the stokesley secret-第31章

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〃I　should　prefer　saying　nothing　till　you　have　examined　the　children　and　servants　for　yourself。〃

〃Right！〃　said　the　Captain。　　〃Very　well。I　am　sorry　to　treat　you　to　a　court…martial；　John；　but　I　must　hold　one　after　tea。〃

Christabel　pitied　the　children　for　having　to　speak　before　this　formidable　uncle；　but　there　could　be　no　help　for　it；　since　no　other　sitting…room　was　habitable；　and　there　were　torrents　of　rain　out…of…　doors。

There　was　just　time　to　show　the　glass　cupboard；　and　the　shelf　where　Toby　had　stood；　and　to　return　to　the　dining…room；　before　the　children　began　to　stream　in　and　make　their　greetings　to　their　uncle；　Susan　with　George　in　one　hand；　and　her　plate　of　bakings　in　the　other。　　Very　fancy　bread　indeed　it　was！　as　Uncle　John　said。　　The　edge　of　Purday's　hat　had　been　quite　baked　off；　and　one　of　his　arms　was　gone；　he　was　black　in　the　wrong　places；　and　was　altogether　rather　an　uncomfortable…looking　object。　　David's　brood　of　rabbits　were　much　more　successful；　though　the　ears　of　many　had　fallen　off。　　Uncle　John　was　very　much　diverted；　and　took　his　full　share　of　admiring　and　tasting　the　various　performances。　　On　the　whole；　the　meal　went　off　much　better　than　Christabel　had　feared　it　would。　　She　had　really　broken　the　children　of　many　of　the　habits　with　which　they　used　to　make　themselves　disagreeable；　there　was　no　putting　of　spoons　into　each　other's　cups；　nor　reaching　out　with　buttery　fingers；　lips　were　wiped；　and　people　sat　still　upon　their　chairs；　even　if　they　fidgeted　and　sighed；　and　there　was　only　one　slop　made　all　tea…time；　and　that　was　by　Johnnie；　and　not　a　very　bad　one。　　Indeed；　it　might　be　hoped　that　Mr。　Merrifield　did　not　see　it；　for　he　was　talking　to　Sam　about　the　change　of　footpath　that　Mr。　Greville　was　making。　　There　was　indeed　no　fun；　but　it　might　be　doubted　whether　Papa　would　have　been　in　a　mood　for　fun　even　had　his　brother　not　been　there；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　was　rather　glad　there　was　nothing　to　make　the　children　forgetful　of　propriety。

As　soon　as　Mary　had　carried　off　the　tea…things　and　wiped　the　table；　Uncle　John　put　himself　as　much　out　of　the　way　as　he　could　behind　the　newspaper　in　the　recess　of　the　window；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　would　have　gone　to　the　school…room；　but　Captain　Merrifield　begged　her　to　stay。

〃I　hear；〃　he　said；　〃that　a　very　unpleasant　thing　has　taken　place　in　my　absence；　and　I　wish　to　learn　all　that　I　can　about　it；　that　the　guilty　person　may　be　brought　to　light；　and　the　innocent　cleared　from　any　suspicion。〃

The　children　looked　at　one　another；　wondering　how　he　had　heard；　or　whether　Miss　Fosbrook　had　told　him；　but　this　was　soon　answered　by　his　calling　out；　〃David！　come　here；　and　tell　me　what　you　meant　by　this　letter。〃

David　walked　stoutly　to　his　father's　knee；　nothing　daunted；　though　his　brothers　muttered　behind　him；　〃So　he　wrote！〃　〃Little　sneak！〃　and　〃He　knew　no　better！〃　　Not　that　it　was　wrong　to　lay　the　case　before　his　father；　but　boys　had　usually　rather　suffer　injustice　than　make　an　accusation。

〃Why　did　you　write　this　letter；　David？〃　said　his　father。

〃Because　I　want　my　pence　for　the　pig。〃

〃Tell　me　how　you　lost　them？〃

〃Bess　took　them！〃

Elizabeth　sprung　up；　crimson；　and　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　Sam　and　Susan　were　both　bursting　out　into　an　angry　〃No；　no！〃　but　their　father　made　a　sign　to　all　to　keep　still；　and　they　obeyed；　though　each　of　the　elder　ones　took　hold　of　a　hand　of　their　sister　and　squeezed　it　hard。

〃Did　you　see　her　take　them？〃　asked　the　Captain。

〃No！〃

〃Then　why　do　you　say　she　did？　　I　don't　want　to　frighten　you；　David；　I　only　want　to　hear　why　you　think　she　did　so。〃

David　was　getting　alarmed　now；　and　his　childish　memory　better　retained　the　impression　than　what　had　produced　it。　　He　hung　down　his　head；　scraped　one　foot；　and　finding　that　he　must　answer；　mumbled　out　at　last；　〃Nurse　said　it；　and　Hal。〃

〃Henry；　come　here。　　Did　you　accuse　your　sister　to　David？〃

〃No！〃　burst　out　Henry　at　once；　but　there　was　a　rounding　of　everyone's　mouth　to　cry　out　Oh！　and　he　quickly　added；　in　a　hasty　scared　way；　〃At　least；　when　Davie　came　bothering　me；　I　said　he　had　better　ask　Betty；　because　she　had　been　prying　about；　and　meddling　with　the　baby…house。　I　never　meant　that　she　had　done　it；　but　Davie　is　such　a　little　jack…　ass！〃

〃Did　you　see　her　meddle　with　the　baby…house！〃

〃She　said　that　herself；〃　muttered　Henry。

〃Yes；　Papa；〃　said　Elizabeth；　starting　forward；　〃I　did　find　the　doors　of　the　baby…house　open；　and　shut　them　up；　but　I　never　touched　anything　in　it！　　Sam　and　Susie　know　I　would　not；　and　that　I　would　not　tell　a　story　now；　though　I　once　did；　you　know；　Papa！〃

Captain　Merrifield　still　kept　his　grave　set　face；　and　only　asked；　〃When　did　you　find　the　doors　open？〃

〃On　Friday；　PapaFriday　weekSt。　Barnabas'　Dayjust　after　dinner。〃

〃Was　no　one　with　you？〃

〃No；　Papa。〃

〃You　came　up…stairs　first？〃

〃Yes；　I　wanted　my　pencil　before〃　and　she　stopped　short。

〃Before　what？〃

〃Before　Miss　Fosbrook　went　in　to　speak　to　Hal；〃　said　Elizabeth；　getting　red　all　over。

〃Hal　had　been　dining　in　the　school…room；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃on　account　of　a　little　bit　of　disobedience。〃

Captain　Merrifield　looked　keenly　at　Henry；　who　tried　to　return　the　look；　but　shuffled　uncomfortably　under　it。

〃Then　Hal　had　been　dining　in　the　school…room？　　Was　he　there　when　you　came　in？〃

〃No。〃

〃Were　the　doors　open　when　you　were　dining　there；　Henry？〃

〃Nno。〃

〃You　are　sure　that　you　did　not　meddle　with　them？〃

〃I　do　not　know　why　I　should；〃　said　Henry；　hastily　and　confusedly。　〃It　is　only　the　girls　and　the　babies　that　have　things　thereandand　Miss　Fosbrook　herself　had　been　at　the　cupboard　in　the　morning；　why　shouldn't　she　have　left　it　undone　herself；　and　the　doors　got　open？〃

〃No；　no！〃　cried　Susan；　〃if　they　aren't　fastened　they　always　burst　open　directly；　and　we　never　could　have　been　in　the　room　half　the　morning　without　noticing　them！〃

〃Then　you　are　certain　that　they　were　closed　when　you　went　down　to　dinner？〃

Everyone　was　positive　that　the　great　glass　doors　flying　out　must　have　made　themselves　observed　in　that　room　full　of　children；　especially　as　Susan　remembered　that　she　had　been　making　a　desk　of　the　sloping　part　under　them。

〃Does　anyone　remember　how　long　it　was　between　Hal's　leaving　the　room　and　Bessie's　coming　up？〃

〃I　don't　know　when　he　went　out；〃　said　all　those　who　had　been　in　the　dining…room；　but　there　spoke　up　a　voice；　quite　proud　of　having　something　to　tell　among　the　others〃I　saw　Hal　go　out；　and　Bessie　come　up　directly。〃

〃You；　Johnnie！　　How　was　that？〃

〃Miss　Fosbrook　made　me　dine　in　the　nursery；　Papa；　because　Hal　and　I　had　been　riding　on　the　new　iron　gate；　to　see　if　the　telegraph　would　come　in　while　the　others　were　at　church；　and　then　Hal　ran　away　with　the　Grevilles；　and　I　couldn't　get　down　till　Sam　came　and　helped　me；　and　so　Miss　Fosbrook　made　me　dine　in　the　nursery；　and　when　I　had　done；　I　went　and　sat　upon　the　top　of　the　garret　stairs；　to　watch　when　they　came　out　from　dinner；　and　ask　if　I　might　come　down　again。〃

〃And　what　did　you　see；　Johnnie？〃

〃First；　I　saw　a　wasp；〃　said　Johnnie。

〃Never　mind　the　wasp。　　Did　you　see　when　Henry　went　out？〃

〃I　saw　him　come　in　first；〃　said　John；　〃and　Miss　Fosbrook　order　him　up　and　say　she　would　send　him　his　dinner；　and　come　and　speak　to　him　presently。　　So　I　watched　to　catch　her　when　she　was　coming　up　to　him；　and　I　saw　Mary　bring　him　up　some　mince　veal；　and　the　last　bit　of　the　gooseberry　pie；　and　then；　very　soon；　he　bolted　right　downstairs。　　I　didn't　think　he　could　have　had　time　to　eat　the　pie；　and　I　was　going　to　see　if　there　was　a　bit　left；　when　I　saw　Bessie　coming　up；　and　I　whipped　up　again。〃

〃Then　nobody　went　into　the　room　between　Henry　and　Bessie？〃

〃No；　there　wasn't　any　time。〃

The　whole　room　was　quite　silent。　　There　was　no　sound　but　a　quick　short　breathing　from　the　Captain：　　but　he　had　rested　his　brow　upon　his　hand；　and　his　face　could　not　be　seen。　　It　was　as　if　something　terrible　had　flashed　upon　him；　and　he　was　struggling　with　the　first　shock；　and　striving　to　deal　with　it。　　If　they　had　seen　him　in　a　tempest；　with　his　ship　driving　to　pieces　on　a　rock；　he　would　not　have　been　thus　shaken　and　dismayed。　　However；　by　the　time　he　looked　up　again；　he　had　brought　his　face　back　to　its　resolute　firmness；　and　he　spoke　in