CHAPTER XXV.
REVENGE.
After this incident there was peace in the school for some time; Lucywas defeated. Agnes was more Irene's chosen chum and adored littlefriend than ever. The child seemed to have completely lost her terrors,and she gave Miss Frost rather less than more of her society. Rosamundwatched in silent trepidation. If only Lucy would not interfere! But shedid not trust Lucy, nor did she trust another girl in the school,Phyllis Flower, who--small, thin, plain, but clever--had suddenly becomeLucy's right-hand. At first Phyllis had rather shrunk away from Lucy,but now she was invariably with her. They talked a good deal, and in lowtones, as though they had a great many secrets which they shared eachwith the other. On one occasion, towards mid-term, when all the girlshad settled comfortably to their tasks and life seemed smooth andharmonious once more, even Irene being no longer regarded with dislikeand terror by the rest of the girls, Lucy Merriman and Phyllis Flowertook a walk together.
"I am very glad we have this chance of being alone," said Lucy, "for Iwant to speak to you."
"What do you want to say?" asked Phyllis. She was flattered by Lucy'sconfidence, for some of the girls admired this prim though ratherhandsome girl very much. Besides, was she not the daughter of their ownmaster and mistress? Had she not a sort of position in the school whichthe rest of them would have envied a good deal? Lucy was beginning toexercise her power in more than one direction, and she and Rosamundbetween them really headed two parties in the small school. Of course,Phyllis Flower belonged altogether to Lucy's party.
"Well, what is it?" she said. "What do you want to say to me?"
"It is this," said Lucy. "I am quite determined to have my revenge onthat horrid Rosamund and that odious Irene."
"I wish you wouldn't think so much about them. They are quite happy now,and don't do anybody any special harm."
"But that is just it. Rosamund ought never to have been readmitted tothe school, and Irene is not the sort of girl who should have comehere."
"Well, she seems a very nice sort--not that I know much about her."
"You had better not say that again in my presence, Phyllis--that is, ifyou wish me to remain your friend."
"Then I won't, dear," said Phyllis, "for certainly I do wish you to bemy friend."
"I hate Irene," said Lucy, "and I hate Rosamund, and I hate that littlesneak Agnes Frost, who tries to worm herself into everybody's goodfavor."
"Oh, no, she doesn't! She thinks of no one in all the world but Irene."
"I am surprised at that," said Lucy. "I imagined I had put a spoke inthat wheel. I was very much amazed when I saw them thicker than ever thevery next day. She is the sort of child who would tell tales out ofschool. I know the sort--detestable! She is a little pitcher with longears. She is all that is vulgar and second-rate."
"Perhaps she is," said Phyllis, "although I never thought so. I thoughther a pretty, sweet little creature. I think she is really fond ofIrene, and Irene is sincerely devoted to her."
"Well, Phyllis, I will confide in you. A few weeks ago, when Rosamundand Irene took themselves off to The Follies to spend the afternoon, Itook the opportunity of having a chat with little Miss Agnes Frost, andthere and then I enlightened her with regard to certain stories which Iknew for a fact to be true. I can tell you I frightened her a good bit.She is rather timid--I never knew any one more so. Her face got as whiteas death. Of course, I told her she was not to tell any one, but Ididn't greatly care. I know for a fact she was nervous for the rest ofthe day, and that evening she asked poor old Frosty to let her sleep inher bed."
"But she didn't sleep with her, all the same," said Phyllis, "for Ihappened to see her running back to her own room quite late, after therest of us were supposed to be in bed. And the next day she was greaterfriends than ever with Irene."
"What a nuisance things are!" said Lucy. "But now I am absolutelydetermined to punish Irene and Rosamund in the only way in which I canpunish them. Rosamund is conceited enough to believe that she has made areformation in Irene's character. I know better. I know that Irene is aperfectly horrid girl. If you could only have heard Miss Carter talkabout her when she first went to the Singletons'! And we had a servantonce from their house, and she told us some most ghastly tales. It isimpossible to suppose for a second that Irene is a nice girl; butbetween Rosamund--who, I must own, is very plucky--and this mite Agnes,who is devoted to her, she is quite quiet and amenable, and she is nodoubt passionately fond of that stupid, inane little Agnes. Now, I meanto get Agnes from her. You must help me, Phyllis. How are we to manageit?"
"It seems hardly worth while," said Phyllis.
"All right, Phyllis, you can please yourself. There are others who wouldhelp me--Agnes Sparkes, for instance."
"Oh! if you must have some one, I am quite as good as another," saidPhyllis Flower.
"Well, you know that promise of mine that we should go to Londontogether. My dear aunt, Mrs. Brett, is going to town, and she says thatshe will take me and any special friend I like as my companion, and shewill show me all over the place: the Tower, the Houses of Parliament,and Westminster Abbey, and St. Paul's, and all the rest. And I mean togo to a theatre. Were you ever at a really big theatre in the wholecourse of your life, Phyllis?"
"Never," said Phyllis, "for you know I have lived all my life in thecountry."
"Well, you can't possibly imagine what it is like: the dresses and thelights, and the actors and the stage effects, as they call them, and theway the people talk--it moves you so. I went once, and I cried twohandkerchiefs into wet mops, and I could have cried into a third, only Ididn't happen to have it. Oh, it was lovely!"
"It seems to be rather melancholy from your description," said Phyllis.
"Oh! it is the sort of melancholy that you can enjoy," said Lucy. "Atleast I enjoyed it, and I am a very matter-of-fact girl. But there, wecan go to a laughing theatre. Some theatres make you laugh so much thatyou can scarcely stop. You get almost into hysterics. Anyhow, I mean togo, because Aunt Susan has promised to take me, either to a merry or asad play. And then you are fond of music. I dare say I could squeeze ina concert. Think of a whole week, and not a penny to come out of yourpocket; for Aunt Susan has a little sum put by, and she means to giveme and whichever of my school-fellows I like best a real treat. So nowyou understand."
"Yes, I understand," said Phyllis.
"But you must help me to effect my object. I mean to part those twogirls--that ridiculous little Agnes and that hated Irene. I mean to partthem thoroughly."
"But I don't see how you can do it."
"Oh, don't you? I have thought of several ways. You know what a passionIrene has for all sorts of creatures--newts and toads and frogs. Well, Ican also have a similar passion for those creatures. Anyhow, I havehalf-a-crown in my pocket, and I mean to----But there--the others arefollowing us. Do let us talk in whispers. We needn't do it quite yet,but we will do it in about a week's time; and then there'll be a greatrumpus, and most likely Irene will be expelled. Agnes can stay or not asshe likes. She is quite a timid little thing, and I only want toseparate her from Irene, and I want to prove to that horrid Rosamundthat she is wrong and I am right. That's all. You can help me, and wewill go to London afterwards. But please yourself."
"Let me think it over," said Phyllis. "Of course, I'd just love to go toLondon with you. It seems too interesting for anything; but"----
"There is generally something to be put up with when great pleasure isto be obtained," said Lucy. "I never had such a chance as this before,and I can give it to any one else. There is Annie Millar, or AgnesSparkes--either of them would jump at it; or one of the Singleton girls.As to poor Jane Denton--but she is not at the school at present; andLaura Everett has plenty of fun of her own. I offer it to you now,provided you will help me."
"I suppose I must; but will you give me a day to think over it?"
"Yes, think it over; think what it means. You will have to be myconfederate in this matter. It is just a little game I mean to play, andI thin
k I shall play it so effectually that there will be no morefriendship between pretty Agnes Frost and Irene Ashleigh."