the stokesley secret-第13部分

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ligence　and　contrivance；　and　showing　many　pretty　fancies；　since　there　was　no　one　to　tease　her　and　laugh　at　her；　and　her　governess　listened　kindly　and　helpfully。

Miss　Fosbrook　could　not　help　thinking　how　much　happier　her　little　companion　would　have　been　as　an　only　child；　or　with　one　sister；　and　parents　who　would　have　made　the　most　of　her　love　of　taste　and　refinement；　instead　of　the　hearty　busy　parents；　and　the　rude　brothers　and　sisters；　who　held　her　cheap　for　being　unlike　themselves。　　But　then　she　bethought　her；　that　perhaps　Bessie　might　have　grown　up　vain　and　affected；　had　all　these　tastes　been　petted　and　fostered；　and　that　perhaps　her　little　hardships　might　make　her　the　stronger；　steadier；　more　useful　woman；　instead　of　living　in　fancies。　　It　was　the　unkindness　on　one　side；　and　the　temper　on　the　other；　that　made　Miss　Fosbrook　uneasy。

The　work　had　gone　on　happily　for　nearly　an　hour；　and　Bessie　was　copying　a　forget…me…not　off　a　little　painted　card…board　pincushion　of　her　own；　when　steps　were　heard；　little　trotting　steps；　and　Susan　came　in　with　little　George。　　He　had　been　pushed　down　by　Johnnie；　and　was　rather　in　a　fretful　mood；　and　Susan　had　left　all　her　happy　play　to　bring　him　in　to　rest　and　comfort　him；　coming　to　the　school…room　because　Nurse　Freeman　was　out。　　Before　Elizabeth　had　time　to　hide　away　her　doings；　George　had　seen　the　bright　pincushion；　and　was　holding　out　his　hands　for　it。　　Bessie　hastily　pocketed　it。　　George　burst　out　crying；　and　Susan；　without　more　ado；　threw　herself　on　her　sister；　and；　pinioning　Bessie's　slight　arm　by　the　greater　strength　of　her　firm　one；　was　diving　into　her　pocket　in　spite　of　her　struggles。

〃Susan；　leave　off；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃let　your　sister　alone。　　She　has　a　right　to　do　what　she　likes　with　her　own。〃

〃It　is　so　cross　in　her；〃　said　Susan；　obeying　however；　but　only　to　snatch　up　little　George；　and　hug　and　kiss　him。　　〃Poor　dear　little　man！　is　Betty　cross　to　him？　　There！　there！　come　with　Sue；　and　SHE'LL　get　him　something　pretty。〃

〃Susie；　Susie；　indeed　it's　only　that　I　don't　want　him　to　spoil　it；〃　said　Elizabeth；　distressed。

〃A　foolish　thing　like　that！　　Why；　the　only　use　of　it　is　to　please　the　children；　but　you　are　just　such　a　baby　as　he　is；〃　said　Susan；　still　pitying　George。

〃You　had　better　put　your　things　away；　Bessie；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　interfering　to　stop　the　dispute；　and　as　soon　as　Elizabeth　was　gone；　and　George　a　little　pacified　by　an　ivory　ribbon…measure　out　of　Miss　Fosbrook's　work…box；　she　observed　to　Susan；　〃My　dear；　you　must　not　let　your　love　for　the　little　ones　make　you　unjust　and　unkind　to　Bessie。〃

〃She　always　is　so　unkind　to　them；〃　said　Susan　resentfully。

〃I　don't　think　she　feels　unkindly；　but　if　you　tyrannize　over　her；　and　force　her　to　give　way　to　them；　you　cannot　expect　her　to　like　it。〃

〃Mamma　says　the　elder　must　give　way　to　the　younger；〃　said　Susan。

〃You　did　not　try　whether　she　would　give　way。〃

〃No；　because　I　knew　she　wouldn't；　and　I　could　not　have　my　little　Georgie　vexed。〃

〃And　I　could　not　see　my　little　Susie　violent　and　unjust；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook　cheerfully。　　〃Justice　first；　Susan；　you　had　no　right　to　rob　Bessie　for　George；　any　more　than　I　should　have　to　give　away　a　dinner　of　your　papa's　because　he　had　refused　a　beggar。〃

〃Papa　never　would；〃　said　Susan；　rather　going　off　from　the　point。

〃Very　likely；　but　do　you　understand　me；　Susan？　　I　will　not　have　Bessie　FORCED　out　of　her　rights　for　the　little　ones。　　Not　Bessie　only；　but　nobody　is　to　be　tyrannized　over；　it　is　not　right。〃

〃Bessie　is　so　nonsensical；〃　was　all　Susan　said；　looking　glum。

〃Very　likely　she　may　seem　so　to　you；　but　if　you　knew　more；　you　would　see　that　all　is　not　nonsense　that　seems　so　to　you。　　Some　people　would　admire　her　ways。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Susan。　　〃Mrs。　Greville　told　Mrs。　Brownlow　that　Bessie　was　the　only　one　among　us　that　was　capable　of　civilisation；　but　Mrs。　Greville　is　a　fine　lady；　and　we　always　laugh　at　her。〃

〃And　now；〃　as　Bessie　returned；　〃you　want　to　go　out　to　your　play　again；　my　dear。　　Will　you　leave　Georgie　with　us？〃

Susan　was　a　little　doubtful　about　trusting　her　darling　with　anyone；　especially　one　who　could　take　Bessie's　part　against　him；　but　she　wished　exceedingly　to　be　present　at　the　interesting　moment　of　seeing　whether　the　potatoes　were　done　enough；　and　George　was　perfectly　contented　with　measuring　everything　on　the　ribbon；　so　she　ran　quickly　off；　without　the　manners　to　thank　Miss　Fosbrook；　but　to　assure　the　rest　of　the　party　that　the　governess　really　was　very　good…natured；　and　that　she　would　save　her　biggest　and　best　potato　for　Miss　Fosbrook's　tea。

Christabel　managed　very　happily　with　little　George；　though　not　quite　without　offending　Elizabeth；　who　thought　it　very　hard　to　be　desired　to　put　away　her　painting　instead　of　tantalizing　her　little　brother　with　the　sight　of　what　he　must　not　have。　　Miss　Fosbrook　could　not　draw　her　into　the　merry　game　with　little　George；　which　made　his　shouts　of　glee　ring　out　through　the　house；　and　meet　Nurse　Freeman's　ear　as　she　came　in…doors　with　the　baby；　and　calling　at　the　school…　room　door；　summoned　him　off　to　his　tea；　as　if　she　were　in　a　pet　with　Miss　Fosbrook　for　daring　to　meddle　with　one　of　HER　own　nursery　children。

Nothing　more　was　heard　of　the　others；　and　Christabel　and　Elizabeth　both　read　in　peace　till　the　tea…bell　rang；　and　they　went　down　and　waited　and　waited；　till　Miss　Fosbrook　accepted　Bessie's　offer　of　going　out　to　call　the　rest。　　But　Bessie　returned　no　more　than　the　rest；　and　the　governess　set　forth　herself；　but　had　not　made　many　steps　before　the　voices　of　the　rabble　rout　were　heard；　and　they　all　were　dancing　and　clattering　about　her；　while　Susan　and　Hal　each　carried　aloft　a　plate　containing　articles　once　brown；　now　black；　and　thickly　powdered　with　white　ashes；　as　were　the　children　themselves　up　to　their　very　hair。

As　a　slight　concession　to　grown…up　people's　prejudices；　they　did；　at　the　risk　of　their　dear　potatoes　getting　cold；　scamper　up　to　perform　a　species　of　toilette；　and　then　sat　down　round　the　tea…table；　Susie；　David；　and　Sam　each　vociferous　that　Miss　Fosbrook　should　eat　〃my　potato　that　I　did　on　purpose　for　her。〃　　Poor　Miss　Fosbrook！　she　would　nearly　as　soon　have　eaten　the　bonfire　itself　as　those　cinder…coated　things；　tough　as　leather　outside；　and　within　like　solid　smoke。　Indeed　the　children；　who　had　been　bathing　in　smoke　all　day；　had　brought　in　the　air　of　it　with　them；　but　their　tongues　ran　fast　on　their　adventures；　and　their　taste　had　no　doubt　that　their　own　bonfire　potatoes　were　the　most　perfect　cookery　in　art！　　Miss　Fosbrook　picked　out　the　most　eatable　bits　of　each　of　the　three；　and　managed　to　satisfy　the　three　cooks；　all　zealous　for　their　own。　　Other　people's　potatoes　might　be　smoky；　but　each　one's　own　was　delicious〃quite　worthy　of　the　pig　when　he　was　bought；〃　thought　Miss　Fosbrook；　but　she　made　her　real　pleasure　at　the　kind　feeling　to　cover　her　dislike　of　the　black　potatoes；　and　thus　pleased　the　children　without　being　untrue。

〃Line　upon　line；　precept　upon　precept；　here　a　little；　and　there　a　little。〃　　That　is　the　way　habits　are　formed　and　characters　made；　not　all　at　once。　　So　there　had　been　an　opportunity　for　Susan　to　grow　confirmed　in　her　kindness　and　unselfishness；　as　well　as　to　learn　that　tyranny　is　wrong；　even　on　behalf　of　the　weak；　and　Bessie；　if　she　would　take　home　the　lesson；　had　received　one　in　readiness　to　be　cheerful；　and　to　turn　from　her　own　pursuits　to　oblige　others。　Something　had　been　attempted　toward　breaking　her　habit　of　being　fretful；　and　thinking　herself　injured。　　It　remained　to　be　seen　whether　the　many　little　things　that　were　yet　to　happen　to　the　two　girls　would　be　so　used　as　to　strengthen　their　good　habits　or　their　bad　ones。



CHAPTER　VII。



It　is　not　worth　while　to　go　on　describing　every　day　at　Stokesley；　since　lessons　were　far　too　much　alike；　and　play…times；　though　varied　enough　for　the　house　of　Merrifield；　might　be　less　entertaining　to　the　readers。

Enough　to　say；　that　by　Saturday　afternoon　John　had　not　only　forfeited　his　last　farthing；　but　was　charged　with　another　into　next　week；　for　the　poor　pleasure　of　leaving　his　hat　on　the　school…room　floor　because　Elizabeth　had　told　him　of　it。　　At　about　four　o'clock　it　set　in　for　rain；　catching　the　party　at　some　distance　from　home；　so　that；　though　they　made　good　speed；　the　dust　turned　into　mud；　and　clung　fast　to　their　shoes。

David；　never　the　best　runner；　was　only　in　time　to　catch　Johnnie　by　the　skirt　upon　the　third　step　of　the　staircase；　crying　out；　〃The　pig！〃　but　Johnnie；　tired　of　the　subject；　and　in　a　provoking　mood；　twitched　away　his　pinafore；　crying；　〃Bother　the　pig！〃　and　rushed　up　after　the　four　who　had　preceded　him；　leaving　such　lumps　of　dirt　on　the　edge　of　every　step；　that　when　Miss　Fosbrook　came　after　with　Elizabeth　she　could　not　but　declare　that　a　shower　was　a　costly　article。

〃You　see；〃　observed　Susan；　〃when　it's　such　fine　weather　it　puts　one's　feet　out　of　one's　head。〃

While　Sam；　Henry；　and　Bessie　were　laughing　at　Susan　for　this　speech；　little　George　trotted　in；　crying　out；　〃Halty　man　come；　Halty　man　come；　Georgie　want　sweetie！〃

〃The　Gibraltar　man！〃　cried　John　and　Annie　with　one　voice；　and　they　were　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　with　a　bound。

〃Oh；　send　him　away；　send　him　away。　　They'll　spend