the stokesley secret-第29节

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〃Then　is　there　no　chance　of　the　cadetship　now？〃

〃Oh；　we　should　have　heard　of　it　long　ago　if　there　had　been！　　So　I　mind　the　coming　out　the　less；　but　it's　perfectly　abominable　to　have　had　all　this　row；　and　for　Papa　to　be　so　cut　up　in　this　little　short　time　at　home。〃

〃I　never　saw　him　more　grieved；〃　said　Mr。　Merrifield。　　〃He　was　hardly　more　overcome　when　your　mother　was　at　the　worst。〃

They　started；　for　they　had　forgotten　Uncle　John；　or　they　would　never　have　spoken　so　freely；　but　he　now　put　down　his　newspaper；　and　looked　as　if　he　meant　to　talk。

Susan　ventured　to　say；　〃And　indeed　they　had　all　been　so　very　good　before。　　The　pig　made　them　so。〃

〃A　learned　pig；　I　should　think；〃　said　her　uncle；　laughing　good…　naturedly。

〃We　were　obliged　to　take　care；〃　said　Susan；　〃or　we　got　so　many　fines。〃

Christabel；　finding　that　Mr。　Merrifield　looked　at　her；　helped　out　Susan　by　explaining　that　various　small　delinquencies　were　visited　with　fines；　and　that　the　desire　to　save　for　the　pig　had　rendered　the　children　very　careful。

〃Indeed；〃　she　said；　〃I　was　thankful　for　the　incentive；　but　I　am　afraid　that　it　was　over…worked；　and　did　harm　in　the　end：〃　and　she　glanced　towards　David。

〃It　is　the　way　with　secondary　motives；〃　was　the　answer。

Here　Captain　Merrifield　came　back　alone；　and　his　brother　was　the　only　person　who　ventured　to　say；　〃Well？〃

〃I　have　sent　him　to　his　room；〃　said　the　Captain。　　〃It　is　a　very　bad　business；　though　of　course　he　made　excuses　to　himself。〃

The　Captain　then　told　them　Henry's　confession。　　He　had　been　too　much　hurried　by　the　fear　of　being　caught；　to　take　out　his　own　share　of　the　hoard；　and　had　therefore　emptied　the　whole　cupful　into　his　pocket…　handkerchief；　tied　it　up；　and　run　off　with　it；　intending　to　separate　what　was　honestly　his　own。　　What　that　was　he　did　not　know；　but　his　boastful　habits　and　want　of　accuracy　had　made　his　memory　so　careless；　that　he　fancied　that　a　far　larger　proportion　was　his　than　really　was；　and　his　purposes　were　in　the　strange　medley　that　falls　to　the　lot　of　all　self…deceivers；　sometimes　fancying　he　would　only　take　what　he　had　a　right　to　（whatever　that　might　be）；　sometimes　that　he　would　borrow　what　he　wanted；　and　replace　it　when　the　sovereign　should　be　given　to　him；　or　that　the　Grevilles　would　make　it　up　when　they　had　their　month's　allowance。

When　he　came　to　the　farm　Mr。　Grice　was　resolved　to　take　nothing　less　than　the　whole　sum　that　he　had　with　him。　　Perhaps　this　was　less　for　the　value　of　the　turkey…cock　than　for　the　sake　of　giving　the　boys　such　a　lesson　as　to　prevent　them　from　ever　molesting　his　poultry　again。　　At　any　rate；　he　was　inexorable　till　the　frightened　Henry　had　delivered　up　every　farthing　in　his　possession；　and　then；　convinced　that　no　more　was　forthcoming；　he　relented　so　far　as　to　restore　the　gun；　and　promise　to　make　no　complaint　to　either　of　the　fathers。

At　first　Henry　lived　on　hopes　of　being　able　to　restore　the　money　before　the　hoard　should　be　examined；　but　Colonel　Carey　went　away；　and；　as　might　have　been　expected；　left　no　present　to　his　brother's　pupils。　　Still　Henry　had　hopes　of　the　Grevilles；　and　even　when　the　loss　was　discovered；　hoped　to　restore　it　secretly；　and　make　the　whole　pass　off　as　a　joke；　but　the　1st　of　August　came；　Martin　and　Osmond　received　their　pocket…money；　but　laughed　his　entreaty　to　scorn；　telling　him　that　he　had　shot　the　turkey…cock；　not　they。　　Since　that　time；　his　only　hope　had　been　in　the　affair　blowing　overas　if　a　sin　ever　DID　blow　over！

〃One　question　I　must　ask；　Miss　Fosbrook；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃though　after　such　a　course　of　deceit　it　hardly　makes　it　worse。　　Has　he　told　any　direct　falsehood？〃

She　paused；　and　recollected。　　〃Yes；　Sir；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　afraid　he　did；　he　flatly　told　me　that　he　had　not　touched　the　baby…house。〃

〃I　expected　nothing　else；〃　said　the　Captain　gravely。　　〃What　has　become　of　Bessie？〃

〃She　ran　up…stairs。　　May　I　go　and　call　her？〃　said　Susan。

〃I　will　go　myself；〃　said　her　father。

He　found　Elizabeth　in　the　school…room；　all　flushed　and　tear…stained　in　the　face；　and　he　told　her　affectionately　how　much　pleased　he　was　with　her　patience　under　this　false　accusation。　　Delight　very　nearly　set　her　off　crying　again；　but　she　managed　to　say；　〃It　was　Miss　Fosbrook　and　Sam　and　Susie　that　made　me　patient；　Papa；　they　were　so　kind。　　And　nobody　would　have　believed　it；　if　I　wasn't　always　cross；　you　know。〃

〃Not　cross　now；　my　little　woman；〃　he　said　smiling。

〃Oh！　　I　said　I　never　could　be　cross　again；　now　Mamma　is　better；　but　Miss　Fosbrook　says　I　shall　sometimes　feel　so；　and　I　do　believe　she　is　right；　for　I　was　almost　cross　to　Georgie　to…day。　　But　she　says　one　may　FEEL　cross；　and　not　BE　cross！〃

He　did　not　quite　know　all　that　his　little　girl　was　thinking　of；　but　he　patted　her　fondly；　and　said；　〃Yes；　there　is　a　great　deal　to　be　thankful　for；　my　dear；　and　I　shall　trust　to　you　elder　ones　to　give　your　Mamma　no　trouble　while　I　am　afloat。〃

〃I　will　try；〃　said　Bessie。　　〃And　please；　Papa；　would　you　tell　Nurse　about　it？　　She　doesn't　half　believe　us；　and　she　is　so　tiresome　about　Miss　Fosbrook！〃

〃Tiresome！　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃She　always　thinks　what　she　does　is　wrong；　and　she　puts　nonsense　into　Johnnie's　head；　and　talks　about　favourites。　　Mary　told　Susan　it　was　jealousy。〃

The　Captain　spoke　pretty　strongly　to　Nurse　Freeman　that　evening；　but　it　is　doubtful　if　she　were　the　better　for　it。　　She　was　a　very　good　woman　in　most　things；　but　she　could　not　bear　that　the　children　should　be　under　anyone　but　herself；　and　just　as　Henry　lost　the　truth　by　inaccuracy；　she　lost　it　by　prejudice。

Miss　Fosbrook　was　glad　to　get　away　from　the　dining…room；　where　it　was　rather　awful　to　sit　without　her　work　and　be　talked　to　by　Mr。　Merrifield；　even　though　she　liked　him　much　better　than　she　had　expected。

When　David　came　to　bed；　she　sat　by　him　and　talked　to　him　about　his　angry　unforgiving　spirit。　　She　could　not　but　think　he　was　in　a　fearful　temper；　and　she　tried　hard　to　make　him　sorry　for　his　brother；　instead　of　thirsting　to　see　the　disappointment　visited　on　him；　but　David　could　not　see　what　she　meant。　　Wicked　people　ought　to　be　punished；　it　was　wicked　to　steal　and　tell　stories；　and　he　hoped　Henry　would　be　punished；　so　as　he　would　never　forget　it；　for　hindering　poor　Hannah　from　getting　her　pig。

He　would　not　understand　Henry's　predicament；　he　was　only　angry；　bitterly　angry；　and　watching　for　vengeance。　　Miss　Fosbrook　could　not　reason　or　persuade　him　out　of　it；　nor　make　him　see　that　he　could　hardly　say　his　prayers　in　such　a　mood。　　Indeed；　he　would　rather　have　gone　without　his　prayers　than　have　ceased　to　hope　for　Henry's　punishment。

Perhaps　in　this　there　was　sense　of　justice　and　indignation　against　wrong　doing；　as　well　as　personal　resentment。　　Miss　Fosbrook　tried　to　think　so；　and　left　him；　but　not　without　praying　for　him；　that　a　Christian　temper　of　forgiveness　might　be　sent　upon　him。

All　the　others　were　subdued　and　awe…struck。　　It　was　not　yet　known　what　was　to　happen　to　Henry；　but　there　was　a　notion　that　it　would　be　very　terrible　indeed；　and　that　Uncle　John　would　be　sure　to　make　it　worse；　and　they　wished　Miss　Fosbrook　good…night　with　very　sad　faces。



CHAPTER　XIV。



Nothing　had　as　yet　befallen　Henry；　for　he　came　down　to　breakfast　in　the　morning；　but　his　father　did　not　greet　him；　and　spoke　no　word　to　him　all　the　time　they　were　in　the　room　together。　　The　children　felt　that　this　was　indeed　terrific。　　Such　a　thing　had　never　befallen　any　of　them　before。　　They　would　much　rather　have　been　whipped；　and　even　David's　heart　sank。

Something；　however；　was　soon　said　that　put　all　else　out　of　his　sisters'　minds。　　The　Captain　turned　to　them　with　his　merry　smile；　saying；　〃Pray　what　would　Miss　Susie　and　Miss　Bessie　say　to　coming　up　to　London　with　me　to　see　Mamma？〃

The　two　girls　bounded　upon　their　chairs；　Susan's　eyes　grew　round；　and　Bessie's　long；　the　one　said；　〃O　Papa！〃　and　the　other；　〃Oh；　thank　you！〃　and　they　looked　so　overwhelmed　with　ecstasy；　and　all　the　three　elders　laughed。

〃Then　you　will　behave　discreetly；　young　women？〃

〃I'll　try；〃　said　Susan；　〃and　Bessie　always　does。　　Oh；　thank　you；　Papa！〃

〃Grandmamma　should　be　thanked；　she　asked　me　to　bring　a　child　or　two；　to　be　with　Mamma　when　I　go　down　to　Portsmouth。　　We　had　thought　of　Susan；　but　I　think　Betty　deserves　some　amends　for　what　she　has　undergone。〃

〃Oh　yes；　Papa！　thank　you！〃　cried　Susan；　Sam；　and　David；　from　their　hearts；　John　and　Annie　because　the　others　did　so。

〃Then　you　won't　kick　her　out　if　she　shares　your　berth；　Sue？〃

〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad；　Papa！　　It　is　so　nice　to　go　together。〃

〃Then；　Miss　Fosbrook；　will　you　be　kind　enough　to　rig　them　out？　　I　must　drive　into　Southminster　at　ten　o'clock；　and　if　you　would　be　so　good　as　to　see　them　smartened　up　for　London　there；　I　should　be　much　obliged　to　you。〃

The　mere　drive　to　the　country　town　was　a　great　event　in　itself；　even　without　the　almost　incredible　wonder　that　it　was　to　lead　to；　and　the　delights　of　which　Ida　and　Miss　Fosbrook　had　told　them　in　London　went　so　wildly　careering　through　the　little　girls'　brains；　that　they　hardly　knew　what　they　said　or　did；　as　they　danced　about　the　house；　and　ran　up…stairs　to　get　ready；　long　before　ten　o'clock。

Mr。　Carey　had　been　informed　that　his　pupils　would　not　come　to　him　during　the　few　days　of　t