the stokesley secret-第25节

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Henry　ate　his　dinner　in　haste；　but　could　not　get　away　till　Miss　Fosbrook　had　called　him　away　from　the　rest；　and　told　him　that　if　he　had　been　playing　a　trick　on　his　little　brother；　it　was　time　to　put　an　end　to　it；　before　any　innocent　person　fell　under　suspicion。

〃II've　been　playing　no　tricksat　least〃

〃Without　any　AT　LEAST；　Henry；　have　you　hidden　the　money？〃

〃No。〃

〃You　dined　in　the　school…room　on　Friday。　　Were　the　baby…house　doors　open　then！〃

〃II'm　sure　I　didn't　notice。〃

〃You　didn't　open　them　to　take　anything　out？〃

〃What　should　I　want　with　the　things　in　the　baby…house？〃

〃Did　you；　or　did　you　not！〃

〃II　didn'tat　least〃

〃In　one　word；　did　you　open　them？　yes　or　no。〃

〃No。〃

〃What　time　did　you　go　out　after　eating　your　dinner？〃

〃Bother！　how　is　one　to　remember！　　It's　all　nonsense　making　such　a　fuss。　　The　children　fancied　they　put　in　ever　so　much　more　than　they　did；　and　very　likely　took　out　some。〃

〃No；　David's　reckoning　was　accurate。　　I　wrote　down　all　I　knew　of；　and　I　am　sure　none　was　taken　out；　for　early　that　very　morning　I　had　put　in　a　sixpence　myself；　and　the　cup　was　then　full　of　coppers；　with　that　little　silver　threepenny　of　David's　with　the　edge　turned　up　upon　the　top。〃

〃Then　you　must　have　left　the　door　undone！〃　said　Henry　delighted。

〃I　dare　not　be　positive；〃　said　Christabel；　〃but　I　believe　I　remember　bolting　it；　and　if　I　had　not　done　so；　it　would　have　flown　open　sooner。〃

〃Oh；　but　the　wind；　you　know。〃

〃If　the　doors　did　open；　it　would　not　account　for　the　loss　of　the　money。〃

〃Well；　I　can't　help　it；〃　said　Henry　ungraciously；　trying　to　move　off：　but　she　first　required　him　to　tell　her　what　he　had　said　to　the　younger　boys　to　make　them　suspect　Elizabeth。

〃Did　I？〃　said　Henry；　〃I　am　sure　I　didn't；　at　least；　if　I　did；　I　only　said　Bess　peeped　everywhere；　and　was　very　close。　　I　didn't　suspect　her；　you　know。〃

〃I　should　think　not！〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook　indignantly。　　〃Now　please　to　come　up　with　me。〃

〃I　want　to　go　out；〃　said　Henry。

No；　she　would　not　let　him　go。　　She　thought　Elizabeth　ought　to　clear　herself；　so　far　as　it　could　be　done；　by　making　her　secret　known；　since　that　had　drawn　suspicion　on　her；　and　when　all　the　children　were　together；　she　called　the　little　girl　and　told　her　so。

〃It　is　very　unkind　of　them；〃　said　Bessie；　with　trembling　lip；　〃but　they　shall　see；　if　they　want　THAT　to　show　I　am　not　a　thief！〃

〃I　said　I　wouldn't　see；〃　said　Susan。　　〃You　knows　Bessie；　I　trust　you。〃

〃And　I；〃　said　Sam；　〃I　don't　care　for　people's　secrets。　　I　don't　want　to　pry　into　Bessie's。〃

No　one　followed　their　example；　all　either　really　suspected；　or　else　were　full　of　curiosity；　and　delighted　to　gratify　it。

Half　a　dozen　slips　of　card；　with　poor　little　coloured　drawings　on　them；　and　as　many　lengths　of　penny　ribbon！

〃Is　that　all？〃　said　Annie；　much　disappointed。

〃So　that's　what　Bet　made　such　a　fuss　about；〃　said　John；　and　David's　face　fell；　as　if　he　had　really　expected　to　see　the　lost　pence。

The　next　thing；　after　the　search　had　been　made　through　all　the　children's　bed…rooms；　was　to　go　to　the　nursery：　　and　thither　Miss　Fosbrook　allowed　only　Susan　and　Sam　to　follow　her。　　Nurse　Freeman　was　very　stiff　and　stately；　but　she　had　no　objection　to　searching；　and　the　boy　and　girl　began　the　hunt；　while　Miss　Fosbrook　meantime　cautiously　asked　whether　Nurse　were　sure　of　Rhoda；　and　if　she　were　trustworthy。

This　made　Mrs。　Freeman　very　angry；　and　though　her　words　were　respectful；　she　showed　that　she　was　much　offended　at　the　strange　lady　presuming　to　suspect　anyone；　especially　one　under　her　charge。

Miss　Fosbrook　wanted　to　have　asked　Rhoda　whether　the　doors　were　open　or　shut　when　she　carried　Henry　his　dinner；　but　Nurse　would　not　consent　to　call　her。　　〃I　understood　the　nursery　and　the　girl　were　to　be　my　province；〃　she　said。　　〃If　Miss　Merrifield　heard　her　mamma　say　otherwise；　then　it　is　a　different　thing。〃

Susan　cowered　into　the　dark　cupboard。　　Nurse　must　be　in　a　dreadful　way　to　call　her　Miss　Merrifield；　instead　of　Missy！

Nothing　more　could　be　done。　　The　pence　could　not　be　found。　　Nurse　would　not　let　Rhoda　be　examined；　and　all　that　could　be　found　out　from　the　children　had　been　already　elicited。

Christabel　could　only　beg　that　no　more　should　be　said；　and；　her　head　aching　with　perplexity；　hope　that　some　light　might　yet　be　thrown　on　the　matter。　　There　must　be　pain　and　grief　whenever　it　should　be　explained；　but　this　would　be　far　better；　even　for　the　offender；　than　the　present　deception：　　and　the　whole　family　were　in　a　state　of　irritation　and　distrust；　that　hurt　their　tempers；　and　made　her　bitterly　reproach　herself　with　not　having　prevented　temptation　by　putting　the　hoard　under　lock　and　key。

She　ordered　that　no　more　should　be　said　about　it　that　evening；　and　made　herself　obeyed；　but　play　was　dull；　and　everything　went　off　heavily。　　The　next　morning；　Susan　came　back　early　from　her　housekeeping　business；　with　her　honest　face　grave　and　unhappy；　and　finding　Miss　Fosbrook　alone；　told　her　she　had　something　REALLY　to　say　to　her　if　she　might；　and　this　being　granted　began；　with　the　bright　look　of　having　found　a　capital　notion：　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　wish　you　would　do。〃

〃Well？〃

〃If　you　would　call　every　one　in　all　the　house；　and　ask　them　on　their　word　and　honour　if　they　took　the　pence。〃

〃My　dear；　I　am　not　the　head　of　the　house；　and　I　have　no　right　to　do　that；　besides；　I　do　not　believe　it　would　discover　it。〃

〃What！　could　a　thief　get　in　from　out　of　doors！〃　said　Susan　looking　at　the　window。

〃Hardly　that；　my　dear；　but　I　am　afraid　a　person　who　could　steal　would　not　scruple　to　tell　a　falsehood；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　cause　this　additional　sin。〃

〃It　is　very　horrid；　I　can't　bear　it；〃　said　Susan；　puckering　up　her　face　for　tears。　　〃Do　you　know；　Miss　Fosbrook；　the　maids　are　all　so　angry　that　you　said　anything　about　Rhoda？〃

〃You　did　not　mention　it；　my　dear？〃

〃Oh　no；　nor　Sam。　　It　was　Nurse　herself！　　But　they　all　say　that　you　want　to　take　away　her　character；　and　they　won't　have　strangers　put　over　them。〃

〃Pray；　Susie；　don't　tell　me　this。　　It　can　do　no　good。〃

〃Oh；　but　PLEASE！〃　cried　Susan。　　〃And　then　MaryI　can't　think　how　she　couldbut　she　said　that　poor　dear　Bessie　was　always　sly；　and　that　she　had　been　at　the　cupboard；　and　had　got　the　pence；　but　she　was　your　favourite；　and　so　you　vindicated　her。　　And　Nurse　began　teasing　her　to　confess；　and　tell　the　truth；　and　told　her　she　was　a　wicked　child　because　she　would　not；　but　it　was　all　because　we　were　put　under　strangers！　　I'm　sure　they　do　set　on　Johnnie　and　Davie　to　be　cross　to　her。〃

〃When　was　this；　my　dear？〃

〃Last　night；　when　we　went　to　the　nursery　to　be　washed。　　It　was　our　night；　you　know。　　Oh！　　I　wish　Mamma　was　well！〃

〃Indeed　I　do　my　dear。　　And　how　did　poor　Bessie　bear　it！〃

〃She　got　quite　white；　and　never　said　a　word；　even　when　they　told　her　she　was　sulky。　　But　when　we　got　into　bed；　and　I　kissed　her　and　cuddled　her　up；　oh！　she　did　cry　so；　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　　So；　do　you　know；　I　got　my　shawl　on；　and　went　and　called　Sam；　and　he　was　not　gone　to　sleep；　and　he　came　and　sat　by　her；　and　told　her　that　he　believed　her；　and　knew　she　was　as　sound　a　heart　of　oak　as　any　of　us；　and　we　both　petted　her；　and　Sam　was　so　nice　and　kind；　till　she　went　to　sleep。　　Then　he　went　to　the　nursery；　and　told　Nurse　how　horrid　it　was　in　her；　but　Cook　said　it　only　made　her　worse；　because　she　is　jealous　of　our　taking　part　with　you。〃

〃My　dear；　I　DO　like　to　hear　of　your　kindness　to　Bessie；　but　I　wish　you　would　not　mind　what　any　of　the　maids　say；　nor　talk　to　them　about　it。　　It　only　distresses　you　for　nothing。〃

〃But　I　can't　help　it；〃　said　Susan。

〃You　could　not　help　this　attack　in　the　nursery；　but　you　need　not　talk　to　Cook　or　Mary　about　it。　　It　is　of　no　use　to　vex　ourselves　with　what　people　say　who　don't　know　half　a　story。〃

〃Can't　you　tell　them　not？〃　said　simple　Susan。

〃No；　I　cannot　interfere。　　They　would　only　do　it　the　more。　　We　can　only　keep　Bessie　as　much　out　of　the　way　of　the　maids　as　we　can；　and　show　our　confidence　in　her。〃

Certainly　Elizabeth　had　been　known　to　look　infinitely　more　glum　when　nothing　was　the　matter　than　under　all　this　vexation；　even　though　the　servants　were　really　very　unkind　to　her；　and　her　two　little　brothers　both　behaved　as　ill　as　possible　to　her　whenever　they　had　the　opportunityDavid　really　believing　that　she　had　made　away　with　the　money；　and　ought　to　be　tortured　for　it；　and　Johnnie　taking　it　on　his　word；　and　being　one　of　those　little　boys　who　have　a　positive　taste　for　ill…nature；　and　think　it　fun。　　They　pinched　her；　they　bit　her；　they　rubbed　out　her　sums；　they　shut　up　her　lesson…books　and　lost　her　place；　they　put　bitten　crusts　into　her　plate；　and　did　whatever　they　knew　she　most　disliked；　whenever　Miss　Fosbrook　or　Sam　was　not　in　the　way；　but　she　never　told。　　She　did　not　choose　to　be　called　a　tell…　tale；　and　besides；　they　really　did　not　succeed　in　making　her　life　miserable；　so　much　was　she　pleased　with　the　real　kindness　her　trouble　had　brought　out　from　Susan　and　Sam。　　Susan　could　not　prevent　the　persecution　of　the　two　naughty　little　boys；　but　she　defended　her　sister　to　her　utmost；　and　Sam　cuffed　them　if　they　said　a　word　or　lifted　a　finger　against　Bessie　before　him；　and　he　gave　her　such　notice　and　kindness　as　she　never　had　received　from　hi