the stokesley secret-第22节

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〃Oh；　don't；　don't！　　I'm　Henry　Merrifield！〃

〃I　don't　care　if　you're　Henry　Merry　Andrew！〃　said　Farmer　Grice；　who　was　a　surly　man；　and　had　a　grudge　of　long　standing　against　the　Captain；　for　withstanding　him　at　the　Board　of　Guardians。　　〃I'll　have　the　law　out　of　you；　whoever　you　are。〃

〃ButbutMamma　is　so　very　ill！〃　cried　Hal；　bursting　into　tears。

〃The　more　shame　for　you　to　be　rampaging　about　the　country　this　fashion；〃　said　the　farmer；　giving　him　a　shake　that　seemed　to　make　all　his　bones　rattle　in　his　skin。　　〃Serve　you　right　if　I　flogged　you　within　an　inch　of　your　life。〃

〃Oh；　please　don'tI　mean　please　doanything　but　have　me　up　to　the　magistrates！　　I'll　never　do　it　again；　never！〃　sobbed　Henry　in　his　terror。

Mr。　Grice　had　some　pity；　and　also　knew　that　his　wife　and　all　the　neighbours　would　be　shocked　at　his　prosecuting　so　young　a　boy；　whose　parents　were　in　such　distress。　　So　he　said；　〃There；　then；　I'll　overlook　it　this　time；　sir；　so　as　I　have　the　value　of　the　bird。〃

〃And　what　is　the　value〃　asked　Henry；　trembling。

〃Value！　　Why；　the　breed　came　from　Norfolk；　he　was　three　years　old；　and　my　missus　set　great　store　on　him；　he　was　as　good　as　a　house…dog；　to　keep　idle　children　out　of　the　yard；　and　it　was　quite　a　picture　to　see　him　posturing　about；　and　setting　up　his　tail！　　Value！　not　less　than　five…and…twenty　shillings；　sir。〃

〃But　I　have　not　five…and…twenty　shillings。　　I　can't　get　them；〃　said　Hal；　falling　back　into　misery。

〃You　should　have　thought　of　that　before　you　shot　poor　old　Tom　Turkey！〃　quoth　Farmer　Grice。

〃But　what　in　the　world　shall　I　ever　do？〃　said　Henry。

〃That's　for　you　to　settle；　sir；〃　said　the　farmer；　taking　up　the　unlucky　gun。　　〃I　shall　take　this；　and　keep　it　out　of　further　harm。〃

〃Oh　pray；　pray！〃　cried　Henry。　　〃It　is　not　my　gun；　it　is　Mr。　Greville's；　please　let　me　have　it！〃

〃What！　was　it　those　young　dogs；　the　Master　Grevilles；　that　were　with　you！〃　growled　Mr。　Grice。　　〃If　I'd　known　that；　I'd　not　have　let　you　off　so　easy。　　Those　boys　are　the　plague　of　the　place；　I　wish　it　had　been　one　of　them　as　I'd　caught；　I'd　have　had　some　satisfaction　out　of　them！〃

Henry　entreated　again　for　the　gun；　explaining　that　they　had　not　leave　to　take　it；　but　the　farmer　was　unrelenting。　　He　might　go　to　them；　he　said；　to　make　up　the　price　of　the　poor　turkey…cock；　how　they　could　have　got　the　gun　was　no　affair　of　his；　have　it　they　should　not；　till　the　money　was　brought　to　him；　and　if　it　did　not　come　before　night；　he　should　carry　the　gun　up　to　the　Park；　and　complain　to　Mr。　Greville。

With　this　answer　the　unhappy　Hal　was　released；　and　ran　after　his　friends　to　tell　them　of　the　terms。　　He　found　them　sitting　on　a　low　wall；　just　within　their　own　grounds；　waiting　to　hear　what　had　become　of　him。　　When　he　had　told　his　story；　they　both　set　upon　him　for　betraying　them；　and　declared　that　they　should　send　him　to　Coventry　ever　after；　and　never　do　anything　with　him　again；　but　as　it　was　plain　that　the　gun　must　be　redeemed；　if　they　wished　to　avoid　severe　punishment；　there　was　a　consultation。　　Nobody　had　much　money；　but　Osmond　consolingly　suspected　that　the　farmer　would　take　less；　five…　and…twenty　shillings　was　an　exorbitant　price　to　set　on　a　turkey…　cock's　head；　and　perhaps　half　would　content　him。

The　half；　however；　seemed　as　impossible　as　the　whole。　　Osmond　had　three　shillings；　Martin　two；　Hal　fourpence！　　What　was　to　be　done？　And　the　boys　declared　that　if　it　should　come　to　their　father's　knowledge；　Hal；　who　had　given　up　their　names；　should　certainly　not　be　shielded　by　them。　　In　fact；　he；　who　had　done　the　deed；　was　the　only　one　who　ought　to　pay。

The　sound　of　the　servants'　dinner…bell　at　the　Park　broke　up　the　consultation；　the　boys　must　not　be　missed　at　luncheon；　and　they　therefore　separated；　agreeing　to　meet　at　that　same　place　at　four　o'clock；　to　hear　the　result　of　Hal's　negotiation　with　the　farmer；　for　neither　of　the　Grevilles　would　hear　of　helping　him　to　face　the　enemy。

Poor　Hal　plodded　home　disconsolately。　　Once　he　thought　of　telling　Sam；　and　asking　his　help；　but　Sam　would　be　so　much　shocked　at　such　a　scrape　at　such　a　time；　as　possibly　to　lick　him　for　it　before　helping　him。　　Indeed　Hal　did　not　see　much　chance　of　Sam　being　able　to　do　anything　for　them；　and　he　had　too　often　boasted　over　his　elder　brother　to　like　to　abase　himself　by　such　a　confessionwhen；　too；　it　would　almost　be　owning　how　much　better　it　would　have　been　to　have　followed　Sam's　advice　and　have　gone　safely　to　church。

Could　he　borrow　of　any　one？　　Had　he　nothing　of　his　own　to　sell　or　exchange？　　Ah！　if　it　had　not　been　for　that　stupid　hoard　of　little　David's；　he　might　have　had　even　so　much！　　By…the…bye；　some　of　that　collection　was　his　own。　　He　might　quite　lawfully　take　that　back　again。　　How　much　could　it　be？　　How　much　did　he　put　in　last　week？　the　week　before？　　Oh；　never　mind；　some　of　it　was　his　at　all　events；　there　was　no　harm　in　taking　that。　　Most　likely　he　should　be　able　to　restore　it　four…fold　when　Colonel　Carey　made　his　present；　or；　if　not；　nobody　knew　exactly　what　was　in　Toby　Fillpot；　and　after　all　very　likely　they　would　forget　all　about　it；　people　could　not　think　about　pigs　when　Mamma　was　ill；　or；　maybe；　he　should　go　to　join　his　ship；　and　hear　no　more　of　it。　　So　he　came　home；　and　crossed　the　paddock　just　as　the　dinner…bell　was　ringing；　opening　the　hall…door　as　the　children　were　running　across　it　to　the　dining…room。

Miss　Fosbrook；　who　was　walking　behind　them；　turned　as　he　came　in。

〃Henry；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　sent　Johnnie　to　dine　in　the　nursery；　for　his　disobedience　in　climbing　the　gate。　　I　certainly　shall　not　give　you　a　less　punishment。　　You　must　have　led　him　into　it；　and　how　could　you　be　so　cruel　as　to　leave　the　poor　little　fellow　alone　in　such　a　dangerous　place？〃

〃Stupid　little　coward！　it　was　not　a　bit　of　danger！〃　said　Hal。

〃So　young　a　child〃　began　Miss　Fosbrook。

〃Oh；　that's　all　your　London　notions；〃　said　Hal。　　〃Why；　I　climbed　up　our　gate　at　Stonehouse；　which　was　twice　as　high；　when　I　wasn't　near　as　old　as　that！〃

〃I　am　not　going　to　argue　with　you；　Henry；　but　after　such　an　act　of　disobedience；　I　cannot　allow　you　to　sit　down　to　dinner　with　us。　　Go　up　to　the　school…room；　and　Mary　shall　bring　you　your　dinner。〃

〃I'm　sure　I　don't　want　to　dine　with　a　lot　of　babies　and　governesses！〃　exclaimed　Henry；　and　bounced　up…stairs；　leaving　Miss　Fosbrook　quite　confounded　at　such　an　outbreak　of　naughtiness。

She　intended；　as　soon　as　dinner　should　be　over；　to　go　up　to　him；　and　try　to　lead　him　to　be　sorry　for　his　conduct；　and　to　think　what　a　wretched　moment　this　was　for　such　audacity；　and　then　she　feared　that　she　ought　to　punish　him　farther；　by　keeping　him　in　all　the　afternoon。　He　was　so　soft　and　easily　impressed；　that　she　almost　trusted　to　make　him　feel　that　it　would　be　right　that　he　should　suffer　for　his　misconduct。

When　she　went　up…stairs；　almost　as　soon　as　grace　had　been　said；　he　was　gone。　　Nobody　could　find　him；　and　calling　produced　no　answer。　She　became　quite　distressed　and　anxious；　but　could　not　go　far　from　the　house　herself；　nor　send　Sam；　in　case　the　message　should　arrive。

〃Oh；〃　said　Sam；　〃no　doubt　he's　after　something　with　the　Grevilles；　and　was　afraid　you　would　stop　him　in。〃

She　tried　to　believe　this；　but　still　felt　far　from　satisfied　all　the　afternoon；　and　was　glad　to　see　the　boy　come　back　in　time　for　tea。

He　said　he　had　been　with　the　Grevilles；　he　did　not　see　why　anybody　need　ask　him　questions；　he　should　do　what　he　pleased　without　being　called　to　account。　　Nobody　told　him　not　to　run　away　after　dinner；　he　was　not　going　to　stay　to　be　ordered　about　for　nothing。

This　was　so　bad　a　temper；　that　Christabel　could　not　bear　to　try　to　touch　him　with　the　thought　of　his　sick　mother。　　She　knew　that　softening　must　come　in　time；　and　believed　the　best　thing　to　do　at　the　moment　would　be　to　put　a　stop　to　his　disrespectful　speeches　to　her；　and　his　cross　ones　to　his　brothers　and　sisters；　by　sending　him　to　bed　as　soon　as　tea　was　over；　as　the　completion　of　his　punishment。　　He　did　not　struggle；　for　she　had　taught　him　to　mind　her；　but　he　went　up…　stairs　with　a　gloomy　brow；　and　angry　murmurs　that　it　was　very　hard　to　be　put　under　a　stupid　woman；　who　knew　nothing　about　anything；　and　was　always　cross。



CHAPTER　XII。



Saturday's　post　brought　a　letter；　and　a　comfortable　one。　　All　Thursday　Mrs。　Merrifield　had　been　in　so　doubtful　a　state；　that　her　husband　could　not　bear　to　write；　lest　he　should　fill　the　children　with　false　hopes；　or　alarm　them　still　more；　but　she　had　had　a　good　night；　was　stronger　on　Friday；　and　when　the　post　went　out；　the　doctors　had　just　ventured　to　say　they　believed　she　would　recover　favourably。　　The　letter　was　finished　off　in　a　great　hurry；　but　Captain　Merrifield　did　not　forget　to　thank　his　little　Susan　warmly　for　her　poor　scrambling　letter；　and　say　he　knew　all　she　meant　by　it；　bidding　her　give　Miss　Fosbrook　his　hearty　thanks　for　forwarding　it；　and　for　telling　him　the　children　were　all　behaving　well；　and　feeling　properly。　　His　love　to　them　all；　they　must　try　to　deserve　the　great　mercy　that　had　been　granted　to　them。

To　the　children；　this　was　almost　as　good　as　saying　that　their　mother　was　well　again；　but　there　was　too　much　awe　about　them　for　their　joy　to　show　itself　noisily。　　Susan　ran　away　to　her　own　room；　and　Bessie　followed　her；　and　Sa