the stokesley secret-第34章

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〃Ay；　ay；　but　if　a　boy　is　of　the　sort；　he'll　find　someone　to　be　his　bane；　wherever　he　goes。　　I'll　have　no　more　of　the　Grevilles　though。　If　he　should　not　go　with　me；　my　brother　John　would　take　him　into　his　house；　and　keep　a　sharp　look　out　after　him。　　Just　tell　me；　if　you　have　no　objection；　how　the　boy　strikes　you。　　Most　people　think　him　the　most　taking　of　the　lot。〃

〃So　he　is；〃　said　Christabel　thoughtfully；　〃he　has　more　ease　and　readiness；　and　he　is　affectionate　and　warm…hearted；　but　then　he　is　a　great　talker；　and　fond　of　boasting。〃

〃Exactly。　　I　told　him　that　was　the　very　way　he　learnt　falsehood。〃

〃I　am　afraid；　too；〃　she　was　obliged　to　add；　〃that　his　resolutions　run　away　in　talk。　　He　has　not　much　perseverance；　and　he　is　easily　led。〃

〃Well；　I　believe　you　are　right；　but　then　what's　to　be　done？　　I　can　hardly　afford　to　lose　this　chance；　but　Sam　was　always　backward；　and　I　doubt　his　even　caring　to　go　to　sea。〃

〃Oh！　　Captain　Merrifield！〃

〃What！　has　he　given　you　reason　to　think　that　he　does？〃　　She　told　him　how　she　had　found　Sam　struggling　with　his　longing　for　the　sea　and　his　father；　and　how　patiently　the　boy　had　resigned　himself　to　see　his　brother　put　before　him；　and　himself　condemned　for　being　too　dull　and　slow。

〃Did　I　say　so？　　I　suppose　he　had　put　me　past　my　patience　with　blundering　over　his　lessons。　　I　never　meant　to　make　any　decision；　but　I　did　not　think　he　wished　it。〃

〃He　said　it　had　been　his　desire　from　the　time　he　could　remember；　especially　when　he　felt　the　want　of　you　during　your　last　voyage。〃

〃Very　odd；　how　reserved　some　boys　are！　　I　declare　I　was　vexed　that　it　had　gone　out　of　his　head；　though　I　thought　it　might　be　for　the　best。　You　know　I　was　not　born　to　this　place。　　I　never　dreamt　of　it　till　my　poor　brother　Sam's　little　boy　went　off　in　a　fever　six　years　ago；　and　we　had　to　settle　down　here。　　Before　that；　we　meant　my　eldest　to　follow　my　own　profession；　but　when　he　seemed　to　take　to　the　soil　so　kindly；　I　thought；　after　all；　he　might　make　the　happier　squire　for　never　having　learnt　the　smell　of　salt　water；　nor　the　spirit　of　enterprise；　but　if　it　were　done　already；　the　first　choice　is　due　to　him。　　You　are　sure？〃

〃Ask　the　girls。〃

He　leant　back　and　shouted　out　the　question；　〃Sue！　do　you　know　whether　Sam　wishes　to　go　to　sea？〃

〃There's　nothing　he　ever　wished　so　much；〃　was　the　answer。

〃Then　why　didn't　he　say　so？〃

〃Because　he　thought　it　would　be　no　use；〃　screamed　Susan　back。

〃No　use！　why？〃

〃Because　Hal　says　Admiral　Penrose　promised　him。　　O　Papa！　are　you　going　to　take　Sam？〃

〃Oh　dear！　we　can't　get　on　without　him！〃　sighed　Elizabeth。

〃Are　you　sure　he　would　like　it？〃　said　her　father。　　〃I　thought　he　never　cared　to　hear　of　the　sea。〃

〃He　can't　bear　to　talk　of　it；　because　it　makes　him　so　sorry；〃　said　Susan。

〃And；〃　cried　Bessie；　〃he　burnt　his　dear　little　ship；　the　Victory；　because　he　couldn't　bear　to　look　at　it　after　you　said　THAT；　Papa。〃

〃After　I　said　what？〃

〃That　he　was　not　smart　enough　to　learn　the　ropes。〃

〃Very　silly　of　him；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃to　take　in　despair　what　was　only　meant　to　spur　him　on。　　I　suppose　now　I　shall　find　he　has　dawdled　so　much　that　he　couldn't　get　through　an　examination。〃

This　shut　up　the　mouths　of　both　the　girls；　who　were　afraid　that　he　might　not；　since　they　saw　a　good　deal　of　his　droning　habits　over　his　lessons；　and　heard　more　of　Hal's　superior　cleverness。

Miss　Fosbrook　ventured　to　say；　〃You　may　expect　a　great　deal　of　a　boy　who　works　on　a　pure　principle　of　obedience。〃

〃You　think　a　great　deal　of　that　youngster；〃　said　the　Captain；　highly　gratified。　　〃It　is　the　first　time　I　ever　knew　a　stranger　take　to　him。〃

〃I　did　not　take　to　him　as　a　stranger。　　I　thought　him　uncouth　and　dull。　　I　only　learnt　to　love　and　respect　him；　as　I　felt　how　perfectly　I　might　rely　on　him；　and　how　deep　and　true　his　principles　are。　　If　the　children　have　gone　on　tolerably　well　in　your　absence；　it　is　because　he　has　always　stood　by　me；　and　his　weight　of　character　has　told　on　them。〃

Captain　Merrifield　did　not　answer　at　once；　he　bit　his　lip；　then　blew　his　nose；　and　cleared　his　throat；　before　he　said；　〃Miss　Fosbrook；　you　have　made　me　very　happy；　it　will　make　his　mother　so。　　She　always　rated　him　so　high；　that　I　half　thought　it　was　a　weakness　for　her　eldest　son；　but　there！　　I　suppose　he　was　down…hearted　about　this　fancy　of　his；　poor　boy；　and　that　hindered　him　from　making　the　most　of　himself。　　I　wonder　what　sort　of　a　figure　he　is　cutting　before　his　uncle！〃

The　town　was　at　length　reached；　and　the　shopping　was　quite　wonderful　to　the　sisters。　　Miss　Fosbrook　found　a　shop　where　the　marvellous　woman　undertook　to　send　home　two　grey　frocks　trimmed　with　pink；　by　the　next　evening；　and　found　two　such　fashionable　black　silk　jackets；　that　Susie　felt　quite　ashamed　of　herself；　though　rather　pleased；　and　Bessie　only　wished　she　could　see　her　own　back；　it　must　look　so　like　Ida's。　　Then　there　were　white　sleeves；　and　white　collars；　that　made　them　feel　like　young　women；　and　little　pink　silk　handkerchiefs　for　their　necks；　and　two　straw　hats；　which　Miss　Fosbrook　undertook　to　trim　with　puffs　of　white　ribbon；　and　a　pink　rosette　at　each　ear。　Bessie　thought　they　would　be　the　most　beautiful　things　that　had　ever　been　in　her　possession；　and　was　only　dreading　that　Sam　would　say　they　were　like　those　on　Ida　Greville's　donkey's　best　harness；　while　Susan　looked　quite　frightened　at　them；　whispered　a　hope　that　Mamma　would　not　think　them　too　fine；　and　that　Miss　Fosbrook　would　not　let　them　cost　too　much　money；　and　when　assured　that　all　fell　within　what　Papa　had　given　to　be　laid　out；　she　begged　that　Annie　and　little　Sally　might　have　the　like。

But　as　they　were　not　going　to　London；　Miss　Fosbrook　could　not　venture　on　this；　and　as　Bessie　had　set　her　affections　upon　a　certain　white　chip　hat；　with　a　pink　border　and　a　white　feather；　both　sisters　remained　wishing　for　somethingas　is　sure　to　happen　on　such　occasions。

However；　Elizabeth　recovered　from　the　hat　when　she　was　out　of　sight　of　it；　and　they　went　and　saw　the　cathedral；　where　the　painted　windows　and　grave　grand　arches　filled　her　with　a　truer　and　wiser　sense　of　what　was　beautiful；　and　then　they　walked　a　long　time　up　and　down　under　its　buttressed　wall；　waiting　for　Papa；　till　they　grew　tired　and　hungry；　but　at　last　he　came　in　a　great　hurry；　and　sorry　to　have　been　hindered。　　With　naval　politeness；　he　gave　his　arm　to　Miss　Fosbrook；　and　carried　them　off　to　a　pastry…cook's；　where　he　bade　them　eat　what　they　pleased；　and　spend　the　rest　of　the　florin　he　threw　them　on　buns　for　the　little　ones；　while　he　fetched　the　carriage；　and　so　they　all　drove　home　again；　and　found　the　rest　of　the　party　ravenous；　having　waited　dinner　for　three…quarters　of　an　hour。

Wonderful　to　relate；　Uncle　John　had　not　eaten　anybody　up！　not　even　Baby；　though　Papa　advised　Susan　to　make　sure　that　she　was　safe；　and　then　sent　Sam　to　ask　Purday　for　a　salad。　　Perhaps　this　was　by　way　of　getting　rid　of　this　constant　follower　while　he　asked　his　brother　what　he　thought　of　the　boys'　attainments。

Uncle　John　could　not　speak　very　highly　of　the　learning　of　either；　but　he　said；　〃Sam　knows　thoroughly　what　he　does　know。　　As　to　the　other；　he　thinks　he　knows　everything；　and　makes　most　awful　shots。　　When　I　asked　them　who　Dido's　husband　was；　Sam　told　me　he　did　not　know；　and　Hal；　that　he　was　Diodorus　SiculusAT　LEAST；　Scipiono；　he　meant　Sicyon。〃

〃Then　you　think　neither　could　stand　an　examination　for　the　cadetship？〃

〃I　could　not　be　sure　of　Sam；　but　I　am　quite　sure　that　Hal　could　not。〃

Here　the　dinner…bell　rang；　the　hungry　populace　rushed　to　the　dining…　room；　and　the　meal　was　gone　through　as　merrily　as　could　be；　while　still　the　father　never　spoke　to　Henry。　　Uncle　John　was　as　pleasant　and　good…natured　as　possible。　　Who　would　have　thought　of　the　marked　difference　he　made　between　dining　with　barbarians；　or　young　gentlefolks！

Dinner　over；　Captain　Merrifield　called　Sam；or　rather；　since　that　was　not　necessary；　as　Sam　was　never　willingly　a　yard　from　his　elbow；　he　ordered　the　others　not　to　follow　as　they　went　into　the　garden　together。

〃Sam；〃　he　said；　〃Admiral　Penrose　is　kind　enough　to　offer　me　a　berth　in　the　Ramilies　for　one　of　you。　　If　you　can　pass　the　examination；　should　you　wish　to　avail　yourself　of　the　offer？〃

Sam　gr