Carnival Part 55

"It's this shocking hot weather."

"Why, when you came here before and I said it was hot, you said it was lovely."

"Did I?" asked Jenny indifferently.

"How's your mother? And dad? And young May?"

"All right. I'm living along with Ireen Dale now."

"I know. Whatever made you do that?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I shouldn't call them your style," said Lilli positively.

"Ireen's nice."

"Yes, she's all right. But Winnie Dale's dreadful. And look at her mother. She's like an old charwoman. And that youngest sister."

"Oh, them, I never see _them_."

"You've heard about me, I suppose?"

"No, what?" asked Jenny, politely inquisitive.

"I've turned suffragette."

"You never haven't? Oh, Lil, what a dreadful thing!"

"It's not. It's great. I used to think so myself, but I've changed my mind."

"Oh, Lilli, I think it's terrible. A suffragette? But what an unnatural lot of women you must go around with."

"They're not," said Lilli, loud in defense of her a.s.sociates.

"A lot of Plain Janes and No Nonsense with their hair all screwed back.

I know. And all walking on one another's petticoats. Suffragette Sallies! What are they for? Tell me that."

"Hasn't it never struck you there's a whole heap of girls in this world that's got nothing to do?"

Lilli spoke sadly. There was a life's disillusionment in the question.

"Yes; but that doesn't say they should go making sights of themselves, shouting and hollering. Get out! Besides, what's the Salvation Army done?"

"You don't understand."

"No, and I don't want to understand."

"Why don't you come round to our club? I'll introduce you to Miss Bailey."

"Who's she?"

"She's the president."

Jenny considered the offer a moment. Soon she decided that, dreary as the world was, it would not be brightened by an introduction to Miss Bailey. In the dressing-room that night, during the wait between the two ballets, Elsie Crauford, who had long been waiting for an opportunity to avenge Jenny's slighting references to Willie's evening dress, thought she would risk an encounter.

"I didn't know your Maurice had gone quite sudden," she said. "Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

"You've blacked your nose, Elsie Crauford."

"Have I? Where?" Elsie had seized a hand-gla.s.s.

"Yes, you have, poking it into other people's business. You curious thing! What am I going to do about it? Punch into you, if you're not sharp."

"He seemed so fond of you, too."

"You never saw him but once, when you blew in with the draught in that flash hat of yours."

"No, but Madge Wilson told me you was absolutely mad about one another.

It seems so funny he should leave you. But Madge said it wouldn't last.

She said you weren't getting a jolly fine time for nothing. Funny thing, you always knew such a lot before you got struck on a fellow yourself.

What you weren't going to do! You aren't so much cleverer than us after all."

"_Who_ told you?" demanded Jenny.

"Madge Wilson did."

"Don't take any notice of _her,"_ Maudie Chapman advised at this point.

"You jest shut up, Elsie Crauford. Always making mischief."

"I'm tired of Jenny Pearl's always knowing better than anyone without being told off."

"Told off! Who by? _You_?" gasped Jenny.

Then Madge Wilson herself came into the dressing-room.

"Hullo, duck," she said, surprised by Jenny's apparent reentry into society.

"Are you speaking to me, Madge Wilson? Because I don't want to talk to you. A nice friend. Hark at your fine friends, girls. They're the rotters that take you off behind your back."

"Whatever's the matter?" Madge asked.

"Yes, you don't know, do you? But I wouldn't be a sneak like you! I'd say out what I thought and not care for anyone. I wasn't getting a jolly fine time for nothing? And what about you, Mrs. Straightcut? But that's the way. Girls you think are your friends, girls _you_ take out and give a good time, they're the first to turn round on you. I wonder you haven't all gone hoa.r.s.e with the way you've talked me to pieces these last weeks. I can hear you mumbling and whispering in corners. 'Have you heard about Jenny Pearl? Isn't it shocking? Oh, I do think it's a dreadful thing. What a terrible girl.' G.o.d, and look at _you_. Married women! Yes, and what have you married? Why, there isn't a girl in this dressing-room whose husband can afford to keep her. Husbands! Why, they're no better than--"

"She's been going out with Lilli Vergoe," interrupted Elsie sneeringly.

"Jenny Pearl's turned into a suffragette."

"What of it? You and your six pairs of gloves that your Willie bought you. Well, if he did, _which_ I don't think, he must have broke open the till to do it."