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Five Little Pigs :: Christie Agatha
Страница: 74 из 147A really good brain. Undisciplined, quick-tempered, most difficult to manage in many ways, but really a very fine character.’
She paused and then went on:
‘I always hoped that she would accomplish something worth while. And she has! You have read her book-on the Sahara? And she excavated those very interesting tombs in the Fayum! Yes, I am proud of Angela. I was not at Alderbury very long-two years and a half-but I always cherish the belief that I helped to stimulate her mind and encourage her taste for arch?ology.’
Poirot murmured: ‘I understand that it was decided to continue her education by sending her to school. You must have resented that decision.’
‘Not at all, M. Poirot. I thoroughly concurred with it.’
She paused and went:
‘Let me make the matter clear to you. Angela was a dear girl-really a very dear girl-warm-hearted and impulsive-but she was also what I call a difficult girl. That is, she was at a difficult age. There is always a moment where a girl feels unsure of herself-neither child nor woman. At one minute Angela would be sensible and mature-quite grown up, in fact-but a minute later she would relapse into being a hoydenish child-playing mischievous tricks and being rude and losing her temper. Girls, you know,feel difficult at that age-they are terribly sensitive. Everything that is said to them they resent. They are annoyed at being treated like a child and then they suddenly feel shy at being treated like adults. Angela was in that state. She had fits of temper, would suddenly resent teasing and flare out-and then she would be sulky for days at a time, sitting about and frowning-then again she would be in wild spirits, climbing trees, rushing about with the garden boys, refusing to submit to any kind of authority.’
Miss Williams paused and went on:
‘When a girl gets to that stage, school is very helpful. She needs the stimulation of other minds-that, and the wholesome discipline of a community, help her to become a reasonable member of society. Angela’s home conditions were not what I would have called ideal. Mrs Crale spoiled her, for one thing. Angela had only to appeal to her and Mrs Crale always backed her up. The result was that Angela considered she had first claim upon her sister’s time and attention, and it was in these moods of hers that she used to clash with Mr Crale. Mr Crale naturally thought thathe should come first-and intended to do so.
She paused and then went on:
‘I always hoped that she would accomplish something worth while. And she has! You have read her book-on the Sahara? And she excavated those very interesting tombs in the Fayum! Yes, I am proud of Angela. I was not at Alderbury very long-two years and a half-but I always cherish the belief that I helped to stimulate her mind and encourage her taste for arch?ology.’
Poirot murmured: ‘I understand that it was decided to continue her education by sending her to school. You must have resented that decision.’
‘Not at all, M. Poirot. I thoroughly concurred with it.’
She paused and went:
‘Let me make the matter clear to you. Angela was a dear girl-really a very dear girl-warm-hearted and impulsive-but she was also what I call a difficult girl. That is, she was at a difficult age. There is always a moment where a girl feels unsure of herself-neither child nor woman. At one minute Angela would be sensible and mature-quite grown up, in fact-but a minute later she would relapse into being a hoydenish child-playing mischievous tricks and being rude and losing her temper. Girls, you know,feel difficult at that age-they are terribly sensitive. Everything that is said to them they resent. They are annoyed at being treated like a child and then they suddenly feel shy at being treated like adults. Angela was in that state. She had fits of temper, would suddenly resent teasing and flare out-and then she would be sulky for days at a time, sitting about and frowning-then again she would be in wild spirits, climbing trees, rushing about with the garden boys, refusing to submit to any kind of authority.’
Miss Williams paused and went on:
‘When a girl gets to that stage, school is very helpful. She needs the stimulation of other minds-that, and the wholesome discipline of a community, help her to become a reasonable member of society. Angela’s home conditions were not what I would have called ideal. Mrs Crale spoiled her, for one thing. Angela had only to appeal to her and Mrs Crale always backed her up. The result was that Angela considered she had first claim upon her sister’s time and attention, and it was in these moods of hers that she used to clash with Mr Crale. Mr Crale naturally thought thathe should come first-and intended to do so.