Gender Readings. Top Ten. Ренц Т.Г - 17 стр.

they were too subdued to do anything else. Most of them were blowing
their noses.
       The corridors were silent and cold; they echoed to Miss Mead-
ows’ steps. The head mistress sat at her desk. For a moment she did
not look up. She was as usual disentangling her eyeglasses, which had
got caught in her lace tie. “Sit down, Miss Meadows,” she said very
kindly. And then she picked a pink envelope from the blotting-pad. “I
sent for you just now because this telegram has come for you.”
       “A telegram for me, Miss Wyatt?”
       Basil! He had committed suicide, decided Miss Meadows. Her
hand flew out, but Miss Wyatt held the telegram back moment. “I
hope it’s not bad news,” she said, no more than kindly. And Miss
Meadows tore it open.
       “Pay no attention to letter must have been mad bought hat-
stand today Basil,” she read. She couldn’t take her eyes off the
telegram.
       “I do hope it’s nothing very serious,” said Miss Wyatt, leaning
forward.
       “Oh, no, thank you, Miss Wyatt,” blushed Miss Meadows. “It’s
nothing bad at all. It’s” — and she gave an apologetic little laugh —
“it’s from my fiancè saying that... saying that —” There was a pause.
“I see,” said Miss Wyatt. And another pause. Then — “You’ve fifteen
minutes more of your class, Miss Meadows, haven’t you?”
       “Yes, Miss Wyatt.” She got up. She half ran towards the door.
       “Oh, just one minute, Miss Meadows,” said Miss Wyatt. “I must
say I don’t approve of my teachers having telegrams sent to them in
school hours, unless in case of very bad news as death,” explained
Miss Wyatt, “or a very serious accident or something to that effect.
Good news, Miss Meadows, will always keep, you know.”
       On the wings of hope, of love, of joy, Miss Meadows sped back
to the music hall, up the aisle, up the steps, over to the piano.
       “Page thirty-two, Mary,” she said, “page thirty-two,” picking
up the yellow chrysanthemum, she held it to her to hide her smile.
Then she turned to the girls, rapped with baton: “Page thirty-two,
girls. Page thirty-two.”
       We come here today with flowers o’erladen,
       With baskets of fruit and ribbons to boot,
       To-oo congratulate...


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