贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the stokesley secret >

第18章

the stokesley secret-第18章

小说: the stokesley secret 字数: 每页4000字

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!



 him。

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

〃Come; boys; I can't have this bickering;〃 said Miss Fosbrook。  〃I can't see you trying which can be most provoking。  Stand up。  Now; David; say grace。  There; Annie; finish that bit of bread out of doors。  Go out; and let us have no more of this。〃

She spoke now with much less fear of not being minded; and having seen one of the quarrelsome parties safe out of the school…room; she went to fetch from her own room a glove that wanted mending; and on her return found Sam alone there; curled up over his lesson…books on the locker; looking so gloomy; that she was afraid she had made him sulky; for which she would have been very sorry; since she had a respect for him。

〃What is the matter?〃 she asked; and his 〃Nothing〃 did not at all assure her that he was in a right mood。  She doubted whether to leave him alone; but presently thought he looked more unhappy than ill… tempered; and ventured to speak。  〃Have you a hard piece to learn? Perhaps I could help you。〃

He let her come and look at his book; but; to her surprise; he had before him a very easy problem in Euclid。

〃Indeed; if you only gave your mind to this;〃 she said; 〃you would soon make it out。〃

〃Stupid stuff!〃 exclaimed Sam。  〃It is all along of that; and the rest of it; that I have got to be a land…lubber!〃 and he threw the book to the other end of the room。

〃Have you no chance?〃 said Miss Fosbrook; without taking notice of this rudeness; for she saw that the boy could hardly contain himself。

〃No!  The Admiral did take notice of Hal; and one day when I was slow at a proposition; my father said I was too block…headed to beat navigation into; and that Hal is a smart fellow; worth two of me。  I know he is!  I know that; only if he would not make such an intolerable crowing〃

〃Then you wish it very much?〃

〃Wish it!  Of course I do。  Why; my father is a sailor; and I remember the Fury; and I saw the Calliopehis ship that he had in the war time。  Before I was as big as little George I always thought I should be a sailor。  And now if Papa goes out with Admiral Penrose; and Hal toooh! it will be so horrid home!〃

〃But can't you both go?〃

〃No; my father said he couldn't ask to have two of us put down; unless perhaps some younger one had a chance by and by。  And Hal is the sharpest; and does everything better than I can when he has a mind。  My father says; among so many all can't choose; and if this place is to be mine; Hal may want to be in the navy more than I。 Yes; it is all right; and Hal must go。  Butbutwhen my father is gone〃and Sam fairly burst out crying。  〃I didn't hardly know how different it is with him away till this month。  I was such a little fellow when he went to the Black Sea; but nownever mind; though!〃 and he stamped his foot on the floor。  〃Papa said it; and it must be。 Don't tell the others; Miss Fosbrook;〃 and he resolutely went and picked up his Euclid; and began finding the place。

〃You will do your duty like a man; wherever you are; Sam;〃 said Christabel heartily。

Sam looked as if he had rather that she had not said it; but it was comfortable to him for all that; and though she kept further compliments to herself; she could not but think that there was no fear but that he would be a man; in the best sense of the word; before Hal; when she saw him so manfully put his sore grievance out of his head; and turn to the present business of conquering his lesson。  Nor did she hear another word from him about his disappointment。

It made her dislike Henry's boasts more than ever; and she used to cut them short as fast as she could; till the young chatterer decided that she was 〃cross;〃 and reserved all his wonderful 〃at leasts〃 for his sisters; and his proofs of manliness for the Grevilles。

The Gibraltar man did not come on Saturday; and Miss Fosbrook had been the saving of several stamps by sending some queer little letters in her own to Mrs。 Merrifield; so that on Monday morning the hoard was increased to seven…and…sixpence; although between fines and 〃couldn't helps;〃 Henry's sixpence had melted down to a halfpenny; which 〃was not worth while。〃

On this day arrived a servant from the Park; bringing a delicate little lilac envelope; stamped with a tiny rose; and directed to Miss Merrifield。  There was another rose on the top of the lilac paper; and the writing was in a very neat hand。


My dear Susan;

Mamma desires me to say that she hopes you and Bessie and Annie will come to dine early to…morrow; and play with me; and that Miss Fosbury will come with you。  She hopes your Mamma is better; and would be glad to have her address in London。

I am your affectionate IDA ARABELLA GREVILLE。


〃Oh!  Miss Fosbrook; may we go?〃 cried the girls with sparkling eyes。

Mrs。 Merrifield had written that one or two such invitations might be accepted; but she had rather it did not happen too often; as visits at the Park were unsettling to some of the children。  So as this was the first; Christabel gladly consented; rather curious and rather shy on her own account。

Elizabeth begged for the rose; to copy it; and as there were no little ones present to seize it; she was allowed to have it; while Susan groaned and sighed over the misfortune of having to write a 〃horrible note〃 just at play…time; and the boys treated it as a sort of insult to the whole family that Ida should have mistaken their governess's name。

〃Tell her you won't go till she has it right;〃 said Sam; at which Annie made a vehement outcry of 〃No; no!〃 such as made them all laugh at her thinking him in earnest。

Susan's note began …


My dear Ida;

We shuold …


But then perceiving that something was the matter with her word; Susan sat and looked at it; till at last; perceiving that her u and o had changed places; she tried putting a top to the u; and made it like an a; while the filling up the o made it become a blot; such as caught Bessie's eye。

〃O Susie; you won't send such a thing as that up to Ida?〃

〃Nothat WOULD be a 'horrible note;'〃 said her governess; and she ruled the lines again。

〃Dear me;〃 said Susan impatiently; 〃can't one send a message up by the man that we'll all come; without this fuss?〃

But Miss Fosbrook said that would be very uncivil; and Susan; groaning; stretched every finger till the lines were finished; and began again; in her scraggy round…handgetting safely through the 〃should;〃 and also through 〃like to come very much;〃 but when Miss Fosbrook looked up next; she saw that the rest of the note consisted of …


Mamma is at Grandmamma's; No。 12; St。; Grovensor Place。

I am your affectionate SUSANNA MERRIFIELD。


〃My dear; I am very sorry。〃

〃What! won't that do?〃 sighed Susan; beginning to get into despair。

Miss Fosbrook pointed to the word 〃Grovensor。〃

〃Oh dear! oh dear!  I thought I had got that tiresome word this time。 Why can't it put its ss and ns into their proper sensible places?〃 cried poor Susan; to whom it was a terrible enemy。  She used to try them in different places all the way round; in hopes that one might at last be right。

〃Can't you remember what I told you; that the first Grosvenor was the grand huntsman?  Grosveneur in French; that would show you where to put the sgros; great。〃

But Susan never wished to remember anything French; and Sam observed that 〃the man deserved to be spelt wrong if he called himself by a French name。  Why couldn't he be content to be Mr。 Grandhunter?〃

〃But as he is not; we must spell his name right; or Mrs。 Greville will be shocked;〃 said Miss Fosbrook。

〃Please can't you scratch it out?〃 said the disconsolate Susan。

〃_I_ should not like to send a note with a scratch in it。  Besides; yours is hardly civil。〃

〃No; indeed;〃 said Elizabeth; 〃don't you know how people answer invitations; Susie?  I'll tell you。  'Miss Susanna; and Miss Elizabeth; and Miss Annie Merrifield will be very happy to do the honour of dining with' Sam; why do you laugh at me always?〃

〃Why; you are telling Ida you will do her honour by dining with her。〃

〃People always do honour when they dine;〃 said Elizabeth。  〃I know they do。〃

〃They profess to receive the honour; not confer it; Bessie;〃 said Miss Fosbrook; laughing; 

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的