As Gwen turned over the pages of the little volume, with its illustrations of Bassanio, Jessica, &c., a horrible suspicion suddenly shot into her mind. Where had she seen that book before? And just lately too! Why, at home, of course! She had come into the sitting-room suddenly and found Winnie and Beatrice discussing it over the fire. Winnie had suppressed it instantly, but not before she had caught a glimpse both of the illustrations and the title. She remembered them perfectly. Now Winnie, as well as being Junior Mistress for the Fifth, was a member of a class for higher mathematics composed of a few Senior girls and taught by a professor who came weekly from the University at Radchester. On the strength of this class she considered herself still one of the Sixth for special purposes, and licensed to take part in school performances. Was the Sixth going to act in the _Merchant of Venice_? It looked uncommonly like it. Why else should Winnie be studying that particular book of costumes? Gwen was in a dilemma. She did not know what to do. Not only did the Rodenhurst code of honour regard Form secrets as being inviolable as those of the confessional, but further she had been continually warned by Father and Beatrice that, now Winnie was a mistress, she and Lesbia must be particularly careful never to repeat anything they heard at home which might be likely to compromise their sister at school. It was clearly impossible to betray the least hint of her suspicion, but on the other hand it would be an exceedingly stupid _denouement_ if both Forms were to act the same play. She decided to try finesse. "Have you absolutely decided on _The Merchant_?" she said. "Don't you think it's rather stale to choose our Form subject? It's been done before too." "Not for three years," objected Elspeth. "That's quite time enough for most of the girls to have forgotten it. Besides, I know the speeches." "You could learn some fresh ones." "Oh, I dare say! It sounds easy enough when you haven't to do it yourself. One's homework is quite enough just now without learning pages of blank verse. Then there are the costumes." "Wouldn't they come in for _The Rivals_? You might do some scenes from that. We've never had it at school before, and it's simply ripping. Or part of _She Stoops to Conquer_ would be gorgeously funny." "You couldn't put Sir Anthony Absolute into Shylock's gaberdine, or Tony Lumpkin into a Venetian doublet and tights! And what about the wig? Hilda's had hard work to persuade her father to lend it, and she'd be fearfully offended if it wasn't used." These arguments were so conclusive that Gwen sighed. Nevertheless she made a last appeal. "Well, I think you're very silly to act _The Merchant_," she said. "You might choose something far more original and interesting. It's an opportunity wasted--and, if you'll only believe me, I'm quite sure you'll be sorry for it."