the stokesley secret-第12节

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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