the stokesley secret-第23部分

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ld　be　found　out　from　the　children　had　been　already　elicited。

Christabel　could　only　beg　that　no　more　should　be　said；　and；　her　head　aching　with　perplexity；　hope　that　some　light　might　yet　be　thrown　on　the　matter。　　There　must　be　pain　and　grief　whenever　it　should　be　explained；　but　this　would　be　far　better；　even　for　the　offender；　than　the　present　deception：　　and　the　whole　family　were　in　a　state　of　irritation　and　distrust；　that　hurt　their　tempers；　and　made　her　bitterly　reproach　herself　with　not　having　prevented　temptation　by　putting　the　hoard　under　lock　and　key。

She　ordered　that　no　more　should　be　said　about　it　that　evening；　and　made　herself　obeyed；　but　play　was　dull；　and　everything　went　off　heavily。　　The　next　morning；　Susan　came　back　early　from　her　housekeeping　business；　with　her　honest　face　grave　and　unhappy；　and　finding　Miss　Fosbrook　alone；　told　her　she　had　something　REALLY　to　say　to　her　if　she　might；　and　this　being　granted　began；　with　the　bright　look　of　having　found　a　capital　notion：　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　wish　you　would　do。〃

〃Well？〃

〃If　you　would　call　every　one　in　all　the　house；　and　ask　them　on　their　word　and　honour　if　they　took　the　pence。〃

〃My　dear；　I　am　not　the　head　of　the　house；　and　I　have　no　right　to　do　that；　besides；　I　do　not　believe　it　would　discover　it。〃

〃What！　could　a　thief　get　in　from　out　of　doors！〃　said　Susan　looking　at　the　window。

〃Hardly　that；　my　dear；　but　I　am　afraid　a　person　who　could　steal　would　not　scruple　to　tell　a　falsehood；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　cause　this　additional　sin。〃

〃It　is　very　horrid；　I　can't　bear　it；〃　said　Susan；　puckering　up　her　face　for　tears。　　〃Do　you　know；　Miss　Fosbrook；　the　maids　are　all　so　angry　that　you　said　anything　about　Rhoda？〃

〃You　did　not　mention　it；　my　dear？〃

〃Oh　no；　nor　Sam。　　It　was　Nurse　herself！　　But　they　all　say　that　you　want　to　take　away　her　character；　and　they　won't　have　strangers　put　over　them。〃

〃Pray；　Susie；　don't　tell　me　this。　　It　can　do　no　good。〃

〃Oh；　but　PLEASE！〃　cried　Susan。　　〃And　then　MaryI　can't　think　how　she　couldbut　she　said　that　poor　dear　Bessie　was　always　sly；　and　that　she　had　been　at　the　cupboard；　and　had　got　the　pence；　but　she　was　your　favourite；　and　so　you　vindicated　her。　　And　Nurse　began　teasing　her　to　confess；　and　tell　the　truth；　and　told　her　she　was　a　wicked　child　because　she　would　not；　but　it　was　all　because　we　were　put　under　strangers！　　I'm　sure　they　do　set　on　Johnnie　and　Davie　to　be　cross　to　her。〃

〃When　was　this；　my　dear？〃

〃Last　night；　when　we　went　to　the　nursery　to　be　washed。　　It　was　our　night；　you　know。　　Oh！　　I　wish　Mamma　was　well！〃

〃Indeed　I　do　my　dear。　　And　how　did　poor　Bessie　bear　it！〃

〃She　got　quite　white；　and　never　said　a　word；　even　when　they　told　her　she　was　sulky。　　But　when　we　got　into　bed；　and　I　kissed　her　and　cuddled　her　up；　oh！　she　did　cry　so；　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　　So；　do　you　know；　I　got　my　shawl　on；　and　went　and　called　Sam；　and　he　was　not　gone　to　sleep；　and　he　came　and　sat　by　her；　and　told　her　that　he　believed　her；　and　knew　she　was　as　sound　a　heart　of　oak　as　any　of　us；　and　we　both　petted　her；　and　Sam　was　so　nice　and　kind；　till　she　went　to　sleep。　　Then　he　went　to　the　nursery；　and　told　Nurse　how　horrid　it　was　in　her；　but　Cook　said　it　only　made　her　worse；　because　she　is　jealous　of　our　taking　part　with　you。〃

〃My　dear；　I　DO　like　to　hear　of　your　kindness　to　Bessie；　but　I　wish　you　would　not　mind　what　any　of　the　maids　say；　nor　talk　to　them　about　it。　　It　only　distresses　you　for　nothing。〃

〃But　I　can't　help　it；〃　said　Susan。

〃You　could　not　help　this　attack　in　the　nursery；　but　you　need　not　talk　to　Cook　or　Mary　about　it。　　It　is　of　no　use　to　vex　ourselves　with　what　people　say　who　don't　know　half　a　story。〃

〃Can't　you　tell　them　not？〃　said　simple　Susan。

〃No；　I　cannot　interfere。　　They　would　only　do　it　the　more。　　We　can　only　keep　Bessie　as　much　out　of　the　way　of　the　maids　as　we　can；　and　show　our　confidence　in　her。〃

Certainly　Elizabeth　had　been　known　to　look　infinitely　more　glum　when　nothing　was　the　matter　than　under　all　this　vexation；　even　though　the　servants　were　really　very　unkind　to　her；　and　her　two　little　brothers　both　behaved　as　ill　as　possible　to　her　whenever　they　had　the　opportunityDavid　really　believing　that　she　had　made　away　with　the　money；　and　ought　to　be　tortured　for　it；　and　Johnnie　taking　it　on　his　word；　and　being　one　of　those　little　boys　who　have　a　positive　taste　for　ill…nature；　and　think　it　fun。　　They　pinched　her；　they　bit　her；　they　rubbed　out　her　sums；　they　shut　up　her　lesson…books　and　lost　her　place；　they　put　bitten　crusts　into　her　plate；　and　did　whatever　they　knew　she　most　disliked；　whenever　Miss　Fosbrook　or　Sam　was　not　in　the　way；　but　she　never　told。　　She　did　not　choose　to　be　called　a　tell…　tale；　and　besides；　they　really　did　not　succeed　in　making　her　life　miserable；　so　much　was　she　pleased　with　the　real　kindness　her　trouble　had　brought　out　from　Susan　and　Sam。　　Susan　could　not　prevent　the　persecution　of　the　two　naughty　little　boys；　but　she　defended　her　sister　to　her　utmost；　and　Sam　cuffed　them　if　they　said　a　word　or　lifted　a　finger　against　Bessie　before　him；　and　he　gave　her　such　notice　and　kindness　as　she　never　had　received　from　him　before。　　One　afternoon；　when　he　was　going　to　walk　to　Bonchamp；　he　asked　leave　for　her　to　come　with　him；　and　would　take　nobody　else；　and　hot　day　as　it　was；　Bessie　had　never　had　such　a　charming　walk。　　She　kept　herself　from　making　one　single　fuss；　and　in　return；　he　gathered　wild　strawberries　for　her；　showed　her　a　kingfisher；　and　took　her　to　look　in　at　a　very　grand　aquarium　in　the　fishing…tackle　maker's　window；　where　she　saw　some　gold…fish；　and　a　most　comical　little　newt。　　And　going　home；　they　had　a　real　good　talk　about　their　father's　voyage；　and　how　they　should　get　on　without　him；　and　Bessie　found　to　her　great　pleasure；　that　Sam　hoped　Miss　Fosbrook　would　stay　when　Mamma　Came　home。

〃For　I　do　think　she　has　put　some　sense　into　you；　Bessie；〃　said　Sam。

She　was　so　delighted；　that　instead　of　preparing　to　fret　if　Sam　did　but　hold　up　a　finger　at　her；　she　looked　up　with　a　smile　when　he　came　in　her　way；　sure　of　protection；　and　expecting　something　pleasant；　as　well　as　thinking　it　an　honour　to　be　asked　to　help　him　in　anything。　The　next　day；　when　Mr。　Carey　had　insisted　on　his　verifying　by　the　map　all　the　towns　which　he　had　been　contented　to　say　were　in　Asia　Minor　（where　every　place　in　ancient　history　is　always　put　if　its　whereabouts　be　doubtful）；　she　saved　him　so　much　time　and　trouble；　that　he　got　out　into　the　garden　full　half　an　hour　earlier　than　he　would　otherwise　have　done。　　Thereupon　he　told　her　she　was　a　jolly　good　fellow；　and　gave　her　such　a　thump　on　the　back；　as　a　few　weeks　ago　would　have　made　her　scream　and　whine；　but　this　time　she　took　it　as　a　new　form　of　thanks；　and　felt　highly　honoured　by　being　invited　to　help　him　to　fish　for　minnows；　though　it　almost　made　her　sick　to　stick　the　raw　meat　upon　his　hooks。

The　threatening　of　a　true　sorrow；　the　bearing　a　real　trouble；　and　the　opening　to　her　brother's　kindness；　had　done　far　more　to　make　her　a　happy　little　girl　than　all　Miss　Fosbrook's　attempts　to　satisfy　her　cravings　or　please　her　tastes。　　These　had　indeed　done　her　some　good；　and　taught　her　to　find　means　of　enjoyment　for　those　likings　that　no　one　else　cared　for；　but　it　had　been　the　SPIRIT　of　delight　that　had　been　chiefly　wanting；　and　when　thankfulness　and　love　were　leading　her　to　that；　it　was　much　easier　to　see　that　the　evening　clouds　or　the　rising　moon　were　lovely；　than　when　she　was　looking　out　for　affronts。

Nothing　was　said　in　public　about　the　loss；　and　Christabel　hoped　that　the　bad　impression　as　to　Elizabeth　would　wear　out　in　the　young　minds　of　the　lesser　children；　but　David's　whole　nature　seemed　to　have　been　disorganized　by　the　disappointment。　　Instead　of　being　a　pattern　child　for　diligence　and　good　behaviour；　very　fond　of　Miss　Fosbrook；　and　not　only　inoffensive；　but　often　keeping　John　and　Anne　in　order；　he　seemed　absolutely　stupid　and　senseless　at　lessons；　became　stubborn　at　reproof；　seemed　to　take　pleasure　in　running　counter　to　his　governess；　and　rendered　the　other　two；　who；　though　his　elders；　were　both　of　weak　natures　compared　with　his　own；　more　openly　naughty　than　himself。　Sometimes　it　seemed　to　Christabel　that　the　habit　of　spiting　Bessie　was　getting　so　confirmed；　that　it　would　last　even　when　the　cause　was　forgotten；　and　yet　the　more　she　strove　to　put　it　down　in　sight；　the　more　it　throve　out　of　sight；　and　when　she　looked　at　David；　and　thought　how　she　had　once　admired　him；　she　could　not　but　remember　the　text　that　says；　〃Thy　goodness　is　as　the　morning　cloud；　and　as　the　dew　shall　it　vanish　away。〃　　She　had　thought　it　goodness　based　upon　religious　feeling；　as　well　as　on　natural　gravity　and　orderliness；　and　so　perhaps　it　had　once　been；　but　the　little　fellow　had　fixed　his　whole　soul　on　one　purpose；　and　though　that　was　a　good　one；　it　had　grown　into　an　idol；　and　swallowed　up　all　his　other　motives；　till　of　late　he　had　only　been　good　for　the　sake　of　the　pig；　not　because　it　was　right。　　Being　disappointed　of　the　pig；　he　had　nothing　to　fall　back　upon；　but　felt　himself　so　ill…used；　that　it　seemed　to　him　that　it　was　no　use　to　be　good；　and　he　revenged　himself　by　naughtiness。

Such　sturdy　strong　characters　as　little　David's；　when　they　are　once　set　on　the　right　object；　come　to　the　very　best　kind　of　goodness；　but　when　they　take　a　wrong　turn；　they　are　the　very　worst；　both　for　themselves　and　others。



CHAPTER　XIII。



The　Monday　after　the　loss　of　the　pence　was　a　pouring　wet　day。　　The　whole　court　was　like　a　flood；　and　the　drops　went　splashing　up　again　as　if　in　play；　Purday　wore　his　master's　old　southwester　coat；　and　looked　shiny　all　over；　and　when　the　maids　had　to　cross　the　court；　they　went　click；　click；　in　their　pattens　under　their　umbrellas。

But　it　was　baking　day；　and　Susan　and　Annie　had　been　down　to　coax　the　cook　into　making　them　a　present　of　a　handsome　allowance　of　dough；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　into　letting　them　manipulate　it　in　the　school…room。　Probably　this　was　the　only　way　of　preventing　the　dough　from　being　turned　into　bullets；　and　sent　flying　at　each　other's　eyes；　or　possibly　plastered　on　somebody's　nose；　and　the　cook　and　kitchenmaid　from　being　nearly　driven　crazy。

The　dough　was　justly　divided；　and　an　establishment　set　up　in　each　locker。　　Bessie　declined　altogether；