the stokesley secret-第28节

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〃Because　I　want　my　pence　for　the　pig。〃

〃Tell　me　how　you　lost　them？〃

〃Bess　took　them！〃

Elizabeth　sprung　up；　crimson；　and　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　Sam　and　Susan　were　both　bursting　out　into　an　angry　〃No；　no！〃　but　their　father　made　a　sign　to　all　to　keep　still；　and　they　obeyed；　though　each　of　the　elder　ones　took　hold　of　a　hand　of　their　sister　and　squeezed　it　hard。

〃Did　you　see　her　take　them？〃　asked　the　Captain。

〃No！〃

〃Then　why　do　you　say　she　did？　　I　don't　want　to　frighten　you；　David；　I　only　want　to　hear　why　you　think　she　did　so。〃

David　was　getting　alarmed　now；　and　his　childish　memory　better　retained　the　impression　than　what　had　produced　it。　　He　hung　down　his　head；　scraped　one　foot；　and　finding　that　he　must　answer；　mumbled　out　at　last；　〃Nurse　said　it；　and　Hal。〃

〃Henry；　come　here。　　Did　you　accuse　your　sister　to　David？〃

〃No！〃　burst　out　Henry　at　once；　but　there　was　a　rounding　of　everyone's　mouth　to　cry　out　Oh！　and　he　quickly　added；　in　a　hasty　scared　way；　〃At　least；　when　Davie　came　bothering　me；　I　said　he　had　better　ask　Betty；　because　she　had　been　prying　about；　and　meddling　with　the　baby…house。　I　never　meant　that　she　had　done　it；　but　Davie　is　such　a　little　jack…　ass！〃

〃Did　you　see　her　meddle　with　the　baby…house！〃

〃She　said　that　herself；〃　muttered　Henry。

〃Yes；　Papa；〃　said　Elizabeth；　starting　forward；　〃I　did　find　the　doors　of　the　baby…house　open；　and　shut　them　up；　but　I　never　touched　anything　in　it！　　Sam　and　Susie　know　I　would　not；　and　that　I　would　not　tell　a　story　now；　though　I　once　did；　you　know；　Papa！〃

Captain　Merrifield　still　kept　his　grave　set　face；　and　only　asked；　〃When　did　you　find　the　doors　open？〃

〃On　Friday；　PapaFriday　weekSt。　Barnabas'　Dayjust　after　dinner。〃

〃Was　no　one　with　you？〃

〃No；　Papa。〃

〃You　came　up…stairs　first？〃

〃Yes；　I　wanted　my　pencil　before〃　and　she　stopped　short。

〃Before　what？〃

〃Before　Miss　Fosbrook　went　in　to　speak　to　Hal；〃　said　Elizabeth；　getting　red　all　over。

〃Hal　had　been　dining　in　the　school…room；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃on　account　of　a　little　bit　of　disobedience。〃

Captain　Merrifield　looked　keenly　at　Henry；　who　tried　to　return　the　look；　but　shuffled　uncomfortably　under　it。

〃Then　Hal　had　been　dining　in　the　school…room？　　Was　he　there　when　you　came　in？〃

〃No。〃

〃Were　the　doors　open　when　you　were　dining　there；　Henry？〃

〃Nno。〃

〃You　are　sure　that　you　did　not　meddle　with　them？〃

〃I　do　not　know　why　I　should；〃　said　Henry；　hastily　and　confusedly。　〃It　is　only　the　girls　and　the　babies　that　have　things　thereandand　Miss　Fosbrook　herself　had　been　at　the　cupboard　in　the　morning；　why　shouldn't　she　have　left　it　undone　herself；　and　the　doors　got　open？〃

〃No；　no！〃　cried　Susan；　〃if　they　aren't　fastened　they　always　burst　open　directly；　and　we　never　could　have　been　in　the　room　half　the　morning　without　noticing　them！〃

〃Then　you　are　certain　that　they　were　closed　when　you　went　down　to　dinner？〃

Everyone　was　positive　that　the　great　glass　doors　flying　out　must　have　made　themselves　observed　in　that　room　full　of　children；　especially　as　Susan　remembered　that　she　had　been　making　a　desk　of　the　sloping　part　under　them。

〃Does　anyone　remember　how　long　it　was　between　Hal's　leaving　the　room　and　Bessie's　coming　up？〃

〃I　don't　know　when　he　went　out；〃　said　all　those　who　had　been　in　the　dining…room；　but　there　spoke　up　a　voice；　quite　proud　of　having　something　to　tell　among　the　others〃I　saw　Hal　go　out；　and　Bessie　come　up　directly。〃

〃You；　Johnnie！　　How　was　that？〃

〃Miss　Fosbrook　made　me　dine　in　the　nursery；　Papa；　because　Hal　and　I　had　been　riding　on　the　new　iron　gate；　to　see　if　the　telegraph　would　come　in　while　the　others　were　at　church；　and　then　Hal　ran　away　with　the　Grevilles；　and　I　couldn't　get　down　till　Sam　came　and　helped　me；　and　so　Miss　Fosbrook　made　me　dine　in　the　nursery；　and　when　I　had　done；　I　went　and　sat　upon　the　top　of　the　garret　stairs；　to　watch　when　they　came　out　from　dinner；　and　ask　if　I　might　come　down　again。〃

〃And　what　did　you　see；　Johnnie？〃

〃First；　I　saw　a　wasp；〃　said　Johnnie。

〃Never　mind　the　wasp。　　Did　you　see　when　Henry　went　out？〃

〃I　saw　him　come　in　first；〃　said　John；　〃and　Miss　Fosbrook　order　him　up　and　say　she　would　send　him　his　dinner；　and　come　and　speak　to　him　presently。　　So　I　watched　to　catch　her　when　she　was　coming　up　to　him；　and　I　saw　Mary　bring　him　up　some　mince　veal；　and　the　last　bit　of　the　gooseberry　pie；　and　then；　very　soon；　he　bolted　right　downstairs。　　I　didn't　think　he　could　have　had　time　to　eat　the　pie；　and　I　was　going　to　see　if　there　was　a　bit　left；　when　I　saw　Bessie　coming　up；　and　I　whipped　up　again。〃

〃Then　nobody　went　into　the　room　between　Henry　and　Bessie？〃

〃No；　there　wasn't　any　time。〃

The　whole　room　was　quite　silent。　　There　was　no　sound　but　a　quick　short　breathing　from　the　Captain：　　but　he　had　rested　his　brow　upon　his　hand；　and　his　face　could　not　be　seen。　　It　was　as　if　something　terrible　had　flashed　upon　him；　and　he　was　struggling　with　the　first　shock；　and　striving　to　deal　with　it。　　If　they　had　seen　him　in　a　tempest；　with　his　ship　driving　to　pieces　on　a　rock；　he　would　not　have　been　thus　shaken　and　dismayed。　　However；　by　the　time　he　looked　up　again；　he　had　brought　his　face　back　to　its　resolute　firmness；　and　he　spoke　in　a　clear；　stern；　startling　voice；　that　made　all　the　children　quake；　and　some　catch　hold　of　each　other's　hands：　　〃Henry！　tell　me　what　you　have　done　with　your　theft！〃

Miserable　Henry！　　He　did　not　try　to　deny　it　any　longer；　but　burst　out　into　a　loud　sobbing　cry；　〃O　Papa！　　Papa！　　I　meant　to　have　put　it　back　again！　　I　couldn't　help　it！〃

〃Tell　me　what　you　have　done　with　it！〃　repeated　the　Captain。

〃II　paid　it　to　Farmer　Grice；　I　was　obliged；　and　I　thought　I　could　have　put　it　back　again；　and　some　of　it　was　my　own！〃

〃Fivepence…farthing！〃　cried　David。　　〃You　thief；　you！〃

The　child's　fists　were　clenched；　and　his　young　face　all　one　scowl　of　passion；　quite　shocking　to　see。　　His　father　put　him　aside；　and　said；　〃Hush；　David！　no　names。Now；　Henry；　what　do　you　say　to　your　sister　for　your　false　accusation；　which　has　thrown　your　own　shame　on　her？〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；　Papa；　he　never　did　accuse　me！〃　cried　Bessie；　for　the　first　time　bursting　into　tears。　　〃He　never　said　I　did　it；　that　was　only　Davie's　fancy；　and　it　has　made　Susie　and　Sam　so　kind；　I　have　not　minded　it　at　all。　　Please　don't　mind　that；　Papa！〃

〃Come　away；　Henry！〃　said　the　Captain；　〃now　that　your　sister　has　been　cleared；　we　had　better　have　the　rest　out　of　the　sight　of　these　tender…hearted　little　girls。〃

He　stood　up；　and　without　a　word；　stroked　down　Elizabeth's　smooth　brown　hair；　raised　her　face　up　by　the　chin；　and　kissed　her　forehead；　the　only　place　free　from　tears；　then　he　took　Henry　by　the　shoulder；　and　marched　him　out　of　the　room。　　Bessie　could　not　stop　herself　from　crying；　and　was　afraid　of　letting　Uncle　John　see　her；　so　she　flew　out　after　them；　and　straight　up…stairs　to　her　own　room。　　Miss　Fosbrook　and　Susan　both　longed　to　follow　her；　but　they　had　missed　this　opportunity；　and　the　sound　of　voices　outside　showed　so　plainly　that　the　Captain　and　Henry　were　in　the　hall　that　they　durst　not　open　the　door。

Everyone　was　appalled；　and　nothing　was　said　for　a　few　seconds。　　The　first　to　speak　was　Annie；　in　a　low；　terror…stricken　whisper；　yet　with　some　curiosity　in　it：　　〃I　wonder　what　Papa　will　do　to　him？〃

〃Give　him　nine　dozen；　I　hope！〃　answered　David　through　his　small　white　teeth；　all　clenched　together　with　rage。

〃For　shame；　Davie！〃　said　Susan；　〃you　should　not　wish　anything　so　dreadful　for　your　brother。〃

〃He　has　been　so　wicked！　　I　wish　it！　　I　WILL　wish　it！〃　said　David。

〃Hush；　David！〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃such　things　must　not　be　said。　　I　will　talk　to　you　by　and　by。〃

〃I　am　glad　poor　Bessie　is　cleared！〃　added　Susan；　〃though　I　always　knew　she　could　not　have　done　it。〃

〃To　be　sureI　knew　it　was　Hal！〃

〃Sam！　you　did？why　didn't　you　tell？〃　cried　Annie。

〃I　wasn'tto　saysure；〃　said　Sam；　〃and　I　couldn't　go　and　get　him　into　a　scrape。　　I　thought　he　might　tell　himself；　if　he　could　ever　make　up　the　money　again！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Susan；　〃he　would　have　done　that。　　He　always　fancied　he　should　get　a　sovereign　from　Colonel　Carey。〃

〃He　talked　till　he　thought　so；〃　said　Sam。

〃But　what　made　you　guess　he　had　done　so；　Sam？〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook。　〃I　did　suspect　him　myself；　but　I　never　felt　justified　in　accusing　him　of　such　a　thing。〃

〃I　don't　know！　　I　saw　he　had　been　getting　into　a　fix　with　those　Grevilles；　and　had　been　sold　somehow。　　They　said　something；　and　got　out　of　my　way　directly；　and　I　was　sure　they　had　done　some　mischief；　and　left　him　to　pay　the　cost。〃

〃Did　you　ask　him？〃　said　Susan。

〃What　was　the　use？　　One　never　knows　where　to　have　him。　　He　will　eat　up　his　words　as　fast　as　he　says　them；　with　his　AT　LEAST；　till　he　doesn't　know　what　he　means。　　Nor　I　didn't　want　to　know　much　of　it。〃

〃Still　I　can't　think　how　you　could　let　poor　Bessie　live　under　such　a　cloud；〃　said　Christabel。

〃You　didn't　believe　it；〃　said　Sam；　〃nor　anyone　worth　a　snap　of　my　finger。　　Besides；　if　I　had　known；　and　had　to　tell；　what　a　horrid　shame　it　would　have　been　if　the　naval　cadetship　had　been　to　be　had　for　him！　　I　knew　Bessie　would　have　thought　so　too；　and　then　he　would　have　been　out　of　the　way　of　the　Grevilles；　and　would　have　got　some　money　to　make　it　up。〃

〃Then　is　t