the stokesley secret-第27章

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han　half　a　score　was　tall　enough　to　get　a　good　hold　of　the　button；　even　from　the　highest　chair；　far　less　to　jerk　down　the　rather　stiff　upper　bolt。

〃It　cannot　have　been　a　little　one；　certainly；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃but　you　should　not　be　so　ready　to　accuse　your　brothers；　Bessie。〃

David；　however；　had　laid　hold　of　a　hope；　and　getting　up　from　the　floor；　hastened　out　of　the　room；　followed　by　John；　and　they　were　presently　heard　shouting　〃Hal！〃　all　over　the　house。

〃What　day　was　it　that　you　found　the　door　open；　Bessie？〃　asked　Miss　Fosbrook。

〃It　was　just　after　dinner；〃　said　Elizabeth；　recollecting　herself。

〃It　was　on　Friday。　　Yes；　I　remember　it　was　Friday；　because　I　went　into　the　school…room　to　get　my　pencil；　and　I　was　afraid　Hal　would　jump　out　upon　me；　and　looked　in　first　to　see　whether　he　was　going　to　be　tiresome；　but　he　was　gone。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Susan；　〃it　was　the　day　we　found　poor　Jack　stuck　up　on　the　gate；　when　he　and　Hal　were　in　disgrace。　　Oh；　he　never　would　have　played　tricks　then。〃

〃Did　you　go　up　before　me；　Bessie？〃　asked　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃for　I　went　up　directly　after　dinner　to　speak　to　Henry。〃

〃Yes；　I　did；〃　said　she。　　〃I　thought　if　you　got　in　first；　you　would　be　scolding　him　ever　so　long；　and　would　let　nobody　in；　so　I　would　get　my　pencil　first；　and　I　slipped　up　before　you　had　left　the　table。〃

Just　then　the　two　boys　were　heard　stumping　up　the　stairs；　and　ran　in；　panting　with　haste　and　excitement；　David　with　a　fiery　red　ear。

〃No；　no；　Hal　didn't　hide　it！〃

〃But　he　boxed　Davie's　ear　for　thinking　he　did；〃　added　John；　〃and　said　he'd　do　the　same　for　spiteful　Bet！〃

〃Then　he　never　played　tricks；〃　said　Susan。

〃I　told　you　not；〃　said　Sam。

〃No；〃　reiterated　David；　〃and　he　said　I'd　no　business　to　ask；　and　if　Bet　went　prying　about　everywhere；　I'd　better　ask　her。　　Have　you　got　it；　Betty？〃

〃I！〃　cried　Elizabeth。　　〃How　can　you；　Davie？〃

〃You　have　got　a　secret；〃　exclaimed　David；　〃and　you　always　were　cross　about　Hannah　Higgins's　pig。　　You　have　got　it　to　tease　me！　　Miss　Fosbrook；　make　her　give　it　back。〃

〃Nonsense；　David；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃Bessie　is　quite　to　be　trusted；　and　it　is　wrong　to　make　unfounded　accusations。〃

〃Never　mind；　Betty；〃　added　Sam　kindly；　〃if　Davie　wasn't　a　little　donkey；　he　wouldn't　say　such　things。〃

〃Where　is　Henry？〃　asked　the　governess。　　〃Why　did　he　not　come　himself？　Call　him；　I　want　to　know　if　he　observed　this　door　being　open。〃

〃He　is　gone　down　to　Mr。　Carey's；〃　said　John。

〃And　it　is　high　time　you　were　there　too；　Sam；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　starting。　　〃If　you　are　late；　beg　Mr。　Carey's　pardon　from　me；　and　tell　him　that　I　kept　you。〃

Sam　was　obliged　to　run　off　at　full　speed；　and　the　other　children　stood　about；　still　aghast　and　excited。　　Miss　Fosbrook；　however；　told　them　to　take　out　their　books。　　She　would　not　do　anything　more　till　she　had　had　time　to　think；　and　had　composed　their　minds　and　her　own；　for　she　was　exceedingly　shocked；　and　felt　herself　partly　in　fault；　for　having　left　the　hoard　in　an　unlocked　cupboard。　　She　feared　to　do　anything　hastily；　lest　she　should　bring　suspicion　on　the　innocent；　and　she　thought　all　would　do　better　if　time　were　given　for　settling　down。　　All　were　disappointed　at　thus　losing　the　excitement；　fancying　perhaps　that　instant　search　and　inquiry　would　hunt　up　the　money；　and　David　put　himself　quite　into　a　sullen　fit。　　No；　he　would　not　turn　round；　nor　read；　nor　do　anything；　unless　Miss　Fosbrook　would　make　stingy　Bet　give　up　the　pence。

Miss　Fosbrook　and　Susan　both　tried　to　argue　with　him；　but　he　had　set　his　mind　upon　one　point　so　vehemently；　that　it　was　making　him　absolutely　stupid　to　everything　else；　and　he　was　such　a　little　boy　（only　five　years　old）；　that　his　mind　could　hardly　grasp　the　exceeding　unlikelihood　of　a　girl　like　Elizabeth　committing　such　a　theft；　either　in　sport　or　earnest；　nor　understand　the　injury　of　such　a　suspicion。　He　only　knew　that　she　had　a　secreta　counter　secret　to　his　pig；　and　when　she　hotly　assured　him　that　she　had　never　touched　the　money；　and　Susan　backed　her　up　with；　〃There；　she　says　she　did　not；〃　he　answered；　〃She　once　told　a　story。〃

Elizabeth　coloured　deep　red；　and　Susan　cried　out　loudly　that　it　was　a　shame　in　David；　then　explained　that　it　was　a　long　long　time　ago；　that　Hal　and　Bessie　broke　the　drawing…room　window　by　playing　at　ball　with　little　hard　apples；　and　had　not　'told；　but　when　questioned　had　said；　〃No；〃　but　indeed　they　had　been　so　sorry　then　that　she　knew　they　would　never　do　so　again。

Again　David　showed　that　he　could　not　enter　into　this；　and　sulkily　repeated；　〃She　told　a　story。〃

〃I　will　have　no　more　of　this；〃　said　Christabel　resolutely。　　〃You　are　all　working　yourselves　up　into　a　bad　spirit：　　and　not　another　word　will　I　hear　on　this　matter　till　lessons　are　over。〃

That　tone　was　always　obeyed；　but　lessons　did　not　prosper；　the　children　were　all　restless　and　unsettled；　and　David；　hitherto　for　his　age　her　best　scholar；　took　no　pains；　and　seemed　absolutely　stupefied。　What　did　he　care　for　fines；　if　the　chance　of　the　pig　was　gone？　　And　he　was　sullenly　angry　with　Miss　Fosbrook　for　using　no　measures　to　recover　the　money；　fancied　she　did　not　care；　and　remembered　the　foolish　nursery　talk　about　her　favouring　Bessie。

Once　Miss　Fosbrook　heard　a　little　gasping　from　the　corner；　and　looking　round；　saw　poor　Bessie　crying　quietly　over　her　slate；　and　trying　hard　to　check　herself。　　She　would　not　have　noticed　her；　though　longing　to　comfort　her；　if　David　had　not　cried　out；　〃Bet　is　crying！　A　fine！〃

〃No；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃but　a　fine　for　an　ill…natured　speech　that　has　made　her　cry。〃

〃She　has　got　the　pig's　money；〃　muttered　David。

〃Say　that　again；　and　I　shall　punish　you；　David。〃

He　looked　her　full　in　the　face；　and　said　it　again。

She　was　thoroughly　roused　to　anger；　and　kept　her　word　by　opening　the　door　of　a　small　dark　closet；　and　putting　David　in　till　dinner…time。

Then　she　and　Susan　both　tried　to　soothe　Bessie；　by　reminding　her　how　childish　David　was；　how　he　had　caught　up　some　word　that　probably　Hal　had　flung　out　without　meaning　it；　and　how　no　one　of　any　sense　suspected　her　for　a　moment。

〃It　is　so　ill…natured　and　hard；〃　sobbed　Bessie。　　〃To　think　I　could　steal！　　I　think　they　hate　me。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Susan；　〃if　you　only　would　never　be　cross　to　the　boys；　Bessie；　and　not　keep　out　of　what　they　care　for；　they　would　never　think　it。〃

〃Yes；　Susie　is　right　there；〃　said　Christabel。　　〃If　you　try　to　be　one　with　the　others；　and　make　common　cause　with　them；　giving　up　and　forbearing；　they　never　will　take　such　things　into　their　heads。〃

〃And　WE　don't　now；〃　said　Susan　cheerily。　　〃Didn't　you　hear　Sam　say　nobody　but　a　donkey　could　think　it？〃

〃But　Bessie　has　a　secret！〃　said　Annie。

Again　stout　Susan　said；　〃For　shame！〃

〃I'll　tell　you　what　my　secret　is；〃　began　Bessie。

〃No；〃　said　Susan；　〃don't　tell　it；　dear！　　We'll　trust　you　without；　and　Sam　will　say　the　same。〃

Bessie　flung　her　arms　round　Susan's　neck；　as　if　she　only　now　knew　the　comfort　of　her　dear　good　sister。

Lessons　were　resumed；　and　as　soon　as　these　were　done；　Miss　Fosbrook　resolved　on　a　thorough　search。　　Some　strange　fit　of　mischief　or　curiosity　might　have　actuated　some　one；　and　the　money　be　hidden　away；　so　she　brought　David　out　of　his　cupboard；　and　with　Susan's　help　turned　out　every　drawer　and　locker　in　the　school…room；　forbidding　the　others　to　touch　or　assist。　　They　routed　out　queer　nests　of　broken　curiosities；　disturbed　old　dusty　dens　of　rubbish；　peeped　behind　every　row　of　books；　but　made　no　discovery　worth　mentioning；　except　the　left　leg　of　Annie's　last　doll；　the　stuffing　of　Johnnie's　ball；　the　tiger　out　of　George's　Noah's　ark；　and　the　first　sheet　of　Sam's　Latin　Grammar；　all　stuffed　together　into　a　mouse…hole　in　the　skirting。

At　dinner　Christabel　forbade　the　subject　to　be　mentioned；　not　only　to　hinder　quarrelsome　speeches；　but　to　prevent　the　loss　being　talked　of　among　the　servants；　since　she　feared　that　one　of　them　must　have　committed　the　theft；　and　though　anxious　not　to　put　it　into　the　children's　heads；　suspected　Rhoda；　the　little　nursery…girl；　who　was　quite　a　child；　and　had　not　long　been　in　the　house。

Henry　ate　his　dinner　in　haste；　but　could　not　get　away　till　Miss　Fosbrook　had　called　him　away　from　the　rest；　and　told　him　that　if　he　had　been　playing