the stokesley secret-第19节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


uxuries　of　the　Park。　　Her　farthings　melted　away　fast；　but　she　seemed　to　think　this　her　misfortune；　not　her　fault。　She　did　not　try　to　talk　to　Miss　Fosbrook；　feeling　perhaps　that　she　was　in　a　naughty　mood；　which　she　would　not　try　to　shake　off；　and　she　made　no　attempt　to　go　on　with　her　present　for　her　Mamma；　it　looked　so　poor　and　trumpery　after　the　beautiful　things　she　had　seen。

Nor　did　Christabel　like　to　remind　her　of　it；　fearing　that　the　occasion　for　giving　it　might　never　come；　but　she　did　feel　that　it　was　a　mournful　thing　to　see　the　child；　who　was　in　danger　of　so　fearful　a　sorrow；　wasting　her　grief　in　pining　after　foolish　fancies；　and　turning　what　should　have　been　a　refreshing　holiday　into　an　occasion　of　longing　after　what　she　thus　made　into　pomps　and　vanities　of　this　wicked　world。　　Christabel　had　heard　that　people　who　murmur　among　blessings　often　have　those　blessings　snatched　away；　and　this　made　her　tremble　for　poor　little　discontented　Elizabeth。



CHAPTER　X。



〃There！〃　exclaimed　Susan；　〃I　really　have　got　a　letter　from　Papa　himself。　　What　a　prize！〃

〃You'll　have　to　mind　your　Grosvenor　when　you　answer　HIM；〃　said　Sam；　〃but　hollo；　what's　the　matter？〃

For　Susan's　eyes　had　grown　large；　and　her　whole　face　scarlet；　and　she　gave　a　little　cry　as　she　read。

〃Your　Mamma；　my　dear？〃　asked　Miss　Fosbrook。

〃Oh；　MammaMamma　is　so　very　ill！〃　and　Susan　throw　the　letter　down；　and　broke　into　a　fit　of　sobbing。

Sam　caught　it　up；　and　Elizabeth　came　to　read　it　with　him；　both　standing　still　and　not　speaking　a　word；　but　staring　at　the　letter　with　their　eyes　fixed。

〃What　is　it；　my　dear？〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　tenderly　putting　her　arm　round　Susan；　but　she　sobbed　too　much　to　make　a　word　distinct；　and　Bessie　held　out　the　letter　to　her　governess；　looking　white；　and　too　much　awed　to　speak。

Captain　Merrifield　wrote　in　short；　plain；　sad　words；　that　he　thought　it　right　that　his　children　should　know　how　matters　stood。　　The　doctors'　treatment；　for　which　their　mother　had　been　taken　to　London；　had　not　succeeded；　but　had　occasioned　such　terrible　illness；　that　unless　by　the　mercy　of　God　she　became　much　better　in　the　course　of　a　day　or　two；　she　could　not　live。　　If　she　should　be　worse；　he　would　either　write　or　telegraph；　and　Susan　and　Sam　must　be　ready　to　set　out　at　once　on　the　receipt　of　such　a　message；　and　come　up　by　the　next　train　to　London；　where　they　should　be　met　at　the　station。　　He　had　promised　their　mother　that　in　case　of　need　he　would　send　for　them。


God　bless　you；　my　poor　children；　and　have　mercy　on　us　all！　Your　loving　father；　H。　MERRIFIELD。


That　was　all；　and　Christabel　felt；　more　than　even　the　children　did；　from　how　full　and　heavy　a　heart　those　words　had　been　written。

Though　she　hardly　knew　how　to　speak；　she　tried　to　comfort　Susan　by　showing　her　that　her　father　had　evidently　not　given　up　all　hope；　but　Susan　was　crying　more　at　the　thought　of　her　Mamma's　present　illness　and　pain　than　with　fear　of　the　future；　and　Sam　said　sadly；　〃He　would　not　have　written　at　all　unless　it　had　been　very　bad　indeed。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃but　I　believe；　in　cases　like　this；　there　is　often　great　fear；　and　then　very　speedy　improvement。〃

〃Oh　dear；〃　said　Bessie；　speaking　for　the　first　time；　〃I　know　it　will　be。　　Little　girls　in　story…books　always　do　have　their　mammasdie！〃

〃Story…books　are　all　nonsense；　so　it　won't　happen；〃　said　Sam；　and　really　it　seemed　as　if　the　habit　of　contradicting　Bessie　had　suggested　to　him　the　greatest　consolation　that　had　yet　occurred。

Just　then　Henry　and　the　younger　ones　came　in；　and　learnt　the　tidings。　Henry　wept　as　bitterly　as　his　elder　sister；　and　John　and　Annie　both　did　the　same；　but　David　did　not　speak　one　word；　as　if　he　hardly　took　in　what　was　the　matter；　and；　going　to　the　window；　took　up　his　lesson…　books　as　usual。

〃It　is　nine　o'clock；　Hal；〃　said　Sam　presently。

〃Oh；　we　can't　go　to　Mr。　Carey　to…day；〃　said　Hal。

〃Yes；　we　shall；〃　returned　Sam。

〃Oh　don't；〃　cried　Susan。　　〃Suppose　a　telegraph　should　come！〃

〃Well；　then　you　can　send　for　me；〃　said　Sam。　　〃Come；　Hal。〃

〃How　can　you；　Sam？〃　said　Henry　crossly；　〃I　know　Mr。　Carey　will　give　us　leave　when　he　knows。〃

〃I　don't　want　leave；〃　said　Sam；　〃I　don't　want　to　kick　up　a　row；　as　you'll　do　if　you　stay　at　home。〃

〃Well　then；　if　the　message　comes；　I　shall　take　Susie　to　London　instead　of　you。　　I'm　sure　they　want　me　most！〃

〃No；　go　down　to　Mr。　Carey's　with　your　brother；　if　you　please；　Hal；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook　decidedly。　　〃If　he　should　tell　you　not　to　stay；　I　can't　help　it；　but　you　will　none　of　you　do　any　good　by　hanging　about　without　doing　your　daily　duties。〃

Hal　saw　he　had　no　chance；　and　marched　off；　muttering　about　its　being　very　hard。　　Sam　picked　up　his　books；　and　turned　to　go；　with　a　grave　steady　look　that　was　quite　manly　in　its　sadness；　only　stopping　to　say；　〃Now；　Jackie；　you　be　good！Please　Miss　Fosbrook；　let　him　run　down　after　me　if　the　message　comes；　and　I'll　be　back　before　the　horse　is　out。〃

Miss　Fosbrook　promised；　and　could　not　help　shaking　hands　with　the　brave　boy；　if　only　to　show　that　she　felt　with　him。

〃Then　must　we　all　do　our　lessons？〃　asked　Annie　disconsolately；　when　he　was　gone。

〃Yes；　my　dear；　I　think　we　shall　all　be　the　better　for　not　neglecting　what　we　ought　to　do。　　But　there　is　one　thing　that　we　can　do　for　your　dear　Mamma；　you　know　what　I　mean。　　Suppose　you　each　went　away　alone　for　five　minutes；　and　were　to　come　back　when　I　ring　the　little　bell？〃

The　first　to　come　back　was　Annie；　with　the　question　in　a　low　whisper；　〃Miss　Fosbrook；　will　God　make　Mamma　better　if　we　are　very　good？〃

Miss　Fosbrook　kissed　her；　saying；　〃My　dear　little　girl；　I　cannot　tell。　　All　I　can　certainly　tell　you　is；　that　He　hears　the　prayers　of　good　children；　and　if　it　be　better　for　her　and　for　you　He　will　give　her　back　to　you。〃

Annie　did　not　quite　understand；　but　she　entered　into　what　Miss　Fosbrook　said　enough　to　wish　to　be　good；　so　she　took　up　her　book；　and　began　to　learn　with　all　her　might。

Elizabeth　would　have　thought　it　much　more　like　a　little　girl　in　a　book　to　have　done　no　lessons；　but　have　sat　thinking；　and　perhaps　reading　the　Bible　all　day；　but　on　the　whole　Elizabeth　had　hardly　thoughts　enough　to　last　her　so　long；　nor　was　she　deep　or　serious　enough　to　have　done　herself　much　good　by　keeping　the　Bible　open　before　her。　　In　fact　she　did　lose　her　verse　in　merely　reading　the　chapter　for　the　day！　　So　it　was　just　as　well　that　she　had　something　to　do　that　was　not　play；　and　that　was　a　duty；　and　thus　might　give　the　desire　to　be　good　something　to　bear　upon。

But　Christabel　saw　by　Susan's　face；　and　heard　in　the　shaken　voice　with　which　she　took　her　turn　in　the　reading；　that　she　could　not　have　given　her　mind　to　her　tasks；　and　did　not　need　them　to　keep　her　out　of　mischief。　　It　would　have　been　cruel　to　have　required　her　to　sit　down　to　them　just　then；　and　her　governess　was　glad　to　be　able　to　excuse　her　on　account　of　the　packing…up。　　All　her　things　and　Sam's　must　be　got　ready　in　case　of　an　immediate　start；　and　she　was　sent　up　to　the　nursery　to　take　care　of　the　little　ones；　while　Nurse　and　Mary　mended；　ironed；　and　packed。

To　be　sure　Nurse　Freeman　made　poor　Susan　unnecessarily　unhappy　by　being　sure　that　it　was　all　the　fault　of　the　London　doctors；　but　she　was　a　kind；　tender　old　woman；　and　her　petting　was　a　great　comfort　to　the　poor　girl。　　What　did　her　most　good；　however；　was　sitting　quite　quiet　with　the　little　ones　while　they　were　asleep；　and　all　alone；　it　seemed　to　rest　and　compose　her；　and　she　always　loved　to　be　in　charge　of　them。　　Poor　child！　she　might　soon　have　to　be　their　little　mother！　She　was　able　to　play　with　them　when　they　awoke；　and　cheered　herself　up　with　their　pretty　ways；　and　by　finding　how　quickly　Baby　was　learning　to　walk。　　Ah！　but　would　Mamma　ever　see　her　walk？

If　any　of　the　children　thought　it　unjust　that　Susan's　lessons　should　be　let　off；　they　were　wrong。　　Parents　and　teachers　must　have　the　power　of　doing　such　things　without　being　judged。　　Sometimes　they　see　that　a　child　is　really　unable　to　learn；　when　the　others　perceive　no　difference；　and　it　would　be　very　harsh　and　cruel　to　oppress　one　who　is　out　of　order　for　fear　little　silly；　idle；　healthy　things　should　think　themselves　hardly　used。

At　any　rate；　the　lessons　were　capitally　done；　and　when　the　children　met　again；　they　were　all　so　much　brighter　and　more　hopeful；　that　they　quite　believed　that　their　Mamma　was　going　to　get　better　very　fast。　Bessie　especially　was　so　resolved　that　thus　it　should　be；　that　she　shut　herself　into　Miss　Fosbrook's　room；　and　drew　and　painted　with　all　her　might；　as　if　preparing　for　Mamma's　birthday　made　it　certain　that　it　would　be　kept。

The　boys　brought　word　that　they　would　have　a　holiday　the　next　day；　as　it　was　the　Feast　of　St。　　Barnabas；　and　after　morning　service　Mr。　Carey　was　going　to　meet　his　brother　and　bring　him　home。

〃I　shall　be　all　the　more　certain　to　get　the　sovereign；　or　two　sovereigns；〃　said　Henry　to　David；　the　only　person　whom　he　could　find　to　listen　to　him；　〃if　Sam　is　gone；　and　everyone　will　be　caring　about　me。〃

〃And　then　you'll　give　it　to　the　pig；〃　said　David。

〃Oh　yes；　to　be　sure。　　You　will　grow　into　a　pig　yourself　if　you　go　on　that　way；　David。〃

However；　David；　partaking　the　family　distrust　of　Hal's　birds…in…the…　bush；　and　being　sta