CHAPTER SIX.
TOM'S RULE.
The next moment, as it seemed, there came the roll of a distant gong,and instantly there burst into life a score of jangling bells, clangingand tinkling over one's very head in a manner calculated to destroy thestrongest nerves. Rhoda felt an agonised certainty that the Chase wason fire, and springing up was confronted by the blue walls of her littlecubicle. Memory came back then, and with a pang of regret she lay backin bed, listening to the succession of groans, yawns, and sighs whicharose from every corner of the room.
They were so eloquent that one could almost _see_ the sleepersstretching themselves in turn, blinking heavy lids, and rubbingdishevelled locks like so many sleek, lazy kittens. For a moment no onespoke, then began a chorus of lamentations.
"Seven o'clock! It can't be true. I haven't slept a wink all night!"
"I've been getting up at half-past eight all the holidays, and having acup of tea in bed before that. It's killing going back to this!"
"Wait till the mornings are dark, and the water is frozen in the jugs;that's the time it is really fun. This is a mere trifle."
"It's not a trifle at all. I'm a growing girl, and need sleep. If MissBruce had any heart she would see it, and give me an excuse."
"She'll give you a mark instead, if you are not quick. Hurry up now!No laggards!" cried Thomasina's voice, in answer to which there camestill louder groans, and the creaking of bedsteads as one girl afteranother rose to her feet.
Rhoda rose with the rest, and for ten minutes there was silence, brokenonly by the splashing of water. Then suddenly the air was filled with adeep, melodious roll, at which, as at a signal, Thomasina appeared fromher lair--beautiful in a magenta dressing-jacket, and hair coiled in atight little knot at the top of her head--and opened wide the door ofthe dormitory. Rhoda, peering from between her curtains could see otherdoors opening all the way down the corridor, and bare arms hastilywithdrawn from view, while all the time the music swelled into fullerforce, and pealed over the great, silent house like some majesticwakening voice.
"What is it?" she queried breathlessly, and Thomasina answered frombehind her curtain:
"The organ, of course. The organ in the hall. One of the musicmistresses plays a voluntary every morning ten minutes after we get up,and the choir sings a hymn. You will hear them presently. Each housetakes it in turn to do choir duty. It's the Greens this week."
As she spoke the first note of the hymn sounded, and the words roseclearly on the air:--
"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee. Holy, holy, holy, Merciful and Mighty, God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity!"
The clear voices were softened by distance into almost angelicsweetness, the treble rang true and sweet against the harmoniousbackground of alto; the organ sank to a flute-like softness. It was anunexpected and beautiful beginning to the day's work, and the tearsstarted to Rhoda's eyes as she listened, for she was of an emotionalnature, quick to respond to any outside influence. She followed eachline of the hymn with devout attention, and when it was finished kneltdown beside her bed to offer a prayer, which was much longer and morefervent than it would have been ten minutes before. She prayed forstrength, for guidance, and--with a remembrance of yesterday's trials--for patience too, that she might be able to take a joke in good part,and not value too highly her own dignity, and finally rose from herknees in a glow of virtuous resolution.
No sooner was she out of her cubicle than the blow descended. With theglow of good resolution still upon her, she was tried--and fell!
Thomasina regarded her critically, and said, with a cool assurance moremaddening than downright rudeness:
"That coiffure is very becoming, Fuzzy, but it won't do here. Go backto your den, and plait it in a pigtail like mine!"
The glare of indignation, of scorn, of outraged dignity in Rhoda's eyeswas beyond description. She straightened her back into a poker ofobstinacy, and replied--
"I shall do no such thing! I shall wear my hair as I choose, and as Ihave always worn it."
"No you won't, my dear. Pigtails are the rule in this establishment,and pigtails you must wear so long as you are within its walls."
"If a teacher tells me to wear one, I shall obey. If it is a rule, someone in authority will tell me. I won't be ordered by you."
There was a gasp of astonishment throughout the room, and one head afteranother peered out to stare at the rebellious spirit who dared to defythat important personage, the Head Girl.
Thomasina closed her eyes and smiled in maddening fashion.
"That's where you make your mistake, sweet love, for it's just exactlywhat you've got to do! I'm Head Girl, and don't you forget it. TheQueen on her throne is not more absolute than I am in this room. If youdon't do what I tell you, it will be my painful duty to report you forinsubordination, and it is a sad thing for a girl to get a mark on herfirst day. I must trouble you for that pigtail, if you please."
She was speaking the truth, that was evident! Confirmation was writtenon every watching face, in every warning frown. Rhoda's pride battledwith a sense of helplessness so acute that she had much ado not to burstinto tears on the spot. The two girls stood confronting each other, thenew-comer flushed and quivering, like a beautiful young fury, with herflaxen hair streaming over her shoulders, and her blue eyes sending outsparks of fire; Thomasina composed and square, with her lips pursed upin a good-humoured, tolerant smile.
"Hurry up!" she said, and Rhoda whisked round and dashed behind hercurtain, which flew out behind in an aggrieved fashion, as if unused tobe treated with such scant courtesy. The next few moments seemed tohave concentrated in them a lifetime of bitterness. The comb tuggedremorselessly through the curling locks, but the physical pain passedunnoticed; it was the blow to pride which hurt--the sharp, sharp stab offinding herself worsted, and obliged to give in to the will of another.It was nothing at that moment that the pigtail was ugly and unbecoming;Rhoda would have shaved her head and gone bald for ever if by this meansshe could have escaped that verdict; but to appear again before all thegirls with that hateful, hateful wisp hanging down her back--she felt asif she would die rather than do it; yet would it not be even moredegrading to wait for a summons? She stalked forth, straight anddefiant, and was received with a bland smile.
"Pretty fair for a first attempt. Plait it down further next time. Imust have my girls neat and tidy. Now then, forward please--Right,left! right, left!"
The order was accompanied by a tap on the shoulder, which put thefinishing touch to Rhoda's exasperation. She stepped into her place inthe queue, trembling from head to foot, and with a painful throbbing inher head which was something new in her healthy experience. Immediatelyin front marched a tall, straight form, whom at first she failed torecognise, but at the head of the staircase there came a temporary wait,and then the head was turned towards her, and, behold, it was Dorothyherself, pigtailed like the rest, and looking curiously reduced withoutthe background of hair.
"Morning!" she cried cheerily, and Rhoda gasped a breathless question.
"You too! Did she tell you? I never heard--"
"Didn't give her a chance! Heard her ordering you, and nipped mine upin a trice. Treat it as a matter of course, and don't seem to mind--that's the tip! Only get yourself disliked by making a fuss."
"I know, but I _can't_ help it," sighed Rhoda dismally.
"I'm not used to bullying, and it makes me wild. My head's splitting.I feel all churned up."
"Worse troubles at sea!" said Dorothy shortly, and after that there wasno more chance of conversation, for the queue moved on again, and theywere separated at breakfast as at dinner the night before. Thomasinasat opposite to Rhoda, and pressed the various dishes upon her good-temperedly, ignoring all causes of discord, an attitude which, if shehad only known it, but added to the score against her, for pride forceda haughty "No, thanks," whilst appetite prompted "Yes, please." To sitwith e
mpty plate, and see others feast on bread and marmalade is noslight trial when one is fifteen and a-hungred, but no one urged Rhodato change her mind, or thought it possible to succeed where the HeadGirl failed.
There were no regular lessons during the morning, but a great deal ofconfusing moving to and fro from one class-room to another, to go overpreliminary arrangements, and receive instructions from the mistresses.Sometimes the new girls were ignored altogether, and then they feltworms, and ready to sink through the earth; sometimes they werequestioned as to their attainments, and then the very walls seemed tohave ears, and their replies echoed through a deadly silence. Dorothyattained a fair level throughout, and reaped neither praise nor blame,but Rhoda knew alternate rapture and despair, as Mademoiselle andFraulein beamed approval, and the "class-mistress" put up her eye-glasses and regarded her as one might regard a wild animal at the Zoo,upon hearing that she had "done" no Latin or mathematics.
"You will not do much good at this school without them," she said,severely. "They are the most important subjects. I advise you to giveall the time you can spare to working them up, and to get, if possible,some coaching during the holidays. That is, of course, if you wish toexcel."
If she wished to excel! _If_, indeed! Did any one suppose for a momentthat Rhoda Chester would be content to remain among the rank and file?Did they think that she could continue to be ignored, and live! Tenthousand times no! "A day would come!" as Disraeli had said. Theythought just now that she was nobody, but in time to come the schoolwould know her name, would be proud of it, would boast of it to otherschools. Rhoda reared her head and smiled complacently, and the class-mistress noted the action, and made a mental note that the new pupilmust be "kept down."
The morning seemed very long, but it came to an end at last with ablessed ten minutes "off" before preparing for dinner. The other girlshurried to their cubicles, but Rhoda waylaid Miss Everett in thecorridor, and appealed to her in breathless eagerness.
"You said I was to come to you in any difficulty... I want to know ifit is necessary for me to wear my hair like this? I never do it athome, and I'm sure my mother wouldn't like it. Is it really the rule?"
"I'm afraid it is," said Miss Everett kindly. "You don't like it, eh?Well, I don't wonder! I shouldn't myself, in your place; but you see,dear, bending over desks, and running about at games, loose hair gets inthe way, and cannot possibly be kept tidy. It seems an arbitrary rule,but there's reason in it, as there is in all the rules if you think themout, and it doesn't apply to every day. On Thursday evening we have`Frolics,' and then you can wear it loose, and put on your prettiestthings. There is always something going on--concerts, dances, ortheatricals--and Miss Bruce likes the girls to look bonnie and festive.On Sundays, too, you can go back to your mop if you choose. I hope youwill, for I like to see it. I have a little sister with hair just likeyours."
She laid her hand affectionately on the curly head, and the touch ofkindliness acted as balm to Rhoda's sore heart. Her eyes glistened withunshed tears, and she said huskily:
"I'll do anything _you_ tell me. I won't mind; but that Thomasina--she's hateful! I can't stand being ordered about by a girl of my ownage."
"Ah-h!" cried Miss Everett, and sighed as at the recurrence of a well-known trouble. "Well, you know, Rhoda, you must get over that feeling,and conform to the rules of the school. Thomasina is a great help tome, and makes a capital `head girl.' You see, dear, I have no time tolook after these details. The girls think that they are busy, but longafter they are asleep at night I am slaving away correcting exercises.Oh such piles of books! it makes me tired even to see them. I'll dowhat I can for you, but you mustn't expect too much; and after all, in aweek or ten days you will have mastered the rules, and the difficultywill be over. You wouldn't make a fuss for one week, would you? Stay!There is one thing I _can_ tell you now, and that is that you won't beallowed to wear those slippers any longer. I'll give you an order, andyou can go downstairs to the bureau and get a pair of school shoes likethe other girls wear."
Rhoda gasped with dismay.
"What! Those frightful things with square toes and no heels! Thoseawful tubs that Thomasina waddles about in!"
Miss Everett laughed gaily. She was only a girl herself, and she cast aquick glance up and down the corridor to see if any one were comingbefore she drew aside her skirt to exhibit her own flat feet.
"They _are_ awful! I love pretty shoes, too; and the first time I worethese I--I _cried_! I was very home-sick, you see, and nervous andanxious about my work, and it seemed the last straw. Never mind! it'sonly a little thing, and on Thursday you shall wear your very best pairand I'll wear mine, and we'll compare notes and see which is theprettier."
To say that Rhoda adored her is to state the matter feebly. She couldhave knelt down in the passage and kissed the ugly little feet; shecould have done homage before this young mistress as before a saint;when the light streamed out of a window and rested on her head, itseemed to take the form of a halo!
She went meekly downstairs, procured the shoes, and carried them intoDorothy's cubicle, to display before the eyes of that horrified youngwoman.
"There! We've got to wear those, too! It's the rule. Miss Everetttold me, and gave me an order to get them. You had better ask her forone before Thomasina gets a chance."
Dorothy looked at her solemnly, and measured the slipper against her ownneat shoe; then she took off the latter and held the two side by side.One was arched and slim, the other flat and square; one had French heelsand little sparkling buckles, the other was of dull leather, unrelievedby any trace of ornament.
"Here's deggeradation!" she sighed hopelessly. "Here's deggeradation!"