the stokesley secret-第23节

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sie　followed　her；　and　Sam　said　no　word；　only　Miss　Fosbrook　remarked　that　he　did　not　eat　two　mouthfuls　of　breakfast。　　She　would　not　take　any　notice；　she　knew　his　heart　was　full；　and　when　she　looked　round　on　that　little　flock；　and　thought　of　the　grievous　sorrow　scarcely　yet　averted　from　them；　she　could　hardly　keep　the　tears　from　blinding　her。　They　were　all　somewhat　still　and　grave；　and　it　was　too　happy　a　morning　to　be　broken　into　by　the　reproofs　that　Henry　deserved；　even　more　richly　than　Christabel　knew。　　She　had　almost　forgotten　his　bad　behaviour；　and　when　she　remembered　something　of　it；　she　could　not　but　hope　that　silence；　on　such　a　day　as　this；　might　bring　it　home　to　him　more　than　rebuke。　　Yet　when　breakfast　was　ever；　he　was　among　the　loudest　of　those　who；　shaking　off　the　strange；　awed　gravity　of　deep　gladness；　went　rushing　together　into　the　garden；　feeling　that　they　might　give　way　to　their　spirits　again。

Sam　shouted　and　whooped　as　if　he　were　casting　off　a　burthen；　and　picking　little　George　up　in　his　arms；　tossed　him　and　swung　him　round　in　the　air　in　an　ecstasy；　while　John　and　Annie　and　David　went　down　on　the　grass　together；　and　tumbled　and　rolled　one　over　the　other　like　three　kittens；　their　legs　and　arms　kicking　about；　so　that　it　was　hard　to　tell　whose　property　were　the　black　shoes　that　came　wriggling　into　view。

Susan　was　quieter。　　She　told　Nurse　the　good　news；　and　then　laid　hold　upon　Baby；　and　carried　her　off　into　the　passage　to　hug　all　to　herself。　　She　could　tell　no　one　but　Baby　how　very　happy　she　was；　and　how　her　heart　had　trembled　at　her　mother's　suffering；　her　father's　grief；　and　at　the　desolateness　that　had　so　nearly　come　on　them。　　Oh；　she　was　very　happy；　very　thankful；　but　she　could　not　scream　it　out　like　the　others；　Baby　must　have　it　all　in　kisses。

〃Christabel；〃　said　a　little　voice；　when　all　the　others　were　gone；　〃I　shall　never　be　pipy　again。〃

〃You　must　try　to　fight　against　it；　my　dear。〃

〃Because；〃　said　Elizabeth；　coming　close　up　to　her；　〃when　dear　Mamma　was　so　ill；　it　did　seem　so　silly　to　mind　about　not　having　pretty　things　like　Ida；　and　the　boys　plaguing；　and　so　on。〃

〃Yes；　my　dear；　a　real　trouble　makes　us　ashamed　of　our　little　discontents。〃

〃I　said　so　many　times　yesterday；　and　the　day　before；　that　I　would　never　mind　things　again；　if　only　Mamma　would　get　well　and　come　home；〃　said　the　little　girl；　〃and　I　never　shall。〃

〃You　will　not　always　find　it　easy　not　to　mind；〃　said　Christabel；　〃but　if　you　try　hard；　you　will　learn　how　to　keep　from　showing　that　you　mind。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Elizabeth；　（and　a　great　mouthful　of　an　oh！　it　was；）　〃those　things　are　grown　so　silly　and　little　now。〃

〃You　have　seen　them　in　their　true　light　for　once；　my　dear。　　And　now　that　you　have　so　great　cause　of　thankfulness　to　God；　you　feel　that　your　foolish　frets　and　discontents　were　unthankful。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Bessie；　her　eyes　cast　down；　as　they　always　were　when　anything　of　this　kind　was　said　to　her；　as　if　she　did　not　like　to　meet　the　look　fixed　on　her。

〃Well　then；　Bessie；　try　to　make　the　giving　up　of　these　murmurs　your　thank…offering　to　God。　　Suppose　every　day　when　you　say　your　prayers；　you　were　to　add　something　like　this〃　and　she　wrote　down　on　a　little　bit　of　paper；　〃O　Thou；　who　hast　raised　up　my　mother　from　her　sickness；　teach　me　to　be　a　thankful　and　contented　child；　and　to　guard　my　words　and　thoughts　from　peevishness。〃

〃Isn't　it　too　small　to　pray　about？〃　said　Elizabeth。

〃Nothing　is　too　small　to　pray　about；　my　dear。　　Do　you　think　this　little　midge　is　too　small　for　God　to　have　made　it；　and　given　it　life；　and　spread　that　mother…of…pearl　light　on　its　wings？　　Do　you　think　yourself　too　small　to　pray？　or　your　fault　too　small　to　pray　about？〃

Elizabeth　cast　down　her　eyes。　　She　did　not　quite　think　it　was　a　fault；　but　she　did　not　say　so。

〃Bessie；　what　was　the　great　sin　of　the　Israelites　in　the　wilderness？〃

The　colour　on　her　cheek　showed　that　she　knew。

〃They　tempted　God　by　murmurs；〃　said　Christabel。　　〃They　tried　His　patience　by　grumbling；　when　His　care　and　blessings　were　all　round　them；　and　by　crying　out　because　all　was　not　just　as　they　liked。　　Now；　dear　Bessie；　God　has　shown　you　what　a　real　sorrow　might　be；　will　it　not　be　tempting　Him　to　go　back　to　complaints　over　what　He　has　ordained　for　you？〃

〃I　shall　net　complain　now；　I　shall　not　care；〃　said　Elizabeth。　　But　she　took　the　little　bit　of　paper；　and　Christabel　trusted　that　she　would　make　use　of　it；　knowing　that　in　this　lay　her　hope　of　cure；　for　whatever　she　might　think　in　this　first　joy　of　relief；　her　little　troubles　were　sure　to　seem　quite　as　unbearable　while　they　were　upon　her　as　if　she　had　never　feared　a　great　one。

However；　nothing　remarkable　happened；　everyone　was　bright　and　happy；　but　still　the　influence　of　their　past　alarm　subdued　them　enough　to　make　them　quiet　and　well…behaved；　both　on　Saturday　and　Sunday；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　had　never　had　so　little　trouble　with　them。

In　consideration　of　this；　and　of　the　agitation　and　unsettled　state　that　had　put　the　last　week　out　of　all　common　rules；　she　announced　on　Monday　morning　that　she　would　excuse　all　the　fines；　and　that　all　the　children　should　have　their　allowance　unbroken。　　Maybe　she　was　moved　to　this　by　the　suspicion　that　these　four　sixpences　and　three　threepennies　would　make　up　the　fund　to　the　price　of　a　〃reasonable　pig；〃　and　she　thought　it　time　that　David's　perseverance　should　be　rewarded；　and　room　made　in　his　mind　for　something　beyond　swine　and　halfpence。

Her　announcement　was　greeted　by　the　girls　with　eager　thanks；　by　the　boys　with　a　tremendous　〃Three　times　three　for　Miss　Fosbrook！〃　and　Bessie　was　so　joyous；　that　instead　of　crying　out　against　the　noise；　she　joined　in　with　Susan　and　Annie；　but　they　made　such　a　ridiculous　little　squeaking；　that　Sam　laughed　at　them；　and　took　to　mocking　their　queer　thin　hurrahs。　　Yet　even　this　Elizabeth　could　bear！

David　was　meanwhile　standing　by　the　locker；　his　fingers　at　work　as　if　he　were　playing　a　tune；　his　lips　counting　away；　〃Ninety…two；　ninety…　three；　ninety…fourthat's　me；　ninety…five；　ninety…six；　ninety…seven…　…that's　Jack；〃　and　so　on；　till　having　plodded　up　diligently；　he　turned　round　with　a　little　scream；　〃One　hundred　and　twenty！　　That's　the　pig！〃

〃What？〃　cried　Annie。

〃One　hundred　and　twenty　pence。　　Sukey　said　one　hundred　and　twenty　pence　were　ten　shillings。　　That　will　do　it！　　That's　the　pig！　　Oh；　we've　done　it！　　May　I　take　it　to　Purday？〃

〃It　was　to　be　let　alone　till　fair…day；　you　little　bother！〃　said　Hal。

〃No；　no；　no；〃　cried　many　voices；　〃only　till　we　had　enough。〃

〃And　I　am　sure　nobody　knows　if　we　have；〃　added　Hal　hotly。　　〃A　lot　of　halfpence；　indeed！〃

〃But　I　know；　Hal；〃　insisted　David。　　〃There　are　eighty…nine　pence　and　one　farthing　in　Toby　Fillpot；　and　this　makes　one　hundred　and　twenty…　two　pence　and　one　farthing。〃

〃You'd　no　business　to　peep；〃　said　Sam。

〃I　didn't　peep；〃　said　David　indignantly。　　〃There　were　forty…eight　pence　at　first；　and　then　Susie　had　three；　that　was　fifty…one〃　　And　he　would　have　gone　on　like　a　little　calculating　machine；　with　the　entire　reckoning　in　his　head；　if　the　others　had　had　patience　to　hear；　but　Annie　and　Johnnie　were　urgent　to　have　the　sum　counted　out　before　their　eyes。　　Hal　roughly　declared　it　was　against　the　rules；　and　little　inquisitives　must　not　have　their　way。　　But　others　were　also　inquisitive；　and　Sam　said　it　would　be　best　to　know　how　much　they　had；　that　Purday　might　be　told　to　look　out　for　a　pig　at　the　price；　besides；　he　wanted　to　have　it　over；　it　was　such　a　bore　not　to　have　any　money。

〃It's　not　fair！〃　cried　Henry　passionately。　　〃You　don't　keep　the　rules！　　You　sha'n't　have　my　sixpence；　I　can　tell　you；　and　I　won'tI　won't　stay　and　see　it。〃

〃Nobody　wants　you；〃　said　Sam。

〃I　didn't　know　there　were　any　rules；〃　said　the　girls；　but　Hal　was　already　off。

〃Hal　has　only　put　in　fivepence…halfpenny；〃　said　David；　〃so　no　wonder　he　is　ashamed。　　Such　a　big　boy；　with　sixpence　a　week！　　But　if　he　won't　let　us　have　his　sixpence　now〃

〃Never　mind；　we　will　make　it　up　next　week；〃　said　Susan。

〃Now；　then；　who　will　take　Toby　down？〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　unbuttoning　one　glass　door；　and　undoing　the　two　bolts　of　the　second；　behind　which　the　cup　of　money　stood。

〃Susie　ought；　because　she　is　the　eldest。〃

〃Davie　ought；　because　he　is　the　youngest。〃

David　stood　on　a　chair　to　take　Toby　off　his　shelf。　　Solemn　was　the　face　with　which　the　little　boy　lifted　the　mug　by　the　handle；　putting　his　other　hand　to　steady　the　expected　weight　of　coppers；　but　there　was　at　once　a　frown；　a　little　cry　of　horror。　　Toby　came　up　so　light　in　his　hand；　that　all　his　great　effort　was　thrown　away；　and　only　made　him　stagger　back　in　dismay；　falling　backward　from　the　chair；　and　poor　Toby　crashing　to　pieces　on　the　floor　as　he　fell；　while　out　rolled　one　solitary　farthing

Nobody　spoke　for　some　moments；　but　all　stood　perfectly　still；　staring　as　hard　as　if　they　hoped　the　pence　would　be　brought　out　by　force　of　looking　for　them。

Then　David's　knuckles　went　up　into　his　eyes；　and　he　burst　forth　in　a　loud　bellow。　　It　was　the　first　time　Miss　Fosbrook　had　heard　him　cry；　and　she　feared　that　he　had　been　hurt　by　the　fall；　or　cut　by　the　broken　crockery；　but　he　struck　out　with　foot　and　fist；　as　if　his　tears　were　as　much　anger　as　grief；　and　roared　out；　〃I　want　the　halfpenc