the beverleys did not break their journey in rome, but merely changed trains and pushed on southward. irene was sorry at the time not to see the imperial city, but afterwards she was glad that her first impression of an italian town should have been of naples. naples! is there any place like it in the whole world? irene thought not, as she stood on her veranda next morning and gazed across the blue bay to where vesuvius was sending a thin column of smoke into the cloudless sky. below her lay the public gardens, in which spring flowers were blooming, though it was only the end of january, and beyond was a panorama of white houses, green shutters, palm trees, picturesque boats, and a quay thronged with traffic. to that harbor and that blue stretch of sea she was bound this very day, for father and mother had arranged to take her straight to her new school, and leave her there before they established themselves in their flat.
"we haven't any time for sightseeing at present, dear," said mrs. beverley, when irene begged for at least a peep at the streets of naples. "we must put off these jaunts until the easter holidays. the[17] term has begun at the villa camellia, and you ought to set to work at your lessons at once. don't pull such a doleful face. be thankful you're going to school in such a glorious spot. we might have left you at miss gordon's."
"i'd have run away and followed you somehow, mums darling! i don't mind being a few miles off, but i couldn't bear to feel the channel and the whole of france and switzerland and italy lay between us. it's too far."
"yes, our little family quartette is rather inseparable," agreed mother. "it's certainly nice to think that we're all 'within hail.'"
the school, recommended to mr. and mrs. beverley by their american friend, mr. proctor, was situated at the small town of fossato, not far from naples. the easiest way of getting there was by sea, so irene's luggage was wheeled down to the quay, and the family embarked on a coasting steamer. father and mother were, of course, taking her, and vincent accompanied them, because they could not leave him alone in a strange city.
"it will be your last holiday though, young man," said mr. beverley jokingly, "so make the most of it. to-morrow you must come with me to the office and start your new career. i don't know whether the villa camellia observes convent rules, and whether you will be admitted. if not, you must wait outside the gate while we see miss rodgers."
"oh, surely she wouldn't be so heartless?"[18]
"that remains to be seen. in a foreign country the regulations are probably very strict."
the beverleys were not the only british people on board the steamer. parties of tourists were going for the day's excursion, and as much english as italian or french might be heard spoken among the passengers. two groups, who sat near them on deck, attracted irene's attention. the central figure of the one was a girl slightly taller than herself—a girl with a long, pointed nose, dark, hard, bright eyes, penciled eyebrows, beautiful teeth, and a nice color. she was talking in a loud and affected voice, and laying down the law on many topics to several amused and smiling young naval officers who were of the party. an elder girl, like her but with a sweeter mouth and softer eyes, seemed to be trying to restrain her, and occasionally exclaimed, "oh, mabel!" at some more than ordinary sally of wit; but the younger girl talked on, posing in rather whimsical attitudes, and letting her roving glance stray over the tourists close by, as if judging the effect she was making upon them.
"she's showing off," decided irene privately. "is that 'villa camellia' on the label of her bag? i hope to goodness she's not going to school with me. hello! who's that talking english on the other side? why, little flaxen for all the world! what's she followed us down here for?"
the small, fair-haired girl, whom they had seen in the train to dover, was undoubtedly claiming pub[19]lic notice on their right. her high-pitched, childish voice was descanting freely about everything she saw, and people smiled at her quaint questions and comments. her mother, still very pale and languid, made no effort to silence her, and her father seemed rather to encourage her, and to exploit her remarks for the entertainment of several gentlemen friends.
a little bored by the evident self-advertisement of these rival belles, irene moved away with vincent to a quieter corner of the deck. she was to see more of them soon, however. they both disembarked when the steamer reached fossato, their luggage was piled upon the carriages, and she watched them drive away up the steep, narrow road that led into the town.
the beverleys had decided to have an early lunch at the hotel by the quay before taking irene to school. it was their last meal together, so she was allowed to choose the menu, and regaled the family on hitherto unknown italian dishes, winding up with coffee, ices, and chocolates.
"i'm glad you don't cater for us every day, renie, or i should soon be ruined," said father, as the waiter brought him the bill. "now are you ready? if we don't hurry and get you up quickly to school we shall miss the boat back to naples. another package of chocolates! you unconscionable child! well, put it in your pocket and console yourself with it at bedtime. the concierge says our vetturino is waiting—not that any italian coachman minds doing[20] that! all the same, time is short and we had better make a start."
in that first drive through the narrow, steep, stone-paved streets of fossato irene was too excited to take in any details except a general impression of rich, foreign color and high, white walls. afterwards, when she came to know the town better, she realized its subtler points. she felt as one in a dream when the carriage turned through a great gate, and passed along an avenue of orange trees to a large, square house, color-washed pink, and approached by a flight of marble steps. what happened next she could never clearly recall. she remembered the agony of a short wait in the drawing-room until miss rodgers arrived, how the whole party, including vincent, were shown some of the principal rooms of the house, an agitated moment of good-by kisses, then the sound of departing wheels, and a sudden overwhelming sensation that, for the first time in her life, she was alone in a foreign land. foreign and yet familiar, for the villa camellia was a skillful combination of the best out of several countries. its setting was italian, its decorations were french, and its fifty-six pupils were all unmistakably and undoubtedly anglo-saxon. irene was assured on this point immediately, for miss rodgers, calling to a girl who was passing down the corridor, gave the newcomer into her charge with instructions to take her straight to the senior recreation room.[21]
"our afternoon classes begin at 2.30," she remarked, "but you will have just ten minutes in which to be introduced to some of your schoolfellows. elsie craig will show you everything."
elsie made no remark to irene—perhaps she was shy—but, starting off at a quick pace, led her down a long passage into a room on the ground floor. it was a pleasant room with a french window that opened out on to a veranda, where, over a marble balustrade, there was a view of an orange garden and the sea. round a table were collected several older girls, watching with deep interest a kettle, which was beginning to sing, upon a spirit-lamp. they looked up with surprise as elsie ushered in the new pupil.
"hello! you don't mean to tell us there's another of them!" exclaimed a dark girl with a long pigtail. "we've had two already! why are they pouring on us to-day, i should like to know? it's a perfect deluge."
"i hate folks butting in when the term has begun," said another grumpily.
"we shall be swamped with 'freshies' soon," grunted the owner of the spirit-lamp. "if they expect coffee i tell them beforehand they just won't get it."
"she says her name's irene beverley," volunteered elsie craig, in a perfunctory voice, as if she were performing an obvious duty and getting it over.
"oh, indeed!"[22]
"well, now we know, so there's an end of it."
it could hardly be called a flattering reception. the general attitude of the girls was the reverse of friendly. the kettle was suddenly boiling, and they were concentrating their attention upon the making of the coffee, and rather ostentatiously leaving the stranger outside the charmed circle. irene, used to school life, knew, however, that she was on trial, and that on her present behavior would probably depend the whole of her future career. she did not attempt to force her unwelcome presence upon her companions, but, withdrawing to the window, pretended to be utterly absorbed in contemplation of the scenery. she kept the corner of her eye, nevertheless, upon the group at the table. the girl with the long pigtail had made the coffee and was pouring it into cups. a shorter girl nudged her and whispered something, at which she shook her head emphatically. but the short girl persisted.
"i'm superstitious," affirmed the latter aloud. "one's for sorrow, two's for joy, and three's for luck! she's the third to-day and she may be a mascot."
"i'd rather have chocolates than mascots," said an injured voice from behind a coffee-cup.
the chance remark gave irene the very opportunity she needed. she suddenly remembered the chocolates her father had handed her before she left the hotel, and, producing the package, she offered its contents. after a visible moment of hesitation the[23] girl with the long pigtail accepted her hospitality, and passed the delicacies round. instantly all were chumping almonds, and the icy atmosphere thawed into summer. everybody began to talk at once.
"there's a spare cup here if you'd like some coffee. yes, rachel, i shall offer it!"
"i suppose you're over fourteen?"
"we may make coffee after lunch if we're seniors, but the kids aren't allowed any."
"you've just one minute to drink it in before the bell rings."
"hustle up if you want to finish it."
"i'll bet a cookie you're a real sport."
"there's the bell! don't choke or you'll blight your young career."
"we've got to scoot quick!"
"come along with me and i'll show you where."
irene, taken in tow by a girl with a freckled nose, was hurried along the corridor and up the stairs to the classrooms. although she had scarcely spoken a word she had undoubtedly gained a victory, and had established her welcome among at least a section of her schoolfellows. she did not yet know their names, but names are a detail compared with personalities, and with some members of the coffee-party she felt that she might ultimately become chums.
"don't i bless dad for those chocs!" she thought as she took her seat at a desk. "they worked the trick. if i'd had nothing to offer that crew i might[24] have sat out in the cold forevermore. the dark pigtail is decent enough, but if it comes to a matter of chumming give me 'freckles' for choice."
the villa camellia was a high-class boarding-school for english-speaking girls whose parents were residents, permanently or temporarily, in the neighborhood of naples. it was generally described as an anglo-american college, for the arrangements were accommodated to suit the customs of both sides of the atlantic. miss rodgers and her partner, miss morley, the two principals, came respectively from london and new york; one teacher had been trained in boston, and another at oxford, while the british section of the community included girls from south africa, australia, and new zealand. pupils belonging to other european races were not received, the object of the college being to preserve the nationality of girls who must of necessity be educated in a foreign land, and whose parents did not wish them to attend italian schools. the arrangements were of course modified by the climate and by the customs of the country. outwardly the villa camellia resembled a convent. its garden was surrounded by immensely high walls edged with broken glass, and the only entrance was by the great gate, which was solemnly unlocked by old antonio, the porter, who inspected all comers through a grille before granting them admittance. small parties in charge of a teacher were taken at stated times for walks or excursions in the neighborhood, but no[25] girl might ever go out unless escorted by a mistress or by her parents. the villa camellia was a little world in itself, and as much retired from the town of fossato as the great, gray monastery that crowned the summit of the neighboring mountain.
fortunately the grounds were very large, so there was room for most of the activities in which the girls cared to indulge. tennis and netball were the principal games. there were several courts, and there was a gymnasium, where the school assembled for exercise on wet days. from two flagstaffs on the roof floated the union jack and the stars and stripes respectively. it was an understood fact that here britannia and columbia marched hand in hand with an entente cordiale that recognized no distinctions whatsoever.
miss rodgers and miss morley, who respectively represented the interests of britain and america, were tremendous friends. miss rodgers was fair and rather plump and rosy-faced and calm, with a manner that parents described as "motherly," and a leaning towards mathematics as the basis of a sound education. miss morley, on the contrary, was thin and dark and excitable, and taught the english literature and the general knowledge classes, and was rumored—though this no doubt was libel—to dislike mathematics to the extent of not even adequately keeping her own private accounts. the pair were such opposites that they worked in absolute harmony, miss rodgers being mainly responsible for the dis[26]cipline of the establishment, and acting judge and court of appeal in her study, while miss morley supplied the initiative, and kept the girls interested in a large number of pursuits and hobbies which could be carried on within the walls of the house and garden.
as regards the fifty-six british and american maidens who made up this brisk little community we will leave some of them to speak for themselves in the next chapter.
