That means sixty pounds a year. We are
poor at home, Miss Ravenscroft. My grandfather and grandmother are very
poor people; but my father was a gentleman, and my mother was a lady,
and their great longing in life was to have me well educated. My
grandparents can scarcely afford the expense of keeping me in this
school. I know I am a foundationer and my education is free; but there
are other small expenses that have to be met. Even for me to live at
home is almost more than they can compass. You can therefore imagine the
great and wonderful delight of being able to secure a scholarship of
sixty pounds a year. I could scarcely have managed it without this help.
It was noble of Cassandra to offer it, and I--I accepted it, Miss
Ravenscroft. After that, of course, I couldn't remain in Kathleen's
society, for Kathleen and Cassandra hate each other, and I couldn't be
one moment with one girl and another with the other; so I gave up the
society and joined Cassandra. But I can't now betray those who were my
friends. I have made up my mind; I can't."
"You have really made up your mind?"
"Quite--quite; indeed I cannot."
"Do you know what this means?"
"I can guess."
"We shall be obliged to call a meeting of the governors. You will be had
up before them. If you still persist in keeping your knowledge to
yourself they will be obliged to strike your name off the school roll.
You will not then be able to get the Ayldice Scholarship.
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