the pigeon pie-第2部分

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father　was　wounded；　and　had　sent　him　to　fetch　her。〃



〃But　I　never　knew　where　Edmund　was　then；〃　said　Eleanor。　　〃No　one　ever

told　me。〃



〃Edmund　lifted　up　my　father　when　he　fell；〃　said　Walter；　〃and　was

trying　to　bind　his　wound；　but　when　Colonel　Enderby's　troop　was　close

upon　them；　my　father　charged　him　upon　his　duty　to　fly；　saying　that　he

should　fall　into　the　hands　of　an　old　friend；　and　it　was　Edmund's　duty

to　save　himself　to　fight　for　the　King　another　time。〃



〃So　Edmund　followed　Prince　Rupert？〃　said　Eleanor。



〃Yes；〃　said　Lucy；　〃you　know　my　father　once　saved　Prince　Rupert's　life

in　the　skirmish　where　his　horse　was　killed；　so　for　his　sake　the

Prince　made　Edmund　his　page；　and　has　had　him　with　him　in　all　his

voyages　and　wanderings。　　But　go　on　about　our　father；　Rose。　　Did　we　go

to　see　him？〃



〃No；　Mr。　Enderby　said　he　was　too　far　off；　so　he　left　a　trooper　to

guard　us；　and　my　mother　only　took　her　little　babe　with　her。　　Don't

you　remember；　Walter；　how　Eleanor　screamed　after　her；　as　she　rode

away　on　the　colonel's　horse；　and　how　we　could　not　comfort　the　little

ones；　till　they　had　cried　themselves　to　sleep；　poor　little　things？

And　in　the　morning　she　came　back；　and　told　us　our　dear　father　was

dead！　　O　Walter；　how　can　we　look　back　to　that　day；　and　rejoice　in　a

new　war？　　How　can　you　wonder　her　heart　should　sink　at　sounds　of　joy

which　have　so　often　ended　in　tears？〃



Walter　twisted　about　and　muttered；　but　he　could　not　resist　his

sister's　earnest　face　and　tearful　eyes；　and　said　something　about　not

making　so　much　noise　in　the　house。



〃There's　my　own　dear　brother；〃　said　Rose。　　〃And　you　won't　tease

Deborah？〃



〃That　is　too　much；　Rose。　　It　is　all　the　sport　I　have；　to　see　the

faces　she　makes　when　I　plague　her　about　Diggory。　　Besides；　it　serves

her　right　for　having　such　a　temper。〃



〃She　has　not　a　good　temper；　poor　thing！〃　said　Rose；　〃but　if　you　would

only　think　how　true　and　honest　she　is；　how　hard　she　toils；　and　how

ill　she　fares；　and　yet　how　steadily　she　holds　to　us；　you　would　surely

not　plague　and　torment　her。〃



Rose　was　interrupted　by　a　great　outcry；　and　in　rushed　Deborah；

screaming　out；　〃Lack…a…day！　　Mistress　Rose！　　O　Master　Walter！　what

will　become　of　us？　　The　fight　is　lost；　the　King　fled；　and　a　whole

regiment　of　red…coats　burning　and　plundering　the　whole　country。　　Our

throats　will　be　cut；　every　one　of　them！〃



〃You'll　have　a　chance　of　being　a　mark　for　all　the　musketeers　in　the

Parliament　army；〃　said　Walter；　who　even　then　could　not　miss　a　piece

of　mischief。



〃Joking　now；　Master　Walter！〃　cried　Deborah；　very　much　shocked。　　〃That

is　what　I　call　downright　sinful。　　I　hope　you'll　be　made　a　mark　of

yourself；　that　I　do。〃



The　children　were　running　off　to　tell　their　mother；　when　Rose　stopped

them；　and　desired　to　know　how　Deborah　had　heard　the　tidings。　　It　was

from　two　little　children　from　the　village　who　had　come　to　bring　a

present　of　some　pigeons　to　my　lady。　　Rose　went　herself　to　examine　the

children；　but　she　could　only　learn　that　a　packman　had　come　into　the

village　and　brought　the　report　that　the　King　had　been　defeated；　and

had　fled　from　the　field。　　They　knew　no　more；　and　Walter　pronouncing

it　to　be　all　a　cock…and…bull　story　of　some　rascally　prick…eared

pedlar；　declared　he　would　go　down　to　the　village　and　enquire　into　the

rights　of　it。



These　were　the　saddest　times　of　English　history；　when　the　wrong　cause

had　been　permitted　for　a　time　to　triumph；　and　the　true　and　rightful

side　was　persecuted；　and　among　those　who　endured　affliction　for　the

sake　of　their　Church　and　their　King；　none　suffered　more；　or　more

patiently；　than　Lady　Woodley；　or；　as　she　was　called　in　the　old

English　fashion；　Dame　Mary　Woodley；　of　Forest　Lea。



When　first　the　war　broke　out　she　was　living　happily　in　her　pleasant

home　with　her　husband　and　children；　but　when　King　Charles　raised　his

standard　at　Nottingham；　all　this　comfort　and　happiness　had　to　be

given　up。　　Sir　Walter　Woodley　joined　the　royal　army；　and　it　soon

became　unsafe　for　his　wife　and　children　to　remain　at　home；　so　that

they　were　forced　to　go　about　with　him；　and　suffer　all　the　hardships

of　the　sieges　and　battles。　　Lady　Woodley　was　never　strong；　and　her

health　was　very　much　hurt　by　all　she　went　through；　she　was　almost

always　unwell；　and　if　Rose；　though　then　quite　a　child；　had　not　shown

care　and　sense　beyond　her　years　for　the　little　ones；　it　would　be　hard

to　say　what　would　have　become　of　them。



Yet　all　she　endured　while　dragging　about　her　little　babies　through

the　country；　with　bad　or　insufficient　food；　uncomfortable　lodgings；

pain；　weariness　and　anxiety；　would　have　been　as　nothing　but　for　the

heavy　sorrows　that　came　upon　her　also。　　First　she　lost　her　only

brother；　Edmund　Mowbray；　and　in　the　battle　of　Naseby　her　husband　was

killed；　besides　which　there　were　the　sorrows　of　the　whole　nation　in

seeing　the　King　sold；　insulted；　misused；　and　finally　slain；　by　his

own　subjects。　　After　Sir　Walter's　death；　Lady　Woodley　went　home　with

her　five　younger　children　to　her　father's　house　at　Forest　Lea；　for

her　husband's　estate；　Edmund's　own　inheritance；　had　been　seized　and

sequestrated　by　the　rebels。　　She　was　the　heiress　of　Forest　Lea　since

the　loss　of　her　brother；　but　the　old　Mr。　Mowbray；　her　father；　had

given　almost　all　his　wealth　for　the　royal　cause；　and　had　been

oppressed　by　the　exactions　of　the　rebels；　so　that　he　had　nothing　to

leave　his　daughter　but　the　desolate　old　house　and　a　few　bare　acres　of

land。　　For　the　shelter；　however；　Lady　Woodley　was　very　thankful；　and

there　she　lived　with　her　children　and　a　faithful　servant；　Deborah；

whose　family　had　always　served　the　Mowbrays；　and　who　would　not　desert

their　daughter　now。



The　neighbours　in　the　village　loved；　and　were　sorry　for；　their　lady；

and　used　to　send　her　little　presents；　there　was　a　large　garden　in

which　Diggory　Stokes；　who　had　also　served　her　father；　raised

vegetables　for　her　use；　the　cow　wandered　in　the　deserted　park；　and　so

they　contrived　to　find　food；　while　all　the　work　of　the　house　was　done

by　Rose　and　Deborah。　　Rose　was　her　mother's　great　comfort；　nursing

her；　cheering　her；　taking　care　of　the　little　ones；　teaching　them；

working　for　them；　and　making　light　of　all　her　exertions。　　Everyone　in

the　village　loved　Rose　Woodley；　for　everyone　had　in　some　way　been

helped　or　cheered　by　her。　　Her　mother　was　only　sometimes　afraid　she

worked　too　hard；　and　would　try　her　strength　too　much；　but　she　was

always　bright　and　cheerful；　and　when　the　day's　work　was　done　no　one

was　more　gay　and　lively　and　ready　for　play　with　the　little　ones。



Rose　had　more　trial　than　anyone　knew　with　Deborah。　　Deborah　was　as

faithful　as　possible；　and　bore　a　great　deal　for　the　sake　of　her

mistress；　worked　hard　day　and　night；　had　little　to　eat　and　no　wages；

yet　lived　on　with　them　rather　than　forsake　her　dear　lady　and　the

children。　　One　thing；　however；　Deborah　would　not　do；　and　that　was　to

learn　to　rule　her　tongue　and　her　temper。　　She　did　not　know；　nor　do

many　excellent　servants；　how　much　trial　and　discomfort　she　gave　to

those　she　loved　so　earnestly；　by　her　constant　bursting　out　into　hasty

words　whenever　she　was　vexedher　grumbling　about　whatever　she

disliked；　and　her　ill…judged　scolding　of　the　children。　　Servants　in

those　days　were　allowed　to　speak　more　freely　to　their　masters　and

mistresses　than　at　present；　so　that　Deborah　had　more　opportunity　of

making　such　speeches；　and　it　was　Rose's　continual　work　to　try　to　keep

her　temper　from　being　fretted；　or　Lady　Woodley　from　being　teased　with

her　complaints。　　Rose　was　very　forbearing；　and　but　for　this　there

would　have　been　little　peace　in　the　house。



Walter　was　thirteen；　an　age　when　it　is　not　easy　to　keep　boys　in

order；　unless　they　will　do　so　for　themselves。　　Though　a　brave

generous　boy；　he　was　often　unruly　and　inconsiderate；　apt　not　to　obey；

and　to　do　what　he　knew　to　be　unkind　or　wrong；　just　for　the　sake　of

present　amusement。　　He　was　thus　his　mother's　great　anxiety；　for　she

knew　that　she　was　not　fit　either　to　teach　or　to　restrain　him；　and　she

feared　that　his　present　wild　disobedient　ways　might　hurt　his

character　for　ever；　and　lead　to　dispositions　which　would　in　time

swallow　up　all　the　good　about　him；　and　make　him　what　he　would　now

tremble　to　think　of。



She　used　to　talk　of　her　anxieties　to　Doctor　Bathurst；　the　good　old

clergyman　who　had　been　driven　away　from　his　parish；　but　used　to　come

in　secret　to　help；　teach；　and　use　his　ministry　for　the　faithful　ones

of　his　flock。　　He　would　tell　her　that　while　she　did　her　best　for　her

son；　she　must　trust　the　rest　to　his　FATHER　above；　and　she　might　do　so

hopefully；　since　it　had　been　in　His　own　cause　that　the　boy　had　been

made　fatherless。　　Then　he　would　speak　to　Walter；　showing　him　how

wrong　and　how　cruel　were　his　overbearing；　disobedient　ways。　　Walter

was　grieved；　and　resolved　to　improve　and　become　steadier；　that　he

might　be　a　comfort　and　blessing　to　his　mother；　but　in　his　love　of　fun

and　mischief　he　was　apt　to　forget　himself；　and　then　drove　away　what

might　have　been　in　time　repentance　and　improvement；　by　fancying　he

did　no　harm。　　Teasing　Deborah　served　her　right；　he　would　tell

himself；　she　was　so　ill…tempered　and　foolish；　Diggory　was　a　clod；　and

would　do　nothing　without　scolding；　it　was　a　good　joke　to　tease

Charlie；　Eleanor　was　a　vexatious　little　thing；　and　he　would　not　be

ordered　by　her；　so　he　went　his　own　way；　and　taught　the　merry

chattering　Lucy　to　be　very　nearly　as　bad　as　himself；　neglected　his

duties；　set　a　bad　example；　tormented　a　faithful　servant；　and

seriously　distressed　his　mother。　　Give　him　some　great　cause；　he

thought；　and　he　would　be　the　first　and　the　best；　bring　back　the　King；

protect　his　mother　and　sisters；　and　perform　glorious　deeds；　such　as

would　make　his　name　be　remembered　for　ever。　　Then　it　would　be　seen

what　he　was　worth；　in　the　meantime　he　lived　a　dull　life；　with　nothing

to　do；　and　he　must　have　some　fun。　　It　did　not　signify　if　he　was