the story of the treasure seekers-第18部分

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from　when　Mother　was　here；　and　we　are　different；　and　Father　is

different；　and　nothing　is　like　it　was。　　I　am　glad　I　am　not　made　to

think　about　it　every　day。



I　went　and　found　Alice；　and　told　her　what　the　lady　had　said；　and

when　she　had　finished　crying　we　put　away　the　bottle　and　said　we

would　not　try　to　sell　any　more　to　people　who　came。　　And　we　did　not

tell　the　others　…　we　only　said　the　lady　did　not　buy　any　…　but　we

went　up　on　the　Heath；　and　some　soldiers　went　by　and　there　was　a

Punch…and…judy　show；　and　when　we　came　back　we　were　better。



The　bottle　got　quite　dusty　where　we　had　put　it；　and　perhaps　the

dust　of　ages　would　have　laid　thick　and　heavy　on　it；　only　a

clergyman　called　when　we　were　all　out。　　He　was　not　our　own

clergyman　…　Mr　Bristow　is　our　own　clergyman；　and　we　all　love　him；

and　we　would　not　try　to　sell　sherry　to　people　we　like；　and　make　two

pounds　a　week　out　of　them　in　our　spare　time。　　It　was　another

clergyman；　just　a　stray　one；　and　he　asked　Eliza　if　the　dear

children　would　not　like　to　come　to　his　little　Sunday　school。　　We

always　spend　Sunday　afternoons　with　Father。　　But　as　he　had　left　the

name　of　his　vicarage　with　Eliza；　and　asked　her　to　tell　us　to　come；

we　thought　we　would　go　and　call　on　him；　just　to　explain　about

Sunday　afternoons；　and　we　thought　we　might　as　well　take　the　sherry

with　us。



'I　won't　go　unless　you　all　go　too；'　Alice　said；　'and　I　won't　do　the

talking。'



Dora　said　she　thought　we　had　much　better　not　go；　but　we　said　'Rot！'

and　it　ended　in　her　coming　with　us；　and　I　am　glad　she　did。



Oswald　said　he　would　do　the　talking　if　the　others　liked；　and　he

learned　up　what　to　say　from　the　printed　papers。



We　went　to　the　Vicarage　early　on　Saturday　afternoon；　and　rang　at

the　bell。　　It　is　a　new　red　house　with　no　trees　in　the　garden；　only

very　yellow　mould　and　gravel。　　It　was　all　very　neat　and　dry。　　Just

before　we　rang　the　bell　we　heard　some　one　inside　call　'Jane！　Jane！'

and　we　thought　we　would　not　be　Jane　for　anything。　　It　was　the　sound

of　the　voice　that　called　that　made　us　sorry　for　her。



The　door　was　opened　by　a　very　neat　servant　in　black；　with　a　white

apron；　we　saw　her　tying　the　strings　as　she　came　along　the　hall；

through　the　different…coloured　glass　in　the　door。　　Her　face　was

red；　and　I　think　she　was　Jane。　　We　asked　if　we　could　see　Mr　Mallow。



The　servant　said　Mr　Mallow　was　very　busy　with　his　sermon　just　then；

but　she　would　see。



But　Oswald　said；　'It's　all　right。　　He　asked　us　to　come。'



So　she　let　us　all　in　and　shut　the　front　door；　and　showed　us　into　a

very　tidy　room　with　a　bookcase　full　of　a　lot　of　books　covered　in

black　cotton　with　white　labels；　and　some　dull　pictures；　and　a

harmonium。　　And　Mr　Mallow　was　writing　at　a　desk　with　drawers；

copying　something　out　of　a　book。　　He　was　stout　and　short；　and　wore

spectacles。



He　covered　his　writing　up　when　we　went　in　…　I　didn't　know　why。　　He

looked　rather　cross；　and　we　heard　Jane　or　somebody　being　scolded

outside　by　the　voice。　　I　hope　it　wasn't　for　letting　us　in；　but　I

have　had　doubts。



'Well；'　said　the　clergyman；　'what　is　all　this　about？'



'You　asked　us　to　call；'　Dora　said；　'about　your　little　Sunday

school。　　We　are　the　Bastables　of　Lewisham　Road。'



'Oh　…　ah；　yes；'　he　said；　'and　shall　I　expect　you　all　to…morrow？'



He　took　up　his　pen　and　fiddled　with　it；　and　he　did　not　ask　us　to

sit　down。　　But　some　of　us　did。



'We　always　spend　Sunday　afternoon　with　Father；'　said　Dora；　'but　we

wished　to　thank　you　for　being　so　kind　as　to　ask　us。'



'And　we　wished　to　ask　you　something　else！'　said　Oswald；　and　he　made

a　sign　to　Alice　to　get　the　sherry　ready　in　the　glass。　　She　did　…

behind　Oswald's　back　while　he　was　speaking。



'My　time　is　limited；'　said　Mr　Mallow；　looking　at　his　watch；　'but

still　…'　Then　he　muttered　something　about　the　fold；　and　went　on：

'Tell　me　what　is　troubling　you；　my　little　man；　and　I　will　try　to

give　you　any　help　in　my　power。　　What　is　it　you　want？'



Then　Oswald　quickly　took　the　glass　from　Alice；　and　held　it　out　to

him；　and　said；　'I　want　your　opinion　on　that。'



'On　that；'　he　said。　　'What　is　it？'



'It　is　a　shipment；'　Oswald　said；　'but　it's　quite　enough　for　you　to

taste。'　　Alice　had　filled　the　glass　half…full；　I　suppose　she　was

too　excited　to　measure　properly。



'A　shipment？'　said　the　clergyman；　taking　the　glass　in　his　hand。



'Yes；'　Oswald　went　On；　'an　exceptional　opportunity。　　Full…bodied

and　nutty。'



'It　really　does　taste　rather　like　one　kind　of　Brazil…nut。'　　Alice

put　her　oar　in　as　usual。



The　Vicar　looked　from　Alice　to　Oswald；　and　back　again；　and　Oswald

went　on　with　what　he　had　learned　from　the　printing。　　The　clergyman

held　the　glass　at　half…arm's…length；　stiffly；　as　if　he　had　caught

cold。



'It　is　of　a　quality　never　before　offered　at　the　price。　　Old

Delicate　Amoro　…　what's　its　name　…'

'Amorolio；'　said　H。　O。



'Amoroso；'　said　Oswald。　　'H。　O。；　you　just　shut　up　…　Castilian

Amoroso　…　it's　a　true　after…dinner　wine；　stimulating　and　yet　。。。'



'Wine？'said　Mr　Mallow；　holding　the　glass　further　off。　　'Do　you

know；'　he　went　on；　making　his　voice　very　thick　and　strong　（I　expect

he　does　it　like　that　in　church）；　'have　you　never　been　taught　that

it　is　the　drinking　of　wine　and　spirits　…　yes；　and　BEER；　which　makes

half　the　homes　in　England　full　of　wretched　little　children；　and

degraded；　MISERABLE　parents？'



'Not　if　you　put　sugar　in　it；'　said　Alice　firmly；　'eight　lumps　and

shake　the　bottle。　　We　have　each　had　more　than　a　teaspoonful　of　it；

and　we　were　not　ill　at　all。　　It　was　something　else　that　upset　H。　O。

Most　likely　all　those　acorns　he　got　out　of　the　Park。'



The　clergyman　seemed　to　be　speechless　with　conflicting　emotions；

and　just　then　the　door　opened　and　a　lady　came　in。　　She　had　a　white

cap　with　lace；　and　an　ugly　violet　flower　in　it；　and　she　was　tall；

and　looked　very　strong；　though　thin。　　And　I　do　believe　she　had　been

listening　at　the　door。



'But　why；'　the　Vicar　was　saying；　'why　did　you　bring　this　dreadful

fluid；　this　curse　of　our　country；　to　me　to　taste？'



'Because　we　thought　you　might　buy　some；'　said　Dora；　who　never　sees

when　a　game　is　up。　　'In　books　the　parson　loves　his　bottle　of　old

port；　and　new　sherry　is　just　as　good　…　with　sugar　…　for　people　who

like　sherry。　　And　if　you　would　order　a　dozen　of　the　wine；　then　we

should　get　two　shillings。'



The　lady　said　（and　it　was　the　voice）；　'Good　gracious！　　Nasty；

sordid　little　things！　　Haven't　they　any　one　to　teach　them　better？'



And　Dora　got　up　and　said；　'No；　we　are　not　those　things　you　say；　but

we　are　sorry　we　came　here　to　be　called　names。　　We　want　to　make　our

fortune　just　as　much　as　Mr　Mallow　does　…　only　no　one　would　listen


to　us　if　we　preached；　so　it's　no　use　our　copying　out　sermons　like

him。'



And　I　think　that　was　smart　of　Dora；　even　if　it　was　rather　rude。



Then　I　said　perhaps　we　had　better　go；　and　the　lady　said；　'I　should

think　so！'



But　when　we　were　going　to　wrap　up　the　bottle　and　glass　the

clergyman　said；　'No；　you　can　leave　that；'　and　we　were　so

upset　we　did；　though　it　wasn't　his　after　all。



We　walked　home　very　fast　and　not　saying　much；　and　the　girls　went　up

to　their　rooms。　　When　I　went　to　tell　them　tea　was　ready；　and　there

was　a　teacake；　Dora　was　crying　like　anything　and　Alice　hugging　her。



I　am　afraid　there　is　a　great　deal　of　crying　in　this　chapter；　but　I

can't　help　it。　　Girls　will　sometimes；　I　suppose　it　is　their　nature；

and　we　ought　to　be　sorry　for　their　affliction。



'It's　no　good；'　Dora　was　saying；　'you　all　hate　me；　and　you　think

I'm　a　prig　and　a　busybody；　but　I　do　try　to　do　right　…　oh；　I　do！

Oswald；　go　away；　don't　come　here　making　fun　of　me！'



So　I　said；　'I'm　not　making　fun；　Sissy；　don't　cry；　old　girl。'



Mother　taught　me　to　call　her　Sissy　when　we　were　very　little　and

before　the　others　came；　but　I　don't　often　somehow；　now　we　are　old。　

I　patted　her　on　the　back；　and　she　put　her　head　against　my　sleeve；

holding　on　to　Alice　all　the　time；　and　she　went　on。　　She　was　in　that

laughy…cryey　state　when　people　say　things　they　wouldn't　say　at

other　times。



'Oh　dear；　oh　dear　…　I　do　try；　I　do。　　And　when　Mother　died　she　said；

〃Dora；　take　care　of　the　others；　and　teach　them　to　be　good；　and　keep

them　out　of　trouble　and　make　them　happy。〃　She　said；　〃Take　care　of

them　for　me；　Dora　dear。〃　And　I　have　tried；　and　all　of　you　hate　me

for　it；　and　to…day　I　let　you　do　this；　though　I　knew　all　the　time　it

was　silly。'



I　hope　you　will　not　think　I　was　a　muff　but　I　kissed　Dora　for　some

time。　　Because　girls　like　it。　　And　I　will　never　say　again　that　she

comes　the　good　elder　sister　too　much。　　And　I　have　put　all　this　in

though　I　do　hate　telling　about　it；　because　I　own　I　have　been　hard

on　Dora；　but　I　never　will　be　again。　　She　is　a　good　old　sort；　of

course　we　never　knew　before　about　what　Mother　told　her；　or　we

wouldn't　have　ragged　her　as　we　did。　　We　did　not　tell　the　little

ones；　but　I　got　Alice　to　speak　to　Dicky；　and　we　three　can　sit　on

the　others　if　requisite。



This　made　us　forget　all　about　the　sherry；　but　about　eight　o'clock

there　was　a　knock；　and　Eliza　went；　and　we　saw　it　was　poor　Jane；　if

her　name　was　Jane；　from　the　Vicarage。　　She　handed　in　a　brown…paper

parcel　and　a　letter。　　And　three　minutes　later　Father　called　us　into

his　study。



On　the　table　was　the　brown…paper　parcel；　open；　with　our　bottle　and

glass　on　it；　and　Father　had　a　letter　in　his　hand。　　He　Pointed　to

the　bottle　and　sighed；　and　said；　'What　have　you　been　doing　now？'

The　letter　in　his　hand　was　covered　with　little　black　writing；　all

over　the　four　large　pages。



So　Dicky　spoke　up；　and　he　told　Father　the　whole　thing；　as　far　as　he

knew　it；　for　Alice　and　I　had　not　told　about　the　dead　sailors'　lady。



And　when　he　had　done；　Alice　said；　'Has　Mr　Mallow　written　to　you　to

say　he　will　buy　a　dozen　of　the　sherry　after　all？　　It　is　really　not

half　bad　with　sugar　in　it。'



Father　said　no；　he　didn't　think　clergymen　could　af