Free Second Form at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton Page B

asked.
    “No, you cannot,” said Mam'zelle, fiercely. “I am upset. My heart it beats so—and so—and so. But I tell you this—will choose what girl I wish for my plays. Ah-h-h-h!”
    And, making a noise like a dog again, Mam'zelle walked angrily from the room, leaving Matron quite stupefied. “Whatever is she talking about?” she asked Miss Potts.
    “Oh, she's had some sort of upset with the other Mam'zelle,” said Miss Potts, beginning to add up marks. “They get across one another at times, you know. But this appears to be more serious than usual. Well, they'll have to sort out their own tangles!”
    Mam'zelle Dupont and Mam'zelle Rougher took it in turns to train the girls in the two French plays. Mam'zelle Dupont put Daphne into the two principal parts each time she took the play, much to the girl's gratification. But, equally promptly, Mam'zelle Rougier relegated her to a minor part the next day and put Sally and Darrell into the principal ones. It was most muddling.
    Neither Mam'zelle would give way. The quarrel appeared to be deadly and serious. They looked the other way when they met. They never spoke to one another. The girls thought it was a great joke, but on the whole they took Mam'zelle Dupont's part, for they liked her much the better of the two. They did not approve of her choice of Daphne for the principal parts, but that couldn't be helped.
    Belinda, intrigued by the quarrel, did a masterly set of caricatures of Mam'zelle Rougier, taller and bonier than ever. She drew her with a dagger in her hand, stalking poor Mam'zelle Dupont. She drew her hiding behind a bush with a gun. She drew her pouring poison into a teacup to present to her enemy.
    The girls giggled over the pictures. Alicia was very struck by them. A wicked idea came into her head.
    “Belinda! Mam'zelle Dupont would adore these pictures! You know what a sense of humour she has. She ought to see them. Put them on her desk tomorrow afternoon, just before she takes French translation -and watch her face when she opens the book! “
    “I bet we shan't have any French translation tomorrow afternoon once she sees the pictures!” giggled Betty, and the others agreed.
    Belinda bound the pictures neatly into a book. She had put no name to them, but they were so cleverly drawn that anyone could see at once that they were meant to represent the two Mam'zelles. “I'll pop it on the desk just before the afternoon class,” she said. “And you can jolly well an of you do my prep for me tonight, to repay me for getting you off your French translation tomorrow!”
    Alicia whispered something to Betty. Betty looked startled and then grinned broadly. Alicia had just told her something interesting. It isn't Mam'zelle Dupont who's taking us tomorrow. It's Mam'zelle Rougier! Watch out for fireworks!”

A shock for the second form
    The book of drawings was placed on the classroom desk in good time. The girls stood in their places, excited, waiting for Mam'zelle to come. How she would roar at the pictures! How she would enjoy the joke against her enemy. Mam'zelle Rougier!
    Alicia was holding the door. It had been quite by chance that she had heard that the lesson was to be taken by Mam'zelle Rougier instead of Mam'zelle Dupont. She hugged herself secretly when she thought of the bombshell she had prepared. It would pay back Mam'zelle Rougier for many a sharp word she had given Alicia!
    Quick footsteps came down the passage. The girls stiffened. Somebody came in at the door and went to the desk—but it wasn't the Mam'zelle they bad been expecting. It was, of course, the other one. Mam'zelle Rougier seated herself and addressed the class.
    “ Asseyez vous, s’il vous plaît !”
    Some of the girls forgot to sit down, so overcome with horror were they to think that Mam'zelle Rougier was sitting there with that book of caricatures right under her nose. Mam'zelle rapped on her desk.
    “Are you deaf? Sit!”
    They sat. Belinda stared beseechingly round.