the stokesley secret-第27节

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〃Bother　Uncle　John！〃　first　muttered　Sam　（I　am　sorry　to　say）。

〃I　can't　think　what　he's　come　for；〃　sighed　Annie。

〃To　spoil　our　fun；〃　suggested　Johnnie　disconsolately。

〃To　take　Sam　to　school；〃　added　Hal；　〃while　I　go　to　sea。〃

〃You　don't　know　that　you　are　going；〃　said　Elizabeth。　　〃Papa　said　nothing　about　it。〃

〃Oh！　but　I　know　I　shall。　　Admiral　Penrose　promised。〃

〃You　know　a　great　many　things　that　don't　happen。　　You　knew　Colonel　Carey　would　give　you　two　sovereigns。〃

Henry　looked　as　if　he　could　bite。

〃Well；　I　shall　finish　Purday；〃　said　Sam；　turning　away　with　a　sigh；　〃and　they　shall　have　him　for　tea。〃

〃Tea　will　be　no　fun！〃　repeated　Annie。　　〃Oh　dear！　what　does　Uncle　John　come　here　for？〃

〃May　not　he　come　to　be　with　his　brother？〃　suggested　Christabel。

〃Oh！　but　they　are　grown　up；〃　said　Annie。

〃Can't　he　have　him　in　London；　without　coming　here　to　worry　us　in　our　little　time！〃　added　Johnnie。

〃Perhaps　he　will　not　worry　you。〃

〃Oh！　but〃　they　all　cried；　and　stopped　short。

〃He　plagues　about　manners；〃　said　Annie。

〃He　wanted　Susie　and　me　to　be　sent　to　school！〃　said　Bessie。

〃He　said　it　was　like　dining　with　young　Hottentots。〃

〃He　told　Papa　it　was　disgraceful；　when　we　had　all　been　sliding　on　the　great　pond　in　the　village；〃　added　Annie。

〃And　he　gave　Sam　a　box　on　the　ear；　for　only　just　taking　a　dear　little　river　cray…fish　in　his　fishing…net　to　show　Aunt　Alice。〃

〃The　net　was　dripping　wet；〃　observed　Bessie。

〃Yes；〃　said　Anne；　〃but　Aunt　Alice　is　so　finikin　and　fidgety；　she　never　wets　her　feet；　and　can't　get　over　a　stile；　and　is　afraid　of　a　cow；　and　he　wants　us　all　to　be　like　her。〃

〃And　he　makes　Papa　and　Mamma　mind　things　that　they　don't　mind　by　nature；〃　said　Susan。

〃Mamma　always　tells　us　to　be　good；　and　never　play　at　hockey　in　the　house　when　he's　there；〃　said　Anne。

〃She　has　not　told　us　so　this　time；〃　said　John　triumphantly。

〃No；　but　we　must　mind　all　the　same；〃　said　Susan；　and　Sam　silenced　some　independent　murmurs；　about　not　minding　Uncle　John；　by　saying　it　was　minding　Mamma。

Miss　Fosbrook　herself　was　a　little　alarmed；　for　she　gathered　that　Mamma　was　in　some　fear　of　this　terrible　uncle；　that　he　had　much　influence　with　his　brother；　and　was　rather　a　severe　judge　of　the　young　family。　　She　sincerely　hoped　that　he　would　not　find　things　much　amiss；　for　the　honest　goodness　of　the　two　eldest　had　won　so　much　regard　from　her；　that　she　could　not　bear　them　to　be　under　any　cloud；　and　indeed　she　felt　as　if　the　whole　flock　were　her　own　property；　as　well　as　her　charge；　and　that　she；　as　well　as　they；　were　about　to　be　tried。　　She　would　have　felt　it　all　fair　and　just　before　their　kindly　father；　but　it　seemed　hard　that　all　should　be　brought　before　the　school…master　uncle；　and　she　was　disposed　to　be　tender　for　her　children；　and　exceedingly　anxious　as　to　the　effect　they　might　produce。　　She　was　resolved　that　the　Captain　should　hear　of　the　affair　of　the　pence；　but　the　presence　of　his　brother　would　make　the　speaking　a　much　greater　effort。　　Meantime；　she　saw　that　all　the　fingers　were　clean；　and　all　the　hair　brushed。　　She　flattered　herself　that　Susan's　yellow　locks　had　learnt　that　it　was　the　business　of　hair　to　keep　tidy；　and　had　been　much　less　unmanageable　of　late；　but　she　had　her　fears　that　they　would　ruffle　up　again　when　their　owner；　at　the　head　of　a　large　detachment；　rushed　out　to　take　the　〃fancy　bread〃　out　of　the　oven；　and　she　came　half…way　down　stairs；　in　case　it　should　be　necessary　to　capture　them；　and　brush　them　over　again。

While　thus　watching；　the　door　of　the　dining…room　（the　only　down　stairs　room　in　order）　opened　suddenly；　and　the　Captain　came　forth。　〃Oh；　Miss　Fosbrook；〃　he　said；　〃please　come　in　here：　　I　was　just　coming　to　look　for　you。　　My　brotherMiss　Fosbrook。〃

To　her　surprise；　Miss　Fosbrook　received　a　very　pleasant　civil　greeting　from　a　much　younger　man　than　she　had　expected　to　see；　looking　perhaps　more　stern　about　the　mouth　and　sharp　about　the　eye　than　his　elder　brother；　and　his　clerical　dress　very　precise；　but　somehow　he　was　so　curiously　like　his　niece；　Elizabeth；　that　she　thought　that　his　particularity　might　spring　from　the　same　love　of　refinement。

〃All　going　on　well？〃　asked　the　Captain。

〃Fairly　well；〃　she　answered。　　〃Sam　and　Susan　are　most　excellent　children。　　There　is　only　one　matter　on　which　I　should　like　to　speak　to　you；　at　some　time　when　it　might　suit　you。〃

〃Is　it　about　this？〃　he　said；　putting　into　her　hand　a　sheet　written　in　huge　round…hand　in　pencil；　no　words　misspelt；　but　the　breaks　in　them　at　the　end　of　the　lines　perfectly　regardless　of　syllables：…


My　dear　Papa；

Please　let　me　have　a　poli　ceman。　　Bet　h　as　got　at　Toby　and　stole　our　pence　which　was　for　a　secret。　　Nu　rse　says　she　is　a　favourite　and　Miss　Fosbrook　will　not　find　them。

Your　affectionate　son

DAVID　DOUGLAS　MERRIFIELD。


〃Oh！　this　was　the　letter　David　insisted　on　sealing　before　I　put　it　into　mine！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Fosbrook；　as　soon　as　she　had　made　out　the　words。　　〃We　have　been　in　great　trouble　at　the　loss；　but　we　agreed　not　to　write　to　you；　because　you　had　so　much　on　your　mind。〃

〃Is　Bessie　in　fault？〃

〃No；　no；　none　of　us　believe　it；　but　I　am　very　anxious　that　you　should　make　an　investigation；　for　the　maids　suspect　her；　and　have　made　the　younger　children　do　so。〃

〃And　who　is　Toby？〃

〃Toby　is　only　a　jugcalled　Toby　Fillpot；　I　believeshaped　like　a　man。〃

〃I　know！〃　put　in　Mr。　John　Merrifield；　laughing。　　〃Don't　you　remember　him；　Harry？　　We　had　the　like　in　our　time。〃

〃Well？〃　interrogated　the　Captain。

〃Just　after　you　left　home；〃　said　Christabel；　as　shortly　and　clearly　as　she　could；　〃the　children　agreed　to　save　their　allowance　to　buy　a　pig　for　Hannah　Higgins。　　They　showed　great　perseverance　in　their　object；　and　by　the　third　week　they　had　about　seven　shillings　in　this　jug；　which；　to　my　grief　and　shame；　I　let　them　keep　in　the　glass　cupboard；　not　locked；　but　one　door　bolted；　the　other　buttoned。　　On　Friday　morning；　the　11th；　I　know　the　cup　was　full　of　coppers　and　silver；　for　I　took　it　down　to　add　something　to　it。　　On　the　next　Monday　morning　the　money　was　gone；　all　but　one　farthing。〃

〃Can　you　guess　who　took　it？〃

〃I　should　prefer　saying　nothing　till　you　have　examined　the　children　and　servants　for　yourself。〃

〃Right！〃　said　the　Captain。　　〃Very　well。I　am　sorry　to　treat　you　to　a　court…martial；　John；　but　I　must　hold　one　after　tea。〃

Christabel　pitied　the　children　for　having　to　speak　before　this　formidable　uncle；　but　there　could　be　no　help　for　it；　since　no　other　sitting…room　was　habitable；　and　there　were　torrents　of　rain　out…of…　doors。

There　was　just　time　to　show　the　glass　cupboard；　and　the　shelf　where　Toby　had　stood；　and　to　return　to　the　dining…room；　before　the　children　began　to　stream　in　and　make　their　greetings　to　their　uncle；　Susan　with　George　in　one　hand；　and　her　plate　of　bakings　in　the　other。　　Very　fancy　bread　indeed　it　was！　as　Uncle　John　said。　　The　edge　of　Purday's　hat　had　been　quite　baked　off；　and　one　of　his　arms　was　gone；　he　was　black　in　the　wrong　places；　and　was　altogether　rather　an　uncomfortable…looking　object。　　David's　brood　of　rabbits　were　much　more　successful；　though　the　ears　of　many　had　fallen　off。　　Uncle　John　was　very　much　diverted；　and　took　his　full　share　of　admiring　and　tasting　the　various　performances。　　On　the　whole；　the　meal　went　off　much　better　than　Christabel　had　feared　it　would。　　She　had　really　broken　the　children　of　many　of　the　habits　with　which　they　used　to　make　themselves　disagreeable；　there　was　no　putting　of　spoons　into　each　other's　cups；　nor　reaching　out　with　buttery　fingers；　lips　were　wiped；　and　people　sat　still　upon　their　chairs；　even　if　they　fidgeted　and　sighed；　and　there　was　only　one　slop　made　all　tea…time；　and　that　was　by　Johnnie；　and　not　a　very　bad　one。　　Indeed；　it　might　be　hoped　that　Mr。　Merrifield　did　not　see　it；　for　he　was　talking　to　Sam　about　the　change　of　footpath　that　Mr。　Greville　was　making。　　There　was　indeed　no　fun；　but　it　might　be　doubted　whether　Papa　would　have　been　in　a　mood　for　fun　even　had　his　brother　not　been　there；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　was　rather　glad　there　was　nothing　to　make　the　children　forgetful　of　propriety。

As　soon　as　Mary　had　carried　off　the　tea…things　and　wiped　the　table；　Uncle　John　put　himself　as　much　out　of　the　way　as　he　could　behind　the　newspaper　in　the　recess　of　the　window；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　would　have　gone　to　the　school…room；　but　Captain　Merrifield　begged　her　to　stay。

〃I　hear；〃　he　said；　〃that　a　very　unpleasant　thing　has　taken　place　in　my　absence；　and　I　wish　to　learn　all　that　I　can　about　it；　that　the　guilty　person　may　be　brought　to　light；　and　the　innocent　cleared　from　any　suspicion。〃

The　children　looked　at　one　another；　wondering　how　he　had　heard；　or　whether　Miss　Fosbrook　had　told　him；　but　this　was　soon　answered　by　his　calling　out；　〃David！　come　here；　and　tell　me　what　you　meant　by　this　letter。〃

David　walked　stoutly　to　his　father's　knee；　nothing　daunted；　though　his　brothers　muttered　behind　him；　〃So　he　wrote！〃　〃Little　sneak！〃　and　〃He　knew　no　better！〃　　Not　that　it　was　wrong　to　lay　the　case　before　his　father；　but　boys　had　usually　rather　suffer　injustice　than　make　an　accusation。

〃Why　did　you　write　this　letter；　David？〃　said　his　father。

〃Because　I　want　my　pence　for　the　pig。〃

〃Tell　me　how　you　lost　them？〃

〃Bess　took　them！〃

Eli