Having already irritated Alban Morris, unlucky Francine, by a second mischievous interposition of accident, had succeeded in making Emily smart next.
"Who has told you," she burst out; "I insist on knowing!" "Nobody has told me anything!" Francine declared piteously.
"Nobody has told you how I have been insulted ?" "No, indeed! Oh, Miss Brown, who could insult _you ?_" In a man, the sense of injury does sometimes submit to the discipline of silence.

In a woman--never.

Suddenly reminded of her past wrongs (by the pardonable error of a polite schoolfellow), Emily committed the startling inconsistency of appealing to the sympathies of Francine! "Would you believe it?
I have been forbidden to recite--I, the head girl of the school.

Oh, not to-day! It happened a month ago--when we were all in consultation, making our arrangements.

Miss Ladd asked me if I had decided on a piece to recite.