They left the room quietly； and dashed at the staircase the
moment they were out of sight。 Agatha； though void of emulation
for the Cambridge Local； always competed with ardor for the honor
of being first up or down stairs。
They soon returned； clad for walking； and left the college in
procession； two by two； Jane and Agatha leading； Gertrude and
Miss Wilson coming last。 The road to Lyvern lay through acres of
pasture land； formerly arable； now abandoned to cattle； which
made more money for the landlord than the men whom they had
displaced。 Miss Wilson's young ladies； being instructed in
economics； knew that this proved that the land was being used to
produce what was most wanted from it； and if all the advantage
went to the landlord； that was but natural； as he was the chief
gentleman in the neighborhood。 Still the arrangement had its
disagreeable side； for it involved a great many cows； which made
them afraid to cross the fields； a great many tramps； who made
them afraid to walk the roads； and a scarcity of gentlemen
subjects for the maiden art of fascination。
The sky was cloudy。 Agatha； reckless of dusty stockings； waded
through the heaps of fallen leaves with the delight of a child
paddling in the sea； Gertrude picked her steps carefully； and the
rest tramped along； chatting subduedly； occasionally making some
scientific or philosophical remark in a louder tone； in order
that Miss Wilson might overhear and give them due credit。 Save a
herdsman； who seemed to have caught something of the nature and
expression of the beasts he tended； they met no one until they
approached the village； where； on the brow of an acclivity；
masculine humanity appeared in the shape of two curates： one
tall； thin； close…shaven； with a book under his arm； and his neck
craned forward； the other middle…sized； robust； upright； and
aggressive； with short black whiskers； and an air of protest
against such notions as that a clergyman may not marry； hunt；
play cricket； or share the sports of honest laymen。 The shaven
one was Mr。 Josephs； his companion Mr。 Fairholme。 Obvious
scriptural perversions of this brace of names had been introduced
by Agatha。
〃Here come Pharaoh and Joseph；〃 she said to Jane。 〃Joseph will
blush when you look at him。 Pharaoh won't blush until he passes
Gertrude； so we shall lose that。〃
〃Josephs； indeed！〃 said Jane scornfully。
〃He loves you； Jane。 Thin persons like a fine armful of a woman。
Pharaoh； who is a cad； likes blue blood on the same principle of
the attraction of opposites。 That is why he is captivated by
Gertrude's aristocratic air。〃
〃If he only knew how she despises him！〃
〃He is too vain to suspect it。 Besides； Gertrude despises
everyone； even us。 Or； rather； she doesn't despise anyone in
particular； but is contemptuous by nature； just as you are
stout。〃
〃Me！ I had rather be stout than stuck…up。 Ought we to bow？〃
〃I will； certainly。 I want to make Pharoah blush； if I can。〃
The two parsons had been simulating an interest in the cloudy
firmament as an excuse for not looking at the girls until close
at hand。 Jane sent an eyeflash at Josephs with a skill which
proved her favorite assertion that she was not so stupid as
people thought。 He blushed and took off his soft； low…crowned
felt hat。 Fairholme saluted very solemnly； for Agatha bowed to
him with marked seriousness。 But when his gravity and his stiff
silk hat were at their highest point she darted a mocking smile
at him； and he too blushed； all the deeper because he was enraged
with himself for doing so。
〃Did you ever see such a pair of fools？〃 whispered Jane；
giggling。
〃They cannot help their sex。 They say women are fools； and so
they are； but thank Heaven they are not quite so bad as men！ I
should like to look back and see Pharaoh passing Gertrude； but if
he saw me he would think I was admiring him； and he is conceited
enough already without that。〃
The two curates became redder and redder as they passed the
column of young ladies。 Miss Lindsay would not look to their side
of the road； and Miss Wilson's nod and smile were not quite
sincere。 She never spoke to curates； and kept up no more
intercourse with the vicar than she could not avoid。 He suspected
her of being an infidel； though neither he nor any other mortal
in Lyvern had ever heard a word from her on the subject of her
religious opinions。 But he knew that 〃moral science〃 was taught
secularly at the college； and he felt that where morals were made
a department of science the demand for religion must fall off
proportionately。
〃What a life to lead and what a place to live in！〃 exclaimed
Agatha。 〃We meet two creatures； more like suits of black than
men； and that is an incident a startling incidentin our
existence！〃
〃I think they're awful fun；〃 said Jane； 〃except that Josephs has
such large ears。〃
The girls now came to a place where the road dipped through a
plantation of sombre sycamore and horsechestnut trees。 As they
passed down into it； a little wind sprang up； the fallen leaves
stirred； and the branches heaved a long； rustling sigh。
〃I hate this bit of road；〃 said Jane； hurrying on。 〃It's just the
sort of place that people get robbed and murdered in。〃
〃It is not such a bad place to shelter in if we get caught in the
rain； as I expect we shall before we get back；〃 said Agatha；
feeling the fitful breeze strike ominously on her cheek。 〃A nice
pickle I shall be in with these light shoes on！ I wish I had put
on my strong boots。 If it rains much I will go into the old
chalet。〃
〃Miss Wilson won't let you。 It's trespassing。〃
〃What matter！ Nobody lives in it； and the gate is off its hinges。
I only want to stand under the verandanot to break into the
wretched place。 Besides； the landlord knows Miss Wilson； he won't
mind。 There's a drop。〃
Miss Carpenter looked up； and immediately received a heavy
raindrop in her eye。
〃Oh！〃 she cried。 〃It's pouring。 We shall be drenched。〃
Agatha stopped； and the column broke into a group about her。
〃Miss Wilson；〃 she said； 〃it is going to rain in torrents； and
Jane and I have only our shoes on。〃
Miss Wilson paused to consider the situation。 Someone suggested
that if they hurried on they might reach Lyvern before the rain
came down。
〃More than a mile；〃 said Agatha scornfully； 〃and the rain coming
down already！〃
Someone else suggested returning to the college。
〃More than two miles；〃 said Agatha。 〃We should be drowned。〃
〃There is nothing for it but to wait here under the trees；〃 said
Miss Wilson。
〃The branches are very bare；〃 said Gertrude anxiously。 〃If it
should come down heavily they will drip worse than the rain
itself。〃
〃Much worse；〃 said Agatha。 〃I think we had better get under the
veranda of the old chalet。 It is not half a minute's walk from
here。〃
〃But we have no right〃 Here the sky darkened threateningly。
Miss Wilson checked herself and said； 〃I suppose it is still
empty。〃
〃Of course；〃 replied Agatha； impatient to be moving。 〃It is
almost a ruin。〃
〃Then let us go there； by all means；〃 said Miss Wilson； not
disposed to stand on trifles at the risk of a bad cold。
They hurried on； and came presently to a green hill by the
wayside。 On the slope was a dilapidated Swiss cottage； surrounded
by a veranda on slender wooden pillars； about which clung a few
tendrils of withered creeper； their stray ends still swinging
from the recent wind； now momentarily hushed as if listening for
the coming of the rain。 Access from the roadway was by a rough
wooden gate in the hedge。 To the surprise of Agatha； who had last
seen this gate off its hinges and only attached to the post by a
rusty chain and padlock； it was now rehung and fastened by a new
hasp。 The weather admitting of no delay to consider these
repairs； she opened the gate and hastened up the slope； followed
by the troop of girls。 Their ascent ended with a rush； for the
rain suddenly came down in torrents。
When they were s