the pigeon pie-第6部分

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You　need　not　be　afraid　of　these　gentlemen。　　Where　are　the　rest？〃



〃Slain；　every　man　of　them；　an't　please　your　ladyship。〃



〃And　your　master；　Mr。　Woodley？〃



〃Down；　too；　an't　please　your　ladyship。〃



Lucy　screamed　aloud；　Eleanor　ran　to　her　mother；　and　hid　her　face　in

her　lap；　Charles　sat　staring；　with　great　round　frightened　eyes。　　Very

distressing　it　was　to　be　obliged　to　leave　the　poor　children　in　such

grief　and　alarm；　when　it　was　plain　all　the　time　that　Diggory　was　an

arrant　coward；　who　had　fancied　more　deaths　and　dangers　than　were

real；　and　was　describing　more　than　he　had　even　thought　he　beheld；　in

order　to　make　himself　into　a　hero　instead　of　a　runaway。　　Moreover；

Lady　Woodley　and　Rose　had　to　put　on　a　show　of　grief；　lest　they　should

betray　that　they　were　better　informed；　and　they　were　in　agonies　lest

Walter's　fury　at　the　falsehoods　should　be　as　apparent　to　their　guests

as　it　was　to　themselves。



〃Are　you　sure　of　what　you　say；　Diggory？〃　said　Lady　Woodley。



〃Sure　as　that　I　stand　here；　my　lady。　　There　was　sword　and　shot　and

smoke　all　round。　　I　stood　it　all　till　Farmer　Ewins　was　cut　down　a…

one…side　of　me；　ma'am；　and　Master　Edmund；　more's　the　pity；　with　his

brains　scattered　here　and　there　on　the　banks　of　the　river。〃



There　was　another　cry　among　the　children；　and　Walter　made　such　a

violent　gesture；　that　Rose；　covering　her　face　with　her　handkerchief；

whispered　to　him；　〃Walter　dear；　take　care。〃　　Walter　relieved　his　mind

by　returning；　〃Oh　that　I　could　cudgel　the　rogue　soundly！〃



At　the　same　time　Colonel　Enderby　turned　to　their　mother；　saying；

〃Take　comfort；　madam；　this　fellow's　tale　carries　discredit　on　the

face　of　it。　　Let　me　examine　him；　with　your　permission。　　Where　did　you

last　see　your　master？〃



〃I　know　none　of　your　places；　sir；〃　answered　Diggory；　sullenly。



Colonel　Enderby　spoke　sternly　and　peremptorily。　　〃In　the　town；　or　in

the　fields？　　Answer　me　that；　sirrah。　　In　the　field　on　the　bank　of　the

river？〃



〃Ay。〃



〃There　you　left　your　ranks；　you　rogue；　that　was　the　way　you　lost

sight　of　your　master！〃　said　the　colonel。　　Then；　turning　to　Lady

Woodley；　as　Diggory　slunk　off；　〃Your　ladyship　need　not　be　alarmed。

An　hour　after　the　encounter；　in　which　he　pretends　to　have　seen　your

son　slain；　I　saw　him　in　full　health　and　soundness。〃



〃A　cowardly　villain！〃　cried　Walter；　delighted　to　let　out　some　of　his

indignation。　　〃I　knew　he　was　not　speaking　a　word　of　truth。〃



The　children　cheered　up　in　a　moment；　but　Lady　Woodley　was　not　sorry

to　make　this　agitating　scene　an　excuse　for　retiring　with　all　her

children。　　Lucy　and　Eleanor　were　quite　comforted；　and　convinced　that

Edmund　must　be　safe；　but　poor　little　Charlie　had　been　so　dreadfully

frightened　by　the　horrors　of　Diggory's　description；　that　after　Rose

had　put　him　to　bed　he　kept　on　starting　up　in　his　sleep；　half　waking；

and　sobbing　about　brother　Edmund's　brains。



Rose　was　obliged　to　go　to　him　and　soothe　him。　　She　longed　to　assure

the　poor　little　fellow　that　dear　Edmund　was　perfectly　safe；　well；　and

near　at　hand；　but　the　secret　was　too　important　to　be　trusted　to　one

so　young；　so　she　could　only　coax　and　comfort　him；　and　tell　him　they

all　thought　it　was　not　true；　and　Edmund　would　come　back　again。



〃Sister；〃　said　Charlie；　〃may　I　say　my　prayers　again　for　him？〃



〃Yes；　do；　dear　Charlie；〃　said　Rose；　〃and　say　a　prayer　for　King

Charles　too；　that　he　may　be　safe　from　the　wicked　man。〃



So　little　Charlie　knelt　by　Rose；　with　his　hands　joined；　and　his

little　bare　legs　folded　together；　and　said　his　prayer：　　and　did　not

his　sister's　heart　go　with　him？　　Then　she　kissed　him；　covered　him　up

warmly；　and　repeated　to　him　in　her　soft　voice　the　ninety…first　Psalm：

〃Whoso　dwelleth　under　the　defence　of　the　Most　High　shall　abide　under

the　shadow　of　the　Almighty。〃



By　the　time　it　was　ended；　the　little　boy　was　fast　asleep；　and　the

faithful　loyal　girl　felt　her　failing　heart　cheered　and　strengthened

for　whatever　might　be　before　her；　sure　that　she；　her　mother；　her

brother；　and　her　King；　were　under　the　shadow　of　the　Almighty　wings。







CHAPTER　IV。







In　a　very　strong　fit　of　restlessness　did　little　Mistress　Lucy　Woodley

go　to　bed　in　Rose's　room　that　night。　　She　was　quite　comforted　on

Edmund's　account；　for　she　had　discernment　enough　to　see　that　her

mother　and　sister　did　not　believe　Diggory's　dreadful　narration；　and

she　had　been　so　unsettled　and　excited　by　Mr。　Sylvester　Enderby's

notice；　and　by　the　way　in　which　she　had　allowed　her　high　spirits　to

get　the　better　of　her　discretion；　as　well　as　by　the　sudden　change

from　terror　to　joy；　that　when　first　she　went　to　Rose's　room　she　could

not　attend　to　her　prayers；　and　next　she　could　not　go　to　sleep。



Perhaps　the　being　in　a　different　apartment　from　usual；　and　the

missing　her　accustomed　sleeping　companion；　Eleanor；　had　something　to

do　with　it；　for　little　Eleanor　had　a　gravity　and　steadiness　about　her

that　was　very　apt　to　compose　and　quiet　her　in　her　idlest　moods。　　To…

night　she　lay　broad　awake；　tumbling　about　on　the　very　hard　mattress；

stuffed　with　chaff；　wondering　how　Rose　could　bear　to　sleep　on　it；

trying　to　guess　how　there　could　be　room　for　both　when　her　sister　came

to　bed；　and　nevertheless　in　a　great　fidget　for　her　to　come。　　She

listened　to　the　howling　and　moaning　of　the　wind；　the　creaking　of　the

doors；　and　the　rattling　of　the　boards　with　which　Rose　had　stopped　up

the　broken　panes　of　her　lattice；　she　rolled　from　side　to　side；

fancied　odd　shapes　in　the　dark；　and　grew　so　restless　and　anxious　for

Rose's　coming　that　she　was　just　ready　to　jump　out　of　bed　and　go　in

the　passage　to　call　her　when　Rose　came　into　the　room。



〃O　Rose；　what　a　time　you　have　been！〃



It　was　no　satisfaction　to　Rose　to　find　the　curious　little　chatter…box

so　wide　awake　at　this　very　inconvenient　time；　but　she　did　not　lose

her　patience；　and　answered　that　she　had　been　first　with　Charlie；　and

then　with　their　mother。



〃And　now　I　hope　you　are　coming　to　bed。　　I　can't　go　to　sleep　without

you。〃



〃Oh；　but　indeed　you　must；　Lucy　dear；　for　I　shall　not　be　ready　this

long　time。　　Look；　here　is　a　great　rent　in　Walter's　coat；　which　I　must

mend；　or　he　won't　be　fit　to　be　seen　to…morrow。〃



〃What　shall　we　have　for　dinner　to…morrow；　Rose？　　What　made　you　eat　so

much　supper　to…night？〃



〃I'll　tell　you　what；　Lucy；　I　am　not　going　to　talk　to　you；　or　you　will

lie　awake　all　night；　and　that　will　be　very　bad　for　you。　　I　shall　put

my　candle　out　of　your　sight；　and　say　some　Psalms；　but　I　cannot　talk。〃



So　Rose　began；　and；　wakeful　as　Lucy　was；　she　found　the　low　sweet

tones　lulled　her　a　little。　　But　she　did　not　like　this；　she　had　a

perverse　intention　of　staying　awake　till　Rose　got　into　bed；　so

instead　of　attending　to　the　holy　words；　she　pinched　herself；　and

pulled　herself；　and　kept　her　eyes　staring　open；　gazing　at　the

flickering　shadows　cast　by　the　dim　home…made　rush　candle。



She　went　to　sleep　for　a　moment；　then　started　into　wakefulness　again；

Rose　had　ceased　to　repeat　her　Psalms　aloud；　but　was　still　at　her

needlework；　another　doze；　another　waking。　　There　was　some　hope　of

Rose　now；　for　she　was　kneeling　down　to　say　her　prayers。　　Lucy　thought

they　lasted　very　long；　and　at　her　next　waking　she　was　just　in　time　to

hear　the　latch　of　the　door　closing；　and　find　herself　left　in

darkness。　　Rose　was　not　in　bed；　did　not　answer　when　she　called。　　Oh；

she　must　be　gone　to　take　Walter's　coat　back　to　his　room。　　But　surely

she　might　have　done　that　in　one　moment；　and　how　long　she　was　staying！

Lucy　could　bear　it　no　longer；　or　rather　she　did　not　try　to　bear　it；

for　she　was　an　impetuous；　self…willed　child；　without　much　control

over　herself。　　She　jumped　out　of　bed；　and　stole　to　the　door。　　A　light

was　just　disappearing　on　the　ceiling；　as　if　someone　was　carrying　a

candle　down　stairs；　what　could　it　mean？　　Lucy　scampered；　pit…pat；

with　her　bare　feet　along　the　passage；　and　came　to　the　top　of　the

stairs　in　time　to　peep　over　and　discover　Rose　silently　opening　the

door　of　the　hall；　a　large　dark　cloak　hung　over　her　arm；　and　her　head

and　neck　covered　by　her　black　silk　hood　and　a　thick　woollen　kerchief；

as　if　she　was　going　out。



Lucy's　curiosity　knew　no　bounds。　　She　would　not　call；　for　fear　she

should　be　sent　back　to　bed；　but　she　was　determined　to　see　what　her

sister　could　possibly　be　about。　　Down　the　cold　stone　steps　pattered

she；　and　luckily；　as　she　thought；　Rose；　probably　to　avoid　noise；　had

only　shut　to　the　door；　so　that　the　little　inquisitive　maiden　had　a

chink　to　peep　through；　and　beheld　Rose　at　a　certain　oaken　corner…

cupboard；　whence　she　took　out　a　napkin；　and　in　it　she　folded　what

Lucy　recognised　as　the　very　same　three…cornered　segment　of　pie…crust；

containing　the　pigeon　that　she　had　last　night　been　accused　of

devouring。　　She　placed　it　in　a　basket；　and　then　proceeded　to　take　a

lantern　from　the　cupboard；　put　in　her　rushlight；　and；　thus　prepared；

advanced　to　the　garden…door；　softly　opened　it；　and　disappeared。



Lucy；　in　an　extremity　of　amazement；　came　forward。　　The　wind　howled　in

moaning　gusts；　and　the　rain　dashed　against　the　windows；　Lucy　was

chilly　and　frightened。　　The　fire　was　not　out；　and　gave　a　dim　light；

and　she　crept　towards　the　window；　but　a　sudden　terror　came　over　her；

she　dashed　back；　looked　again；　heard　another　gust　of　wind；　fell　into

another　panic；　rushed　back　to　the　stairs；　and　never　stopped　till　she

had　tumbled　into　bed；　her　teeth　chattering；　shivering　from　head　to

foot　with　fright　and　cold；　rolled　herself　up　tight　in　the　bed…

clothes；　and；　after　suffering　excessively　from　terror　and　chill；　fell

sound　asleep　without　seeing　her　sister　return。



Causeless　fears　pursue　those　who　are　not　in　the　right　path；　and　turn

from　what　alone　can　give　them　confidence。　　A　sense　of　protection

supports　those　who　walk　in　innocence；　though　their　way　may　seem

surrounded　with　perils；　and　thus；　while　Lucy　trembled　in　an　agony　of

fright　in　her　warm　bed；　Rose　walk