United States or Faroe Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
But Henry did not want Miss Fosbrook to find him partaking in gate- climbing; and either that desire, or the general terror a bad conscience, made him and the Grevilles run helter-skelter the opposite way, leaving poor little John stuck on the top of the gate, quite giddy at the thought of coming down alone, and almost as much afraid of being there caught by Miss Fosbrook coming home from church.
She did not try to talk to Miss Fosbrook, feeling perhaps that she was in a naughty mood, which she would not try to shake off; and she made no attempt to go on with her present for her Mamma, it looked so poor and trumpery after the beautiful things she had seen.
"I believe it is pretending to seem what we are not by nature," said Miss Fosbrook; "putting on manners or feelings that do not come to us of themselves." "Then I shall tell them they make me affected," exclaimed she. "If I like to be quiet and do things prettily, they teaze me for being affected, and I'm forced to be as plain and blunt as their are, and I don't like it! I wish I was grown up.
Elizabeth had not forgiven, as she should have done, the being called stingy; it rankled on her feelings far more than those who said the word understood; and she presently went on, "If they knew ever so much, they would only laugh at me, and call it all Bessie's nonsense. Miss Fosbrook, please, what is affectation?"
"Hush, David!" said Miss Fosbrook; "such things must not be said. I will talk to you by and by." "I am glad poor Bessie is cleared!" added Susan; "though I always knew she could not have done it." "To be sure I knew it was Hal!" "Sam! you did? why didn't you tell?" cried Annie. "I wasn't to say sure," said Sam; "and I couldn't go and get him into a scrape.
Won't you, Miss Fosbrook?" "If I am asked, and if your Mamma would wish it." "Oh, Mamma always lets us go, except once when when " "When what?" "When I cried," said Elizabeth, hanging down her head; "I couldn't help it. It did seem so tiresome here, and she said I was learning to be discontented; but nobody can help wishing, can they?" "There must be a way of not breaking the Tenth Commandment."
It took away a great deal of the pleasure of jingling the keys, and having a voice in choosing the pudding. The two elder boys went to their tutor, the other children to the nursery, except Elizabeth, who was rummaging in her little box, and David, whom Miss Fosbrook found perched on the ledge of the window, reading a book that did not look as if it were meant for men of his size.
He was one of those who were especially proud of being downright, and in him it often amounted to utter regardlessness of people's feelings, yet not out of ill-nature; and when Susan responded, "Don't teaze Davy he can't bear it," he was silent; but the mischief was done; and when Miss Fosbrook went on saying that the wish to help the poor woman was assuredly a good thought, which the little boy might well ask to be aided in fulfilling, David had grown ashamed, and would not listen.
Evening service-time put an end to this sport; but Miss Fosbrook could not set off till after a severe conflict with Johnnie. She had decreed that he should not go again that day, after his behaviour in the morning; and perhaps he would not have minded this punishment much if David had not been going, which made him think it a disgrace.
"It was not true." "Perhaps not; but you did not speak to give your reasons; and who could tell how good they might be?" "I've a right to my secrets as well as they have," said the little maiden. Miss Fosbrook looked kindly at her, and she turned wistful eyes on the young governess. "Miss Fosbrook, will you keep a secret?" "That I will."
Word Of The Day