the stokesley secret-第10节

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Nurse　Freeman　could　not　be　more　afraid　of　Miss　Fosbrook　making　favourites　than　she　was　herself。

All　she　could　do　in　the　matter　was　that　which　she　had　already　done　at　Bessie's　bedside；　and　much　more　fully　than　when　the　little　girl　was　listening　to　her。



CHAPTER　V。



With　Monday　morning　began　the　earning　of　the　pig。　　Miss　Fosbrook's　first　business　after　prayers　was　to　deal　out　the　week's　allowance　sixpence　to　each　of　the　four　elders；　threepence　apiece　to　the　three　younger　ones。

〃May　there　be　no　fines；〃　she　said。

〃I'll　not　have　the　hundredth　part　of　a　fine！〃　shouted　Henry；　tossing　his　money　into　the　air。

Little　David's　set　lips　expressed　the　same　purpose。

〃Please　let　me　have　a　whole　sixpence；〃　said　Susan。　　〃If　I　haven't　any　change；　I　sha'n't　spend　it。〃

〃You；　Sukey！　you'd　better　have　the　four　farthings；〃　laughed　Sam。　〃You'll　be　the　first　to　want　them。〃

Susan　laughed；　and　Miss　Fosbrook；　partly　as　an　example　to　the　plaintive　Elizabeth；　said；　〃You　are　so　good…humoured；　Susie；　that　I　can't　find　it　in　my　heart　to　demand　a　fineoryour　hair；　and　there；〃　pointing　to　the　stout　red　fingers；　〃did　you　ever　behold　such　a　black　little　row？〃

〃Oh　dear！〃　cried　Susan；　in　her　good…humoured　hearty　voice；　〃how　tiresome；　when　they　were　SO　clean　this　morning；　and　I've　only　just　been　feeding　the　chicken；　and　up　in　the　hay…loft　for　the　eggs；　and　pulling　the　radishes！〃

〃Well；　go　and　wash　and　brush；　and　to…morrow　remember　the　pig；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　unable　to　help　comparing　the　radishes　and　the　fingers　for　redness　and　for　earthiness。

It　was　a　more　difficult　matter　when；　as　Elizabeth　put　her　silver　coin　into　her　purse；　John　must　needs　repeat　the　stupid　old　joke；　〃There　goes　stingy　Bet！〃　and　Bessie　put　on　her　woeful　appealing　face。

〃John；　I　shall　punish　you　if　I　hear　those　words　again。〃

〃I　don't　mind。　　Nurse　says　you　have　no　business　to　punish　me！　　She　did　not　put　me　to　bed；　and　I　had　such　fun！　　Oh；　such　fun！〃　and　the　boy　looked　up　with　a　grin　that　set　all　the　others　laughing。

Christabel　resolutely　kept　silence；　and　hoped　her　looks　did　not　show　her　annoyance；　as　the　boy　went　on；　〃I　got　lots　of　goodies；　for　Nurse　said　she　had　no　notion　of　no　stranger　punishing　her　children。　　Oh！　Oh！　　Oh！〃　　For　Samuel　had　hold　of　his　ear；　and　was　tweaking　it　sharply。

〃There！　　Go　and　tell　Nurse；　if　you　like；　baby！〃

〃Sam；　indeed　I　can't　have　my　battles　fought　in　that　way！〃　cried　the　governess；　much　distressed；　as　Johnnie　roared；　perhaps　that　old　Nurse　might　hear；　and；　to　all　attempts　to　find　out　whether　he　were　hurt；　offered　only　heels　and　fists；　till　Susan　came　back　and　hugged　him　into　quiet。

〃Now　Johnnie　has　cried　before　breakfast　on　a　Monday　morning；〃　said　Annie；　〃all　the　rest　of　the　week　will　go　wrong　with　him。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃I　hope　no　such　thing。Suppose　we　try　and　show　Annie　she　is　wrong；　Johnnie！〃

But　Johnnie　was　sulky；　and　even　Susan　looked　as　if　she　thought　this　a　new　and　dangerous　notion。　　Sam　laughed；　and　said；　〃I　wish　you　joy；　Miss　Fosbrook。　　Now　he'll　think　he　must　be　naughty。〃

〃Johnnie；〃　said　David　solemnly；　〃the　pig。〃

The　pig　was　a　very　good　master　of　the　ceremonies；　and　kept　all　elbows　off　the　table　at　breakfast…time；　and　Bessie；　who　was　apt　to　stick　fast　in　the　midst　of　her　bread　and　milk；　and　fall　into　disgrace　for　daintiness　and　dawdling；　finished　off　quietly　and　prosperously。

Then　every　one　was　turned　loose　till　nine　o'clock。　　Susan　had　charge　of　Mamma's　keys；　and　had　to　go　down　to　the　kitchen；　see　what　the　cook　wanted；　and　put　it　out；　but　only　on　condition　that　no　brother　or　sister　ever　went　with　her　to　the　store…closet。　　Susan　was　highly　trustworthy；　but　Mamma　was　too　wise　to　let　her　be　tempted　by　voices　begging　for　one　plum；　one　almond；　or　the　last　spoonful　of　Jam。　　It　took　away　a　great　deal　of　the　pleasure　of　jingling　the　keys；　and　having　a　voice　in　choosing　the　pudding。

The　two　elder　boys　went　to　their　tutor；　the　other　children　to　the　nursery；　except　Elizabeth；　who　was　rummaging　in　her　little　box；　and　David；　whom　Miss　Fosbrook　found　perched　on　the　ledge　of　the　window；　reading　a　book　that　did　not　look　as　if　it　were　meant　for　men　of　his　size。

But　Miss　Fosbrook　thought　David　like　the　oldest　person　in　the　house　infinitely　older　than　John；　who　could　do　nothing　better　than　he　except　running　and　bawling；　and　a　good　deal　older　than　even　Hal　and　Sam。　　Nay；　there　were　times　when　he　raised　his　steady　eyes　and　slowly　spoke　out　his　thoughts；　when　she　felt　as　if　he　were　much　more　wise　and　serious　than　her　twenty…years　old　self。

〃Well；　Davy；〃　she　asked；　as　at　the　sound　of　the　lesson…bell　the　little　old　man　uncrossed　his　sturdy　legs；　closed　his　book；　and　arose　with　a　sigh；　〃have　you　found　out　all　about　it？〃

〃I　have　found　out　why　a　pig　is　a　profitable　investment；〃　he　answered　gravely。

〃And　why？〃

〃Because　he　will　feed　upon　refuse；　and　fatten　upon　cheap　food；〃　said　David；　in　the　words　of　his　book；　〃only　I　can't　make　out　why。　　Do　you　know；　Miss　Fosbrook？〃

〃I　don't　quite　see　what　you　want　to　know；　Davy。〃

〃I　want　to　know　why　a　pig　gets　fat　on　barley…meal；　when　an　ox　wants　mange；　and　oil…cake　and　hay。　　I　asked　Nurse；　and　she　said　little　boys　mustn't　ask　questions；　and　I　asked　Purday；　and　he　said　it　was　because　pigs　is　pigs；　and　oxen　is　oxen。　　Why　do　you　think　it　is；　Miss　Fosbrook？〃

〃I　don't　think；　I　know　it　is　because　the　great　God　has　made　one　sort　of　creature　to　be　easily　fed；　and　made　good　for　poor　people　to　live　upon；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook。

David's　eyes　were　fixed　on　her　as　if　he　still　had　questions　to　ask；　and　she　was　quite　afraid　of　her　powers　of　answering　them；　for　he　was　new　in　the　world；　and　saw　the　strangeness　of　many　things　to　which　older　people　become　used　by　living　with　them；　but　which　are　not　the　less　strange　for　all　that。

However；　the　trampling　of　many　feet　put　an　end　to　question　and　answer；　and　the　day's　work　had　to　begin　with　the　Psalms；　and　reading　the　Morning　Lessons。　　Bessie　was　by　far　the　best　reader；　and　David　did　very　well；　though　he　made　very　long　stops　to　look　deliberately　at　any　long　new　word；　and　could　not　bear　to　be　told　before　he　had　mastered　it　for　himself。　　Even　Susan　was　sadly　given　to　gabbling　and　missing　the　little　words　that　she　thought　beneath　her　attention；　and　the　other　two　stumbled　so　horribly；　that　it　was　pain　to　hear　them。

This　beginning　might　be　taken　as　the　sign　of　how　all　would　do　their　lessons。　　It　is　only　a　child　here　and　there；　generally　a　lonely　one；　to　whom　lessons　can　be　anything　but　a　toil　and　an　obligation。　　Even　with　clever　ones；　who　may　be　interested　in　some　part　of　their　study；　some　other　branch　will　be　disagreeable；　and　there　is　nothing　in　the　whole　world　to　be　learnt　without　drudgery；　so　it　would　be　unreasonable　to　expect　lessons　to　be　regarded　as　delightful；　but　there　is　one　thing　that　is　to　be　expected　of　any　good　childnot　to　enjoy　lessons；　not　to　surpass　others；　not　to　do　anything　surprising；　only　to　make　a　conscience　of　doing　what　is　required　as　well　as　possible。

Now　do　not　many　children　seem　to　think　that　they　are　to　receive　as　little　as　they　can　possibly　take　in　without　being　punished；　or　that；　if　they　make　any　exertion；　their　teachers　ought　to　be　so　much　obliged　to　them；　that　some　great　praise　or　reward　is　due　to　them？

Let　us　see　whether　anyone　in　Stokesley　school…room　was　making　a　conscience　of　the　day's　tasks。　　It　is　not　of　much　use　to　ask　for　any　at　present　in　Johnnienot　for　a　whole　week；　as　Annie　would　declare；　he　does　not　know　his　single　Latin　declension；　his　spelling；　is　all　abroad；　his　geography　wild；　yet　though　turned　back　once；　he　misses　the　fine　by　just　saying　his　lessons　passably　the　last　time。　　They　perhaps　ought；　in　strict　justice；　to　have　been　sent　back；　but　Miss　Fosbrook　was　very　glad　to　be　saved　the　uproar　that　would　have　ensued；　and　almost　wondered　whether　she　were　not　timidly　merciful　to　the　horrible　copy　and　the　greasy　slate。　　But　Johnnie　had　no　fine；　and　was　as　proud　of　it　as　if　he　had　been　a　good　boy。　　〃She　hadn't　caught　him　out；〃　he　said；　as　if　his　kind　governess　had　been　his　enemy。

As　to　Annie；　her　French　verbs　were　always　dreadful　things　to　hear；　and　the　little　merry　face；　usually　so　bright；　used　to　grow　quite　deplorable　with　the　trouble　she　took　not　to　use　her　mind。　　Using　her　memory　was　bad　enough；　but　saying　things　by　heart　was　an　affliction　she　was　used　to；　and　it　was　very　shocking　of　Miss　Fosbrook　to　require　her　to　find　out　HOW　many　years　Richard　II。　had　reigned；　if　he　began　in　1377　and　ended　in　1399。　　Susan　prompted　her；　however；　so　she　really　got　a　triumph　over　Miss　Fosbrook；　and　was　quite　saved　from　thinking。　　Oh；　but　the　teasing　woman！　she　silenced　Susan；　and　would　have　this　poor　injured　Annie　tell　how　old　the　tiresome　man　was。　〃Began　to　reign　at　eleven　years　old；　dethroned　after　twenty…two　years；　how　old　was　he？〃　　Annie　found　bursting　out　crying　easier　than　thinking；　and　then　they　all　cried　out；　〃O　Nanny；　the　pig！〃　and　Miss　Fosbrook　had　the　barbarity　to　call　that　FOOLISH　crying！　　What　might　one　cry　for；　if　not　at　being　asked　how　old　Richard　II。　was？　　If　the　fine　must　be　paid；　there　was　no　use　in　stopping；　so　Annie　howled　till　Miss　Fosbrook　turned　her　out　to　finish　on　the　stairs；　and　as　Nurse　Freeman　was　out　with　the　little　ones；　there　was　no　one　to　comfort　her