the stokesley secret-第32节

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e：　　and　almost　always；　at　his　prayers；　he　had　that　meaning　in　his　mind；　when　he　said　〃Thy　Will　be　done；〃　he　had　really　submitted　patiently；　and　tried　to　put　away　the　longing　from　his　mind；　and　would；　there　can　be　no　doubt；　have　been　happy　and　dutiful　at　home；　but　at　length　the　wish　of　his　heart　was　suddenly　granted。

And　then；　wish　though　it　still　were；　there　came　all　this　grief　and　discomfort。　　The　gladness　was　in　him　somewhere；　but　he　could　not　get　at　it；　either　for　his　own　comfort；　or　that　of　his　father。　　He　missed　his　mother　exceedingly。　　SHE　would　know　what　he　meant；　and　tell　Papa　that　he　did　care　to　go。　　Yet；　did　he　care　so　very　much？　　Only　think　of　beginning　to　be　a　stranger　at　this　dear　old　home！　and　seeing　no　mother；　no　Susie；　nor　any　of　them；　for　years　togetherprobably　not　his　father　after　the　first　voyage！　　However；　the　sailor　was　too　strong　in　Sam　for　that　grief　not　to　pass　off；　and　his　chief　trouble　was　the　sense　of　supplanting　Henry。　　He　knew　the　disappointment　would　be　most　bitter；　and　he　could　not　get　rid　of　the　sense　of　having　taken　an　unfair　advantage　of　the　disgrace　of　Henry's　adventure。　　As　to　his　father's　manner；　he　got　over　that　more　easily；　for　his　conscience　was　free；　he　knew　that　the　tone　of　displeasure　would　be　gone　at　the　next　meeting；　and　he　was　too　sure　of　his　own　love　of　the　sea　to　fear　that　he　should　not　show　it　enough。　　After　all；　he　was　to　be　a　naval　cadet！　He　could　not　be　sorry。　　Nay；　he　felt　he　had　his　wish；　the　very　wish　he　had　thought　it　wrong　to　put　into　a　prayer。　　He　thought　he　ought　to　be　thankful　that　it　was　granted；　in　the　same　way　as　he　had　been　when　his　mother　began　to　recover。　　So　he　put　his　hands　together；　and　looked　up　into　the　summer　blue　sky　through　the　leaves；　and　his　lips　moved；　as　he　whispered　his　thanks；　and　asked　to　be　helped　in　being　a　good　brave　sailor；　and　that　something　as　good　might　happen　to　poor　Henry。

After　this；　somehow；　the　weight　was　gone；　he　knew　not　where。　　All　he　recollected　was；　that　he　should　see　Mamma　in　two　days；　and　that　he　was　to　sail　with　Papa　if　he　could　get　through　his　examination。　　There　was　a　sort　of　necessity　of　doing　something　comical；　and　just　then　spying　Miss　Fosbrook　with　a　book　walking　slowly　below；　he　could　not　resist　the　temptation　of　sending　down　on　her　a　shower　of　little　hard　pears　and　twigs。

Bob　came　one　down　on　her　book；　and　another　on　her　bonnet。　　She　looked　up；　and　saw　a　leg　stretching　out　for　a　branch；　apparently　in　such　a　dangerous　manner；　that　she　did　not　know　whether　she　should　not　have　Sam　himself　on　her　head　next；　and　started　back；　watching　as　he　swung　himself　from　branch　to　branch；　and　then　slid　down；　embracing　the　trunk。

〃Did　I　hit　you！〃　said　he。　　〃I　couldn't　help　trying　it；　it　was　such　fun。〃

It　was　a　great　liberty；　but　she　was　so　good…humoured　as　to　laugh；　and　said　he　had　taken　good　aim。

〃Please；　Miss　Fosbrook；〃　next　said　he；　〃would　you　hear　how　many　propositions　I　can　say！〃　　And　as　she　opened　her　eyes　at　this　holiday　amusement；　he　added；　〃Papa　has　got　the　appointment　after　all；　and　means　me　to　have　it。〃

〃I　am　so　glad；　Sam！　　I　give　you　joy！〃　she　said；　and　took　his　hand　to　shake　it　heartily。

〃I　wish　Hal　could　go　too；〃　said　Sam。

〃Dear　Sam；〃　she　said　kindly；　and　guessing　his　feelings；　as　having　gone　along　with　them；　〃I　don't　wonder　you　are　sorry　for　him；　but　indeed　I　think　it　is　better　for　him　to　be　sheltered　from　beginning　real　life　just　now。〃

〃Papa　said　he　would　not　have　taken　him；〃　said　Sam；　〃but　it　seems　so　hard　to　have　all　his　life　changed　for　a　thing　that　sounds　worse　than　he　meant　it　to　be。〃

〃Sam；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃I　once　read　a　sermon；　that　said　that　our　conduct　in　little　things　does　decide　the　tenor　of　our　lives。　　You　know　one　moment　of　hastiness　cost　Moses　the　Promised　Land；　and　only　a　little　while　ago；　we　heard　how　Joash　had　but　few　victories　allowed　to　him；　because　he　did　not　think　it　worth　while　to　strike　the　ground　as　often　as　Elisha　told　him。　　It　is　the　little　things　that　show　whether　we　are　to　be　trusted　with　great。〃

〃It　is　such　a　tremendous　punishment；〃　said　Sam；　〃when　he　would　have　put　it　back　again。〃

〃My　brother　knew　a　banker's　clerk　who　was　transported　for　borrowing　what　he　meant　to　put　back　again。　　No；　Sam；　people　must　bear　the　result　of　their　doings；　and　your　father　judges　for　Hal　as　much　in　kindness　as　in　anger。〃

〃I　know　he　knows　best。〃

〃You　may　see　it　as　well　as　trust。　　With　all　his　grand　talk；　do　you　really　think　that　Hal　would　not　be　upset　at　the　first　hardship；　or　that　he　could　face　bullying　or　danger？　　Remember　the　bull；　that　was　at　least　a　vicious　cow；　and　turned　out　to　be　a　calf。〃

Sam　could　not　help　laughing；　as　he　said；　〃Yes；　that　would　never　do　at　sea；　and　he　would　be　done　for　if　he　were　cowardly　there。　　But　I　wish　I　could　get　out　of　sight　of　him　till　I　am　gone。　　And　please　hear　my　Euclid；　I'll　get　the　book；　if　you'll　stay　out　here。〃

〃Therefore；　if　the　two　sides　of　two　triangles　be　equal　to　one　another；　and　the　adjacent　angles　be　equal　each　to　each；〃　resounded　through　the　laurels；　as　the　walking　party　returned。

〃Hallo！　al　fresco　Euclid！〃　exclaimed　Uncle　John；　as　Sam　with　a　blush　ran　after　his　blotted　diagrams；　as　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　blew　them　dancing　over　the　garden。　　Captain　Merrifield　caught　one；　and　restored　it　to　Sam；　with　a　pat　on　the　back　that　made　his　teeth　rattle　in　his　head；　but　which　made　him　as　happy　as　a　young　sea…king；　showing　that　they　perfectly　understood　each　other。

But　to　be　ever　so　good　a　boy　does　not　carry　one　through　the　examinations　that　stand　at　the　door　of　every　road　of　life　for　those　who　are　not　wealthy。　　Sam　knew　he　was　the　dull　boy　of　Mr。　Carey's　four　pupils；　and　though　from　sheer　diligence　he　was　less　often　turned　back　than　the　rest；　yet　they　could　all　excel　him　whenever　they　chose：　his　lessons　all　went　against　the　grain；　and　were　a　sore　trouble　to　him；　and　his　uncle　had　shown　much　wrath　to…day　at　his　ignorance　and　backwardness。　　He　was　therefore　in　a　great　fright；　and　gave　himself　and　Miss　Fosbrook　no　peace；　running　after　her　every　moment　with　his　Euclid；　his　Colenso；　or　his　slate。

〃That　boy　will　stupefy　himself　and　his　admirable　cramming　machine！〃　exclaimed　Uncle　John；　when　coming　out　into　the　court　after　tea　to　talk　to　Purday；　the　two　brothers　heard；　〃The　complement　A　E　is　equal　to　the　complement　D　E；〃　proceeding　out　of　the　school…room　window。

〃A　truce　with　your　complements　to…night；〃　shouted　the　Captain；　〃come　down；　Sam；　I　must　have　a　game　at　hide…and…seek！〃

Though　hide…and…seek　on　the　lawn　with　Papa　was　the　supremest　bliss　that　life　had　yet　offered　to　the　young　Merrifields；　and　though　Susan；　Bessie；　Annie；　and　Johnnie；　had　all　severally　burst　into　the　room　to　proclaim　it　and　summon　Sam；　he　had　refused　them　all；　but　this　call　settled　it；　he　broke　off　in　the　middle　of　his　rectangle；　and　dashed　down　stairs；　to　the　great　relief　of　kind　Miss　Fosbrook；　who；　with　all　her　good…will；　found　her　head　beginning　to　grow　weary　of　angles　and　right…angles　on　a　hot　evening　in　the　height　of　summer。

The　summer…house　was　to　be　HOME；　and　there　the　party　were　assembled　nine　in　number；　for　not　only　Papa；　but　Uncle　John；　was　going　to　play；　and　Henry；　though　forlorn　and　unnoticed；　had　wandered　about　with　the　rest　all　day；　trying　to　do　as　usual；　to　forget　the　heavy　load　that　pressed　on　him；　and　to　believe　that　he　was　not　going　to　be　punished　for　mere　unluckiness　in　borrowing；　and　for　not　answering　impertinent　questions。　　The　world　was　very　unlike　itself　to　him；　and　he　saw　the　enjoyment　without　being　able　to　enter　into　it；　just　as　a　sick　person　sees　the　sunshine　without　feeling　the　warmth；　but　instead　of　penitence；　he　merely　tried　to　shake　off　his　compunction。

So　there　he　stood　in　the　ring；　as　Susan　was　finding　out　who　was　to　be　the　first　to　hide；　by　pointing　to　each；　at　each　word　of　the　formula；


〃Eggs；　butter；　cheese；　bread；　Sticks；　stocks；　stones；　dead。〃


〃Dead〃　came　to　Uncle　John；　as　perhaps　Susan　had　contrived；　and　shrugging　up　his　shoulders；　he　went　off　to　hide；　and　his　whoop　was　presently　heard。　　He　was　not　VERY　good　game；　maybe　he　did　not　wish　to　be　very　long　sought；　for　he　was　no　further　than　in　the　tall　French　beans；　generally　considered　as　a　stupid　place　to　hide　in。　　The　children　had　been　in　hopes　that　he　would　catch　Papa；　which　was　always　a　very　difficult　matter；　for　the　sailor　was　lighter　of　foot；　as　well　as；　of　course；　longer　in　limb；　than　any　of　the　children；　but　they　saw　that　Uncle　John　had　not　the　slightest　chance　with　him；　and　it　was　Bessie　who　was　caught　in　her　homeward　race。

Bessie　was　rather　a　good　hider；　and　was　searched　for　far　and　wide　before　Sam's　〃I　spy！　　I　spy！〃　gave　the　signal　that　a　bit　of　the　spotty　cotton　had　been　seen　peeping　out　from　under　Purday's　big　potato…basket　in　the　tool…house；　and　the　whole　party　flew　towards　home。　　Bessie　would　not　aim　at　Papa；　for　if　so；　she　would　certainly　catch　no　one；　but　she　hunted　down　David；　who　was　too　sturdy　to　be　a　quick　runner；　and　who　was　very　well　pleased　to　be　caught。

〃I'll　have　Papa！〃　he　said；　as　she　captured　him。　　〃I　know　of　such　a　cunning　place。〃

David's　place　proved　to　be　in　among　his　likenesses；　the　cabbages；　immediately　in　front　of　the　summer…house。　　There　he　lay　flat　on　the　very　wet　mould；　among　the　stout　cabbages；　all　of　which　had　a