the stokesley secret-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　together　with　a　noise　like　a　pistol…shot；　said；　〃Ay；　that's　it！　　We　don't　want　what　is　grudged。〃

Miss　Fosbrook　thought　of　words　that　would　another　time　be　more　familiar　to　Sam。　　〃Not　grudgingly；　nor　of　necessity；　for　God　loveth　a　cheerful　giver。〃

What　she　said　was；　〃You　see；　if　you　plague　Bessie　too　much；　to　make　her　like　ourselves；　when　she　is　really　so　different；　you　are　driving　her　to　the　shamming　you　despise　so　much。〃

〃But　ought　not　she　to　be　cured　of　being　silly？〃

〃When　we　have　quite　made　up　our　minds　upon　what　silliness　is。　　There；　the　bell　has　stopped。〃



CHAPTER　IV。



The　most　part　of　church…time　Johnnie　was　eating　Nurse　Freeman's　plum…　cake。　　Perhaps　this　did　not　make　him　any　easier　in　the　conscience；　but　he　had　a　very　unlucky　sentiment；　that　as　he　was　already　naughty　and　in　disgrace；　it　was　of　no　use　to　take　the　trouble　of　being　good　till　he　could　make　a　fresh　beginning；　and　after　what　the　Grevilles　had　said；　he　did　not　think　that　would　be　till　Papa　and　Mamma　came　home；　he　did　not　at　all　mean　to　give　in　to　a　girl　that　was　not　even　twenty。　　So　he　would　not　turn　to　the　only　wise　thing　he　could　have　done；　the　learning　of　his　Collect；　but　he　teased　Nurse　out　of　more　cake　and　more；　and　got　what　play　he　could　out　of　little　George；　and　that　was　not　much；　for　Johnnie　was　not　in　a　temper　to　be　pleasant　with　a　little　one。

Coming　home　from　church；　Collects　were　to　be　learnt　and　said　before　tea：　　but　Hal；　after　glancing　over　his　own；　took　up　his　cap　and　said；　〃Come　along；　Sam；　Purday　will　be　feeding　the　pigs；　I　want　to　choose　the　size　of　ours。〃

〃I've　not　done；〃　said　Sam。

〃Papa　never　said　we　were　to　say　them　to　Miss　Fosbrook。〃

〃He　meant　it　though；〃　was　all　Sam's　answer。　　〃Don't　hinder　me。〃

〃Well；　I've　no　notion　of　being　bound　by　what　people　mean；〃　continued　Hal；　and　no　one　could　imagine　the　torment　he　made　himself；　neither　going　nor　staying；　arguing　the　matter　with　his　elder　brother；　as　if　Sam's　coming　would　justify　him；　and　interrupting　everyone；　till　at　last　Miss　Fosbrook　gathered　all　her　spirit；　and　ordered　him　either　to　sit　down　and　learn　properly　at　once；　or　to　go　quite　away。　　She　was　very　much　vexed；　for　Henry　had　been　the　most　obliging　and　good…　natured　of　all　at　first；　and　likely　to　be　fond　of　her；　but　such　a　great　talker　could　not　fail　to　be　weak；　and　his　vanity　had　been　set　against　her。　　He　looked　saucy　at　first；　and　much　inclined　to　resist；　if　he　had　seen　any　sympathy　for　him　in　Sam　he　might　have　done　so；　but　Miss　Fosbrook's　steady　eye　was　too　much　for　him；　so　he　saved　his　dignity；　as　he　thought；　by　exclaiming；　〃I'm　sure　I　don't　want　to　stay　in　this　stuffy　hole　with　such　a　set　of　owls；　I　shall　go　to　Purday。〃　And　off　he　marched。

The　others　stayed；　and　said　their　Collects　and　Catechism　very　respectably；　all　but　John；　who　had　not　learned　the　Collect　at　all；　and　was　sent　into　another　room　to　finish　it；　to　which　he　made　no　resistance；　he　had　had　enough　of　actual　fighting　with　Miss　Fosbrook。

Then　she　offered　to　read　a　story　to　the　others；　but　she　found　that　this　was　distasteful　even　to　her　friend　Sam；　he　thought　it　stupid　to　be　read　to；　and　said　he　should　see　after　Hal；　David　trotted　after　him；　and　Susan　and　Anne　repaired　to　the　nursery　to　play　with　the　little　ones　and　the　baby。　　She　minded　it　the　less；　as　they　all　had　some　purpose；　but　she　had　already　been　vexed　to　find　that　all　but　Davy　preferred　the　most　arrant　vacant　idleness　to　anything　rational。　To　be　sure；　Susan　sometimes；　Bessie　and　Hal　always；　would　read　any　book　that　made　no　pretensions　to　be　instructive；　but　even　a　fact　about　a　lion　or　an　elephant　made　them　detect　wisdom　in　disguise；　and　throw　it　aside。　　She　thought；　however；　she　would　make　the　most　of　Bessie；　and　asked　whether　she　would　like　to　hear　reading；　or　read　to　herself。

〃To　myself；〃　said　Bessie；　and　there　was　a　silence；　while　Miss　Fosbrook；　glad　of　the　quiet；　began　reading　her　Christian　Year。　Presently　she　heard　a　voice　so　low　that　it　seemed　at　a　distance　and　it　made　her　start；　for　it　was　saying　〃Christabel！〃　then　she　almost　laughed；　for　it　seemed　to　have　been　an　audacious　experiment；　to　judge　by　little　Elizabeth's　scared　looks　and　the　glow　on　her　cheeks。

〃May　I　say　it　sometimes　when　we　are　alone　together？〃　she　said　timidly。　　〃I　do　like　it　so　much！〃

〃If　it　is　such　a　pleasure　to　you；　I　would　not　deprive　you　of　it；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　laughing；　〃but　don't　do　so；　except　when　we　are　alone；　for　your　Mamma　would　not　like　me　to　seem　younger　still。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you！　　Isn't　it　a　nice　secret？〃　cried　Bessie；　clinging　to　her　hand：　　〃and　will　you　let　me　hug　you　sometimes？〃

A　little　love　was　pleasant　to　Miss　Fosbrook；　when　she　was　feeling　lonely；　and　she　took　Bessie　in　her　lap；　and　they　exchanged　caresses；　to　the　damage　of　the　collar　that　Miss　Fosbrook's　sister　had　worked　for　her。

〃And　you　don't　call　me　silly？〃　cried　Bessie。

〃That　depends；〃　was　the　answer；　with　some　arch　fun；　but　Bessie　had　not　much　turn　for　fun；　and　presently　went　on　…

〃And　you　saw　Ida　Greville？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　did　you　think　of　her？〃

〃I　had　not　much　opportunity　of　learning　what　to　think。〃

〃But　her　parasol；　and　her　bird！　　Did　you　think　her　mama　very　silly　to　give　her　pretty　things？〃

〃No；　certainly　not；　unless　she　wore　them　at　unsuitable　times；　or　thought　too　much　about　them。〃

〃Ida　has　so　many；　she　does　not　think　of　them　at　all。　　And　she　has　shells；　and　such　a　lovely　work…box；　and　picture…books；　she　has　all　she　wants。〃

〃Are　you　quite　sure？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　quite　sure！　and　they　don't　tease　her　for　liking　pretty　things；　her　brothers　keep　quite　away；　and　never　bother　about　the　schoolroom；　but　she　learns　Italian　and　German；　and　drawing　and　singing。　　Mr。　Greville　said　something　about　our　spending　the　day　there。　　Oh！　if　we　do　but　go！　　Won't　you；　Miss　Fosbrook？〃

〃If　I　am　asked；　and　if　your　Mamma　would　wish　it。〃

〃Oh；　Mamma　always　lets　us　go；　except　oncewhenwhen〃

〃When　what？〃

〃When　I　cried；〃　said　Elizabeth；　hanging　down　her　head；　〃I　couldn't　help　it。　　It　did　seem　so　tiresome　here；　and　she　said　I　was　learning　to　be　discontented；　but　nobody　can　help　wishing；　can　they？〃

〃There　must　be　a　way　of　not　breaking　the　Tenth　Commandment。〃

〃I　don't　covet；　I　don't　want　to　take　things　away　from　Ida；　only　to　have　the　same。〃

〃Yes；　but　what　does　the　explanation　at　the　end　of　the　Duty　to　our　Neighbour　say；　filling　out　that　Commandment？〃

〃I　think　I'll　go　and　see　what　Susie　is　doing；〃　said　Elizabeth。

Christabel　sighed　as　the　little　girl　walked　off；　displeased　at　having　her　repinings　set　before　her　in　a　graver　light　than　that　in　which　she　had　hitherto　chosen　to　regard　them。

She　saw　no　more　of　her　charges　till　tea…time；　when　the　bell　brought　them　from　different　quarters；　Johnnie　with　such　a　grimy　collar　and　dirty　hands；　that　he　was　a　very　un…Sunday…like　figure；　and　she　would　have　sent　him　away　to　make　himself　decent；　but　that　she　was　desirous　of　not　over…tormenting　him。

Sunday　was　always　celebrated　by　having　treacle　with　the　bread；　so　the　butter　riot　was　happily　escaped；　and　Bessie　was　not　in　a　gracious　mood；　and　the　corners　of　her　mouth　provoked　the　boys　to　begin　on　what　they　knew　would　make　her　afford　them　sport。　　Hal　first：　　〃I　say；　Bet；　didn't　Purday　want　his　gun　to…day　at　church？〃

Elizabeth　put　out　her　lip　in　expectation　that　something　unpleasant　was　intended；　and　other　voices　were　not　slow　to　ask　an　explanation。

〃Shooting　the　cocky…olly　birds！〃

A　general　explosion　of　laughter。

〃I　say　（always　the　preface　to　the　boy's　wit）；　shall　I　get　a　jay　down　off　the　barn　to　stick　into　your　hat；　Betty？〃

〃Don't；　Hal；〃　said　such　a　deplorable　offended　voice；　that　Sam；　who　had　really　held　his　tongue　at　first；　could　not　help　chiming　in；

〃No；　no；　a　cock…sparrow；　for　her　London　manners。〃

〃No；　that's　for　me；　Sam；〃　said　Christabel　good…humouredly。　　〃A　London…bred　sparrow；　a　pert　forward　chit。〃

She　really　had　found　a　safety…valve；　the　boys　were　entertained；　and　diverted　from　their　attack　on　their　favourite　victim；　by　finding　everyone　an　appropriate　bird；　and　when　they　came　to　〃Tomtits〃　and　〃Dishwashers；〃　were　so　astonished　at　Miss　Fosbrook's　never　having　seen　either；　that　they　instantly　fell　into　the　greatest　haste　to　finish　their　tea；　and　conduct　her　into　the　garden；　and　through　a　course　of　birds；　eggs；　and　nests；　about　which；　as　soon　as　she　was　assured　that　there　was　to　be　no　bird's…nesting；　she　was　very　eager。

Bessie　ought　to　have　been　thankful　that　her　persecutors　were　called　off；　but　she　was　in　a　dismal　mood；　and　was　taken　with　a　fit　of　displeasure　that　her　own　Christabel　Angela　was　following　the　rabble　rout　into　the　garden；　instead　of　staying　in　the　school…room　at　her　service。

The　reason　of　her　gloom　was；　that　Miss　Fosbrook　had　spoken　a　word　that　she　did　not　choose　to　take　home；　and　yet　which　she　could　not　shake　off。　　So　she　would　neither　stay　in　nor　go　out　cheerfully；　and　sauntered　along　looking　so　piteous；　that　Johnnie　could　not　help　making　her　worse　by　plucking　at　her　dress；　by　suddenly　twisting　her　cape　round　till　the　back　was　in　front；　and　pushing　her　hat　over　her　eyes；　till　〃Don't　Johnnie；〃　in　a　dismal　whine；　alternated　with　〃I'll　tell　Miss　Fosbrook。〃

Christabel　did　not　see　nor　hear。　　She　had　gone　forward　with　a　boy　on　either　side　of　her；　and　Susan　walking　backwards　in　front；　all　telling　the　story　of　a　cuckoo；or　gowk；　as　Sara　called　it　in　Purday's　language；which　they　had　found　in　a　water…wagtail's　nest　in　a　heap　of　stones；　how　it　sat　up；　constantly　gaping　with　its　huge　mouth；　while　the　poor　little　foster…parents　toiled　to　their　utmost　to　keep　it　supplied　with　caterpillars；　and　the　last　time　it　was　seen；　when　full…fledged；　were　trying　to　lure　it　to　come　out　of　the　nest　by　holding　up　green　palmers　at　some　little　distance　before　it。　　This　was　in　the　evening；　by　morning　it　was　gone；　having　probably　taken　flight　at　sunrise。

Miss　Fosbrook　listened　with　all　the　pleasure　the　boys　could　desire。　She　had　read　natural　history；　and　looked　at　birds　stuffed　in　the　British　Museum；　or　alive　at　the　Zoological　Gardens；　on　the　rare　days　when　her　father　had　time　to　give　himself　and　his　children　a　treat；　and　her　fresh　value　and　interest　in　all　these　country　things　were　delightful　to　the　boys。

It　was　a　lovely　summer　evening。　　The　sun　was　low　enough　to　make　the　shadows　long　and