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the stokesley secret-第12节

小说: the stokesley secret 字数: 每页4000字

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boys。  Susan brought little George down with her; and off the party set。  Sam and Hal; who had been waiting in the hall; took Miss Fosbrook between them; as if they thought it their duty to do the honours of the bonfire; and conducted her across the garden; through the kitchen…garden; across which lay a long sluggish bar of heavy and very odorous smoke; to a gate in a quickset hedge。  Here were some sheds and cart…houses; a fagot pile; various logs of timber; a grindstone; andthat towards which all the eight children rushed with whoops of ecstasya heap of smoking rubbish; chiefly dry leaves; and peas and potato haulm; with a large allowance of cabbage stumpsall extremely earthy; and looking as if the smouldering smoke were a wonder from so mere a heap of dirt。

No matter!  There were all the children round it; some on their knees; some jumping; and voices were crying on all sides;

〃O jolly; jolly!〃  〃I'll get some potatoes!〃  〃Oh; you must have some sticks first; and make some ashes。〃  〃There's no flamenot a bit!〃 〃Get out of the way; can't you?  I'll make a hot place。〃  〃We'll each have our own oven; and roast our own potatoes!〃  〃Don't; Sam; you're pushing me into the smoke!〃

This of course was from Elizabeth; and there followed; 〃Don't; Bessie; you will tread upon Georgie。Yes; Georgie; you SHALL have a place。〃

〃Sticks; sticks!〃 shouted Henry; while Sam was on his knees; poking out a species of cavern in the fire; where some symptoms of red embers appeared; which he diligently puffed with his mouth; feeding it with leaves and smaller chips in a very well practised way。 〃Sticks; Annie!  Johnnie!  Davy! get sticks; I say; and we'll make an oven。〃

Annie obeyed; but the two little boys were intent on imitating Sam on another side of the fire; and Johnnie uttered a gruff 〃Get 'em yourself;〃 while David took no notice at all。

Perhaps Hal would have betaken himself to no gentle means if Susan had not hastily put in his way a plentiful supply of dead wood; which she had been letting little George think he picked up all himself; and there was keen excitement; which Christabel could not help sharing; while under Sam's breath the red edges of the half…burnt chip glowed; flushed; widened; then went sparkling doubtfully; slowly; to the light bit of potato…stalk that he held to it; glowing as he blewfading; smoking; when he took breath。  Try againpuff; puff; puff diligently; the fire evidently has a taste for the delicate little shaving that Annie has found for it; it seizes on it; anotheranother; a flame at last。  Hurrah! pile on more; not too much。  〃Don't put it out!〃  Oh; there! strong flamecoming crackling up through those smothering heaps of stick and haulm; it won't be kept down; it rises in the wind; it is a red flaring banner。  The children shriek in transports of admiration; little George loudest of all; because Susan is holding him tight; lest he should run into the brilliant flame。  Miss Fosbrook is rather appalled; but the children are all safe on the windward side; and seem used to it; so she supposes it is all right; and the flame dies down faster than it rose。  It is again an innocent smouldering heap; like a volcano after an eruption。

〃We must not let it blaze again just yet;〃 said Sam; 〃keep it down well with sticks; to make some nice white ashes for the potatoes。 See; I'll make an oven。〃

They were all stooping round this precious hot corner; some kneeling; some sitting on the ground; David with hands on his sturdy kneesall intent on nursing that creeping red spark; as it smouldered from chip to chip; leaving a black trace wherever it went; when through the thick smoke; that was like an absolute curtain hiding everything on the farther side; came headlong a huge bundle of weeds launched overwhelmingly on the fire; and falling on the children's heads in an absolute shower; knocking Johnnie down; but on a soft and innocent side of the fire among the cabbage…stumps; and seeming likely to bury Sam; who leant over to shelter his precious oven; and puffed away as if nothing was happening; amid the various shouts around him; in which 〃Purday〃 was the most audible word。

〃Ah; so you've got at he; after all;〃 said Purday; leaning on the fork with which he had thrown on the weeds。  〃Nothing is safe from you。〃

〃What; you thought you had a new place; Purday; and circumvented us!〃 cried Hal; 〃but we smelt you out; you old rogue; we weren't going to be baulked of our bonfire。〃

Miss Fosbrook here ventured on asking if they were doing mischief; and Purday answered with an odd gruff noise; 〃Mischief enoughay; to be surehucking the fire all abroad。  It's what they're always after。  I did think I'd got it safe out of their way this time。〃

〃Then;〃 in rather a frightened voice; for she felt that it would be a tremendous trial of her powers; 〃should I make them come away?〃

〃Catch her!〃 muttered Hal。

There was horror and disapprobation on Susan's face。  Annie stood with her mouth open; while John; throwing himself on the ground with fury; rolled over; crying out something about; 〃I won't;〃 and 〃very cross;〃 and David lay flat on his face; puffing at his own particular oven; like a little Wind in an old picture。  Sam waited; leaning on the ashen stick that served him as a poker。  It was the most audacious thing he had ever heard。  Rob them of their bonfire!  Would that old traitor of a Purday abet her?

Perhaps Purday was as much astonished as the rest; but; after all; much as the children tormented his bonfires; overset his haycocks; and disturbed his wood…pile; he did not like anyone to scold them but himself; much less the new London Lady; so he made up an odd sort of grin; and said; 〃No; no; Ma'am; it ain't that they do so much harm; let 'em bide;〃 and he proceeded to shake on the rest of his barrowful; tumbling the weeds down over David's cherished oven in utter disregard; but the children cried with one voice; 〃Hurrah! hurrah!  Purday; we don't do any harm; so don't ever grumble again。 Hurrah!〃

〃And I don't care for HER; the crosspatch;〃 said Johnnie to Annie; never hearing or heeding Miss Fosbrook's fervent 〃I am so glad!〃

And as long as the foolish boy remembered it; he always did believe that Miss Fosbrook was so cross as to want to hinder them from their bonfire; only Purday would not let her。

Miss Fosbrook did not trouble herself to be understood; she was relieved to have done her duty; and be free to rejoice in and share the pleasure。  She ran about and collected materials for Sam till she was out of breath; and joined in all the excitement as the fire showed symptoms of reviving; after being apparently crushed out by Purday。  Sam and Susan; at least; believed that she had only spoken to Purday because she thought it right; but even for them to forgive interference with their bonfire privileges was a great stretch。

At last she thought it time to leave them to their own devices; and seize the moment for some quiet reading; but she had not reached the house before little steps came after her; and she saw Elizabeth running fast。

〃They are so tiresome;〃 she said。  〃Sam won't let me stand anywhere but where the smoke gets into my eyes; and George plagues so!  May I come in with you; dear Christabel?〃

〃You are very welcome;〃 said Miss Fosbrook; 〃but I am sorry to hear so many complaints。〃

〃They are so cross to me;〃 said Bessie; 〃they always are。〃

〃You must try to be cheerful and good…humoured with them; and they will leave off vexing you。〃

〃But may I come in?  It will be a nice time for my secret。〃

Christabel saw little hope for her intended reading; but she was always glad of a space for making Bessie happy; so she kindly consented to the bringing out of the little girl's treasury; and the dismal face grew happy and eager。  The subjects of the drawings were all clear in her head; that was not the difficulty; but the cardboard; the ribbon; the real good paints。  One little slip of card Miss Fosbrook hunted out of her portfolio; she cut a pencil of her own; and advised the first attempt to be made upon a piece of paper。 The little bird that Bessie produced was really not at all bad; and her performance was quite fair enough to make it worth while to go on; since Miss Fosbrook well knew that mammas are pleased with works of their children; showing more good…will than skill。  For why? Their value is in the love and thought they show。

The little bird was made into a robin with the colours in a paint…box that Bessie had long ago bought; but they were so weak and muddy; that the result was far from good enough for a present; and it was agreed that real paints must be procured as well as ribbon。  Miss Fosbrook offered to commission her sisters to buy the Prussian blue; lake; and gamboge in London; and send them in a letter。  This was a new idea to Bessie; and she was only not quite decided between the certainty that London paints must be better than country ones; and the desire of the walk to Bonchamp to buy some; but the thought that the ribbon; after all; might be procured there; satisfied her。  The little doleful maid was changed into an eager; happy; chattering child; full of intelligence and contrivance; and showing many pretty fancies; since there was no one to tease her and la

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