human
It strikes me, said Noreen,
gpt
P'r'aps an air-raid bomb fell near him,
human
Egg! A bomb took most of my Granny's bed-room wall out one night, and she didn't turn a hair. English people don't.
gpt
P'r'aps he's Belgian. He didn't seem quite English somehow.
human
Well, if you meet him casually drop into French, and see how he takes it.
gpt
Drop into French yourself, urged Joey;
human
There! Listen to her, Gabrielle! Ever know anything so cheeky?--and I'm nearly a year older,
gpt
Oh, don't rag, you two. I want to think about the Professor. I wonder whether Miss Conyngham knows quite how--how cranky he is? He quite frightened a lot of the babies who were playing about near the door of the Lab, the other day, Rosie told me. He simply yelled at them, and no one ought to do that with babies. It wasn't as though they were trying to go in, or anything of that sort.
human
I believe it's an evil conscience he's got, urged Noreen, with relish.
gpt
Why should he go for the babies otherwise? There's no sense in it.
human
Unless it's like our war-strainy visitor and Bingo's trumpet, Joey said.
gpt
But she didn't go for him--she only asked frightfully nicely if he would mind blowing it farther off. The Professor _is_ a pig to the kids; I've noticed it. Do you know Tiddles will never play that side of the house at all?
human
He hasn't gone and frightened poor little Tiddles, has he?
gpt
I don't know. I never asked. But she can't bear him, Joey said.
human
She won't come round that way, even with me.
gpt
Well, that settles it. Of course, one can't go sneaking of him to Miss Conyngham when it may be war-strain, but I shall ask the Professor myself if he will mind being careful where the babies are concerned, poor little things.
human
You won't? Why, he'll be furious.
gpt
It's my job to look after things like that, Gabrielle said firmly.
human
It's the choice between pointing out quietly to him that babies mustn't be frightened, and telling Miss Conyngham what he's been doing--and I'm Head of the Lower. And nobody tells about unfairness and things like that at Coll; you just bear them, or alter them for yourself.
gpt
Well, you're a sport, Gabrielle, Noreen remarked admiringly.
human
Of course I shall put it quite politely, Gabrielle told them.
gpt
Just say I am sure he would be most disturbed if he knew that he frightened the babies, and so on. I don't suppose he does it on purpose.
human
I do, Noreen said stubbornly.
gpt
Don't you, Joey?
human
Haven't seen enough of him--but I do think he's a terror,
gpt
You'll have to buck up over your maths now, Joey, Gabrielle remarked.
human
She'll be so frightfully keen to see you go top, if she's a friend of yours.
gpt
Joey is rather brainy over them, Noreen remarked kindly.
human
I sometimes fear she's going to turn into a swot after all.
gpt
I'm not. I've been in quite as many rows for talking in maths class as you, anyhow,
human
Well, nobody talks when Miss Craigie takes maths, Gabrielle said, and Noreen agreed a trifle ruefully.
gpt
No, that's a true bill. You're a frightfully strenuous crowd in Scotland, Joey. Glad I wasn't born there.
human
It's really rather funny we three should be friends, Joey remarked.
gpt
Gabrielle English, Noreen Irish, and I Scotch.
human
We ought to make a pretty good alliance, don't you think?
gpt
The three Musketeers, suggested Noreen.
human
Let's stick together like they did--and I only wish we could go in for as many rows!
gpt
That's her!