the stokesley secret-第14章

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oss；〃　and　David　lay　flat　on　his　face；　puffing　at　his　own　particular　oven；　like　a　little　Wind　in　an　old　picture。　　Sam　waited；　leaning　on　the　ashen　stick　that　served　him　as　a　poker。　　It　was　the　most　audacious　thing　he　had　ever　heard。　　Rob　them　of　their　bonfire！　　Would　that　old　traitor　of　a　Purday　abet　her？

Perhaps　Purday　was　as　much　astonished　as　the　rest；　but；　after　all；　much　as　the　children　tormented　his　bonfires；　overset　his　haycocks；　and　disturbed　his　wood…pile；　he　did　not　like　anyone　to　scold　them　but　himself；　much　less　the　new　London　Lady；　so　he　made　up　an　odd　sort　of　grin；　and　said；　〃No；　no；　Ma'am；　it　ain't　that　they　do　so　much　harm；　let　'em　bide；〃　and　he　proceeded　to　shake　on　the　rest　of　his　barrowful；　tumbling　the　weeds　down　over　David's　cherished　oven　in　utter　disregard；　but　the　children　cried　with　one　voice；　〃Hurrah！　hurrah！　　Purday；　we　don't　do　any　harm；　so　don't　ever　grumble　again。　Hurrah！〃

〃And　I　don't　care　for　HER；　the　crosspatch；〃　said　Johnnie　to　Annie；　never　hearing　or　heeding　Miss　Fosbrook's　fervent　〃I　am　so　glad！〃

And　as　long　as　the　foolish　boy　remembered　it；　he　always　did　believe　that　Miss　Fosbrook　was　so　cross　as　to　want　to　hinder　them　from　their　bonfire；　only　Purday　would　not　let　her。

Miss　Fosbrook　did　not　trouble　herself　to　be　understood；　she　was　relieved　to　have　done　her　duty；　and　be　free　to　rejoice　in　and　share　the　pleasure。　　She　ran　about　and　collected　materials　for　Sam　till　she　was　out　of　breath；　and　joined　in　all　the　excitement　as　the　fire　showed　symptoms　of　reviving；　after　being　apparently　crushed　out　by　Purday。　　Sam　and　Susan；　at　least；　believed　that　she　had　only　spoken　to　Purday　because　she　thought　it　right；　but　even　for　them　to　forgive　interference　with　their　bonfire　privileges　was　a　great　stretch。

At　last　she　thought　it　time　to　leave　them　to　their　own　devices；　and　seize　the　moment　for　some　quiet　reading；　but　she　had　not　reached　the　house　before　little　steps　came　after　her；　and　she　saw　Elizabeth　running　fast。

〃They　are　so　tiresome；〃　she　said。　　〃Sam　won't　let　me　stand　anywhere　but　where　the　smoke　gets　into　my　eyes；　and　George　plagues　so！　　May　I　come　in　with　you；　dear　Christabel？〃

〃You　are　very　welcome；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃but　I　am　sorry　to　hear　so　many　complaints。〃

〃They　are　so　cross　to　me；〃　said　Bessie；　〃they　always　are。〃

〃You　must　try　to　be　cheerful　and　good…humoured　with　them；　and　they　will　leave　off　vexing　you。〃

〃But　may　I　come　in？　　It　will　be　a　nice　time　for　my　secret。〃

Christabel　saw　little　hope　for　her　intended　reading；　but　she　was　always　glad　of　a　space　for　making　Bessie　happy；　so　she　kindly　consented　to　the　bringing　out　of　the　little　girl's　treasury；　and　the　dismal　face　grew　happy　and　eager。　　The　subjects　of　the　drawings　were　all　clear　in　her　head；　that　was　not　the　difficulty；　but　the　cardboard；　the　ribbon；　the　real　good　paints。　　One　little　slip　of　card　Miss　Fosbrook　hunted　out　of　her　portfolio；　she　cut　a　pencil　of　her　own；　and　advised　the　first　attempt　to　be　made　upon　a　piece　of　paper。　The　little　bird　that　Bessie　produced　was　really　not　at　all　bad；　and　her　performance　was　quite　fair　enough　to　make　it　worth　while　to　go　on；　since　Miss　Fosbrook　well　knew　that　mammas　are　pleased　with　works　of　their　children；　showing　more　good…will　than　skill。　　For　why？　Their　value　is　in　the　love　and　thought　they　show。

The　little　bird　was　made　into　a　robin　with　the　colours　in　a　paint…box　that　Bessie　had　long　ago　bought；　but　they　were　so　weak　and　muddy；　that　the　result　was　far　from　good　enough　for　a　present；　and　it　was　agreed　that　real　paints　must　be　procured　as　well　as　ribbon。　　Miss　Fosbrook　offered　to　commission　her　sisters　to　buy　the　Prussian　blue；　lake；　and　gamboge　in　London；　and　send　them　in　a　letter。　　This　was　a　new　idea　to　Bessie；　and　she　was　only　not　quite　decided　between　the　certainty　that　London　paints　must　be　better　than　country　ones；　and　the　desire　of　the　walk　to　Bonchamp　to　buy　some；　but　the　thought　that　the　ribbon；　after　all；　might　be　procured　there；　satisfied　her。　　The　little　doleful　maid　was　changed　into　an　eager；　happy；　chattering　child；　full　of　intelligence　and　contrivance；　and　showing　many　pretty　fancies；　since　there　was　no　one　to　tease　her　and　laugh　at　her；　and　her　governess　listened　kindly　and　helpfully。

Miss　Fosbrook　could　not　help　thinking　how　much　happier　her　little　companion　would　have　been　as　an　only　child；　or　with　one　sister；　and　parents　who　would　have　made　the　most　of　her　love　of　taste　and　refinement；　instead　of　the　hearty　busy　parents；　and　the　rude　brothers　and　sisters；　who　held　her　cheap　for　being　unlike　themselves。　　But　then　she　bethought　her；　that　perhaps　Bessie　might　have　grown　up　vain　and　affected；　had　all　these　tastes　been　petted　and　fostered；　and　that　perhaps　her　little　hardships　might　make　her　the　stronger；　steadier；　more　useful　woman；　instead　of　living　in　fancies。　　It　was　the　unkindness　on　one　side；　and　the　temper　on　the　other；　that　made　Miss　Fosbrook　uneasy。

The　work　had　gone　on　happily　for　nearly　an　hour；　and　Bessie　was　copying　a　forget…me…not　off　a　little　painted　card…board　pincushion　of　her　own；　when　steps　were　heard；　little　trotting　steps；　and　Susan　came　in　with　little　George。　　He　had　been　pushed　down　by　Johnnie；　and　was　rather　in　a　fretful　mood；　and　Susan　had　left　all　her　happy　play　to　bring　him　in　to　rest　and　comfort　him；　coming　to　the　school…room　because　Nurse　Freeman　was　out。　　Before　Elizabeth　had　time　to　hide　away　her　doings；　George　had　seen　the　bright　pincushion；　and　was　holding　out　his　hands　for　it。　　Bessie　hastily　pocketed　it。　　George　burst　out　crying；　and　Susan；　without　more　ado；　threw　herself　on　her　sister；　and；　pinioning　Bessie's　slight　arm　by　the　greater　strength　of　her　firm　one；　was　diving　into　her　pocket　in　spite　of　her　struggles。

〃Susan；　leave　off；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃let　your　sister　alone。　　She　has　a　right　to　do　what　she　likes　with　her　own。〃

〃It　is　so　cross　in　her；〃　said　Susan；　obeying　however；　but　only　to　snatch　up　little　George；　and　hug　and　kiss　him。　　〃Poor　dear　little　man！　is　Betty　cross　to　him？　　There！　there！　come　with　Sue；　and　SHE'LL　get　him　something　pretty。〃

〃Susie；　Susie；　indeed　it's　only　that　I　don't　want　him　to　spoil　it；〃　said　Elizabeth；　distressed。

〃A　foolish　thing　like　that！　　Why；　the　only　use　of　it　is　to　please　the　children；　but　you　are　just　such　a　baby　as　he　is；〃　said　Susan；　still　pitying　George。

〃You　had　better　put　your　things　away；　Bessie；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　interfering　to　stop　the　dispute；　and　as　soon　as　Elizabeth　was　gone；　and　George　a　little　pacified　by　an　ivory　ribbon…measure　out　of　Miss　Fosbrook's　work…box；　she　observed　to　Susan；　〃My　dear；　you　must　not　let　your　love　for　the　little　ones　make　you　unjust　and　unkind　to　Bessie。〃

〃She　always　is　so　unkind　to　them；〃　said　Susan　resentfully。

〃I　don't　think　she　feels　unkindly；　but　if　you　tyrannize　over　her；　and　force　her　to　give　way　to　them；　you　cannot　expect　her　to　like　it。〃

〃Mamma　says　the　elder　must　give　way　to　the　younger；〃　said　Susan。

〃You　did　not　try　whether　she　would　give　way。〃

〃No；　because　I　knew　she　wouldn't；　and　I　could　not　have　my　little　Georgie　vexed。〃

〃And　I　could　not　see　my　little　Susie　violent　and　unjust；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook　cheerfully。　　〃Justice　first；　Susan；　you　had　no　right　to　rob　Bessie　for　George；　any　more　than　I　should　have　to　give　away　a　dinner　of　your　papa's　because　he　had　refused　a　beggar。〃

〃Papa　never　would；〃　said　Susan；　rather　going　off　from　the　point。

〃Very　likely；　but　do　you　understand　me；　Susan？　　I　will　not　have　Bessie　FORCED　out　of　her　rights　for　the　little　ones。　　Not　Bessie　only；　but　nobody　is　to　be　tyrannized　over；　it　is　not　right。〃

〃Bessie　is　so　nonsensical；〃　was　all　Susan　said；　looking　glum。

〃Very　likely　she　may　seem　so　to　you；　but　if　you　knew　more；　you　would　see　that　all　is　not　nonsense　that　seems　so　to　you。　　Some　people　would　admire　her　ways。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Susan。　　〃Mrs。　Greville　told　Mrs。　Brownlow　that　Bessie　was　the　only　one　among　us　that　was　capable　of　civilisation；　but　Mrs。　Greville　is　a　fine　lady；　and　we　always　laugh　at　her。〃

〃And　now；〃　as　Bessie　returned；　〃you　want　to　go　out　to　your　play　again；　my　dear。　　Will　you　leave　Georgie　with　us？〃

Susan　was　a　little　doubtful　about　trusting　her　darling　with　anyone；　especially　one　who　could　take　Bessie's　part　against