the stokesley secret-第18节

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wreath；　with　all　their　bones　sticking　up；　and　covered　with　a　reddish　incrustation　that　Susan　and　Annie　thought　so　unnatural；　that　they　preferred　the　boiled　chicken　that　at　least　they　could　understand；　though　it　had　funny…hooking　accompaniments　in　the　sauce。　And　Hal's　report　of　some　savoury　jelly　which　he　had　once　encountered　would　have　deterred　them　from　the　pink　transparency　in　the　shape　of　a　shell；　if　they　had　not　seen　Bessie　getting　on　very　well　with　it；　Miss　Fosbrook　happily　perceiving　and　cutting　short　Annie's　intended　inquiry　whether　it　were　nice。　　To　her　great　relief；　this　was　the　only　want　of　manners　betrayed　by　her　little　savages；　and　she　was　able　to　keep　her　attention　tolerably　free　from　them；　so　as　to　look　at　the　pictures　on　the　walls；　observe　the　two　boys；　Hal's　friends；　and　talk　to　Mrs。　Greville；　who　made　conversation　with　her　very　pleasantly。

She　was　much　grieved　to　perceive；　from　what　that　lady　said；　that　Mrs。　Merrifield　was　thought　to　be　much　more　ill；　and　in　a　far　more　alarming　state；　than　she　had　at　all　understood。　　The　girls　were　too　young　to　enter　into　the　tone　of　sad　sympathy　with　which　Mrs。　Greville　spoke；　and　the　manner　in　which　a　doubt　was　expressed　whether　the　Captain　would　be　able　to　sail　with　Admiral　Penrose　if　he　should　have　the　offer；　and　as　soon　as　she　saw　that　they　and　their　governess　were　in　ignorance；　she　turned　it　off；　but　she　had　said　enough　to　fill　Christabel　with　anxiety　and　desire　to　know　more；　and　as　soon　as　the　dinner　was　over；　and　the　little　girls　had　run　off　together　to　visit　Ida's　beautiful　cockatoo　in　the　conservatory；　she　turned　to　Fraulein　Munsterthal；　and　begged　to　hear　whether　she　knew　more　than　had　been　said。

Fraulein　Munsterthal　did　not　quite　know　that　such　a　person　as　Mrs。　Merrifield　was　in　existence；　but　she　was　very　amiable　and　warm…　hearted；　and　said　how　sad　it　was　to　think　of　the　trouble　that　hung　over　〃these　so　careless　children；〃　and　was　doubly　kind　to　the　girls　when　they　came　back　from　their　conversation　with　pretty　〃Cocky；〃　who　set　up　his　lemon…coloured　crest；　coughed；　sneezed；　and　said　〃Cocky　want　a　biscuit！〃　to　admiration；　till　the　boys　were　seen　approaching；　when　Ida；　knowing　that　some　torment　would　follow；　took　herself　and　her　visitors　back　to　the　protection　of　the　governesses　in　time　to　prevent　the　cockatoo　from　being　made　to　fly　at　the　girls；　and　powder　them　with　the　white　dust　under　his　feathers。

The　afternoon　was　spent　in　the　garden；　the　little　girls　betaking　themselves　to　a　pretty　moss…covered　arbour；　where　there　was　a　grand　doll's　feast。　　Ida　had　no　less　than　twenty…three　dolls；　ranging　from　the　magnificent　Rosalind；　who　had　real　hair　that　could　be　brushed；　and　was　as　large　as　little　Sally　at　home；　down　to　poor　little　china　Mildred；　whose　proper　dwelling…place　was　a　bath；　and　who　had　with　great　difficulty　been　put　into　petticoats　enough　to　make　her　fit　to　be　seen　out　of　it。　　Now　nobody　at　home　could　have　saved　the　life　of　a　doll　for　a　single　day；　and　Susan　and　Elizabeth　were　both　thought　far　above　them；　but　these　beautifully　arrayed　young　ladies　had　always　been　the　admiration　of　the　heart　of　Bessie　as　well　as　of　Annie；　and　they　were　not　too　old　for　extreme　satisfaction　in　handling　their　elegant　ladyships；　and　still　more　their　beautiful　dinner　and　tea…　service　of　pink　and　white　ware。

Susan；　though　she　could　not　write　a　note；　or　do　lessons　like　Ida；　was　older　in　the　ways　of　life；　and　played　rather　as　she　did　with　the　little　ones　at　home　than　for　her　own　amusement。　　She　would　much　rather　have　had　the　fun　of　〃cats　and　mice〃　with　her　brothers；　and　but　for　the　honour　of　the　thing；　so　perhaps　would　Annie。　　However；　they　were　all　very　happy；　getting　the　dolls　up　in　the　morning；　giving　Mildred　washing　enough　for　all　the　twenty…three；　making　them　breakfast；　hearing　lessons；　in　which　Ida　was　governess；　and　made　them　talk　so　many　languages　that　Annie　was　alarmed。　　Of　course　one　of　the　young　ladies　was　very　naughty；　and　was　treated　with　extreme　severity；　then　there　was　dinner；　a　walk；　an　illness；　and　a　dinner…party。　　While　all　the　time　the　two　real　governesses　sat　in　the　shade　outside；　and　talked　in　English　or　German　as　best　they　might；　the　Fraulein　understanding　Christabel's　English　the　best；　as　did　Christabel　the　Fraulein's　German。　　They　began　to　make　friends；　and　to　wish　to　see　more　of　one　another。

There　was　a　walk　round　the　garden；　and　admiration　of　the　beautiful　flowers；　and　the　fountain　and　pond　of　gold…fish；　till　the　boys　came　home；　and　got　hold　of　the　garden…engine　for　watering；　crying　out；　〃Fire！　fire！〃　and　squirting　out　the　showers　of　water　very　much　in　the　direction　of　the　girls。

Ida　became　quite　crimson　red；　and　got　hold　of　Susan's　hand　to　drag　her　away；　then；　as　the　foremost　drops　of　another　shower　touched　her；　she　faced　about；　and　said；　〃Osmond！　don't；　or　I'll　tell　Mamma。〃　There　was　a　great　rude　laugh；　as　of　boys　who　well　knew　the　threat　was　never　put　in　execution；　and　poor　Fraulein　Munsterthal　only　shook　her　head　at　Miss　Fosbrook's　look　of　amaze；　and　said　in　German　that　〃die　Knaben〃　were　far　too　unartig　for　her　to　keep　in　order。　　She　pitied　Miss　Fosbrook　for　having　so　many　in　charge　as　to　destroy　all　peace。　And　if　Sam　and　Hal　had　been　like　these　two；　Christabel　felt　that　she　could　have　done　nothing　with　them。　　To　her　dismay；　Osmond　and　Martin　came　in　to　the　school…room　tea；　and　she　never　had　thought　to　feel　so　thankful　for　poor　dear　Susan's　slowness　of　comprehension；　for；　from　their　whispers　among　themselves；　and　from　their　poor　tormented　sister's　blushes；　she　was　clear　that　the　〃fire〃　was　a　piece　of　bad　wit　on　Susan's　red　hair。　　Boys　who　could　so　basely　insult　a　guest；　and　that　a　girl；　she　was　sure　must　be　bad　companions　for　Sam　and　Henry。　　Such　little　gentlemen　as　they　had　been　at　dinner　too；　so　polite　and　well…behaved　before　their　father　and　mother！　　There　could　be　no　doubt　that　something　must　be　very　wrong　about　them；　or　they　would　not　change　so　entirely　when　out　of　sight。　　It　is　not　always　true　that　a　child　must　be　deceitful　who　is　less　good　in　the　absence　of　the　authorities；　because　their　presence　is　a　help　and　a　restraint；　checking　the　beginning　of　mischief；　and　removing　temptation；　but　one　who　does　not　fall　by　weakness；　but　intentionally　alters　his　conduct　the　instant　the　elder　is　gone；　shows　that　his　will　has　been　disobedient　all　along

By　and　by　Mr。　Greville's　voice　was　heard　calling；　〃Martin！　　Osmond！〃　As　they　went　out　to　meet　him　in　the　passage；　Miss　Fosbrook　clearly　overheard；　〃Here　is　the　spring　of　the　garden…engine　spoilt。　　Do　you　know　anything　about　it？〃

〃No。〃

〃You　have　not　been　meddling　with　it？〃

〃No。〃　　And　they　ran　downstairs。

The　colour　flushed　into　Christabel's　cheeks　with　horror。　　She　was　glad　that　her　little　girls　were　all　in　Ida's　room；　listening　to　a　musical…box；　and　well　out　of　hearing　of　such　fearfully　direct　falsehoods；　as　it　seemed　to　her；　not　knowing　that　the　boys　excused　it　to　their　own　minds　by　the　notion　that　it　was　not　the　SPRING　of　the　engine　that　they　had　been　meddling　with；　and　that　so　they　did　not　know　how　the　harm　had　been　doneas　if　it　made　it　any　better　that　they　lied　to　themselves　as　well　as　their　father！　　The　German　saw　her　dismay；　and　began　to　say　how　unlike　her　Ida　was　to　her　brothersso　truthful；　so　gentle；　and　courteous；　but　poor　Christabel　could　not　get　over　the　thought　of　the　ease　and　readiness　with　which　deceit　came　to　these　boys。　　Could　their　daily　companions；　Samuel　and　Henry；　have　learnt　the　same　effrontery；　and　be　deceiving　her　all　this　time？　　No；　no；　she　could　not；　would　not　think　it！　　Assuredly　not　of　Sam！　　She　was　very　glad　not　to　see　the　boys　again；　and　went　home　with　her　pupils；　rather　heavy…hearted；　at　eight　o'clock；　just　as　Ida　was　to　put　on　her　white　muslin　and　pink　ribbons；　and　go　down　after　dinner　for　half　an　hour。

There　were　many　kisses　at　parting；　and　a　whole　box　of　sweets；　done　up　in　beautifully　coloured　and　gold　and　silver　paper；　presented　to　the　little　visitors；　but　it　might　be　supposed　that　the　girls　were　tired；　for　there　was　a　fretful　snarling　all　the　way　across　the　park；　because　Elizabeth　insisted　that　the　gifts　should　be　called　bon…bons；　and　the　others　would　hear　of　nothing　but　goodies。　　Nobody　looked　at　the　beautiful　evening　sky；　nor　at　the　round　red　moon　coming　up　like　a　lamp　behind　the　trees；　nor　at　the　first　stars　peeping　out；　nor　even　at　the　green　light　of　the　glow…wormall　which　were　more　beautiful　than　anything　Ida　had　shown　them；　except　perhaps　the　hothouse　flowers；　and　at　last　two　such　cross　ill…tempered　voices　sounded　from　Bessie　and　Annie；　that　Christabel　turned　round　and　declared　that　she　should　not　let　the　sugar…plums　be　touched　for　a　week　if　another　word　were　said　about　them。

She　hoped　that　when　the　visit　was　over　it　would　be　done　with；　but　no　such　thing。　　Though　Susan　was　her　own　good　hearty　self；　Elizabeth　had　not　recovered　either　on　that　day　of　the　next　from　the　effects　of　the　pleasuring。　　On　each　she　cried　over　her　lessons；　and　was　cross　at　whatever　the　boys　said　to　her；　made　a　fuss　about　keeping　the　ornamental　cases　of　the　bon…bons；　and　went　about　round…backed；　peevish；　and　discontented；　finding　everything　flat　and　ugly　after　her　one　peep　at　the　luxuries　of　the　Park。　　Her　farthings　melted　away　fast；　but　she　seemed　to　think　this　her　misfortune；　n