the stokesley secret-第1章

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！







The　Stokesley　Secret


by　Charlotte　M。　Yonge







CHAPTER　I。



〃How　can　a　pig　pay　the　rent？〃

The　question　seemed　to　have　been　long　under　consideration；　to　judge　by　the　manner　in　which　it　came　out　of　the　pouting　lips　of　that　sturdy　young　five…year…old　gentleman；　David　Merrifield；　as　he　sat　on　a　volume　of　the　great　Latin　Dictionary　to　raise　him　to　a　level　with　the　tea…table。

Long；　however；　as　it　had　been　considered；　it　was　unheeded　on　account　of　one　more　interesting　to　the　general　public　assembled　round　the　table。

〃I　say！〃　hallooed　out　a　tall　lad　of　twelve　holding　aloft　a　slice　taken　from　the　dish　in　the　centre　of　the　table；　〃I　say！　what　do　you　call　this；　Mary？〃

〃Bread　and　butter；　Master　Sam；〃　replied　rather　pettishly　the　maid　who　had　brought　in　the　big　black　kettle。

〃Bread　and　butter！　　I　call　it　bread　and　scrape！〃　solemnly　said　Sam。

〃It　only　has　butter　in　the　little　holes　of　it；　not　at　the　top；　Miss　Fosbrook；〃　said；　in　an　odd　pleading　kind　of　tone；　a　stout　good…　humoured　girl　of　thirteen；　with　face；　hair；　and　all；　a　good　deal　like　a　nice　comfortable　apricot　in　a　sunny　place；　or　a　good　respectable　Alderney　cow。

〃I　think　it　would　be　better　not　to　grumble；　Susan；　my　dear；〃　replied；　in　a　low　voice；　a　pleasant　dark…eyed　young　lady　who　was　making　tea；　but　the　boys　at　the　bottom　of　the　table　neither　heard　nor　heeded。

〃Mary；　Mary；　quite　contrary；〃　was　Sam's　cry；　in　so　funny　a　voice；　that　Miss　Fosbrook　could　only　laugh；　〃is　this　bread　and　scrape　the　fare　for　a　rising　young　family　of　genteel　birth？〃

〃Oh！〃　with　a　pathetic　grimace；　cried　the　pretty…faced　though　sandy…　haired　Henry；　the　next　to　him　in　age；　〃if　our　beloved　parents　knew　how　their　poor　deserted　infants　are　treated〃

〃A　fine　large　infant　you　are；　Hal！〃　exclaimed　Susan。

〃I'm　an　infant；　you're　an　infant；　Miss　Fosbrook　is　an　infanta　babby。〃

〃For　shame；　Hal！〃　cried　the　more　civilized　Sam；　clenching　his　fist。

〃No；　no；　Sam；〃　interposed　Miss　Fosbrook；　laughing；　〃your　brother　is　quite　right；　I　am　as　much　an　infant　in　the　eye　of　the　law　as　little　George。〃

〃There；　I　said　I　would！〃　cried　Henry；　〃didn't　I；　Sam？〃

〃Didn't　you　what？〃　asked　Susan；　not　in　the　most　elegant　English。

〃Why；　Martin　Greville　twitted　us　with　having　a　girl　for　a　governess；〃　said　Henry；　〃he　said　it　was　a　shame　we　should　be　taken　in　to　think　her　grown　up；　when　she　was　not　twenty；　and　I　said　I　would　find　out；　and　now　I　have　done　it！〃　he　cried　triumphantly。

〃Everybody　is　quite　welcome　to　know　my　age；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　the　colour　rising　in　her　cheek。　　〃I　was　nineteen　on　the　last　of　April；　but　I　had　rather　you　had　asked　me　point　blank；　Henry；　than　tried　to　find　out　in　a　sidelong　way。〃

Henry　looked　a　little　surly；　and　Elizabeth；　a　nice…looking　girl；　who　sat　next　to　him　and　was　nearest　in　age；　said；　〃Oh！　but　that　would　have　been　so　rude；　Miss　Fosbrook。〃

〃Rude；　but　honest；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　and　Susan's　honest　eyes　twinkled；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃I　like　that；〃　but　she　said；　〃I　don't　believe　Hal　meant　it。〃

〃I　don't　care！〃　said　Sam。　　〃Come；　Mary；　this　plate　is　donemore　bread　and　butter；　d'ye　hear？　not　bread　and　gammon！〃　and　he　began　the　chant；　in　which　six　voices　joined　till　it　became　a　roar；　pursuing　Mary　down　to　the　lower　regions：…


〃Thick　butter　and　thin　bread；　Or　it　shall　be　thrown　at　Mary's　head；　Thick　bread　and　thin　butter；　Is　only　fit　for　the　ducks　in　the　gutter。〃


Elizabeth　looked　appealingly　at　Miss　Fosbrook；　but　Miss　Fosbrook　was　leaning　back　in　her　chair；　her　handkerchief　up　to　her　mouth；　in　fits　of　laughing；　seeing　which；　the　children　bawled　louder　and　louder；　and　Elizabeth　only　abstained　from　stopping　her　ears　because　she　knew　that　was　the　sure　way　to　be　held　fast；　and　have　it　bellowed　into　them。

Little　Annie　blundered　in　her　eagerness　upon


〃Thick　bread　and　thin　butter；〃


whereupon　there　was　a　general　outcry。　　〃Nanny　likes　thick　bread　and　thin　butter；　let　her　have　it！〃　and　Sam；　Henry；　and　Johnnie　directed　a　whole　battery　of　their　remaining　crusts　towards　her　cup；　which　would　presently　have　been　upset　into　her　lap　but　for　Miss　Fosbrook；　who　recovered　herself；　and　said　gravely；　〃This　must　not　be；　Sam；　I　shall　send　you　away　from　the　table　if　you　do。〃

Sam　wanted　to　see　whether　she　would；　and　threw　the　crust。

〃Sam；〃　she　said　very　decidedly；　though　there　was　a　quiver　in　her　voice；　as　if　she　were　frightened。

Sam　looked　up；　and　did　not　move。

〃Oh；　Miss　Fosbrook！〃　cried　Susan；　〃we　were　all　just　as　bad。　　Don't　punish　Sam！〃

〃It　is　time　that　Sam　should　show　that　he　has　the　feelings　of　a　manly　boy；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　looking　full　at　him。　　〃He　knows　that　I　must　keep　my　word；　and　that　I　have　no　strength　to　fight　with　him。Sam；　go　and　finish　your　tea　on　the　window…seat。〃

Her　clear　brown　eyes　looked　full　at　him　as　she　spoke；　and　all　the　young　population　watched　to　see　what　he　would　do。　　He　hesitated　a　moment；　then　took　up　his　cup　and　plate；　and　sat　down　in　the　window…　seat。

Miss　Fosbrook　breathed　freely；　and　she　had　almost　said；　〃Thank　you；　Sam；〃　but　she　did　not　think　this　was　the　time；　and　collecting　herself；　she　said；　〃Fun　is　all　very　well；　and　I　hope　we　shall　have　plenty；　but　we　ought　not　to　let　it　grow　riotous；　and　I　don't　think　it　was　of　a　good　sort　when　it　was　complaining　of　the　food　provided　for　us。〃

The　children　were　all　rather　subdued　by　what　she　said；　some　felt　a　little　cross；　and　some　rather　ashamed；　and　when　Mary　brought　back　the　dish　replenished　with　slices；　no　one　said　a　word　as　to　whether　the　butter　were　thick　or　thin。　　The　silence　seemed　to　David　a　favourable　occasion　for　renewing　the　great　question；　〃How　does　a　pig　pay　the　rent？〃

There　was　a　general　giggle；　and　again　Miss　Fosbrook　was　as　bad　as　any：　　while　David；　looking　affronted；　tapped　the　table　with　the　handle　of　his　spoon；　and　repeated；　〃I　want　to　know。〃

〃I'll　tell　you；　Davy　man；〃　began　Henry；　first　recovering。　　〃The　pig　is　a　very　sagacious　animal；　especially　in　Hampshire；　and　so　he　smells　out　wherever　the　bags　of　money　are　sown　underground；　and　digs　them　up　with　his　nose。　　Then　he　swings　them　on　his　back；　and　gives　a　curl　of　his　tail　and　a　wink　of　his　eye；　and　lays　them　down　just　before　the　landlord's　feet；　and　he's　so　cunning；　that　not　an　inch　will　he　budge　till　he's　got　the　receipt；　with　a　stamp　upon　it；　on　his　snout。〃

〃No；　now　is　that　a　true　story？〃　cried　little　Annie；　who　was　the　only　person　except　David　grave　enough　to　speak；　while　Sam；　exploding　in　the　window；　called　out；　〃Why；　don't　you　know　that's　why　pigs　have　rings　in　their　noses？〃


〃There　was　a　lady　loved　a　swine；　　　　'Honey；'　says　she；　I'll　give　you　a　silver　trough。'　　　　'Hunks！'　says　he；〃


continued　Hal；　〃that　shows　his　disinterestedness。　　Oh；　werry　sagacious　haminals　is　pigs！〃

〃For　shame；　Hal；〃　cried　Elizabeth；　〃to　confuse　the　children　with　such　nonsense。〃

〃Why；　don't　you　think　I　know　how　the　rent　is　paid？　　I've　seen　Papa　on　rent…day　hundreds　of　times。〃

〃But　the　pigs；　Hal；　did　you　ever　see　the　pigs？〃

〃Thousands　of　times。〃

〃Bringing　bags　of　gold？　　O　Hal！　　Hal！〃

〃I　want　to　know；〃　continued　David；　who　had　been　digesting　the　startling　fact；　〃how　the　pig　swings　the　bag　on　his　back？　I　don't　think　ours　could　do　it。〃

〃It's　a　sort　made　on　purpose；〃　said　Hal。

〃Made　on　purpose　by　Mr。　Henry　Merrifield；〃　said　Susan；　at　last　able　to　speak。　　〃Don't　believe　one　word；　David　dear；　Hal　is　laughing　at　you。〃

〃But　how　does　a　pig　do　it？〃　asked　David；　returning　to　the　charge。

〃Why　do　you　want　to　know；　my　dear？〃　asked　Miss　Fosbrook。

〃Mary's　sister　said　so。〃

〃I　know；〃　exclaimed　Susan；　〃Davy　went　out　with　the　nursery　children　to…day；　and　they　went　to　see　Mary's　sister。　　Her　husband　is　drowned　because　he　was　a　sailor；　and　the　Mermaid　went　to　South　America；　and　there　are　five　little　tiny　children。〃

〃Of　the　mermaid's？〃　cried　Harry。

〃No；　no；　the　Mermaid　was　the　ship；　and　it　was　wrecked；　and　they　have　noticing　to　live　upon；　and　she　takes　in　washing；　and　is　such　a　nice　woman。　　Mamma　said　we　might　take　them　our　old　winter　frocks；　and　so　David　went　there。〃

〃And　she　said　if　she　had　a　pig　to　pay　the　rent　she　should　be　quite　happy；〃　said　David。　　〃How　could　he？〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃the　pig　would　live　on　her　garden…　stuff；　her　cabbage…le