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第33节

the stokesley secret-第33节

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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 bead of wet in every wrinkle of their great leaves; so that when Susan had at length spied him; and he came plunging out; his brown…hollandto say nothing of his kneeswas in a state that would have caused most mammas to send him to be instantly undressed; but nobody even saw it; and he charged instantly towards the door of the summer…house; not pursuing anyone in particular; but cutting all off from their retreat。  He slipped aside; however; and let all the lesser game pass by uncaught; his soul soared higher than even Uncle John; who looked on exceedingly amused at the small man's stratagem; and at the long dodging that took place between him and his father; the quick lithe Captain skipping hither and thither; and trying to pop in one side while his enemy was on the other; and the square; determined; little; puffing; panting boy; guarding his door; hands on knees; ever ready for a dart wherever the attempt was made。  The whole party in the home nearly went into fits at the fun; and at the droll remarks Uncle John made at this hare and tortoise spectacle; till at last either the Captain gave in; or Davie made a cleverer attack than ever; for with a great shout he flew upon Papa; and held him fast by the legs。 Everyone shrieked with delight; Papa hid in such clever places; and when found; he roared so splendidly; that it struck the little ones with terror; and did the hearts of the elders good; to hear him; indeed; the greatest ambition Johnnie entertained was to roar like Papa。  Then he could make his voice sound as if out of any place he chose; so that no one could guess by his 〃whoop〃 where to look for him; and this time it seemed to be quite out at the other end of the kitchen…garden; where they were all looking; when another 〃whoop〃 came apparently down from Sam's pear…tree on the lawn; and while they were peeping up into it; 〃whoop〃 re…echoed from the stables!  At last; as Annie was gazing up and round as if she even thought it as well to look right into the sky for Papa; she suddenly beheld the two merriest eyes in the world; on the roof of the summer…house itself。 He had been lying there on the thatch; watching at his ease all the wanderings of the seekers; and uttering those wonderful whoops to bewilder them。

〃I spy!  I spy!〃 shrieked Annie; flying in; even while her father sprang to the ground; and with Davie's manoeuvre on a larger scale; seemed to be taking his choice of all the fugitives rushing up from all parts。

One elder boy; and one younger; he was hunting down the gooseberry… path; when just as he was about to pounce on the former; he said that it was not Sam; stood still; and folded his arms。  A shriek made him look round; little David stood sobbing and crying piteously。

〃Davie! what; Davie!  What is it; my man?  Where are you hurt!〃

〃No; no!  I'm not hurt!  Catch Hal; Papa。〃

〃No; David。  I do not play with boys that act like Henry。〃

〃Speak to him; Papa; oh; speak!〃

〃I shall; before I go;〃 said the Captain gravely。

〃Now; now!  Papa。  Oh; do!  I did want him to be punished; but not like this。〃

〃No; David。  If he can expect to play with me; and be treated like the others; he is not in the state to receive forgiveness。  There; have done crying; let us go on with the game。〃

But David could not go on playing; he was too unhappy。  Not to be forgiven; even if punished; seemed to him too dreadful to happen to anyone; and he thought that he had brought it all on Henry by his letter of accusation。  Tardily and dolefully he crept into the house; and Miss Fosbrook met him; looking so woe…begone; that she too thought he had hurt himself。  She took him; dirt and all; on her lap; and there he sobbed out that Papa wouldn't speak to Hal; and it was very dreadful; and he wished there were no such things as pigs; or money; or secrets; they only made people miserable!

〃Dear Davie; they only make people miserable when they care too much about them。  Papa will forgive Hal before he goes away; I am sure; only he is making him sorry first; that he may never do such a thing again。〃

〃I don't like it。〃  And David cried sadly; perhaps because partly he was tired with having been on his legs more than usual that day; but his good and loving little self was come home again。  He at least had forgiven his brother the wrong done to himself; and there was no hanging back that night from the fulness of prayer; no; he rather felt that he had been unkind; and the last thing heard of him that night was; that as Sam and Hal were coming up…stairs to bed; a little white figure stood on the top of the stairs; and a small voice said; 〃Hal; please kiss me!  I am so sorry I told Papa about〃

〃There; hold your tongue;〃 said Hal; cutting him short with the desired kiss; 〃if you hadn't told; someone else would。〃

But long after Sam was asleep; Hal was wetting his pillow through with tears。



CHAPTER XV。



Still the silence lasted。  Henry had tried at first to persuade himself that it was only by chance that he never heard his own name from lips that used to call it more often than any other。  Indeed; he was so much used to favour; that it needed all the awe…struck pity of the rest to prove to him its withdrawal; and he was so much in the habit of thrusting himself before Samuel; that even the sight and sound of the First Book of Euclid; all day long; failed to convince him that his brother could be preferred; above all; as Nurse Freeman had been collecting his clean shirts as well as Sam's; and all the portmanteaus and trunks in the house had been hunted out of the roof。 Once; either the spirit of imitation; or his usual desire of showing himself off; made him break in when Sam was knitting his brows frightfully over a sum in proportion。  Hal could do it in no time!

So he did; but he put the third term first; and multiplied the hours into the minutes; instead of reducing them to the same denomination; so that he made out that twenty…five men would take longer to cut a field of grass than three; and then could not see that he was wrong; but Miss Fosbrook and Sam both looked so much grieved for him; that a start of fright went through him。

Some minds really do not understand a fault till they see it severely visited; and 〃at least〃 and 〃couldn't help〃 had so blinded Henry's eyes that he had thought himself more unlucky than to blame; till his father's manner forced it on him that he had done something dreadful。 Vaguely afraid; he hung about; looking so wretched that he was a piteous sight; and it cut his father to the heart to spend such a last day together。  Mayhap the Captain could hardly have held out all that second day; if he had not passed his word to his brother。

The travellers were to set off at six in the morning; to meet the earliest train:  and it was not till nine o'clock at night; when the four elder ones said good…night; that the Captain; following them out of the room; laid his hand on Henry as the others went up…stairs; and said; 〃Henry; have you nothing to say to me?〃

Henry leant against the baluster and sobbed; not knowing what else to do。

〃You can't be more grieved than I am to have such a last day together;〃 said his father; laying his hand on the yellow head; 〃but I can't help it; you see。  If you will do such things; it is my duty to make you repent of them。〃

Hal threw himself almost double over the rail; and something was heard about 〃sorry;〃 and 〃never。〃

〃Poor little lad!〃 said his father aloud to himself; 〃he is cut up enough now; but how am I to know if his sorrow is good for anything?〃

〃O Papa!  I'll never do such a thing again!〃

〃I wish I knew that; Hal;〃 said the Captain; sitting down on the stairs; and taking him between his knees。  〃There; let us talk it over together。  I don't suppose you expected to steal and deceive when you got up in the morning。〃

〃Oh no; no!〃

〃Go back to the beginning。  See how you came to this。〃

As he waited for an answer; Hal mumbled out after some time; 〃You said we need not go to church on a week…day。〃

〃Well; what of that?〃

〃I didn't go in case the telegraph should come。〃

〃There are different ways of thinking;〃 said his father。  〃Church was the only place where I COULD have gone that St。 Barnabas' Day。〃

〃I would have gone;〃 said the self…contradictory Henry; 〃only the Grevilles are always at one for being like a girl。〃

〃Ha! now we see daylight!〃 said the Captain。

〃'The Grevilles are at one;'that's more like getting to the bottom of it。〃

〃Yes; Papa;〃 said Hal; glad to make himself out a victim to circumstance; 〃you can't think what a pair of fellows those are for not letting one alone; Purday says they haven't as much conscience between them as a pigeon's egg has meat; and going down to Mr。 Carey's with them every day; they let one have no peace。〃

〃You will find people everywhere who will let you have no peace; unless you do not care for them; though you will not be left to the Grevilles any longer。〃

〃Yes; Papa; when I am away from them; you will see〃

〃No; Hal; I shall not see; I shall hear。〃

〃Shall not I 

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