the stokesley secret-第6章

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ke　most　people　decide　on　her　being　a　very　silly　little　girl。

And　Christabel　Angela　herself　sat　mending　her　gathers；　and　thinking　over　her　first　week　of　far　greater　difficulties　than　she　had　contemplated　when　she　had　left　home　with　the　understanding　that　she　was　to　be　entirely　under　Mrs。　Merrifield's　direction。　　Poor　Mrs。　Merrifield　had　said　much　of　regret　at　leaving　her　to　such　a　crew　of　little　savages；　and　she　had　only　tried　to　set　the　mother's　mind　at　rest　by　being　cheerful；　and　though　she　felt　that　it　was　a　great　undertaking　to　manage　those　great　boys　out　of　lesson…hours；　she　knew　that　when　a　thing　cannot　be　helped；　strength　and　aid　is　given　to　those　who　seek　for　it　sincerely。

And　on　the　whole；　she　felt　thankful　to　the　children　for　having　behaved　even　as　well　as　they　had　done。



CHAPTER　III。



〃Grant　to　us；　Thy　humble　servants；　that　by　Thy　holy　inspiration　we　may　think　those　things　that　be　good；　and　by　Thy　merciful　guiding　may　perform　the　same；〃　spelt　out　David　with　some　trouble　and　difficulty；　as　he　stood　by　Miss　Fosbrook　on　Sunday　morning。

〃Miss　Fosbrook？〃

〃Well；　my　dear。〃

〃Miss　Fosbrook？〃

Another　〃Well。〃

〃Is　wanting　to　buy　a　pig　one　of　the　'things　that　be　good'？'

〃Anything　kind　and　right　is　good；　my　dear；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　a　little　vexed　at　a　sort　of　snorting　she　heard　from　the　other　end　of　the　room。

〃Davy　thinks　the　pig　is　in　his　Collect；〃　said　Sam。

He　was　one　of　those　who　were　especially　proud　of　being　downright；　and　in　him　it　often　amounted　to　utter　regardlessness　of　people's　feelings；　yet　not　out　of　ill…nature；　and　when　Susan　responded；　〃Don't　teaze　Davyhe　can't　bear　it；〃　he　was　silent；　but　the　mischief　was　done；　and　when　Miss　Fosbrook　went　on　saying　that　the　wish　to　help　the　poor　woman　was　assuredly　a　good　thought；　which　the　little　boy　might　well　ask　to　be　aided　in　fulfilling；　David　had　grown　ashamed；　and　would　not　listen。　　But　the　mention　of　the　pig　had　set　off　Master　Henry；　who　was　sitting　up　in　the　window…seat　with　Annie；　also　learning　the　Collect；　and　he　burst　out　into　descriptions　of　the　weight　of　money　that　would　be　found　in　Toby；　and　how　he　meant　to　go　to　the　fair　with　Purday；　and　help　him　to　choose　the　pig；　and　drive　it　home。

〃More　likely　to　hinder；〃　muttered　Sam。

〃Besides；　Papa　wouldn't　let　you；〃　added　Bessie；　but　Hal　did　not　choose　to　hear；　and　went　on　as　to　how　the　pig　should　ran　away　with　Purday；　and　jump　into　a　stall　full　of　parliament　gingerbread　（whereat　Annie　fell　into　convulsions　of　laughing）；　and　Hal　should　be　the　first　to　stop　it；　and　jump　on　its　back；　and　ride　out　of　the　fair　holding　it　by　the　ears；　and　then　they　should　pop　it　into　the　sty　unknown　to　Hannah　Higgins；　and　all　lie　in　wait　to　hear　what　would　happen；　and　when　it　squealed；　she　would　think　it　the　baby　crying；　but　there　Susan　burst　out　at　the　notion　of　any　one　thinking　a　child　could　scream　like　a　pig；　taking　it　as　an　affront　to　all　babyhood；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　took　the　opportunity　of　saying；

〃Hadn't　you　better　hatch　your　chickens　before　you　count　them；　Henry？　If　you　prevent　everyone　from　learning　the　Collect；　I　fear　there　will　be　the　less　hope　of　Mr。　Piggy。〃

〃Oh！　we　don't　have　fines　on　Sundays；〃　said　Henry。

〃Mamma　says　that　on　Sundays　naughtiness　is　not　such　a　trifle　that　we　can　be　fined　for　it；〃　said　Susan。

〃It　is　not　naughtiness　we　are　ever　fined　for；〃　added　Elizabeth：　〃THAT　we　are　punished　and　talked　to　for：　　but　the　fines　are　only　for　bad　habits。〃

〃Oh！　　I　hope　I　sha'n't　have　any　this　week；〃　sighed　Susan。

〃You　may　hope；〃　said　Sam。　　〃You're　sure　of　them　for　everything　possible　except　crying。〃

〃Yes；　Bessie　gets　all　the　crying　fines；〃　said　Hal；　〃and　I　hope　she'll　have　lots；　because　she　won't　help　the　pig。〃

Bessie　started　up　from　her　place　and　rushed　out　of　the　room；　while　Miss　Fosbrook　indignantly　exclaimed；

〃Really；　boys；　I　can't　think　how　you　can　be　so　ill…natured！〃

They　looked　up　as　though　it　were　quite　a　new　light　to　them；　and　Susan　exclaimed；

〃Oh；　Miss　Fosbrook！　they　don't　mean　it：　　Sam　and　Hal　never　were　ill…　natured　in　their　lives。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　call　ill…natured；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃unless　it　is　saying　the　very　things　most　likely　to　vex　another。〃

〃I　don't　mean　to　vex　anybody；〃　said　Henry；　〃only　we　always　go　on　so；　and　nobody　is　such　a　baby　as　to　mind；　except　Bessie。〃

And　Sam　muttered；　〃One　can't　be　always　picking　one's　words。〃

〃I　am　not　going　to　argue　about　it；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃and　it　is　time　to　get　ready　for　church。　　Only　I　thought　manliness　was　shown　in　kindness　to　the　weak；　and　avoiding　what　can　pain　them。〃

She　went　away；　and　Susan　was　the　first　to　exclaim；

〃I　didn't　think　she'd　have　been　so　cross！〃

〃Stuff；　Sue！〃　said　Sam；　〃it's　not　being　cross。　　I　like　her　for　having　a　spirit；　but　one　can't　be　finikin　and　mealy…mouthed　to　suit　her　London　manners。　　I　like　the　truth。〃

It　would　have　been　well　if　any　one　had　been　by　to　tell　Mr。　Samuel　that　truth　of　character　does　not　consist　in　disagreeable　and　uncalled…for　personalities。

Miss　Fosbrook　did　not　wonder　at　little　Elizabeth　for　her　discomfort　under　the　rude　homeliness　of　Stokesley；　where　the　children　made　a　bad　copy　of　their　father's　sailor　bluntness；　and　the　difficulties　of　money　matters　kept　down　all　indulgences。　　She　knew　that　Captain　Merrifield　was　as　poor　a　man　for　an　esquire　as　her　father　was　for　a　surgeon；　and　that　if　he　were　to　give　his　sons　an　education　fit　for　their　station；　he　must　make　his　household　live　plainly　in　every　way；　but　without　thinking　them　right　feelings；　she　had　some　pity　for　little　Bessie's　weariness　and　discontent　in　never　seeing　anything　pretty。　　The　three　girls　came　in　dressed　for　church；　in　the　plainest　brown　hats；　black　capes；　and　drab　alpaca　frocks；　rather　long　and　not　very　full；　not　a　coloured　bow　nor　handkerchief；　not　a　flounce　nor　fringe；　to　relieve　them；　even　their　books　plain　brown。　　Bessie　looked　wistfully　at　Miss　Fosbrook's　pretty　Church…service；　and　said　she　and　Susan　both　had　beautiful　Prayer…Books；　but　Mamma　said　they　could　not　be　trusted　with　them　yetIda　Greville　had　such　a　beauty。

Was　it　the　effect　of　Miss　Fosbrook's　words；　that　Sam　forbore　to　teaze　Bessie　about　Ida　Greville？whose　name　was　a　very　dangerous　subject　in　the　schoolroom。　　Also；　he　let　Bessie　take　hold　of　Miss　Fosbrook's　hand　in　peace；　though　in　general　the　least　token　of　affection　was　scouted　by　the　whole　party。

It　was　a　pretty　walk　to　church；　over　a　paddock；　where　the　cows　were　turned　out；　and　then　along　a　green　lane；　and　the　boys　had　been　trained　enough　in　Sunday　habits　to　make　them　steady　and　quiet　on　the　way；　especially　as　Henry　was　romancing　about　the　pig。

By　and　by　Elizabeth　gave　Miss　Fosbrook's　hand　a　sudden　pull；　and　she　perceived；　in　the　village　street　into　which　they　were　emerging；　a　party　on　the　way　to　church。　　There　were　two　ladies；　one　in　stately　handsome　slight　mourning；　the　other　more　quietly　dressed；　and　two　or　three　boys；　but　what　Elizabeth　wanted　her　to　look　at　was　a　little　girl　of　nine　years　old；　who　was　walking　beside　the　lady。　　Her　hat　was　black　chip；　edged　and　tied　with　rose…coloured　ribbon；　and　adorned　with　a　real　bird；　with　glass　eyes；　black　plumage；　except　the　red　crest　and　wings。　　She　wore　a　neatly…fitting　little　fringed　black　polka；　beneath　which　spread　out　in　fan…like　folds　her　flounced　pink　muslin；　coming　a　little　below　her　knees；　and　showing　her　worked　drawers；　which　soon　gave　place　to　her　neat　stockings　and　dainty　little　boots。　　She　held　a　small　white　parasol；　bordered　with　pink；　and　deeply　fringed；　over　her　head；　and　held　a　gold…clasped　Prayer…　Book　in　her　hand；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　heard　a　little　sigh；　which　told　her　that　this　was　the　being　whom　Elizabeth　Merrifield　thought　the　happiest　in　the　world。　　She　hoped　it　was　not　all　for　the　fine　clothes；　and　Sam　muttered；

〃What　a　little　figure　of　fun！〃

Martin　and　Osmond　Greville　went　daily　to　Mr。　Carey's；　like　Sam　and　Hal；　so　the　boys　ran　on　to　them；　and　Mrs。　Greville；　turning　round；　showed　a　very　pleasant　face　as　she　bowed　to　Miss　Fosbrook；　and　shaking　hands　with　Susan　and　Elizabeth；　asked　with　much　solicitude　after　their　mamma；　and　how　lately　they　had　heard　of　her。

Susan　was　too　simple　and　straightforward　to　be　shy；　and　answered　readily；　that　they　had　had　letters；　and　Mamm