Читать книгу Schooldays at the Abbey - Elsie Jeanette Dunkerley - Страница 6

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A small figure passed down the aisle between the seats, a pile of programmes in her hand. She found the headmistress, and delivered her message.

“Miss Anskell thought you might be short, so she sent these, Miss Macey.”

“Thank her for me, Jen. We’ll be glad of them. Did you enjoy the crowning?”

“Oh, yes, Miss Macey! Doesn’t Joan look simply topping?”

Miss Macey laughed. “She looks very dignified—and, of course, very pretty. The girls have chosen well. One moment, Jen! Somebody would like to speak to you.”

“To me?” Jen’s blue eyes widened and she pushed back her yellow plaits, looking puzzled. “But I don’t know anybody here, Miss Macey!”

Miss Macey was looking round for her Australian guests. “No. They don’t know you. It’s because of your name. Come up here, Jen.”

Janice slipped out of her place, as the headmistress came up the steps to the doorway beside her seat.

“How fearfully kind of you to remember! I’m here, Miss Macey. May I talk to her?”

Miss Macey smiled and nodded, and went to speak to another of her guests.

“Because of my name?” Jen was saying, in a startled tone.

“That’s the idea. You’re called Janet, aren’t you?”

The blue eyes flashed a laughing look at her. “Not if I can help it!”

“No, but it’s your name. My mother was Janet, but they changed me into Janice, or Jandy for short!”

“Oh, that’s pretty! The boys at home call me just Jen. But why does it matter about my name?”

“It doesn’t matter; it was only an idea. I saw you this morning, when I asked Miss Macey to let me come to-night, and she said you were called Janet, and I thought——”

“But I’m not! I’m never called Janet!”

Janice laughed. “I thought I’d like a Janet—or a Jen, if you like!—to be the first English schoolgirl I spoke to. You girls all look so jolly, but I’ve never had a chance to speak to one before.”

Jen’s eyes were wide. “Where have you been?”

“In Australia, all my life. I’ve only been in England for three days.”

“Oh!—I say! How simply topping for you to see Joan crowned! Wasn’t it thrilling?”

“How lovely of you to understand!” Janice exclaimed, deeply impressed by the sympathy from somebody so young. “It’s the very most English thing I could have seen, I suppose.”

“That’s what I mean. Country dances, and a May Queen and a maypole; isn’t it all marvellous?”

“It’s a tremendous bit of luck for us to come in for it. I saw you hanging over the gallery.”

“I loved it. I’m going to join the club and learn to dance. Nesta and Molly have been telling me all about it. I ought to go back; they’ll be thinking I’m lost. I’ll wave my hand to you, shall I? Where do you sit? Is your mother here too?”

“I haven’t a mother; or a father. But I’ve a very jolly aunt, and she’s sitting just along here.”

“Oh!” Jen’s bright face sobered. “I’m sorry you haven’t—I’ve got everything, you see, except sisters. I’ll have to adopt some of the girls!”

“I should begin with the last two queens.”

“I’d love to, but I’m afraid they’re too old. I’m only thirteen; it will have to be somebody in my own form. There must be the right person somewhere! But they’ve all got their chums, of course. I’m new; did Miss Macey tell you? I’m not a real proper English schoolgirl yet; I only came yesterday.”

“You’re the first I’ve spoken to, all the same. I hope you’ll soon find the right person. Wave to me and I’ll wave back,” Janice promised.

Jen raced away, with flying pigtails, and Janice laughed and returned to her place.

“Such a jolly kiddy, Aunty! But what’s happening? What are they going to do now?”

The character of the dances had changed, and the floor was no longer filled with a moving crowd of every colour, at one moment in rings or stars, the next in long lines or swinging in couples, skipping or running or slipping round in circles. Many of the girls were sitting on the floor, panting and fanning themselves; the few dancers left were in groups of six; they waved white handkerchiefs as they danced, and on their white legs were bands of little bells, which jingled as they leapt.

“This is something new,” Janice murmured, fascinated.

“Or very old,” said Mrs. Bayne, laughing. “It’s a morris dance. The others were country or maypole dances.”

“It looks very hard work,” said Miss Fraser, as “Laudnum Bunches” ended in a ring and a wild shout. “I wonder they have any breath left.”

“They’re going to do a stick dance now,” Mrs. Bayne remarked, as the dancers threw their handkerchiefs to friends resting near them on the floor, and took small white sticks which some girls were holding ready for them.

“It’s called ‘Hunting the Squirrel,’ ” Janice said, looking at her programme. “Oh, how pretty! I like the way they bow to their partners!”

“All the queens are dancers, of course,” Mrs. Bayne said. “At an ordinary meeting of the club they and their maids would be taking part; on State occasions like this, the club’s best dancers are sitting on the platform. You ought to see Joan and Joy Shirley do their minuet, or Miriam Honor and Cicely Hobart—those are the white and gold queens—dance ‘Princess Royal.’ But they couldn’t do morris jigs in their trains and crowns!” And she laughed.

“I wish they’d take them off for ten minutes, and dance to us!” Janice said fervently.

“They won’t do that to-night. These morris dances are strenuous; they’ll go back to country dances presently. But first those who have been sitting out are going to sing.”

When the morris dancers dropped on the floor to rest, after “Trunkles” and “The Blue-Eyed Stranger” and “Bean Setting” had tired them out for the moment, the rest of the club began to sing, sitting where they were, led by the violin. The folk-songs were new to the guests from overseas, but the tunes had a haunting quality, a strange note which had been in many of the dances also, and Janice found herself tormented all next day by half-finished phrases and curious little bits of airs which did not seem to end. The girls sang “William Taylor” and “Lord Rendal” and “Whistle, daughter, whistle!” and then “Come, Lasses and Lads” as a lively finish.

The country-dancing began again, and Janice, after watching enthralled the movements of “Goddesses,” remembered to look up into the gallery for her small friend. She waved her hand and received an excited greeting in reply, as Jen hung over the railing, clapping enthusiastically, her plaits bobbing as she turned to ask questions of her companion.

“Janet-Jen has had a marvellous time, and so have we!” Janice sighed, as the last dance began, the dancers in several big rings all centred around the maypole. “Oh, I do like this! What a topping way to end! That’s one of the very best of the whole lot!”

Reluctantly she helped Miss Fraser into her coat and pulled on her own. The hall was full of excited girls; those from the gallery had come racing down during the last figure of “Sellenger’s Round,” and were now on the floor, crowding up to the dais among the dancers, giving three last cheers for the queens.

“We ought to thank Miss Macey for her kindness, but she is far too busy. I’ll write a note in the morning,” said Miss Fraser, and she turned to thank Mrs. Bayne for her help and information.

Janice stood watching the scene. The queens were coming down at last, to talk to their friends, and each was the centre of an excited crowd. A great longing woke in Jandy’s heart.

“I’m sorry I’ve left school. I’d have liked a little while longer. I wish I could have been part of all this, just for a term or two!”

Miss Macey had not forgotten them. She was at the door as they made their way out. No need to ask if Janice had enjoyed the evening! Her shining eyes told their story. Miss Macey noted the wistful look, as she bade them good-night, cutting short Miss Fraser’s shy thanks.

“I would have liked to introduce our queens to you. But you see how it is!” she said, with a laughing glance at the uproarious crowd that filled the hall. “It would be difficult to extricate them at present. I’m so glad you were able to be with us! You won’t forget our May Festival when you go home, will you?”

“I’ll never forget it—never! Thank you more than I can say,” Janice burst out impetuously. “I shall dream of those dances, and the songs, and the tunes.”