the stokesley secret-第4节

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〃I　like　it　for　some　reasons；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　smiling。

〃Oh；　tell　me！〃　cried　Bessie。　　〃Mamma　always　says　we　should　not　be　a　bit　happier　if　our　names　were　pretty　ones；　but　I　don't　know；　I　feel　as　if　one　would；　only　the　others　like　to　make　things　plainer　and　uglier　than　they　are。〃

〃I　never　could　call　your　name　ugly；　it　is　such　a　dignified；　old；　respectable　name。〃

〃Yes；　but　they　call　me　Betty！〃

〃And　they　call　me　Bell；　and　sometimes　Jelly…bag　and　Currant…jelly；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　laughing　and　sighing；　for　she　would　have　liked　to　have　heard　those　funny　names　again。

〃Then　it　is　no　good　to　you！〃　exclaimed　Elizabeth。

〃I　don't　know　that　we　talk　of　good　in　such　a　matter。　　I　like　my　name　because　of　the　reason　it　was　given　to　me。〃

〃Oh；　why？〃　eagerly　asked　the　little　girl。

〃When　I　was　born；　my　papa　was　a　very　young　man；　and　he　was　very　fond　of　reading　poetry。〃

〃Why；　I　thought　your　papa　was　a　doctor。〃

〃Well！〃

〃I　thought　only　ladies；　and　poets；　and　idle　silly　people；　cared　for　poetry。〃

〃They　can　hardly　be　silly　if　they　care　rightly　for　real　poetry；　Bessie；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃at　least；　so　my　papa　would　say。　　It　has　been　one　of　his　great　helps。　　Well；　in　those　days　he　was　very　fond　of　a　poem　about　a　lady　called　Christabel；　who　was　so　good　and　sweet；　that　when　evil　came　near；　it　could　not　touch　her　so　as　to　do　her　any　harm；　and　so　he　gave　his　little　daughter　her　name。〃

〃How　very　nice！〃　cried　Elizabeth。

〃You　must　not　envy　me；　my　dear；　for　I　have　been　a　good　deal　laughed　at　for　my　pretty　name；　and　so　has　Papa；　and　I　do　not　think　he　would　have　chosen　anything　so　fanciful　if　he　had　been　a　little　older。〃

〃Then　isn't　hewhat　is　it　you　call　itpoetical　now？〃

〃Indeed　he　is；　in　a　good　way；〃　and　as　the　earnest　eyes　looked　so　warmly　at　her；　Christabel　Fosbrook　could　not　help　making　a　friend　of　the　little　maiden。　　〃He　has　very　little　time　to　read　it；　for　you　know　he　is　a　parish　surgeon　in　a　great　parish　in　London；　full　of　poor　people；　worse　off　than　you　can　imagine；　and　often　very　ill。　　He　is　obliged　to　be　always　hard　at　work　in　the　narrow　close　streets　there；　and　to　see　everything　sad；　and　dismal；　and　disagreeable；　that　can　be　found；　but；　do　you　know；　Bessie；　he　always　looks　for　the　good　and　beautiful　side；　he　looks　at　one　person's　patience；　and　another　person's　kindness；　and　at　some　little　child's　love　for　its　mother　or　sister；　that　hinders　it　from　being　too　painful　for　him。〃

〃But　is　that　poetry？　　I　thought　poetry　meant　verses。〃

〃Verses　are　generally　the　best　and　most　suitable　way　of　expressing　our　feelings　about　what　is　good　and　beautiful；　but　they　are　not　always　poetry；　any　more　than　the　verses　they　sang　to…night　about　the　bread　and　butter；　because；　you　know；　wanting　thick　butter　was　not　exactly　a　beautiful　feeling。　　I　think　the　denying　themselves　their　little　indulgences　for　the　sake　of　giving　the　poor　woman　a　pig；　is　much　more　poetical；　though　nobody　said　a　word　in　verse。〃

They　both　laughed；　and　Elizabeth　said；　〃That　wasn't　what　you　meant　about　your　papa。　　Susy　cares　for　goodness。〃

〃No；　it　was　not　all　I　meant；　but　it　was　seeing　high　and　noble　thoughts　expressed　in　beautiful　verses　that　gives　him　pleasure；　and　when　he　has　a　little　bit　of　leisure；　it　is　his　great　treat　to　open　a　book　of　that　sort；　and　read　a　little　bit　to　us；　and　tell　us　why　we　like　it。　　He　says　it　makes　him　young　again；　and　takes　him　out　of　the　dingy　streets；　and　from　all　his　cares　as　to　how　the　bills　are　to　be　paid。〃

〃Did　you　like　coming　here？〃　was　Bessie's　home　question；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　winked　away　a　little　moisture；　as　she　said；

〃I　was　glad　to　be　growing　a　woman；　and　to　be　able　to　help　about　some　of　those　bills；　and　then　I　was　glad　to　come　into　the　beautiful　country　that　Papa　has　so　often　told　us　about。〃

〃I　did　not　know　there　was　anything　beautiful　here。〃

〃O　Bessie；　you　never　lived　in　London！　　You　can't　think　how　many　things　are　beautiful　to　me　here！　　I　want　to　be　writing　about　them　to　Papa　and　Kate　all　day　long。〃

〃Are　they？〃　said　Bessie。　　〃Mamma　has　pretty　things　in　the　drawing…　room；　but　she　keeps　them　out　of　the　way；　and　everything　here　is　so　dull　and　stupid！〃　and　the　little　girl　gave　a　yawn。

Miss　Fosbrook　understood　her。　　The　wainscoted　room　in　which　they　were　sitting　had　been　painted　of　a　uniform　creamy　brown；　the　chairs　were　worn；　the　table　was　blistered　and　cracked；　the　carpet　only　covered　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　was　so　threadbare；　that　only　a　little　red　showed　here　and　there。　　All　that　was　needful　was　there；　but　of　the　plainest　kind；　and　where　the　other　children　only　felt　ease　and　freedom；　and　were　the　more　contented　and　happy　for　the　homely　good　sense　of　all　around　them；　this　little　girl　felt　a　want　that　she　scarcely　understood；　but　which　made　her　uncomfortable　and　discontented；　even　when　she　had　so　much　to　be　thankful　for。

Miss　Fosbrook　moved　nearer　to　the　window。　　Down　below　there　was　certainly　not　much　to　be　seen；　only　Pierce　cleaning　the　knives　in　the　knife…house；　and　Martha　washing　out　her　pans　before　the　dairy…door；　but　that　was　not　where　she　looked。　　She　turned　the　little　half…　fretful　face　upwards。　　〃Look　there！〃　she　said；　〃and　talk　of　seeing　nothing　pretty！〃

〃I　see　nothing〃

〃Do　you　not　see　the　pale　clear　green　of　those　noble　horse…chestnut　leaves　just　sprung　into　their　full　summer　dressnot　in　the　least　worn　nor　stained　yet？　　And　those　fine　spikes　of　white　blossom；　all　tending　upupwhile　the　masses　of　those　leaves　fall　so　gracefully　down；　as　if　lifting　them　up；　and　then　falling　back　to　do　them　honour。〃　　Bessie　smiled；　and　her　eye　lighted　up。　　〃And　see　the　colour　against　the　skylook　at　the　contrast　of　that　bright　light　green　with　the　blue；　so　very　deep；　of　the　skyand　oh！　see　that　train　of　little　clouds；　red　with　soft　sunny　light；　like　a　little　soft　flock　of　rosy　lambs；　if　there　were　such　things；　lying　across　the　sky。　O　Bessie！　you　can't　talk　of　wanting　the　sight　of　pretty　things　while　you　have　that　sky。〃

Bessie　was　coming　closer　to　her；　when　in　burst　Sam　and　Johnnie。

〃Hello；　Bess！　moping　here；　I　declare！　　I　suppose　you　and　Miss　Fosbrook　are　telling　each　other　all　your　secrets。〃

〃I　was　just　coming　out；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook。　　〃I　want　to　make　out　something　about　those　noble　flowers　of　the　horse…chestnut；　and　why　they　don't　look　whiter。　　Could　you　gather　one　for　me；　Sam？〃

Sam　was　only　too　glad　of　an　excuse　for　climbing　a　tree；　however　cheaply　he　might　hold　one　who　cared　for　flowers；　and　by　the　time　Bessie　had　put　on　her　lilac…spotted　sun…bonneta　shapeless　article　it　must　be　confessed；　with　a　huge　curtain　serving　for　a　tippet；　very　comfortable；　and　no　trouble　at　allhe　had　scrambled　into　the　fork；　and　brought　down　a　beautiful　spire　of　blossoms；　with　all　the　grand　leaves　hanging　round　in　their　magnificent　fans。

〃What　will　you　do　with　it？〃　said　the　children；　standing　round。

〃Do　you　think　you　could　ask　Mary　to　spare　us　a　jug；　Susan？　　If　I　might　put　it　in　water　in　the　schoolroom　fireplace；　it　would　look　fresh　and　cheerful　for　Sunday。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Susan；　pleased　with　the　commission；　〃that　I　will；〃　and　away　she　ran；　while　Miss　Fosbrook　examined　the　spike　to　her　own　great　enjoyment。　　〃I　see；〃　she　said；　〃the　flowers　are　not　really　white；　they　each　have　a　patch　of　pink　or　yellow　on　them；　which　gives　them　their　softness。　　Yes；　and　do　you　see；　Bessie；　they　are　in　clusters　of　three；　and　each　three　has　one　flower　with　a　pink　spot；　and　two　with　a　yellow　one。〃

〃That　is　very　curious；〃　said　Bessie：　　the　fretfulness　was　very　much　gone　out　of　her　tone；　and　she　stood　looking　at　the　beautiful　flower；　without　a　word；　till　Susan　came　back；　when　she　began　to　show　her　what　Miss　Fosbrook　had　pointed　out。　　Susan　smiled　with　her　really　good　nature；　and　said；　〃How　funny！〃　but　was　more　intent　on　telling　Miss　Fosbrook　that　she　had　brought　the　jug；　and　then　on　hauling　Elizabeth　away　to　a　game　at　Tom　Tittler's　ground。

Miss　Fosbrook　said　she　would　put　away　the　flower　and　come　back　again；　and　she　settled　the　branch　in　the　chimney；　where　it　looked　very　graceful；　and　really　did　enliven　the　room；　and　then　walked　out　towards　the　lawn。

There　was　a　lawn　in　front　of　the　house；　part　of　which　had　been　formerly　levelled　for　a　bowling…green；　and　was　kept　clear　of　shrubs　or　flower…beds。　　Beyond　was　a　smooth；　rather　rapid　slope　towards　a　quiet　river；　beyond　which　there　rose　again　a　beautiful　green　field；　crowned　above　by　a　thick　wood；　ending　at　the　top　in　some　scraggy　pine…trees；　with　scanty　dark　foliage　at　the　top　of　their　rude　russet　arms。　　Fine　trees　stood　out　here　and　there　upon　the　slope　of　the　field；　and　Captain　Merrifield's　fine　sleeked　cows　were　licking　each　other；　or　chewing　the　cud；　under　them。

There　was　a　white　Chinese　bridge；　the　rails　all　zigzags；　and　patterns　running　this　way　and　that；　so　that　it　must　have　been　very　ugly　and　glaring　before　the　white　paint　had　faded　so　much。

The　house　was　a　respectable　old　stone　building；　rather　brown　and　grey；　and　the　stone　somewhat　disposed　to　peel　off　in　flakes；　the　windows　large　sashes；　set　in　great　projecting　squared　stones；　the　tallest　and　biggest　at　the　top。　　It　was　a　house　of　a　very　sober　pleasant　countenance；　that　looked　as　if　it　had　always　been　used　to　have　a　large　family　in　it；　and　there　was　a　vine；　with　all　its　beauteous　leaves；　trained