She quoted it most impressively.” 96
“She didn’t go on to the verse about getting married while you’d the chance, though!” chuckled Ardiune.
“No, my child. Such a subject as matrimony is not supposed to be a fitting topic for a ladies’ school. Gibbie always gracefully shelves it. But you’re side-tracking, and I want to get back to my point. I was talking of opportunities, and never in the whole of our school-days shall we get such another as next Thursday. How are we going to make use of it? I vote for a beano in our dormitory.”
“What’s a ‘beano’?” demanded Fauvette’s plaintive voice. “You’re always saying things I don’t understand.”
“You’re young, child!” returned Raymonde indulgently, “and you can’t be expected to know everything. A beano is a bean-feast. Now don’t look alarmed! We’re not going to eat beans; we’ll have something far more appetizing—sardines, and tinned peaches, and biscuits, and anything else we can get. If the Bumble and the Wasp gad off to enjoy themselves, why shouldn’t we make a night of it too?”
“How about those kids?”
“They’ll join in. It shall be an affair for the whole dormitory. We’ll share the treat, for once!”
“You won’t get the monitresses to join,” interposed Katherine dubiously.
“Shan’t ask them! I’ve settled all that in my mind. You know the big oak door across the passage that leads to their rooms? Well, I’m going to fasten it after they’ve gone to bed, and lock them up in their own quarters.” 97
“That would be all right, old sport, if there were a key, but there isn’t.”