True Friend A Novel , livre ebook

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168 pages

English

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pubOne.info thank you for your continued support and wish to present you this new edition. Janetta was the music governess - a brown little thing of no particular importance, and Margaret Adair was a beauty and an heiress, and the only daughter of people who thought themselves very distinguished indeed; so that the two had not, you might think, very much in common, and were not likely to be attracted one to the other. Yet, in spite of differing circumstances, they were close friends and allies; and had been such ever since they were together at the same fashionable school where Miss Adair was the petted favorite of all, and Janetta Colwyn was the pupil-teacher in the shabbiest of frocks, who got all the snubbing and did most of the hard work. And great offence was given in several directions by Miss Adair's attachment to poor little Janetta. It is an unsuitable friendship, Miss Polehampton, the principal of the school, observed on more than one occasion, and I am sure I do not know how Lady Caroline will like it.

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Publié par	Pub One Info
Date de parution	23 octobre 2010
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9782819913269
Langue	English

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CHAPTER I.
AN UNSUITABLE FRIENDSHIP.
Janetta was the music governess – a brown littlething of no particular importance, and Margaret Adair was a beautyand an heiress, and the only daughter of people who thoughtthemselves very distinguished indeed; so that the two had not, youmight think, very much in common, and were not likely to beattracted one to the other. Yet, in spite of differingcircumstances, they were close friends and allies; and had beensuch ever since they were together at the same fashionable schoolwhere Miss Adair was the petted favorite of all, and Janetta Colwynwas the pupil-teacher in the shabbiest of frocks, who got all thesnubbing and did most of the hard work. And great offence was givenin several directions by Miss Adair's attachment to poor littleJanetta. "It is an unsuitable friendship," Miss Polehampton, theprincipal of the school, observed on more than one occasion, "and Iam sure I do not know how Lady Caroline will like it."
Lady Caroline was, of course, Margaret Adair'smamma.
Miss Polehampton felt her responsibility so keenlyin the matter that at last she resolved to speak "very seriously"to her dear Margaret. She always talked of "her dear Margaret,"Janetta used to say, when she was going to make herselfparticularly disagreeable. For "her dear Margaret" was the petpupil, the show pupil of the establishment: her air of perfectbreeding gave distinction, Miss Polehampton thought, to the wholeschool; and her refinement, her exemplary behavior, her industry,and her talent formed the theme of many a lecture to lessaccomplished and less decorous pupils. For, contrary to allconventional expectations, Margaret Adair was not stupid, althoughshe was beautiful and well-behaved. She was an exceedinglyintelligent girl; she had an aptitude for several arts andaccomplishments, and she was remarkable for the delicacy of hertaste and the exquisite discrimination of which she sometimesshowed herself capable. At the same time she was not as clever –("not as glaringly clever," a friend of hers once expressedit) – as little Janetta Colwyn, whose nimble wits gatheredknowledge as a bee collects honey under the most unfavorablecircumstances. Janetta had to learn her lessons when the othergirls had gone to bed, in a little room under the roof; a roomwhich was like an ice-house in winter and an oven in summer; shewas never able to be in time for her classes, and she often missedthem altogether; but, in spite of these disadvantages, shegenerally proved herself the most advanced pupil in her division,and if pupil-teachers had been allowed to take prizes, would havecarried off every first prize in the school. This, to be sure, wasnot allowed. It would not have been "the thing" for the littlegoverness-pupil to take away the prizes from the girls whoseparents paid between two and three hundred a year for their tuition(the fees were high, because Miss Polehampton's school was soexceedingly fashionable); therefore, Janetta's marks were notcounted, and her exercises were put aside and did not come intocompetition with those of the other girls, and it was generallyunderstood amongst the teachers that, if you wished to stand wellwith Miss Polehampton, it would be better not to praise MissColwyn, but rather to put forward the merits of some charming LadyMary or Honorable Adeliza, and leave Janetta in the obscurity fromwhich (according to Miss Polehampton) she was fated never toemerge.
Unfortunately for the purposes of the mistress ofthe school, Janetta was rather a favorite with the girls. She wasnot adored, like Margaret; she was not looked up to and respected,as was the Honorable Edith Gore; she was nobody's pet, as thelittle Ladies Blanche and Rose Amberley had been ever since theyset foot in the school; but she was everybody's friend and comrade,the recipient of everybody's confidences, the sharer in everybody'sjoys or woes. The fact was that Janetta had the inestimable gift ofsympathy; she understood the difficulties of people around herbetter than many women of twice her age would have done; and shewas so bright and sunny-tempered and quick-witted that her verypresence in a room was enough to dispel gloom and ill-temper. Shewas, therefore, deservedly popular, and did more to keep up thecharacter of Miss Polehampton's school for comfort and cheerfulnessthan Miss Polehampton herself was ever likely to be aware. And thegirl most devoted to Janetta was Margaret Adair. "Remain for a fewmoments, Margaret; I wish to speak to you," said Miss Polehampton,majestically, when one evening, directly after prayers, the showpupil advanced to bid her teachers good-night.
The girls all sat round the room on wooden chairs,and Miss Polehampton occupied a high-backed, cushioned seat at acentre table while she read the portion of Scripture with which theday's work concluded. Near her sat the governesses, English, Frenchand German, with little Janetta bringing up the rear in thedraughtiest place and the most uncomfortable chair. After prayers,Miss Polehampton and the teachers rose, and their pupils came tobid them good-night, offering hand and cheek to each in turn. Therewas always a great deal of kissing to be got through on theseoccasions. Miss Polehampton blandly insisted on kissing all herthirty pupils every evening; it made them feel more as if they wereat home, she used to say; and her example was, of course, followedby the teachers and the girls.
Margaret Adair, as one of the oldest and tallestgirls in the school, generally came forward first for that eveningsalute. When Miss Polehampton made the observation just recorded,she stepped back to a position beside her teacher's chair in thedemure attitude of a well-behaved schoolgirl – hands crossed overthe wrists, feet in position, head and shoulders carefully erect,and eyes gently lowered towards the carpet. Thus standing, she wasyet perfectly well aware that Janetta Colwyn gave her an odd,impish little look of mingled fun and anxiety behind MissPolehampton's back; for it was generally known that a lecture wasimpending when one of the girls was detained after prayers, and itwas very unusual for Margaret to be lectured! Miss Adair did not,however, look discomposed. A momentary smile flitted across herface at Janetta's tiny grimace, but it was instantly succeeded bythe look of simple gravity becoming to the occasion.
When the last of the pupils and the last also of theteachers had filed out of the room, Miss Polehampton turned andsurveyed the waiting girl with some uncertainty. She was reallyfond of Margaret Adair. Not only did she bring credit to theschool, but she was a good, nice, lady-like girl (such were MissPolehampton's epithets), and very fair to look upon. Margaret wastall, slender, and exceedingly graceful in her movements; she wasdelicately fair, and had hair of the silkiest texture and palestgold; her eyes, however, were not blue, as one would have expectedthem to be; they were hazel brown, and veiled by long brown lashes– eyes of melting softness and dreaminess, peculiarly sweet inexpression. Her features were a very little too long and thin forperfect beauty; but they gave her a Madonna-like look of peace andcalm which many were ready enthusiastically to admire. And therewas no want of expression in her face; its faint rose bloom variedalmost at a word, and the thin curved lips were as sensitive tofeeling as could be desired. What was wanting in the face was whatgave it its peculiar maidenly charm – a lack of passion, a littlelack, perhaps, of strength. But at seventeen we look less for thesecharacteristics than for the sweetness and docility which Margaretcertainly possessed. Her dress of soft, white muslin was quitesimple – the ideal dress for a young girl – and yet it was sobeautifully made, so perfectly finished in every detail, that MissPolehampton never looked at it without an uneasy feeling that shewas too well-dressed for a schoolgirl. Others wore muslindresses of apparently the same cut and texture; but what the casualeye might fail to observe, the schoolmistress was perfectly wellaware of, namely, that the tiny frills at neck and wrists were ofthe costliest Mechlin lace, that the hem of the dress was borderedwith the same material, as if it had been the commonest of things;that the embroidered white ribbons with which it was trimmed hadbeen woven in France especially for Miss Adair, and that the littlesilver buckles at her waist and on her shoes were so ancient andbeautiful as to be of almost historic importance. The effect wasthat of simplicity; but it was the costly simplicity of absoluteperfection. Margaret's mother was never content unless her childwas clothed from head to foot in materials of the softest, finestand best. It was a sort of outward symbol of what she desired forthe girl in all relations of life.
This it was that disturbed Miss Polehampton's mindas she stood and looked uneasily for a moment at Margaret Adair.Then she took the girl by the hand. "Sit down, my dear," she said,in a kind voice, "and let me talk to you for a few moments. I hopeyou are not tired with standing so long." "Oh, no, thank you; notat all," Margaret answered, blushing slightly as she took a seat atMiss Polehampton's left hand. She was more intimidated by thisunwonted kindness of address than by any imaginable severity. Theschoolmistress was tall and imposing in appearance: her manner wasusually a little pompous, and it did not seem quite natural toMargaret that she should speak so gently. "My dear," said MissPolehampton, "when your dear mamma gave you into my charge, I amsure she considered me responsible for the influences under whichyou were brought, and the friendships that you made under my roof.""Mamma knew that I could not be hurt by any friendship that I made here ," said Margaret, with the softest flattery. She wasquite sincere: it was natural to her to say "pretty things" topeople. "Quite so," the schoolmistress admitted. "Quite so, dearMargaret,