CHAPTER XI
ST. WODE'S COLLEGE.
There were several women's colleges at Wingfield, but the largest andthe best known, and the most important, was St. Wode's. It stood in itsown spacious grounds, and consisted of four large buildings, which werecalled respectively the North, the South, the East, and the West Halls.There was also an extensive library standing a little back from thehalls of residence, a great gymnasium, and another building devotedentirely to class and lecture rooms. Endless money had been spent uponSt. Wode's College, which now ranked as one of the largest and mostimportant colleges for women in the whole of England. It numbered fromthree to four hundred students: but the place was so popular, the systemon which everything was worked was so admirable, that girls who wishedto go to St. Wode's, had as a rule to put down their names a couple ofyears in advance.
It so happened, however, that there was a vacancy for two sisters atWest Hall, and owing to the breaking-down of a highly nervous studentwho had worked too hard for classical honors, there was also a vacancyin the North Hall.
North Hall was the house of residence where Belle Acheson carried on hervagaries, and pleased herself with the idea that she was one of thecleverest and most distinguished girls in college. She owned to a qualmof disgust, however, when she learned that Letitia was to be under thesame roof as herself, having a thorough scorn for that young lady; but,as she was allowed no choice in the matter, she felt that there wasnothing for it but to submit to the inevitable.
Mr. Parker had himself visited St. Wode's College, had seen theprincipal, Miss Lauderdale, and had pleaded the cause of Leslie Gilroywith such passion and effect that special arrangements had been made inher favor, and she was admitted to the same hall as Marjorie and Eileen.For the first term she must share a large room with another girl; butthat was a trifling matter to Leslie, who, now that things werethoroughly arranged, wished to start on her new career without amoment's delay. As she had already passed the London Matriculation,there was no difficulty about her admission as soon as room could befound for her. This being arranged, she was able to go to St. Wode's atthe beginning of Trinity term. It so happened, therefore, that Letitia,Eileen, Marjorie, and Leslie Gilroy all found themselves on a certainafternoon in the same cab, driving to St. Wode's from the railwaystation, a mile and a half distant. The girls' luggage was to followthem; and as there happened to be a place in the cab for a fourth, andLeslie was standing, looking just a little forlorn, on the platform,Marjorie went up to her and suggested that they should all go together.
"For I know you are a St. Wode's girl," she said.
"How could you possibly guess that?" replied Leslie, looking withadmiration at Marjorie whose plain dress could never take away from thecharm of her handsome face.
"There was really no mystery about it." said Marjorie, after a pause. "Iam not a magician; but I happened to see the name of St. Wode's on thatbasket-trunk a minute or two ago. Will you come with us?"
"I shall be only too delighted," was the reply. "I was feeling quitelost and strange. It would be nice to go to college in company. Is thisyour first term?" she added, as she seated herself in the cab.
"Yes, yes; we are all freshers," replied Lettie. "We shall all have amost unenviable position, that I can foretell. There is a certain MissAcheson, who resides in North Hall, who has told us of some of thediscomforts, and, for my part, if I had not promised----"
"Oh, hush, please, Lettie; don't say any more," said Eileen. "You neednot begin by frightening Miss Gilroy. You look, Miss Gilroy, as if youintended to have a good time."
Leslie did not reply, except with her eyes, which were smiling. She waslooking her best, dressed neatly and suitably, with her white sailor hatmaking an effective contrast to the meshes of her bright golden hair.
"Well, I do wonder how everything will turn out," said Eileen. "By theway, Miss Gilroy, you did not tell us which Hall you were going to?"
"I believe I am to share a room with another student at North Hall," sheanswered. Then she continued, the smiles which she could not suppressnow visiting her eyes, "Is not the whole scheme delightful? I do wonderwhat the other students will be like."
"And what the tutors will be like," continued Marjorie eagerly. "Thereare two resident tutors in each house, and also a vice-principal. MissLauderdale is, of course, the principal over the entire college. Iexpect I shall be somewhat afraid of her."
"I don't intend to be afraid of anyone," said Eileen. "When one makes upone's mind to lead a really useful life, surely small matters, such aslittle nervousnesses, ought not to count."
Leslie gazed hard at Eileen, as if she would read her through.
Marjorie bent suddenly forward and laid her hand on Leslie's knee.
"Will you tell me something?" she asked earnestly. "Are you coming toSt. Wode's to be a useful member of society, or a learned, or anornamental one?"
"I have not thought of it in that light," said Leslie. "I want to go infor learning, of course. As to being ornamental, I have no time to thinkabout that; and useful--well, I hope that learned and useful will, in mycase, go together. I have a great deal to do during the three yearswhich are before me--a delightful three years I have no doubt they willprove. What special subjects do you mean to take up, Miss----"
"Chetwynd is my name," said Eileen; "but I hope you won't call me it. Iam sure we shall be friends, more particularly as we are to start ournew life in the same hall. Oh, I shall have much to tell you by and by.Lettie, why is that frown between your brows?"
"I did not know that I was frowning," answered Letitia, "I was onlythinking of the ornamental part of life, and how I could carry it outmost effectively."
Letitia was dressed with special care, not unsuitably, for she had toogood taste for that; but so daintily, so exquisitely, with such acareful eye to the smallest details that Marjorie and Eileen lookedrough and gauche beside her. Their serge skirts had been made by awork-girl, as nothing would induce them to waste money on a dressmaker.The work-girl had been discovered by Eileen in Fox Buildings. She had alame knee and a sick brother, and Eileen seized upon her at once as asuitable person for the job, as she expressed it. Finally, she was givenmost of the girls' outfits to undertake.
She worked neatly, but had not the slightest idea of fitting. Withnumberless blouses, however, and a couple of serge skirts, and sailorhats, though cheap, at least looking clean, the girls passed muster, andwere totally indifferent to their own appearance.
"When once we have plunged into our new work we shall be as happy as theday is long," said Eileen. "I wonder if Belle arrived yesterday orto-day?"
"I sincerely trust she won't come till to-morrow," said Letitia, with ashudder. "I do not know for what sin I am doomed to reside under thesame roof with that terrible girl."
"A terrible girl? Who can she be?" asked Leslie.
"You will know for yourself before you have been many days at St.Wode's," was Lettie's enigmatical reply. "Oh, and here we are, turningin at the gates! My heart does go pit-a-pat."
Leslie's face also became suffused with pink as the cabman drew up atthe large wooden gates, which were presently opened by a neatly dressedyoung woman who lived at the lodge just within.
The grounds were three-quarters of a mile in length, and the four halls,built round a quadrangle, stood in the middle. There was a wide andsmoothly kept grass lawn in front of the halls, and a gravel sweep goingright round them. The cab presently delivered up its four occupants, andEileen, Marjorie, and Leslie found themselves in a small waiting roominside West Hall, where they were to remain until the housekeeper couldarrive to take them to their several rooms. They had not to wait long. Acheery young woman of about seven-and-twenty presently made herappearance, asked them their names, told them that their trunks would bebrought to their rooms as soon as ever they arrived, and then requestedthem to follow her.
She tripped up some wide stone stairs, destitute of carpets, and thendown a corridor, slippery with parquetry work. The next moment she hadflung op
en a door, and revealed a good-sized room, which was occupied byanother girl at the farther end, who wore a shock of red hair ratheruntidily put up in a loose knot at the back of her head.
"Miss Colchester, I see you have arrived," said Miss Payne thehousekeeper. "This is your room-fellow; may I introduce you to MissLeslie Gilroy?"
"Pray come in, Miss Gilroy; you are heartily welcome," said MissColchester, jumping up, coming forward, and gazing hard at Leslie. Shethen extended an awkward hand.
"I am glad to see you," she said. "I hope you don't mind the room beingin disorder. I have only just begun to unpack, and everything ishelter-skelter. I was never tidy--no, never! I begin to think I likethings helter-skelter."
"Oh, I don't mind, of course!" answered Leslie; but her heart sank. Inher mother's small house the motto impressed upon each child was theold-fashioned one: "A place for everything, and everything in itsplace."
"I suppose I shall have one side of the room to myself?" she continued.
Marjorie and Eileen had been left on the landing. They overheardLeslie's last somewhat despairing words, glanced at one another, andsmiled. They were then conducted to their rooms at the farther end ofthe corridor.
"This is your room, Miss Eileen," said Miss Payne. "Miss Marjorie has anexact counterpart at the other side of the corridor. Behind this screenyou will keep your washhand-stand. This sofa forms your bed at night.This chest of drawers is for your linen and the bodice of your dresses.Behind this curtain you will hang your skirts. Here is yourwriting-table. It remains with yourself to make your room pretty andneat, or the reverse. You may buy any ornaments in the way of pictures,or anything else you fancy. When you touch this handle you turn on theelectric light. Would you care for a fire? Here are coal and wood forthe purpose, and I will send in a servant to light it at once, if youwish."
"No, thank you; it is quite a warm evening," replied Eileen. "IsMarjorie's room just the same?"
"Precisely; but I think you have the prettier view."
"Oh, how lovely!" exclaimed Eileen. "Do look, Marjorie; there is thatgreat park in the distance, and the river down there. Oh, please----" Sheturned to speak to Miss Payne, but Miss Payne had already vanished.
"Well, we are landed at last!" she said, clasping her sister's hand."Does it not seem almost too delightful?"
"Splendid!" cried Marjorie. "Do you know, Eileen, I have taken a fancyto that pretty Miss Gilroy?"
"So have I," answered Marjorie. "But I expect she will have a bad time,poor dear, with Miss Colchester. Anyone can see Miss Gilroy is of theorderly sort. Now, I don't care a bit about having things in perfectorder."
"But, Marjorie," said Eileen, "I have been reading up about that lately,and I think you and I ought to cultivate order very assiduously if wemean to be really useful women. Oh, by the way! our hair is beginning togrow; we must find a barber to-morrow in order to reduce our crops tothe right length."
"An inch and a half being the length permitted," said Marjorie, with asmile. "I am curious to see poor old Belle. Lettie will have awful talesto tell of her. Well, this life is interesting, is it not, Eileen?"