human
Martha, she said,
gpt
I have such a lot to talk over! What did you think of last night?
human
I thought it splendid,
gpt
And Betty--what did you think of Betty?
human
Your cousin? She is very dramatic,
gpt
Yes, that is it, replied Fanny;
human
Fanny!
gpt
Oh, dear old Martha, don't be so frightfully prim! I don't intend to break Rule No. I. Of course I love Betty. As a matter of fact, I have loved her before any of you set eyes on her. She is my very own cousin, and but for father's strong influence would never have been at this school at all. Still, I repeat that she is dramatic and hardly ever herself.
human
She puzzles me, I confess, said Martha, a little dubiously;
gpt
she added,
human
I can't help yielding to her charm.
gpt
That is it, said Fanny--
human
Well, I see nothing wrong about it.
gpt
For instance, said Fanny, pressing a little closer to her companion,
human
I thought Sibyl looked rather pretty.
gpt
When she entered the room, Martha?
human
Oh no; she was quite hideous then, poor little thing! But Betty soon put that all right; she had very deft fingers.
gpt
I know, said Fanny.
human
But what I want to have explained is this: why Betty, a girl who is more or less worshiped by half the girls in the school, should trouble herself with such a very unimportant person as Sibyl Ray, I want to know. Can you tell me?
gpt
Even if I could tell you, remembering Rule No. I., I don't think I would,
human
I don't see, she remarked,
gpt
I will, Fanny Crawford. What in the world are you accusing me of?
human
Of keeping something back from me which, as a member of the Specialities, you have no right whatever to do.
gpt
I am going to look over my German lesson, she said.
human
Fräulein will want me almost immediately.
gpt
I will find out, thought Fanny,
human
Why have you come in?
gpt
It's so bitterly cold out, Fanny.
human
Well, sit down now you are in. You are a nice little thing, you know, Sib, although at present you are very unimportant. You know that, of course?
gpt
Yes, said Sibyl;
human
I am told it nearly every hour of the day. She spoke in a wistful tone.
gpt
Sometimes, she added,
human
I could almost wish I were back in the lower school, where I was looked up to by the smaller girls and had a right good time.
gpt
We can never go back, Sib; that is the law of life.
human
Of course not.
gpt
Well, sit down and talk to me. Now, I have something to say to you. Do you know that I am devoured with curiosity, and all about a small girl like yourself?
human
Oh Fanny, said Sibyl, immensely flattered,
gpt
I am glad you take an interest in me!
human
I must be frank, said Fanny.
gpt
Up to the present I have taken no special interest in you, except in so far as you are Martha's protégé; but when I saw you in that extraordinary dress last night I singled you out at once as a girl with original ideas. Do look me in the face, Sib!