the stokesley secret-第18章

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　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；