the stokesley secret-第17章

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nce　on　Henry's。

When　Sam　was　out　of　hearing；　Hal　discoursed　very　grandly　on　the　sovereign　he　intended　Colonel　Carey　to　give　him；　and　the　prodigious　things　he　meant　to　do　with　it。　　A　gentleman　once　gave　Osmond　Greville　two　sovereigns；　why　should　not　Colonel　Carey　be　equally　liberal？　　And　to　hear　the　boy；　those　two　sovereigns　would　buy　everything　in　the　world；　from　the　pig　to　a　double…barrelled　gun。　　David　began　to　grow　hurt；　and　to　fear　the　Toby　fund　would　be　lost　in　this　magnificence；　but　Hal　assured　him　that　it　would　be　a　help；　and　they　should　all　have　a　share　in　the　pig；　promising　presents　to　everybody；　which　Susan　and　Annie　expected　with　the　more　certainty　that　Sam　was　never　present　to　laugh　down　these　fine　projects。

Indeed　Miss　Fosbrook　had　laughed　at　them　once　or　twice；　and　observed　that　she　thought　money　earned　or　spared　a　better　thing　than　money　given；　and　this　caused　Hal　to　cease　to　try　to　dazzle　her；　though　he　could　not　give　up　the　pleasure　of　regaling　his　sisters　in　private　with　the　wonders　to　be　done　with　Colonel　Carey's　possible　sovereigns。



CHAPTER　VIII。



The　second　week　was　prosperous：　　the　treasury　made　progress；　and　Christabel　began　to　feel　as　if　her　pupils　were　not　beyond　her　management；　as　at　first　she　had　feared。　　Collectively　they　were　less　uncouth　and　bearish；　not　so　noisy　at　their　meals；　nor　so　needlessly　rude　to　one　another；　and　the　habit　of　teasing　Elizabeth　whenever　there　was　nothing　else　to　do　was　greatly　lessened。　　Indeed　Sam　did　not　plague　her　himself；　nor　let　his　brothers　do　so；　unless　she　tempted　him　by　some　very　foolish　whine　or　bit　of　finery；　and　in　such　eases　a　little　friendly　merriment　is　a　sound　cure；　very　unlike　the　hateful　fault　of　tormenting　for　tormenting's　sake。

Nor　did　Elizabeth　give　nearly　so　much　cause　for　their　rough　laughter；　since　Miss　Fosbrook　had　given　wholesome　food　to　her　tastes　and　likings；　partly　satisfying　the　longing　for　variety；　beauty；　or　interest　which　had　made　her　discontented　and　restless。　　Her　head　was　full　of　HER　secret；　and　her　pretty　plans　for　her　gift。　　Such　lovely　drawings　she　saw　in　her　mind's　eye；　such　fairies；　such　delightful　ships；　kittens；　babies　in　the　cradle！　　But　when　the　pencil　was　in　her　hand；　the　lines　went　all　ways　but　the　right；　her　fairy　was　a　grimy　little　object；　whose　second　wing　could　never　be　put　on；　the　ships　were　saucers；　the　kitten　might　have　been　the　pig；　the　baby　was　an　owl　in　an　ivy…bush；　and　to　look　at　the　live　baby　in　the　cradle　only　puzzled　her　the　more。　　Miss　Fosbrook　gave　her　real　drawing　lessons；　but　boxes；　palings；　and　tumble…down　sheds；　done　with　a　broad　black　pencil；　did　not　seem　to　help　her　to　what　she　wished。　　Yet　sometimes　her　fingers　produced　what　surprised　and　pleased　herself　and　Christabel；　and　she　never　was　happier　than　when　safely　shut　into　Miss　Fosbrook's　bed…room　with　her　card　and　her　paints。　　She　used　to　bolt　herself　in；　with　a　little　parade　of　mystery　that　made　Annie　exceedingly　curious；　though　the　others　generally　let　it　alone　as　〃Betty's　fancy。〃

Christabel　wanted　to　learn　botany　for　her　own　pleasure。　　She　found　a　book　which　Susan　and　Bessie　pronounced　to　be　horridly　stupid　（indeed　Annie　called　it　nasty；　and　was　reproved　for　using　such　a　word）；　but　when　the　information　in　it　was　minced　up　small；　and　brought　out　in　a　new　form；　Bessie　enjoyed　it　extremely。　　The　whole　party　were　delighted　to　gather　flowers　for　Miss　Fosbrookthe　wetter　or　the　steeper　places　they　grew　in　the　better；　but　the　boys　thought　it　girlish　to　know　the　names；　and　Susan；　though　liking　gardening；　did　not　in　the　least　care　for　the　inside　of　a　flower。　　Elizabeth；　however；　was　charmed　at　the　loveliness　that　was　pointed　out　to　her；　and　even　Annie；　when　the　boys　were　not　at　hand；　thought　it　very　entertaining　to　look　at　petals；　stamens；　and　pistils；　and　to　see　that　a　daisy　is　made　up　of　a　host　of　tiny　flowers。　　Both　little　sisters　were　having　their　eyes　opened　to　see　some　of　the　wonder　and　some　of　the　glory　of　this　earth　of　ours。　　It　made　Bessie　much　less　often　tired　of　everything　and　everybody；　though　after　all　there　is　but　one　spirit　that　is　certain　never　to　be　weary　or　dissatisfied；　and　into　that　she　had　yet　to　grow。

Fines　were　much　less　frequent：　　there　were　no　foolish　tears；　only　one　lesson　of　John's　turned　back；　two　of　Annie's；　one　of　Susan's；　some　unbrushed　hair　of　Susan's　tooan　unlucky　mention　of　the　raven　by　Annie　in　lesson…timeand　some　books　left　about　by　Sam。　　Henry's　fines　were　the　serious　ones：　　he　had　two　for　incorrect　sums；　one　for　elbows　on　the　table；　three　for　talking；　one　for　not　putting　his　things　away；　and　besides；　he　COULD　NOT　go　without　a　pennyworth　of　string；　and　the　Grevilles　would　have　laughed　at　him　if　he　had　not　bought　some　more　marbles。

But　what　did　that　signify　when　Colonel　Carey　was　coming？　and　a　sovereign　would　buy　a　pig　three　times　overat　least；　if　it　was　quite　a　little　one。　　Christabel　wished　the　hope　of　that　sovereign　had　never　occurred　to　him；　for　he　seemed　to　think　it　quite　set　him　free　from　the　little　self…restraints　by　which　the　others　were　earning　the　pleasure　of　making　the　gift；　and　though　he　still　talked　the　most　about　the　pig；　he　denied　himself　the　least　for　it。

One　evening　the　boys　came　in　with　a　great　piece　of　news。　　Their　tutor　had　read　in　the　paper　that　Admiral　Penrose　was　appointed　to　the　Ramilies；　to　take　command　in　the　Mediterranean。　　He　was　a　great　friend　of　their　father；　and；　said　the　boys；　was　most　likely　to　make　him　his　flag…captain。

〃And　me　a　naval　cadet！〃　said　Hal。　　〃He　said　he　would；　when　he　was　here！〃

〃One　of　you；　he　said；〃　put　in　Susan。

〃I　know　it　will　be　me！〃　said　Hal。　　〃He　looked　at　the　rigging　of　my　frigate；　and　said　I　knew　all　the　ropes　quite　well；　and　he　told　Papa　he　might　be　proud　of　such　a　son！〃

〃Oh！　oh！〃　groaned　the　aggrieved　multitude。

〃Wellsuch　a　family；　but　he　was　looking　at　me；　and　I　know　he　will　give　me　the　appointment；　and　I　shall　sail　in　his　shipyou'll　see。　And　when　I　get　to　the　Mediterranean；　I'll　tell　you　what　I'll　doI　shall　kill　a　shark　all　my　own　self！〃

〃A　shark　in　the　Mediterranean！〃

〃Well；　why　shouldn't　they　get　in　by　the　Straits　of　Magellan？　　Oh！　is　that　the　other　place？　　Well；　never　mindI'll　shoot　the　shark。〃

〃Stuff；　Hal！〃　said　Sam　rather　gruffly。

Hal　went　off　on　another　tack。　　〃Well；　at　least　he　has　set　me　down　by　this　time；　and　Papa　will　have　me　up　to　London　for　my　outfit。〃

〃I　hope　you　will　have　leave；　and　come　and　see　us；〃　said　Annie。

〃I'll　try；　but；　you　see；　I　shall　be　an　officer　on　duty；　and　I　dare　say　Admiral　Penrose　will　hardly　be　able　to　spare　me；　but　I'll　send　you　all　presents　out　of　my　pay。〃

〃You'll　spend　all　your　pay　on　yourself；〃　said　David。

〃Out　of　my　prize…money　then。〃

〃You　can't　get　prize…money　without　a　war；〃　said　Elizabeth。

〃Oh！　don't　let　there　be　a　war！〃　cried　Susan。

〃Yes；　but　there　is！〃　said　Harry　in　a　tremendous　tone；　and　as　Miss　Fosbrook　held　up　her　hands；　〃at　least　there　was　one　in　the　Black　Sea；　and　I　know　there　was　a　battle　in　the　newspaperat　least；　Mr。　Carey　read　about　Palermo。〃

〃I　don't　think　Garibaldi　in　Sicily　will　put　much　prize…money　into　your　pocket；　Hal；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook。

〃Oh！　but　there's　sure　to　be　a　war！　and　I　shall　get　promoted；　and　be　a　man　before　any　of　you。　　I　shall　go　about；　and　see　condors；　and　lions；　and　elephants；　and　wear　a　swordat　least；　a　dirkwhile　you　are　learning　Latin　and　Greek　at　Uncle　John's！〃

〃Don't　make　such　a　noise　about　it！〃　said　Sam　crossly。

〃I　don't　know　why　you　should　be　the　one　to　go；〃　said　Elizabeth。　　〃Sam　is　the　eldest。〃

〃Yes；　but　Sam　is　such　a　slow…coach。　　Papa　said　I　was　the　only　one　fit　to　make　a　sailor　ofat　least；　he　said　I　was　smart；　andHollo！　　Sam；　I　won't　have　you　kicking　my　legs！〃

〃Don't　keep　up　such　a　row　then！〃　growled　Sam；　but　Hal　was　in　too　full　swing　to　be　reached　by　slight　measures。　　He　pushed　his　chair　back；　tucked　up　his　feet　like　a　tailor's；　out　of　reach；　and　went　on：　　〃Then　I　shall　come　home　in　my　cocked　hat；　like　Papa'sat　least；　my　cap　and　come　and　ask　for　a　holiday　for　you　all　at　Uncle　John's。〃

Uncle　John　was　an　under…master　at　one　of　the　great　public　schools；　and　the　children　were　all　a　good　deal　in　awe　of　him。

〃Uncle　John　won't　give　one　for　YOU！〃　said　Sam。

〃Come；　boys；　I　can't　have　this　bickering；