A College Girl by Mrs George de Horne Vaizey (reading in the dark .TXT) š
- Author: Mrs George de Horne Vaizey
- Performer: -
Book online Ā«A College Girl by Mrs George de Horne Vaizey (reading in the dark .TXT) šĀ». Author Mrs George de Horne Vaizey
āBetter to die by sudden shock,
Than perish piecemeal on the rock!ā
The old couplet which as a child she had been used to quote darted back into her mind with a torturing pang. How much longer of this agony could she stand? Anything, anything would be better than this dragging on in suspense, hour after hour. But when once again the little party approached the Senate House, she experienced a swift change of front. No, no, this was not suspense; it was hope! Hope was blessed and kindly. Only certainty was to be dreaded, the grim, unalterable fact.
The little crowd of girls pressed forward to read the lists. Darsie peered with the rest, but saw nothing but a mist and blur. Then a voice spoke loudly by her side; Hannahās voice:
āFirst Class! Hurrah!ā
Whom did she mean? Darsieās heart soared upward with a dizzy hope, her eyes cleared and flashed over the list of names. Hannah VernonāMary BatesāEva Murrayāmany names, but not her own.
The mist and the blur hid the list once more, she felt an arm grip her elbow, and Danās voice cried cheerilyā
āA Second Class! Good for you, Darsie! I thought you were going to fail.ā
It was a relief. Not a triumph; not the proud, glad moment of which she had dreamed, but a relief from a great dread. The girls congratulated her, wrung her hand, cried, āWell done!ā and wished her luck; third-class girls looked envious and subdued; first-class girls in other āshopsā whispered in her ear that it was an acknowledged fact that Modern Languages had had an uncommonly stiff time this year. Modern Languages who had themselves gained a first class, kept discreetly out of the way. Hannah said, āSee, I was right! Are you satisfied now?ā No one showed any sign of disappointment. Perhaps no one but herself had believed in the possibility of a first class.
The last band of students turned away from the gates with a strange reluctance. It was the last, the very last incident of the dear old lifeāthe happiest years of life which they had ever known, the years which from this moment would exist but as a memory. Even the most successful felt a pang mingling with their joy, as they turned their backs on the gates and walked quietly away.
Later that afternoon Dan and Darsie found themselves strolling across the meadows towards Grantchester. They were alone, for, the picnic having fallen through, Mr and Mrs Vernon had elected to rest after the dayās excitement, and Hannah had settled herself down to the writing of endless letters to relations and friends, bearing the good news of the double honours.
Darsieās few notes had been quickly accomplished, and had been more apologetic than jubilant in tone, but she honestly tried to put her own feelings in the background, and enter into Danās happiness as he confided to her his plans for the future.
āIām thankful Iāve come through all rightāit means so much. Iām a lucky fellow, Darsie. Iāve got a rattling opening, at the finest of the public schools, the school Iād have chosen above all others. Jenson got a mastership there two years agoāmy old coach, you remember! He was always good to me, thought more of me than I deserved, and he spoke of me to the Head. Thereās a vacancy for a junior master next term. They wrote to me about it. It was left open till the lists came out, but now! now it will go through. Iām safe for it now.ā
āOh, Dan, Iām so glad; Iām so glad for you! Youāve worked so hard that you deserve your reward. A mastership, and time to writeāthatās your ambition still? You are still thinking of your book?ā
āAh, my book!ā Danās dark eyes lightened, his rugged face shone. It was easy to see how deeply that book of the future had entered into his lifeās plans. He discussed it eagerly as they strolled across the fields, pointing out the respects in which it differed from other treatises of the kind; and Darsie listened, and sympathised, appreciated to the extent of her abilities, and hated herself because, the more absorbed and eager Dan grew, the more lonely and dejected became her own mood. Then they talked of Hannah and her future. With so good a record she would have little difficulty in obtaining her ambition in a post as mathematical mistress at a girlsā school. It would be hard on Mrs Vernon to lose the society of both her daughters, but she was wise enough to realise that Hannahās metier was not for a domestic life, and unselfish enough to wish her girls to choose the most congenial rĆ“les.
āAnd my mother will still have three at home, three big, incompetent girls!ā sighed Darsie in reply, and her heart swelled with a sudden spasm of rebellion. āOh, Dan, after all my dreams! Iām so bitterly disappointed. Poor little second-class me!ā
āDonāt, Darsie!ā cried Dan sharply. He stood still, facing her in the narrow path, but now the glow had gone from his face; it was twisted with lines of pain and anxiety. āDarsie! itās the day of my life, but itās all going to fall to pieces if you are sad! Youāve done your best, and youāve done well, and if you are a bit disappointed that youāve failed for a first yourself, canāt youācanāt you take any comfort out of mine? Itās more than half your own. Iād never have got there by myself!ā
āDan, dear, youāre talking nonsense! What nonsense you talk! What have I done? What could I do for a giant like you?ā
Dan brushed aside the word with a wave of the hand.
āDo you remember when we were talking last year, beside the fire, in the old study one afternoon, when all the others were out, talking about poor Percival, and your answer to a question I asked? āHe needs me, Dan!ā you said. I argued very loftily about the necessity of a man standing alone and facing his difficulties by himself, and you said that was true, but only a part of the truth. Iāve found that out for myself since then. If that was true of Percival, it is fifty times truer of me! I need you, Darsie! I shall always need you. Iāve not a penny-piece in the world, except what my father allows me. I shall probably always be poor. For years to come I shall be grinding away as a junior master. Even when the book is written it can never bring much return in a monetary sense, but success will come in the end, Iāll make it come! And when it does, it will belong to you as much as to me. Youāll remember that?ā
āYes... Thank you, Dan!ā The answer came in a breathless gasp. Darsieās big eyes were fixed upon Danās face in rapt, incredulous gaze. The cramp of loneliness had loosened from her heart; the depression had vanished; a marvellous new interest had entered into her life; she was filled with a beatific content.
āIāll remember! Iāll be proud to remember. ButāI donāt understand!ā
āI donāt understand myself,ā said Dan simply. āI only know it is true. So donāt get low, Darsie, and donāt be discouraged. Youāre in a class by yourself, and all the honours in the world couldnāt improve you. And now thatās over, and we start afresh!ā
It was like Dan to hurry back with all speed to more practical talk. Darsie understood, and was satisfied. They stood together for another moment looking back on the massed towers and spires of Cambridge, then slowly, reluctantly, turned away.
A new life lay ahead, its outline vague and undefined like that of the landscape around, but the sun was shining. It shone full on their young faces, as they went forward, hand in hand.
The End.End of Project Gutenberg's A College Girl, by Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A COLLEGE GIRL ***
***** This file should be named 21110-h.htm or 21110-h.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/1/1/21110/
Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England
Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.
Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is
subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
redistribution.
*** START: FULL LICENSE ***
THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
http://gutenberg.org/license).
Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works
1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See
paragraph 1.C below. There
Comments (0)