Read Online Upper Fourth at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton - Free Book Online Page A

year? She heard of a talent-spotting competition in a town near here—you know, a very common show with perfectly dreadful people in it—and she actually went off by herself to sing in the show!” Clarissa was truly horrified, partly because she knew that she herself would never have had the courage even to think of such a thing. “What happened?” she said. “Tell me.”
    “Well—Mavis missed the last bus home,” said Gwendoline, still very solemn. “And Miss Peters found her lying by the road about three o'clock in the morning. After that she was terribly ill, and lost her voice. She thought she had a wonderful voice before that, you know—though I can't say I ever thought much of it—and so it was a very good punishment for her to lose it.”
    “Poor Mavis,” said Clarissa.
    “Well, personally I think she ought to have been expelled,” said Gwendoline. “I've only told you this,
    Clarissa, because I want you to see that Mavis isn't really the land of person to make friends with—that is if you were thinking of it.”
    “Oh no, I wasn't,” said Clarissa, hastily. “I only just went down to the pool with her, Gwen. I won't even do that if you don't want me to.”
    Poor weak Clarissa had said just what Gwendoline hoped she would say, and the next time that Mavis came to ask her to go for a short walk with her, she refused.
    “Don't bother Clarissa,” said Gwendoline. “She really doesn't want you hanging round her.”
    The indignant Mavis walked away and reported to Darrell that she wasn't going to bother about that silly little Clarissa any more! She had better find someone else. What about Daphne?
    Daphne came by at that moment and heard her name. In a fit of annoyance Darrell told her that Mavis had been rebuffed by Clarissa, and that Mavis had suggested that she, Daphne, should have a try. What about it?
    “I don't mind having a shot—just to spoil darling Gwendoline Mary's fun,” said Daphne with a grin. So she tried her hand at Clarissa, too, only to be met with excuses and evasions. Gwendoline had quite a bit to tell Clarissa about Daphne, too!
    “You see, Clarissa,” said Gwendoline, “Daphne isn't really fit to be at a school like this. You mustn't repeat what I tell you—but a year or two ago Daphne was found out to be a thief!”
    Clarissa stared at Gwendoline in horror. “I don't believe it,” she said.
    “Well, just as you like,” said Gwen. “But she was a thief—she stole purses and money and brooches—and this wasn't the only school she'd stolen at, either. When it was found out, Miss Grayling made her come into our common room, and confess everything to us—and we had to decide whether or not she should be expelled. It's as true as I'm standing here!”
    Clarissa was quite pale. She looked across the courtyard to where Daphne was laughing with Mary-Lou. She couldn't believe it—and yet Gwendoline would never, never dare to tell such a lie as that.
    “And—did you all say that—you didn't want her expelled?” she said at last
    “Well, I was the first to say she should have a chance and I'd stick by her,” said Gwen, untruthfully, for it had been little Mary-Lou who had said that, not Gwen. “So she was kept on—but as you can see, Clarissa, she wouldn't be a really nice friend to have, would she? You'd never feel you could trust her.”
    “No. I suppose not,” said Clarissa. “Oh, dear—I hate thinking nasty things about Mavis and Daphne like this. I hope there are no more nasty tales to tell.”
    “Did you ever hear how Darrell slapped me about a dozen times in the swimming-pool, for nothing at all?” said Gwen, who had never forgotten or forgiven this episode. “I had a bad leg for ages after that. And you know that girl in the fifth—Ellen? Well, she tried td get hold of the exam papers and cheat by looking at the questions, the night before the exam! She did, really.”
    “Don't,” said Clarissa, beginning to think that Malory Towers was a nest of