the stokesley secret-第2节

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〃Oh！　yes；　yes；〃　shouted　the　children；　〃let's　do　it　all　ourselves！〃

〃I've　got　one…and…threepence；　and　sixpence　next　Saturday；〃　cried　Hal。

〃And　I've　eightpence；〃　quoth　Annie。

〃And　I've　a　whole　shilling；〃　said　David。

〃I've　fourpence；〃　said　Johnnie。

〃I've　not　much；　I'm　afraid；〃　said　Susan；　feeling　in　her　pocket；　with　rather　black　looks。

〃Oh！〃　said　Sam；　〃everybody　knows　simple　Sukey　never　has　a　farthing　in　her　pocket　by　any　chance！〃

〃Yes；　but　I　have；　Sam；〃　and　with　an　air　of　great　triumph；　Susan　held　up　three…halfpence；　whereat　all　the　party　screamed　with　laughter。

〃Well；　but　Bessie　always　has　lots！　　She's　as　rich　as　a　little　Jew。　Come；　Bet；　Elizabeth；　Elspeth；　Betsy；　and　Bess；　what　will　you　give？　what　have　you　got？〃and　one　hand　came　on　her　shoulder；　and　another　on　her　arm　but　she　shook　herself　free；　and　answered　rather　crossly；

〃Don'tI　can'tI've　got　something　else　to　do　with　my　money。〃

〃Oh！　you　little　stingy　avaricious　crab！〃　was　the　outcry　beginning；　but　Miss　Fosbrook　stopped　it　before　Elizabeth　had　time　to　make　the　angry　answer　that　was　rising　on　her　lips。

〃No；　my　dears；　you　must　not　tease　her。　　Each　of　you　has　a　full　right　to　use　your　own　money　as　you　may　think　best；　and　it　is　not　right　to　force　gifts　in　this　manner。〃

〃She's　a　little　affected　pussy…cat；〃　said　Hal；　much　annoyed；　〃I　know　what　she　wants　it　forto　buy　herself　a　ridiculous　parasol　like　Ida　Greville；　when　she　would　see　poor　Hannah　Higgins　starving　at　her　feet。〃

Elizabeth　bit　her　lip；　and　tossed　up　her　head；　the　tears　were　in　her　eyes；　but　she　made　no　answer。

〃Come；　never　mind；〃　said　Sam；　〃she's　as　obstinate　as　a　male　when　she　gets　a　thing　into　her　head。　　Let's　see　what　we've　got　without　her。　I've　only　sevenpence：　　worse　luck　that　I　bought　ball　of　string　yesterday。〃

The　addition　amounted　to　three　shillings　and　elevenpence　halfpenny：　a　sum　which　looked　so　mighty　when　spread　out；　chiefly　in　coppers；　on　the　window…seat；　that　Annie　and　David　looked　on　it　as　capable　of　buying　any　amount　of　swine；　but　Sam　looked　rather　blank　at　it；　and　gazing　up　and　down；　said；　〃But　what　does　a　pig　cost？〃

〃Miss　Fosbrook；　what　does　a　pig　cost？〃

Miss　Fosbrook　shook　her　head　and　laughed；　saying　that　she　knew　much　less　of　pigs　than　they　did；　and　Susan　exclaiming；　〃There's　Purday　in　the　court；〃　they　all　tumbled　to　the　window；　one　upon　the　top　of　the　other。

The　window　was　a　large　heavily…framed　sash；　with　a　deep　window…seat；　and　a　narrow　ledge　within　the　sillas　if　made　on　purpose；　the　first　for　the　knees　the　second　for　the　elbows　of　the　gazers　therefrom。

As　to　the　view；　it　was　into　a　walled　kitchen　court；　some　high　chestnut　and　lime　trees　just　looking　over　the　grey　roofs　of　the　offices。　　On　the　ground　lay　a　big　black　Newfoundland　dog；　and　a　couple　of　graceful　greyhounds；　one　of　them　gnawing　a　bone；　cunningly　watched　by　a　keen…looking　raven；　with　his　head　on　one　side；　while　peeping　out　from　the　bars　of　the　bottle…rack　was　the　demure　face　of　the　sandy　cat；　on　the　watch　for　either　bones　or　sparrows。

A　stout；　stumpy；　shrewd…looking　labourer；　in　a　short　round　frock；　high　buskins；　an　old　wide…awake；　short　curly　hair；　and　a　very　large　nose；　stood　in　front　of　the　dairy　door；　mixing　a　mess　of　warm　milk　for　the　young　calves。

〃Purday！　　Master　Purday！〃　roared　nearly　the　whole　young　population　above；　but　he　was　so　intent　on　his　mixture；　that　he　went　on　as　if　he　were　deaf；　till　a　second　explosion　of　〃Purday！　　Purday！　　I　say！〃　made　him　turn　up　his　face　in　an　odd　half…awake　kind　of　manner。

〃Purday；　what's　the　price　of　a　pig？〃　and；　〃What　does　a　pig　cost；　Purday？〃

〃What　d'ye　all　holler　at　once　for？　　A　body　can't　hear　a　word；〃　was　all　the　answer　they　got；　whereupon　they　all　started　together　again；　and　Purday　went　on　with　his　mixture　as　if　they　had　been　so　many　hens　cackling。

Then　Sam　got　up　his　breath　again　and　called　alone；　〃Purday！〃　and　Hal　and　Susan　by　pats　and　pinches　strangled　the　like　outcry　from　Annie　and　John；　so　as　to　leave　the　field　clear　for　the　great　question；　〃Purday；　what　does　a　pig　cost？〃

〃More　than　your　voices　up　there；　sir；〃　growled　Purday；　making　some　laugh；　but　Henry　cried　impatiently；

〃Now；　Purday；　we　really　do　want　to　know　what　is　the　price　of　pigs。〃

〃They　was　high　last　market；〃　began　Purday。

〃I　don't　care　if　they　were　high　or　low；〃　said　Hal；　〃I　want　to　know　what　money　they　cost。〃

〃Different　pigs　cost　different　prices；〃　quoth　the　oracle；　so　sententiously；　that　Miss　Fosbrook's　shoulders　shook　with　laughing　as　she　stood　a　little　in　the　background　of　the　eager　heap　in　the　window。

〃A　nice　little　pig；　such　as　you'd　give〃

〃Hush；　hush；　Hal；　it's　a　secret；〃　cried　Susan。

〃A　pretty　sort　of　secretknown　to　eight　already；　and　bawled　out　all　over　the　yard；〃　said　Sam。

〃But　don't　tell　him　what　it's　for；　you　can　ask　him　without　that。〃

〃A　nice　little　young　pig；〃　said　Sam；　〃such　as　you'd　keep　all　the　summer；　and　fat　in　the　winter。〃

〃Mind；　it　ain't　for　you；　Purday；〃　cried　Hal。

〃Never　fear　my　being　disappointed；　sir；〃　said　the　free…spoken　Purday；　with　a　twinkle　of　his　eye；　which　Hal　understood　so　well　that　he　burst　out；

〃Ah！　you　think　I　can　never　do　what　I　say　I　will；　but　you'll　see；　Purday；　if　we　don't　give　a　pig　to〃

He　was　screamed　at；　and　pulled　into　order　and　silence；　ere　the　words；　〃Hannah　Higgins〃　had　quite　come　out；　and　Sam　repeated　his　question。

〃Well；〃　said　Purday　at　last；　〃if　pigs　was　reasonable；　you　might　get　a　nice　little　one　to　fat；　at　Kattern　Hill　fair；　somewhere　about　ten　shillings；　or　maybe　twelvesometimes　more；　sometimes　less。〃

〃Ten　shillings！〃　　The　community　stood　round　and　looked　at　one　another　at　the　notion　of　such　an　awful　sum；　but　Hal　was　the　first　to　cast　a　ray　of　hope　on　the　gloom。　　〃Kattern　Hill　fair　ain't　till　Midsummer；　and　perhaps　Grandmamma　will　send　us　some　money　before　that。　　If　anybody's　birthday　was　but　coming！〃

〃Better　save　it　out　of　our　allowance；〃　said　Sam。　　〃How　long　is　it　to　the　fair？〃

Miss　Fosbrook's　pocket…book　declared　it　to　be　four　weeks。

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Hal；　〃we　three　big　ones　have　sixpence　a　week　each；　that's　six　shillings；　leaving　out　stingy　Bess；　and　the　little　ones　threepence；　that's　three　times　three　is　nine；　and　three　times　nine　is　thirty…six；　that's　three　shillings；　and　six　is　nine；　and　very　near　four　is　fourteen。　　We　shall　do　the　pig　yet。〃

〃Yes；　Hal；　but　if　pigs　are　reasonable；　I　am　afraid　three　times　nine　never　yet　were　so　much　so　as　to　make　thirty…six；〃　objected　Miss　Fosbrook。

Sam　whistled。

〃Twenty…seventhat's　three　and　twopenceit's　all　the　same；〃　said　Hal；　then　at　the　scream　of　the　rest；　〃at　least　two　and　threepence。　Well；　any　way　there's　plenty　for　piggy…wiggy；　and　it　shall　be　a　jolly　secret　to　delight　Hannah　Higgins；　and　surprise　Papa　and　Mamma：　hurrah！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Sam；　〃but　then　nobody　must　have　any　fines。〃

〃Ay；　and　Sue　must　keep　her　money。　　That　will　be　a　wonder！〃　shouted　Harry。

〃Well；　I'll　try；〃　said　Susan。　　〃I'll　try　not　to　have　a　single　fine；　and　I'll　not　buy　a　single　lump　of　sugar…candy；　for　I　do　want　poor　Hannah　to　have　her　pig。〃

〃And　so　will　we！〃　cried　the　younger　ones　with　one　voice。

〃Only；〃　added　Susan；　〃I　must　buy　Dicky's　canary　seed。〃

〃And　I　must　have　a　queen's　head　to　write　to　Mamma；〃　said　Annie。

〃Oh！　never　mind　that；　such　trumpery　as　your　letters　are；〃　said　Hal。　〃Mamma　could　say　them　by　heart　before　she　gets　them。　　What　does　she　care　for　them？〃

Little　Annie　looked　very　deplorable。

〃Never　mind；　my　dear；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃mammas　always　care　for　little　girls'　letters；　and　you　are　quite　right　to　keep　a　penny　for　your　stamp　for　her。You　see；　Hal；　this　scheme　will　never　come　to　good　if　you　sacrifice　other　duties　to　it。〃

Henry　twirled　round　impatiently。

〃Now　suppose；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃that　we　set　up　a　treasury；　and　put　all　in　that　we　can　properly　afford；　and　then　break　it　open　on　the　day　before　the　fair；　and　see　how　much　we　have。〃

〃Oh！　yes；　yes；〃　cried　the　children　in　raptures。

〃Will　you　help；　Miss　Fosbrook？〃　said　Susan；　clasping　her　hands。

〃I　should　like　to　do　a　very　little；　if　you　will　take　this　silver　threepenny；　but　I　do　not　think　it　would　be　right　for　me　to　spare　one　penny　more；　for　all　I　can　afford　is　very　much　wanted　at　home。〃

〃What　shall　we　have　for　treasury？〃　said　Hal；　looking　round。

〃I　know！〃　cried　Susan。　　〃Here；　in　the　baby…house；　here's　the　Toby；　let's　put　it　inside　him。〃

The　so…called　baby…house　was　an　old…fashioned　cupboard　with　glass　doors；　where　certain　tender　dolls；　and　other　curiosities；　playthings　too　frail　to　be　played　with　and　the　like；　were　ranged　in　good　order；　and　never　taken　out　except　when　some　one　child　was　unwell；　and　had　to　stay　in…doors　alone。

Toby　Fillpot　was　a　present　from　Nurse　Freeman。　　It　was　a　large　mug；　representing　a　man　with　a　red　coat；　black　hat；　and　white　waistcoat；　very　short　legs；　and　top…boots。　　The　opening　of　the　cup　was　at　the　top　of　his　head；　and　into　this　was　dropped　all　the　silver　and　pence　at　present　mustered；　and　computed　to　be　about　four　shillings。

〃And；　Miss　Fosbrook；　you'll　not　be　cross　about　fines？〃　said　Johnnie；　looking　coaxing。

〃I　hope　I　shall　not　be　cross；〃　she　answered；　〃but　I　do　not　engage　to　let　you　off　any。　　I　think　having　so　good　a　use　to　put　your　money　to　should　make　you　more　careful　against　forf