ain by the purple-clothed lacly and
pushed into the same room as I had been before. Again I was herded off
(after about five minutes), needless to say by the purple-robed woman,
and shoved into a waiting-room."

Lalage's patience must by this time have been wearing thin. It is
noticeable that the "lady" had become a mere "woman" in the last
sentence.

"There I stayed twenty minutes, a long twenty minutes, and lo! there
came the purple-dressed woman unto me and bore me away to be examined.
She slung me at the mercy of a mistress who gave me a desk (with a chair
clamped to the ground) paper, pen and examination papers. Could you
answer the following: Who succeeded (a) Stephen, (b) John, (c) Edward
III? I said to the old Pet, 'This is all rotten.' (By the way, I had
been sent off to her when I had done.) And she replied, 'Oh, that's not
at all a nice word for a young lady to use. We can't have that here.'
She's rather an ass.

"I was made to feel exactly like Lady Macbeth to-day at algebra. When
Miss Campbell turned her back, another girl dared me to put my pen
in Miss Campbell's red ink. (This is strictly against the law.) So
of course I did. But instead of mopping it straight off like a fool I
displayed it with pride. Consequently it fell all over my hands. Miss
Campbell was just coming up so I had to hide them murmuring 'Out, damned
spot!' etc. Luckily she didn't see, for she's just the sort that would
report you like a shot."

"The names of suburban houses are awfully funny."

This entry evidently followed one of Lalage's first outings. I felt
acutely the contrast between the pleasant chestnut tree, the fragrant
sty, and the paved footways along which she is now condemned to tramp.

"An awful, staring, backgardenly looking house, with muslin curtains,
frilly and a jumpy looking pattern on the side is called 'Sans Souci!'
One ass calls his stable Cliftonville, although I bet he's never seen
Clifton. Ardenbough and Honeysuckle Arbour are common.

"To-day we heard a frightful row in the corridor, laughing, talking,
and trampling. Miss Campbell half rose and said: 'I must put a stop to
this.' Before she could, the door was flung open and in bounced--the old
Pet and three visitors! After a moment's conversation with Miss Campbell
she retired, banging the door in a way she'd expel any one else for.

"This letter _is_ lasting on. Hilda gets sixpence every time she is
top, threepence second, and twopence third, but do