“I’ve nothing at all to say except that I won’t compete. Please, please, let me go. The room is so—so hot—I—think I’ll faint.”
“I will see you again after a time, Sophy.” Mrs. Fleming opened the door herself for the girl, who slipped out as though she were beaten.
“I’m glad of this,” said Kitty.
“Glad! What do you mean?”
“I suppose, Mrs. Fleming, you don’t wish me to be a tell-tale? Please may we go? This has been a very unpleasant scene.”
Mrs. Fleming said, in a haughty voice, “You can go, girls, and—if you see Miss Archdale, send her to me immediately.”
Sophia flew to Hannah’s side; Hannah was busily employed mending the little girl’s old cashmere frock. She was a very neat worker, having been taught by her careful mother. She looked up with a start of extreme surprise when she saw Sophia. Sophia flung herself on her knees by her, put her head into her lap, and burst into a passion of weeping.
“Oh Hannah, Hannah, darling,” she said, “it—it was your frock did it; it—it saved me!”
Hannah turned a little pale. “What do you mean, Sophy?” she asked.
“Oh I can’t quite tell you everything. It was too awful; it was like—like the Judgment Seat. Oh Hannah, you couldn’t have borne it for a minute! Mrs. Fleming was so splendid, so—so like Jesus Christ somehow, so sorry for us and so longing for us to do what was right. I could hear it in her dear words and see it in her dear face, and how they ever held out, I—I cannot understand. Somehow, Hannah, all of a sudden my greatest fear left me. Oh I’m a sad, sad coward, and I’m just awfully afraid of Kitty; but nothing seemed worth while then but to do right. I thought of you, who really know nothing at all, and I thought of myself, and what I know. And—can you realise it, Hannah?—Mrs. Fleming, after she had spoken, oh so solemnly and so lovingly!—she got up and brought the Bible to us, and Kitty held the Bible in her hand and had to say she knew nothing; and the poor Dodds, they followed her example; but I—I couldn’t—I felt like a whipped cur, so mean and dreadful, but there was no help for it. I couldn’t tell, of course, but I could at least do what you are doing. I said I wouldn’t compete. I was asked, of course, to give a reason, and I said I had no reason that I could give. I am sure Mrs. Fleming suspects me awfully; but I don’t mind anything now; I don’t even mind Kitty. Of course she’ll try to frighten me to-night in the dormitory. You don’t know what she does when we don’t obey. She just covers her face with some stuff that makes it shine, and oh she makes us scream; but I—I don’t think I mind her. Anyhow, the other is worse—much worse. Don’t you think so, Hannah?”