the stokesley secret-第15章

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Susan　was　a　little　doubtful　about　trusting　her　darling　with　anyone；　especially　one　who　could　take　Bessie's　part　against　him；　but　she　wished　exceedingly　to　be　present　at　the　interesting　moment　of　seeing　whether　the　potatoes　were　done　enough；　and　George　was　perfectly　contented　with　measuring　everything　on　the　ribbon；　so　she　ran　quickly　off；　without　the　manners　to　thank　Miss　Fosbrook；　but　to　assure　the　rest　of　the　party　that　the　governess　really　was　very　good…natured；　and　that　she　would　save　her　biggest　and　best　potato　for　Miss　Fosbrook's　tea。

Christabel　managed　very　happily　with　little　George；　though　not　quite　without　offending　Elizabeth；　who　thought　it　very　hard　to　be　desired　to　put　away　her　painting　instead　of　tantalizing　her　little　brother　with　the　sight　of　what　he　must　not　have。　　Miss　Fosbrook　could　not　draw　her　into　the　merry　game　with　little　George；　which　made　his　shouts　of　glee　ring　out　through　the　house；　and　meet　Nurse　Freeman's　ear　as　she　came　in…doors　with　the　baby；　and　calling　at　the　school…　room　door；　summoned　him　off　to　his　tea；　as　if　she　were　in　a　pet　with　Miss　Fosbrook　for　daring　to　meddle　with　one　of　HER　own　nursery　children。

Nothing　more　was　heard　of　the　others；　and　Christabel　and　Elizabeth　both　read　in　peace　till　the　tea…bell　rang；　and　they　went　down　and　waited　and　waited；　till　Miss　Fosbrook　accepted　Bessie's　offer　of　going　out　to　call　the　rest。　　But　Bessie　returned　no　more　than　the　rest；　and　the　governess　set　forth　herself；　but　had　not　made　many　steps　before　the　voices　of　the　rabble　rout　were　heard；　and　they　all　were　dancing　and　clattering　about　her；　while　Susan　and　Hal　each　carried　aloft　a　plate　containing　articles　once　brown；　now　black；　and　thickly　powdered　with　white　ashes；　as　were　the　children　themselves　up　to　their　very　hair。

As　a　slight　concession　to　grown…up　people's　prejudices；　they　did；　at　the　risk　of　their　dear　potatoes　getting　cold；　scamper　up　to　perform　a　species　of　toilette；　and　then　sat　down　round　the　tea…table；　Susie；　David；　and　Sam　each　vociferous　that　Miss　Fosbrook　should　eat　〃my　potato　that　I　did　on　purpose　for　her。〃　　Poor　Miss　Fosbrook！　she　would　nearly　as　soon　have　eaten　the　bonfire　itself　as　those　cinder…coated　things；　tough　as　leather　outside；　and　within　like　solid　smoke。　Indeed　the　children；　who　had　been　bathing　in　smoke　all　day；　had　brought　in　the　air　of　it　with　them；　but　their　tongues　ran　fast　on　their　adventures；　and　their　taste　had　no　doubt　that　their　own　bonfire　potatoes　were　the　most　perfect　cookery　in　art！　　Miss　Fosbrook　picked　out　the　most　eatable　bits　of　each　of　the　three；　and　managed　to　satisfy　the　three　cooks；　all　zealous　for　their　own。　　Other　people's　potatoes　might　be　smoky；　but　each　one's　own　was　delicious〃quite　worthy　of　the　pig　when　he　was　bought；〃　thought　Miss　Fosbrook；　but　she　made　her　real　pleasure　at　the　kind　feeling　to　cover　her　dislike　of　the　black　potatoes；　and　thus　pleased　the　children　without　being　untrue。

〃Line　upon　line；　precept　upon　precept；　here　a　little；　and　there　a　little。〃　　That　is　the　way　habits　are　formed　and　characters　made；　not　all　at　once。　　So　there　had　been　an　opportunity　for　Susan　to　grow　confirmed　in　her　kindness　and　unselfishness；　as　well　as　to　learn　that　tyranny　is　wrong；　even　on　behalf　of　the　weak；　and　Bessie；　if　she　would　take　home　the　lesson；　had　received　one　in　readiness　to　be　cheerful；　and　to　turn　from　her　own　pursuits　to　oblige　others。　Something　had　been　attempted　toward　breaking　her　habit　of　being　fretful；　and　thinking　herself　injured。　　It　remained　to　be　seen　whether　the　many　little　things　that　were　yet　to　happen　to　the　two　girls　would　be　so　used　as　to　strengthen　their　good　habits　or　their　bad　ones。



CHAPTER　VII。



It　is　not　worth　while　to　go　on　describing　every　day　at　Stokesley；　since　lessons　were　far　too　much　alike；　and　play…times；　though　varied　enough　for　the　house　of　Merrifield；　might　be　less　entertaining　to　the　readers。

Enough　to　say；　that　by　Saturday　afternoon　John　had　not　only　forfeited　his　last　farthing；　but　was　charged　with　another　into　next　week；　for　the　poor　pleasure　of　leaving　his　hat　on　the　school…room　floor　because　Elizabeth　had　told　him　of　it。　　At　about　four　o'clock　it　set　in　for　rain；　catching　the　party　at　some　distance　from　home；　so　that；　though　they　made　good　speed；　the　dust　turned　into　mud；　and　clung　fast　to　their　shoes。

David；　never　the　best　runner；　was　only　in　time　to　catch　Johnnie　by　the　skirt　upon　the　third　step　of　the　staircase；　crying　out；　〃The　pig！〃　but　Johnnie；　tired　of　the　subject；　and　in　a　provoking　mood；　twitched　away　his　pinafore；　crying；　〃Bother　the　pig！〃　and　rushed　up　after　the　four　who　had　preceded　him；　leaving　such　lumps　of　dirt　on　the　edge　of　every　step；　that　when　Miss　Fosbrook　came　after　with　Elizabeth　she　could　not　but　declare　that　a　shower　was　a　costly　article。

〃You　see；〃　observed　Susan；　〃when　it's　such　fine　weather　it　puts　one's　feet　out　of　one's　head。〃

While　Sam；　Henry；　and　Bessie　were　laughing　at　Susan　for　this　speech；　little　George　trotted　in；　crying　out；　〃Halty　man　come；　Halty　man　come；　Georgie　want　sweetie！〃

〃The　Gibraltar　man！〃　cried　John　and　Annie　with　one　voice；　and　they　were　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　with　a　bound。

〃Oh；　send　him　away；　send　him　away。　　They'll　spend　all　their　money；　and　there　will　be　none　left！〃　was　David's　cry；　while　George　kept　dragging　his　eldest　sister's　frock；　with　entreaties　of　〃Susie；　Susie；　come。〃

〃They　call　him　the　Gibraltar　man；　because　he　sells　Gibraltar　rock；　and　gingerbread；　and　all　those　things；〃　said　Henry　in　explanation。　〃We　have　always　dealt　with　him；　and　he　is　very　deserving；　and　his　wife　makes　it　allat　least　I　know　she　makes　ginger…beerso　we　must　encourage　him。〃

So　Henry　hastened　downstairs　to　encourage　the　Gibraltar　man；　and　Susan；　saying　soothingly；　〃Yes；　yes；　Georgie；never　mind　Davie；　we'll　make　up　for　it；　I　can't　vex　him；〃　had　taken　the　little　fellow　in　her　arms　and　followed。

〃Pigs　enough　here；　without　sending　to　the　fair；〃　muttered　Sam。

〃Please；　Sam；　please；　Miss　Fosbrook；　send　the　Gibraltar　man　away；　and　don't　let　him　come；〃　cried　David　quite　passionately。　　〃Nasty　man！　he　will　come　every　Saturday；　and　they'll　always　spend　all　their　money。〃

〃But；　my　friend；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook　good…humouredly；　〃suppose　we　have　no　right　to　banish　the　Gibraltar　man？〃

〃_I_　don't　wan't　him；〃　said　Bessie；　〃it　makes　my　fingers　sticky。〃

〃You're　no　good；〃　said　David　vehemently。　　〃I　don't　like　you；　and　I　hate　the　Gibraltar　man；　taking　away　all　our　money　from　poor　Hannah。〃

〃Gently；　gently；　Davie；　nobody　makes　you　spend　your　money；　and　perhaps　the　poor　man　has　children　of　his　own　who　want　food　as　much　as　Hannah's　do。〃

〃Then　can't　they　eat　the　Gibraltar　rock　and　bulls'　eyes？〃

Sam　suggested　that　this　diet　would　make　them　sick；　to　which　poor　little　earnest　David　answered；　that　when　once　the　pig　was　bought；　he　would　give　all　his　money　for　a　whole　month　to　the　Gibraltar　man；　if　he　would　not　come　for　the　next　four　weeks。

And　Christabel　thought　of　what　she　had　once　read；　that　people　would　often　gladly　put　away　from　their　children　friends　the　very　trials　that　are　sent　by　Heaven　to　prove　and　strengthen　their　will　and　power　of　resisting　self…indulgence。　　Before　she　had　quite　thought　it　out；　the　quick　steps　were　back　again；　and　Sam　greeted　the　entrance　of　John　thus：　　〃Well；　if　that　isn't　a　shame！　　Have　you　been　and　done　Sukey　out　of　all　that；　Jack？〃

〃It　was　only　three　bulls'　eyes；〃　said　Susan；　following。　　〃You　know　he　had　nothing　of　his　own；　and　it　was　so　hard；　and　Annie　gave　him　some。〃

〃And　Nurse　some；〃　added　Hal。　　〃Trust　Jackie　for　taking　care　of　himself。〃　　Well　he　might　say　so；　considering　how　full　were　John's　mouth；　hands；　and　pockets。

〃And　Davie　has　had　nothing！〃　said　kind　Susan。　　〃Here；　Davie！〃　holding　out　to　him　an　amber…like　piece　of　barley…sugar。

〃I　don't　want　your　stuff；〃　said　David　roughly。　　〃You've　spent　all　away　from　the　pig。〃

〃No；　Davie；　indeed；　only　twopence；〃　said　Susan；　〃pray　have　a　bit。〃

〃You　might　at　least　say　thank　you；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook。

But　how　difficult　is　that　middle　road　which　is　the　only　right　one！　David；　being　too　much　set　on　one　single　purpose；　good　though　it　was；　could　see　nothing　else。　　It　was　right　and　generous　to　abstain　from　sweets　with　this　end　in　view；　but　it　was　wro