the stokesley secret-第21章

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their　father！　　The　German　saw　her　dismay；　and　began　to　say　how　unlike　her　Ida　was　to　her　brothersso　truthful；　so　gentle；　and　courteous；　but　poor　Christabel　could　not　get　over　the　thought　of　the　ease　and　readiness　with　which　deceit　came　to　these　boys。　　Could　their　daily　companions；　Samuel　and　Henry；　have　learnt　the　same　effrontery；　and　be　deceiving　her　all　this　time？　　No；　no；　she　could　not；　would　not　think　it！　　Assuredly　not　of　Sam！　　She　was　very　glad　not　to　see　the　boys　again；　and　went　home　with　her　pupils；　rather　heavy…hearted；　at　eight　o'clock；　just　as　Ida　was　to　put　on　her　white　muslin　and　pink　ribbons；　and　go　down　after　dinner　for　half　an　hour。

There　were　many　kisses　at　parting；　and　a　whole　box　of　sweets；　done　up　in　beautifully　coloured　and　gold　and　silver　paper；　presented　to　the　little　visitors；　but　it　might　be　supposed　that　the　girls　were　tired；　for　there　was　a　fretful　snarling　all　the　way　across　the　park；　because　Elizabeth　insisted　that　the　gifts　should　be　called　bon…bons；　and　the　others　would　hear　of　nothing　but　goodies。　　Nobody　looked　at　the　beautiful　evening　sky；　nor　at　the　round　red　moon　coming　up　like　a　lamp　behind　the　trees；　nor　at　the　first　stars　peeping　out；　nor　even　at　the　green　light　of　the　glow…wormall　which　were　more　beautiful　than　anything　Ida　had　shown　them；　except　perhaps　the　hothouse　flowers；　and　at　last　two　such　cross　ill…tempered　voices　sounded　from　Bessie　and　Annie；　that　Christabel　turned　round　and　declared　that　she　should　not　let　the　sugar…plums　be　touched　for　a　week　if　another　word　were　said　about　them。

She　hoped　that　when　the　visit　was　over　it　would　be　done　with；　but　no　such　thing。　　Though　Susan　was　her　own　good　hearty　self；　Elizabeth　had　not　recovered　either　on　that　day　of　the　next　from　the　effects　of　the　pleasuring。　　On　each　she　cried　over　her　lessons；　and　was　cross　at　whatever　the　boys　said　to　her；　made　a　fuss　about　keeping　the　ornamental　cases　of　the　bon…bons；　and　went　about　round…backed；　peevish；　and　discontented；　finding　everything　flat　and　ugly　after　her　one　peep　at　the　luxuries　of　the　Park。　　Her　farthings　melted　away　fast；　but　she　seemed　to　think　this　her　misfortune；　not　her　fault。　She　did　not　try　to　talk　to　Miss　Fosbrook；　feeling　perhaps　that　she　was　in　a　naughty　mood；　which　she　would　not　try　to　shake　off；　and　she　made　no　attempt　to　go　on　with　her　present　for　her　Mamma；　it　looked　so　poor　and　trumpery　after　the　beautiful　things　she　had　seen。

Nor　did　Christabel　like　to　remind　her　of　it；　fearing　that　the　occasion　for　giving　it　might　never　come；　but　she　did　feel　that　it　was　a　mournful　thing　to　see　the　child；　who　was　in　danger　of　so　fearful　a　sorrow；　wasting　her　grief　in　pining　after　foolish　fancies；　and　turning　what　should　have　been　a　refreshing　holiday　into　an　occasion　of　longing　after　what　she　thus　made　into　pomps　and　vanities　of　this　wicked　world。　　Christabel　had　heard　that　people　who　murmur　among　blessings　often　have　those　blessings　snatched　away；　and　this　made　her　tremble　for　poor　little　discontented　Elizabeth。



CHAPTER　X。



〃There！〃　exclaimed　Susan；　〃I　really　have　got　a　letter　from　Papa　himself。　　What　a　prize！〃

〃You'll　have　to　mind　your　Grosvenor　when　you　answer　HIM；〃　said　Sam；　〃but　hollo；　what's　the　matter？〃

For　Susan's　eyes　had　grown　large；　and　her　whole　face　scarlet；　and　she　gave　a　little　cry　as　she　read。

〃Your　Mamma；　my　dear？〃　asked　Miss　Fosbrook。

〃Oh；　MammaMamma　is　so　very　ill！〃　and　Susan　throw　the　letter　down；　and　broke　into　a　fit　of　sobbing。

Sam　caught　it　up；　and　Elizabeth　came　to　read　it　with　him；　both　standing　still　and　not　speaking　a　word；　but　staring　at　the　letter　with　their　eyes　fixed。

〃What　is　it；　my　dear？〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　tenderly　putting　her　arm　round　Susan；　but　she　sobbed　too　much　to　make　a　word　distinct；　and　Bessie　held　out　the　letter　to　her　governess；　looking　white；　and　too　much　awed　to　speak。

Captain　Merrifield　wrote　in　short；　plain；　sad　words；　that　he　thought　it　right　that　his　children　should　know　how　matters　stood。　　The　doctors'　treatment；　for　which　their　mother　had　been　taken　to　London；　had　not　succeeded；　but　had　occasioned　such　terrible　illness；　that　unless　by　the　mercy　of　God　she　became　much　better　in　the　course　of　a　day　or　two；　she　could　not　live。　　If　she　should　be　worse；　he　would　either　write　or　telegraph；　and　Susan　and　Sam　must　be　ready　to　set　out　at　once　on　the　receipt　of　such　a　message；　and　come　up　by　the　next　train　to　London；　where　they　should　be　met　at　the　station。　　He　had　promised　their　mother　that　in　case　of　need　he　would　send　for　them。


God　bless　you；　my　poor　children；　and　have　mercy　on　us　all！　Your　loving　father；　H。　MERRIFIELD。


That　was　all；　and　Christabel　felt；　more　than　even　the　children　did；　from　how　full　and　heavy　a　heart　those　words　had　been　written。

Though　she　hardly　knew　how　to　speak；　she　tried　to　comfort　Susan　by　showing　her　that　her　father　had　evidently　not　given　up　all　hope；　but　Susan　was　crying　more　at　the　thought　of　her　Mamma's　present　illness　and　pain　than　with　fear　of　the　future；　and　Sam　said　sadly；　〃He　would　not　have　written　at　all　unless　it　had　been　very　bad　indeed。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃but　I　believe；　in　cases　like　this；　there　is　often　great　fear；　and　then　very　speedy　improvement。〃

〃Oh　dear；〃　said　Bessie；　speaking　for　the　first　time；　〃I　know　it　will　be。　　Little　girls　in　story…books　always　do　have　their　mammasdie！〃

〃Story…books　are　all　nonsense；　so　it　won't　happen；〃　said　Sam；　and　really　it　seemed　as　if　the　habit　of　contradicting　Bessie　had　suggested　to　him　the　greatest　consolation　that　had　yet　occurred。

Just　then　Henry　and　the　younger　ones　came　in；　and　learnt　the　tidings。　Henry　wept　as　bitterly　as　his　elder　sister；　and　John　and　Annie　both　did　the　same；　but　David　did　not　speak　one　word；　as　if　he　hardly　took　in　what　was　the　matter；　and；　going　to　the　window；　took　up　his　lesson…　books　as　usual。

〃It　is　nine　o'clock；　Hal；〃　said　Sam　presently。

〃Oh；　we　can't　go　to　Mr。　Carey　to…day；〃　said　Hal。

〃Yes；　we　shall；〃　returned　Sam。

〃Oh　don't；〃　cried　Susan。　　〃Suppose　a　telegraph　should　come！〃

〃Well；　then　you　can　send　for　me；〃　said　Sam。　　〃Come；　Hal。〃

〃How　can　you；　Sam？〃　said　Henry　crossly；　〃I　know　Mr。　Carey　will　give　us　leave　when　he　knows。〃

〃I　don't　want　leave；〃　said　Sam；　〃I　don't　want　to　kick　up　a　row；　as　you'll　do　if　you　stay　at　home。〃

〃Well　then；　if　the　message　comes；　I　shall　take　Susie　to　London　instead　of　you。　　I'm　sure　they　want　me　most！〃

〃No；　go　down　to　Mr。　Carey's　with　your　brother；　if　you　please；　Hal；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook　decidedly。　　〃If　he　should　tell　you　not　to　stay；　I　can't　help　it；　but　you　will　none　of　you　do　any　good　by　hanging　about　without　doing　your　daily　duties。〃

Hal　saw　he　had　no　chance；　and　marched　off；　muttering　about　its　being　very　hard。　　Sam　picked　up　his　books；　and　turned　to　go；　with　a　grave　steady　look　that　was　quite　manly　in　its　sadness；　only　stopping　to　say；　〃Now；　Jackie；　you　be　good！Please　Miss　Fosbrook；　let　him　run　down　after　me　if　the　message　comes；　and　I'll　be　back　before　the　horse　is　out。〃

Miss　Fosbrook　promised；　and　could　not　help　shaking　hands　with　the　brave　boy；　if　only　to　show　that　she　felt　with　him。

〃Then　must　we　all　do　our　lessons？〃　asked　Annie　disconsolately；　when　he　was　gone。

〃Yes；　my　dear；　I　think　we　shall　all　be　the　better　for　not　neglecting　what　we　ought　to　do。　　But　there　is　one　thing　that　we　can　do　for　your　dear　Mamma；　you　know　what　I　mean。　　Suppose　you　each　went　away　alone　for　five　minutes；　and　were　to　come　back　when　I　ring　the　little　bell？〃

The　first　to　come　back　was　Annie；　with　the　question　in　a　low　whisper；　〃Miss　Fosbrook；　will　God　make　Mamma　better　if　we　are　very　good？〃

Miss　Fosbrook　kissed　her；　saying；　〃My　dear　little　girl；　I　cannot　tell。　　All　I　can　certainly　tell　you　is；　that　He　hears　the　prayers　of　good　children；　and　if　it　be　better　for　her　and　for　you　He　will　give　her　back　to　you。〃

Annie　did　not　quite　understand；　but　she　entered　into　what　Miss　Fosbrook　said　enough　to　wish　to　be　good；　so　she　took　up　her　book；　and　began　to　learn　with　all　her　might。

Elizabeth　would　have　thought　it　much　more　like　a　little　girl　in　a　book　to　have　done　no　lessons；　but　have　sat　thinking；　and　perhaps　reading　the　Bible　all　day；　but　on　the　whole　Elizabeth　had　hardly　thoughts　enough　to　last　her　so　long；　nor　was　she