the stokesley secret-第22章

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ble　all　day；　but　on　the　whole　Elizabeth　had　hardly　thoughts　enough　to　last　her　so　long；　nor　was　she　deep　or　serious　enough　to　have　done　herself　much　good　by　keeping　the　Bible　open　before　her。　　In　fact　she　did　lose　her　verse　in　merely　reading　the　chapter　for　the　day！　　So　it　was　just　as　well　that　she　had　something　to　do　that　was　not　play；　and　that　was　a　duty；　and　thus　might　give　the　desire　to　be　good　something　to　bear　upon。

But　Christabel　saw　by　Susan's　face；　and　heard　in　the　shaken　voice　with　which　she　took　her　turn　in　the　reading；　that　she　could　not　have　given　her　mind　to　her　tasks；　and　did　not　need　them　to　keep　her　out　of　mischief。　　It　would　have　been　cruel　to　have　required　her　to　sit　down　to　them　just　then；　and　her　governess　was　glad　to　be　able　to　excuse　her　on　account　of　the　packing…up。　　All　her　things　and　Sam's　must　be　got　ready　in　case　of　an　immediate　start；　and　she　was　sent　up　to　the　nursery　to　take　care　of　the　little　ones；　while　Nurse　and　Mary　mended；　ironed；　and　packed。

To　be　sure　Nurse　Freeman　made　poor　Susan　unnecessarily　unhappy　by　being　sure　that　it　was　all　the　fault　of　the　London　doctors；　but　she　was　a　kind；　tender　old　woman；　and　her　petting　was　a　great　comfort　to　the　poor　girl。　　What　did　her　most　good；　however；　was　sitting　quite　quiet　with　the　little　ones　while　they　were　asleep；　and　all　alone；　it　seemed　to　rest　and　compose　her；　and　she　always　loved　to　be　in　charge　of　them。　　Poor　child！　she　might　soon　have　to　be　their　little　mother！　She　was　able　to　play　with　them　when　they　awoke；　and　cheered　herself　up　with　their　pretty　ways；　and　by　finding　how　quickly　Baby　was　learning　to　walk。　　Ah！　but　would　Mamma　ever　see　her　walk？

If　any　of　the　children　thought　it　unjust　that　Susan's　lessons　should　be　let　off；　they　were　wrong。　　Parents　and　teachers　must　have　the　power　of　doing　such　things　without　being　judged。　　Sometimes　they　see　that　a　child　is　really　unable　to　learn；　when　the　others　perceive　no　difference；　and　it　would　be　very　harsh　and　cruel　to　oppress　one　who　is　out　of　order　for　fear　little　silly；　idle；　healthy　things　should　think　themselves　hardly　used。

At　any　rate；　the　lessons　were　capitally　done；　and　when　the　children　met　again；　they　were　all　so　much　brighter　and　more　hopeful；　that　they　quite　believed　that　their　Mamma　was　going　to　get　better　very　fast。　Bessie　especially　was　so　resolved　that　thus　it　should　be；　that　she　shut　herself　into　Miss　Fosbrook's　room；　and　drew　and　painted　with　all　her　might；　as　if　preparing　for　Mamma's　birthday　made　it　certain　that　it　would　be　kept。

The　boys　brought　word　that　they　would　have　a　holiday　the　next　day；　as　it　was　the　Feast　of　St。　　Barnabas；　and　after　morning　service　Mr。　Carey　was　going　to　meet　his　brother　and　bring　him　home。

〃I　shall　be　all　the　more　certain　to　get　the　sovereign；　or　two　sovereigns；〃　said　Henry　to　David；　the　only　person　whom　he　could　find　to　listen　to　him；　〃if　Sam　is　gone；　and　everyone　will　be　caring　about　me。〃

〃And　then　you'll　give　it　to　the　pig；〃　said　David。

〃Oh　yes；　to　be　sure。　　You　will　grow　into　a　pig　yourself　if　you　go　on　that　way；　David。〃

However；　David；　partaking　the　family　distrust　of　Hal's　birds…in…the…　bush；　and　being　started　on　the　subject　of　the　hoard；　ran　up　to　Sam；　who　was　learning　his　lessons　by　way　of　something　to　do；　and　said；　〃If　you　go　to　London；　Sam；　may　I　have　your　sixpence　on　Monday　for　the　pig？〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　am　going。〃

〃But　if　you　door　we　sha'n't　get　the　pig。〃

〃I　don't　care。〃

〃Don't　you　care　if　we　don't　get　the　pig？〃

〃No。　　Be　off　with　you。〃

David　next　betook　himself　to　his　eldest　sister；　who　was　trying　to　write　to　her　father；　and　finding　such　a　letter　harder　and　sadder　work　than　that　to　Ida　Greville；　though　no　one　teased　her　about　writing；　blots；　or　spelling。

〃If　you　go　to　London；　Susie；〃　said　he；　in　the　very　same　words；　〃may　I　have　your　sixpence　on　Monday　for　the　pig？〃

〃Oh；　Davie；　don't　be　tiresome！〃

David　only　said　it　over　again　in　the　same　words；　and　put　his　hand　down　on　her　letter　in　his　earnestness。

〃Come　away；　Davie；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃don't　tease　your　sister。〃

〃I　want　her　to　say　I　may　have　her　sixpence　on　Monday　for　the　pig。〃

〃No；　you　sha'n't；　then；〃　said　Susan　angrily；　〃you　care　for　the　nasty　pig　more　than　for　poor　Mamma　or　anyone　else；　and　you　sha'n't　have　it。〃

So　seldom　did　Susan　say　anything　cross；　that　everyone　looked　up　surprised。　　Miss　Fosbrook　saw　that　it　was　sheer　unhappiness　that　made　her　speak　sharply；　and　would　not　take　any　notice；　except　by　gently　taking　away　the　pertinacious　David。

He　was　very　much　distressed　at　the　refusal；　and　when　Miss　Fosbrook　told　him　that　his　brother　and　sister　could　not　think　of　such　things　when　they　were　in　such　trouble；　he　only　answered；　〃But　Hannah　Higgins　won't　get　her　pig。〃

Miss　Fosbrook　was　vexed　herself　that　her　friend　David　should　seem　possessed　with　this　single　idea；　as　if　it　shut　out　all　others　from　his　mind。　　He　was　consoled　fast　enough；　for　Susan；　with　another　great　sob；　threw　down　her　pen；　and　coming　up　to　stroke　him　down　with　her　inky　fingers；　cried　out；　〃O　Davie；　Davie；　I　didn't　mean　it；　I　don't　know　why　I　said　it。　　You　shall　have　my　sixpence；　or　anything！　　But；　oh　dear；　I　wish　the　message　was　come；　and　we　were　going　to　dear　Mamma；　for　I　can't　write；　and　I　don't　know　what　to　do。〃

Then　she　went　back　to　her　place；　and　tried　to　write；　and　sat　with　her　head　on　her　hand；　and　dawdled　and　cried　and　blotted　till　it　grew　so　near　post…time　that　at　last　Miss　Fosbrook　took　the　longest　of　her　scrawls；　and　writing　three　lines　at　the　bottom　to　say　how　it　was　with　them　all；　directed　it　to　Captain　Merrifield；　thinking　that　he　would　like　it　better　than　nothing　from　home；　sent　it　off；　and　made　Susan　come　out　to　refresh　her　hot　eyes　and　burning　head　in　the　garden。

Sam　presently　came　and　walked　on　her　other　side；　gravely　and　in　silence；　glad　to　be　away　from　the　chatter　and　disputes　of　the　younger　ones。　　That　summons　had　made　them　both　feel　older；　and　less　like　children；　than　ever　before；　but　they　did　not　speak　much；　only；　when　they　sat　down　on　a　garden　bench；　as　Miss　Fosbrook　held　Susan's　hand；　she　presently　found　some　rough　hard　young　fingers　stealing　into　her　own　on　the　other　side；　and　saw　Sam's　eyes　glistening　with　unshed　tears。　　She　stroked　his　hand；　and　they　dropped　fast：　　but　he　was　ashamed　to　cry；　and　quickly　dried　them。

〃I　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　will　be　a　man；　Sam；　take　care　of　Susan；　and　be　a　comfort　to　your　father。〃

〃I　hope　I　shall；〃　said　Sam；　〃but　I　don't　know　how。〃

〃Nobody　can　tell　how　beforehand；〃　she　said。　　〃Only　watch　to　see　what　he　may　seem　to　want　to　have　done　for　him。　　Sit　quietly　by；　and　don't　get　in　the　way。〃

〃Were　you　ever　so　unhappy；　Miss　Fosbrook？〃　asked　Susan。

〃Yes；　once　I　was；　when　my　father　was　knocked　down　by　an　omnibus；　and　was　very　ill。〃

〃Tell　us　about　it？〃　said　Susan。

She　did　tell　them　of　her　week　of　sorrow　and　anxious　care　of　the　younger　children；　and　the　brightening　ray　of　hope　at　last。　　It　seemed　to　freshen　both　up；　and　give　them　hopes；　for　each　drew　a　long　sigh　of　relief；　and　then　Sam　said；　〃Papa　wrote　to　Mr。　Carey。　　She　is　to　be　prayed　for　in　church　to…morrow。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Susan；　with　a　sound　as　of　dismay；　which　made　Christabel　ask　in　wonder　why　she　was　sorry；　when；　from　Susan's　half…uttered　words；　she　found　that　the　little　girl　fancied　that　a　〃happy　issue　out　of　all　her　afflictions〃　meant　death。

〃Oh　no；　my　dear；〃　she　said。　　〃What　it　means　is；　that　the　afflictions　may　end　happily　in　whatever　way　God　may　see　to　be　best；　it　may　be　in　getting　well；　it　may　be　the　other　way：　　at　any　rate；　it　is　asking　that　the　distress　may　be　over；　not　saying　how。〃

〃Isn't　there　some　other　prayer　in　the　Prayer…book　about　it？〃　said　Sam；　looking　straight　before　him。

〃I　will　show　you　where　to　find　it；　in　the　Visitation　of　the　Sick。　　I　dare　say　it　has　often　been　read　to　her。〃

The　boy　and　girl　came　in　with　her；　and　brought　their　Prayer…books　to　her　room；　that　she　might　mark　them。

This　had　been　a　strange；　long；　sad　day　of　waiting　and　watching　for　the　telegram；　and　the　children　even　fancied　it　might　come　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　but　Miss　Fosbrook　thought　this　unlikely；　and　looked　for　the　morrow's　post。　　There　was　no　letter。　　It　was　very　disappointing；　but　Miss　Fosbrook　thought　it