the stokesley secret-第9章

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ve　been　an　audacious　experiment；　to　judge　by　little　Elizabeth's　scared　looks　and　the　glow　on　her　cheeks。

〃May　I　say　it　sometimes　when　we　are　alone　together？〃　she　said　timidly。　　〃I　do　like　it　so　much！〃

〃If　it　is　such　a　pleasure　to　you；　I　would　not　deprive　you　of　it；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　laughing；　〃but　don't　do　so；　except　when　we　are　alone；　for　your　Mamma　would　not　like　me　to　seem　younger　still。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you！　　Isn't　it　a　nice　secret？〃　cried　Bessie；　clinging　to　her　hand：　　〃and　will　you　let　me　hug　you　sometimes？〃

A　little　love　was　pleasant　to　Miss　Fosbrook；　when　she　was　feeling　lonely；　and　she　took　Bessie　in　her　lap；　and　they　exchanged　caresses；　to　the　damage　of　the　collar　that　Miss　Fosbrook's　sister　had　worked　for　her。

〃And　you　don't　call　me　silly？〃　cried　Bessie。

〃That　depends；〃　was　the　answer；　with　some　arch　fun；　but　Bessie　had　not　much　turn　for　fun；　and　presently　went　on　…

〃And　you　saw　Ida　Greville？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　did　you　think　of　her？〃

〃I　had　not　much　opportunity　of　learning　what　to　think。〃

〃But　her　parasol；　and　her　bird！　　Did　you　think　her　mama　very　silly　to　give　her　pretty　things？〃

〃No；　certainly　not；　unless　she　wore　them　at　unsuitable　times；　or　thought　too　much　about　them。〃

〃Ida　has　so　many；　she　does　not　think　of　them　at　all。　　And　she　has　shells；　and　such　a　lovely　work…box；　and　picture…books；　she　has　all　she　wants。〃

〃Are　you　quite　sure？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　quite　sure！　and　they　don't　tease　her　for　liking　pretty　things；　her　brothers　keep　quite　away；　and　never　bother　about　the　schoolroom；　but　she　learns　Italian　and　German；　and　drawing　and　singing。　　Mr。　Greville　said　something　about　our　spending　the　day　there。　　Oh！　if　we　do　but　go！　　Won't　you；　Miss　Fosbrook？〃

〃If　I　am　asked；　and　if　your　Mamma　would　wish　it。〃

〃Oh；　Mamma　always　lets　us　go；　except　oncewhenwhen〃

〃When　what？〃

〃When　I　cried；〃　said　Elizabeth；　hanging　down　her　head；　〃I　couldn't　help　it。　　It　did　seem　so　tiresome　here；　and　she　said　I　was　learning　to　be　discontented；　but　nobody　can　help　wishing；　can　they？〃

〃There　must　be　a　way　of　not　breaking　the　Tenth　Commandment。〃

〃I　don't　covet；　I　don't　want　to　take　things　away　from　Ida；　only　to　have　the　same。〃

〃Yes；　but　what　does　the　explanation　at　the　end　of　the　Duty　to　our　Neighbour　say；　filling　out　that　Commandment？〃

〃I　think　I'll　go　and　see　what　Susie　is　doing；〃　said　Elizabeth。

Christabel　sighed　as　the　little　girl　walked　off；　displeased　at　having　her　repinings　set　before　her　in　a　graver　light　than　that　in　which　she　had　hitherto　chosen　to　regard　them。

She　saw　no　more　of　her　charges　till　tea…time；　when　the　bell　brought　them　from　different　quarters；　Johnnie　with　such　a　grimy　collar　and　dirty　hands；　that　he　was　a　very　un…Sunday…like　figure；　and　she　would　have　sent　him　away　to　make　himself　decent；　but　that　she　was　desirous　of　not　over…tormenting　him。

Sunday　was　always　celebrated　by　having　treacle　with　the　bread；　so　the　butter　riot　was　happily　escaped；　and　Bessie　was　not　in　a　gracious　mood；　and　the　corners　of　her　mouth　provoked　the　boys　to　begin　on　what　they　knew　would　make　her　afford　them　sport。　　Hal　first：　　〃I　say；　Bet；　didn't　Purday　want　his　gun　to…day　at　church？〃

Elizabeth　put　out　her　lip　in　expectation　that　something　unpleasant　was　intended；　and　other　voices　were　not　slow　to　ask　an　explanation。

〃Shooting　the　cocky…olly　birds！〃

A　general　explosion　of　laughter。

〃I　say　（always　the　preface　to　the　boy's　wit）；　shall　I　get　a　jay　down　off　the　barn　to　stick　into　your　hat；　Betty？〃

〃Don't；　Hal；〃　said　such　a　deplorable　offended　voice；　that　Sam；　who　had　really　held　his　tongue　at　first；　could　not　help　chiming　in；

〃No；　no；　a　cock…sparrow；　for　her　London　manners。〃

〃No；　that's　for　me；　Sam；〃　said　Christabel　good…humouredly。　　〃A　London…bred　sparrow；　a　pert　forward　chit。〃

She　really　had　found　a　safety…valve；　the　boys　were　entertained；　and　diverted　from　their　attack　on　their　favourite　victim；　by　finding　everyone　an　appropriate　bird；　and　when　they　came　to　〃Tomtits〃　and　〃Dishwashers；〃　were　so　astonished　at　Miss　Fosbrook's　never　having　seen　either；　that　they　instantly　fell　into　the　greatest　haste　to　finish　their　tea；　and　conduct　her　into　the　garden；　and　through　a　course　of　birds；　eggs；　and　nests；　about　which；　as　soon　as　she　was　assured　that　there　was　to　be　no　bird's…nesting；　she　was　very　eager。

Bessie　ought　to　have　been　thankful　that　her　persecutors　were　called　off；　but　she　was　in　a　dismal　mood；　and　was　taken　with　a　fit　of　displeasure　that　her　own　Christabel　Angela　was　following　the　rabble　rout　into　the　garden；　instead　of　staying　in　the　school…room　at　her　service。

The　reason　of　her　gloom　was；　that　Miss　Fosbrook　had　spoken　a　word　that　she　did　not　choose　to　take　home；　and　yet　which　she　could　not　shake　off。　　So　she　would　neither　stay　in　nor　go　out　cheerfully；　and　sauntered　along　looking　so　piteous；　that　Johnnie　could　not　help　making　her　worse　by　plucking　at　her　dress；　by　suddenly　twisting　her　cape　round　till　the　back　was　in　front；　and　pushing　her　hat　over　her　eyes；　till　〃Don't　Johnnie；〃　in　a　dismal　whine；　alternated　with　〃I'll　tell　Miss　Fosbrook。〃

Christabel　did　not　see　nor　hear。　　She　had　gone　forward　with　a　boy　on　either　side　of　her；　and　Susan　walking　backwards　in　front；　all　telling　the　story　of　a　cuckoo；or　gowk；　as　Sara　called　it　in　Purday's　language；which　they　had　found　in　a　water…wagtail's　nest　in　a　heap　of　stones；　how　it　sat　up；　constantly　gaping　with　its　huge　mouth；　while　the　poor　little　foster…parents　toiled　to　their　utmost　to　keep　it　supplied　with　caterpillars；　and　the　last　time　it　was　seen；　when　full…fledged；　were　trying　to　lure　it　to　come　out　of　the　nest　by　holding　up　green　palmers　at　some　little　distance　before　it。　　This　was　in　the　evening；　by　morning　it　was　gone；　having　probably　taken　flight　at　sunrise。

Miss　Fosbrook　listened　with　all　the　pleasure　the　boys　could　desire。　She　had　read　natural　history；　and　looked　at　birds　stuffed　in　the　British　Museum；　or　alive　at　the　Zoological　Gardens；　on　the　rare　days　when　her　father　had　time　to　give　himself　and　his　children　a　treat；　and　her　fresh　value　and　interest　in　all　these　country　things　were　delightful　to　the　boys。

It　was　a　lovely　summer　evening。　　The　sun　was　low　enough　to　make　the　shadows　long　and　refreshing；　as　they　lay　upon　the　blooming　grass　of　the　wilderness；　softly　swaying　in　the　breeze；　all　pale　with　its　numerous　chaffy　blossoms；　and　varied　by　the　tall　buttercups　that　raised　up　their　shining　yellow　heads；　or　by　white　clouds　of　bold…　faced　ox…eye　daisies。

The　pear…trees　were　like　white　garlands；　the　apple…trees　covered　with　white　blossoms　and　rosy　buds；　the　climbing　roses　on　the　wall　were　bursting　into　blossom；　the　sky　was　one　blue　vault　without　a　cloud。

Surely　Elizabeth　had　no　lack　here　of　what　was　pretty。　　Then　why　did　she　lag　behind；　unseeing；　unheeding　of　all；　but　peevishly　pushing　off　John　and　Anne；　thinking　that　they　always　teased　her　worst　on　Sundays；　and　very　much　discomfited　that　Miss　Fosbrook　was　not　attending　to　her？　　Surely　the　fault　was　not　altogether　in　what　was　outside　her。

〃See！〃　cry　the　boys。　　Miss　Fosbrook　must　first　look　up　there；　high　upon　the　side　of　the　house；　niched　behind　that　thick　stem　of　the　vine。　　What；　can't　she　see　those　round　black　eyes　and　little　beak？　They　see　her　plain　enough。　　Ah！　now　she　has　them。　　That's　a　fly…　catcher。　　By　and　by　they　shall　be　able　to　show　her　the　old　birds　flying　round；　catching　flies　on　the　wing；　and　feeding　the　young　ones；　all　perched　in　a　row。

Now；　can　she　scramble　up　the　laurels？　　Yes；　she　hopes　so；　though　she　wished　she　had　known　what　was　coming；　for　she　would　have　changed　her　Sunday　muslin。　　But　a　look　of　anxiety　came　on　Sam's　face　as　he　peeped　into　the　clump　of　laurels；　he　signed　back　the　others；　sprang　upon　the　dark　scraggy　bough　of　the　tree；　and　Hal　called　out；

〃Gone！　has　Ralph　been　there？〃

〃Ay；　the　black　rascal；　at　least；　I　suppose　so。　　Not　an　egg　left；　and　they　would　have　hatched　this　week！〃

〃Well；　Purday　calls　him　his　best　friend；〃　said　Harry。　　〃He　says　we　should　not　get　a　currant　or　a　gooseberry　if　it　wasn't　for　that　there　raven；　as　Papa　won't　have　the　small　birds　shot。〃

〃Bring　down　the　nest；　Sam；〃　cried　Susan；　〃Georgy　will　like　to　have　it。〃

The　children　behind；　who　never　could　hear　of　anything　to　be　had　w