the stokesley secret-第17部分

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〃People　always　do　honour　when　they　dine；〃　said　Elizabeth。　　〃I　know　they　do。〃

〃They　profess　to　receive　the　honour；　not　confer　it；　Bessie；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　laughing；　〃but　I　don't　think　that　is　the　model　for　Susie's　note。　　It　would　be　as　much　too　formal　as　hers　was　too　blunt。〃

〃Must　I　do　it　again？〃　said　Susan。　　〃I　had　rather　not　go；　if　it　is　to　be　such　a　plague。〃

〃Indeed；　I　fear　you　must；　Susie。　　It　is　quite　needful　to　learn　how　to　write　a　respectable　note；　really　a　more　difficult　thing　than　writing　a　long　letter。　　I　am　sorry　for　you；　but　if　you　were　not　so　careless　in　your　letters　to　Mamma　this　would　come　more　easily　to　you。〃

But　this　time　Miss　Fosbrook　not　only　ruled　another　sheet；　but　wrote；　in　fair　large…hand　on　a　slate；　the　words；　that　Susan　might　copy　them　without　fresh　troubles：


We　are　much　obliged　to　your　Mamma　for　her　kind　invitation；　and　shall　have　much　pleasure　in　coming　with　Miss　Fosbrook　to　dine　with　you　and　spend　the　day。　　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　Mamma　was　not　quite　so　well　when　last　we　heard。　　Her　address　isNo。　12；St。；　Grosvenor…place。


Susan　thought　that　here　were　a　very　serious　number　of　words；　and　begged　hard　for　leave　to　leave　out　her　sorrow。　　Of　course　she　was　sorry；　but　what　was　the　use　of　telling　Ida　so？

Miss　Fosbrook　thought　it　looked　better；　but　Susan　might　do　as　she　pleased。

〃I　wouldn't　say　it；　then；〃　said　Sam。　　〃I　wouldn't　say　it　only　to　look　better　to　Ida。〃　　With　which　words　he　and　Hal　walked　off　to　the　garden。

Would　it　be　believed？　　Susan；　in　her　delight　at　being　near　the　end；　forgot　the　grand　huntsman；　and　made　the　unlucky　Place　〃Grovesnor；〃　and　then；　in　her　haste　to　mend　it；　put　her　finger　into　the　wet　ink；　and　smeared　not　only　that　word；　but　all　the　line　above！

It　was　a　shame　and　a　wonder　that　a　girl　of　her　age　should　be　so　incapable　of　producing　a　creditable　note；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　was　very　near　scolding　her　but　she　had　pity　on　the　tearful　eyes　and　weary　fingers；　and　spoke　cheerfully：　　〃There；　that　was　almost　the　thing。　One　more　trial；　Susan；　and　you　need　never　be　afraid　of　Ida's　notes　again。〃

If　Susan　could　not　write　notes；　at　least　she　was　not　cross；　and　it　would　be　well　if　many　who　could　send　off　a　much　better　performance　with　far　less　difficulty　could　go　to　work　as　patiently　as　she　did；　without　one　pettish　word　to　Miss　Fosbrook；　though　that　lady　seemed　to　poor　Susie　as　hard　a　task　mistress　as　if　she　could　have　helped　it。　This　time　Miss　Fosbrook　authorized　the　leaving　out　of　the　spending　the　day；　and　suggested　that　S。　would　be　enough　without　the　whole　Susanna；　and　she　mercifully　directed　the　cover　to　Miss　Greville。

〃There；　my　dear；　you　have　worked　hard　for　your　pleasure；〃　she　said；　as　Susan　extended　each　hand　to　its　broadest　stretch　to　uncramp　them；　and　stretched　herself　backwards　as　if　she　wanted　to　double　her　head　down　to　her　heels。　　〃I　shall　give　you　a　good　mark；　Susie；　as　if　it　had　been　a　lesson。〃

Susan　deserved　it；　for　her　patient　perseverance　had　been　all　out　of　obedience；　not　in　the　mere　desire　of　having　her　note　admired。　Indeed；　good　child；　at　the　best　it　was　a　very　poor　affair　for　a　girl　of　twelve；　and　Miss　Fosbrook　was　ashamed　of　it　when　she　looked　at　Ida's　lady…like　little　billet。

〃But　I　wonder；〃　said　she　to　herself；　〃whether　I　shall　feel　as　if　I　would　change　my　dear　stupid　Susan　for　Miss　Ida？〃

Meanwhile　Susan　flew　screaming　and　leaping　out　into　the　garden　in　a　mad　tom…boy　fashion；　but　that　could　well　be　pardoned；　as　there　were　only　her　sisters　to　see　her；　and　the　pleasure　of　having　persevered　and　done　her　best　was　enough　to　make　her　heart　and　her　limbs　dance　for　merriment。

Depend　upon　it；　however　wretched　and　miserable　hard　application　to　what　we　do　not　like　may　seem　at　the　moment；　it　is　the　only　way　to　make　play…times　really　delicious。



CHAPTER　IX。



Miss　Fosbrook　soon　knew　what　Mrs。　Merrifield　meant　by　saying　that　visits　at　the　Park　unsettled　the　children。　　Susan　indeed；　though　liking　anything　that　shortened　lessons　by　an　hour；　and　made　a　change；　was　not　so　fond　of　being　on　her　good　behaviour　at　the　Park　as　to　be　greatly　exalted　at　the　prospect；　but　Elizabeth　and　Annie　were　changed　beings。　　They　were　constantly　breaking　out　with　some　new　variety　of　wonder。　　They　wondered　whether　they　should　dine　in　the　school…room；　or　at　Mrs。　Greville's　luncheon；　they　wondered　if　Mr。　Greville　would　speak　to　them；　they　wondered　whether　Fraulein　Munsterthal　would　be　cross；　they　wondered　if　Ida　still　played　with　dolls；　and　they　looked　as　if　they　thought　themselves　wonderful；　too；　for　going　out　for　a　day！

Nay；　the　wonders　were　at　their　tongues'　end　even　when　lessons　began；　and　put　their　farthings　in　great　peril；　and　when　they　had　nothing　else　to　wonder　at；　they　wondered　when　it　would　be　twelve　o'clock；　and　took　no　pains　to　swallow　enormous　yawns。　　Once；　over　her　copy；　Elizabeth　exclaimed；　〃Now！　yes；　this　is　necessary；　Miss　Fosbrook！　May　not　we　wear　our　white　frocks？〃

〃They　are　not　ironed；〃　answered　Susan。

〃Oh；　do　let　me　go　and　tell　Mary！　　There's　lots　of　time；〃　said　Bessie；　who　had　lately　thought　it　cruel　of　the　clock　to　point　only　to　half…　past　ten；　and　never　bethought　herself　how　Mary　would　like　to　be　called　off　from　her　scrubbing　to　iron　three　white　frocks。

〃Would　your　Mamma　wish　it？〃　asked　Christabel。

〃Oh　dear　no；〃　was　Susan's　answer；　〃we　always　wear　clean　ones　of　our　every…day　frocks。　　Our　white　ones　are　only　for　dinner…parties　and　Christmas…trees。〃

Bessie　grumbled。　　〃How　cross！　　I　hate　those　nasty　old　spotty　cottons；〃　and　Johnnie　returned　to　the　old　story〃Little　vain　pussy…　cat。〃

Up　went　Miss　Fosbrook's　warning　pencil；　she　shook　her　head；　and　held　out　her　hand　for　two　fines。　　Elizabeth　began　to　gulp　and　sob。

〃Oh；　don't；　Betty！〃　cried　Susan。　　〃Stop　while　you　can。　　You　won't　like　going　up　with　red　eyes。　　There；　I'll　pay　your　fine；　and　there's　another　for　my　speaking。〃

〃No；　Susie；　that　was　not　foolish　speaking；　but　kind　words；〃　said　Miss　Fosbrook；　〃but　no　more　now；　go　on；　Annie。〃

But　Annie；　who　was　reading　a　little　history　of　St。　Paul；　would　call　Cilicia；　Cicilia；　and　when　told　to　spell　it　she　began　to　cry　too　decidedly　for　Susan's　good…nature　to　check　her　tears。　　And　not　only　did　Elizabeth's　copy　look　as　if　she　had　written　it　with　claws　instead　of　fingers；　but　she　was　grieving　over　her　spotted　cotton　instead　of　really　seeking　for　places　in　her　map。　　Thus　the　Moselle　obstinately　hid　itself；　and　she　absolutely　shed　tears　because　Miss　Fosbrook　declared　that　Frankfort　WAS　on　the　Maine。　　For　the　first　time　she　had　her　grammar　turned　back　upon　her　hands。　　How　many　mistakes　Annie　made　would　be　really　past　telling；　for　these　two　little　girls　had　their　whole　minds　quite　upset　by　the　thought　of　a　day's　pleasure；　and　as　they　never　tried　to　restrain　themselves；　and　to　〃be　sober；　be　vigilant；〃　they　gave　way　before　all　the　little　trials　in　their　paths…　…were　first　careless；　and　then　fractious。　　Perhaps　when　they　were　older　they　would　find　out　that　this　uplifted　sense　of　excited　expectation　is　the　very　warning　to　be　heedful。

If　Miss　Fosbrook　had　been　a　strict　governess；　she　would　have　told　them　they　did　not　deserve　to　go　at　all；　or　at　any　rate；　that　Bessie　must　repeat　her　grammar　better；　and　re…write　her　copy；　and　that　Annie's　unlucky　addition　sum　must　be　made　to　prove；　but　she　had　seen　her　little　sisters　nearly　as　bad　in　prospect　of　a　pantomime；　so　she　was　merciful；　and　sent　them　in　good　time　to　brush　their　hair；　put　on　their　spotted　cottons；　and　wash　off　as　much　as　possible　of　the　red　mottling　left　by　those　foolish　tears。

Their　spirits　rose　again　as　fast　as　they　had　sunk；　and　it　was　a　lively　walk　through　the　park　to　the　great　house；　with　a　good　deal　of　skipping　and　jumping　at　first；　and　then；　near　the　door；　a　little　awe　and　gravity。

They　were　taken　through　a　side…door　of　the　hall　to　the　school…room；　where　Ida　and　her　governess　received　them。　　It　was　the　first　time　that　Christabel　had　seen　her　out　of　her　beplumed　hat；　and　she　thought　her　a　pleasant；　bright…looking　little　girl；　not　at　all　set　up　or　conceited。　　Her　mauve　muslin；　flounced　though　it　was　up　to　her　waist；　showed　that　it　had　been　wise　to　withstand　Bessie's　desire　for　the　white　muslins；　but　Miss　Fosbrook　had　enough　to　do　on　her　own　account　with　the　endeavour　to　understand　the　German　governess's　foreign　accent；　without　attending　to　the　children　more　than　was　necessary。

It　was　not　a　very　remarkable　day；　and　the　pleasures　of　it　seemed　hardly　enough　to　justify　the　little　girls'　great　excitement。　　There　was　first　the　dinner　at　the　luncheon　of　the　parents；　where　the　children　sat　up　rather　formal　and　subdued；　and　not　quite　certain　what　all　the　dishes　might　contain；　a　little　afraid　of　getting　what　they　COULD　not　eat；　though　desirous　of　making　experiments　in　this　land　of　wonders。　　None　of　them　had　forgotten；　and　they　thought　no　one　else　had；　how　Bessie　had　once　come　to　disgrace　by　bursting　out　crying　over　the　impossibility　of　finishing　some　terrible　rice…bordered　greenish　yellow　stuff　that　burnt　her　mouth　beyond　bearing；　and　which　Ida　called　curry；　and　said　people　in　the　East　Indies　liked。　　However；　that　was　when　Bessie　had　been　a　very　little　girl；　and　she　still　continued　adventurous；　saying；　〃Yes；　if　you　please；〃　to　cutlets　set　round　in　a　wreath；　with　all　their　bone