the pigeon pie-第8部分

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shelter　and　daily　bread。〃



〃There　is　a　Judge　above！〃　exclaimed　Edmund；　〃yet　sometimes　it　is　hard

to　believe；　when　we　see　such　a　state　of　things　here　below！〃



〃Dr。　Bathurst　tells　us　to　think　it　will　all　be　right　in　the　other

world；　even　if　we　do　have　to　see　the　evil　prosper　here；〃　said　Rose；

gravely。　　〃The　sufferings　will　all　turn　to　glory；　just　as　they　did

with　our　blessed　King；　out　of　sight。〃



Edmund　sat　thoughtful。　　〃If　our　people　abroad　would　but　hope　and

trust　and　bear　as　you　do　here；　Rose。　　But　I　had　best　not　talk　of

these　things；　only　your　patience　makes　me　feel　how　deficient　in　it　we

are；　who　have　not　a　tithe　to　bear　of　what　you　have　at　home。　　Are　you

moving　to　go？　　Must　you？〃



〃I　fear　so；　dear　brother；　the　light　seems　to　be　beginning　to　dawn；

and　if　Lucy　wakes　and　misses　meIs　your　shoulder　comfortable？〃



〃I　was　never　more　comfortable　in　my　life。　　My　loving　duty　to　my　dear

mother。　　Farewell；　you；　sweet　Rose。〃



〃Farewell；　dear　Edmund。　　Perhaps　Walter　may　manage　to　visit　you；　but

do　not　reckon　on　it。〃







CHAPTER　V。







The　vigils　of　the　night　had　been　as　unwonted　for　Lucy　as　for　her

sister；　and　she　slept　soundly　till　Rose　was　already　up　and　dressed。

Her　first　reflection　was　on　the　strange　sights　she　had　seen；　followed

by　a　doubt　whether　they　were　real；　or　only　a　dream；　but　she　was

certain　it　was　no　such　thing；　she　recollected　too　well　the　chill　of

the　stone　to　her　feet；　and　the　sound　of　the　blasts　of　wind。　　She

wondered　over　it；　wished　to　make　out　the　cause；　but　decided　that　she

should　only　be　scolded　for　peeping；　and　she　had　better　keep　her　own

counsel。



That　Lucy　should　keep　silence　when　she　thought　she　knew　more　than

other　people　was；　however；　by　no　means　to　be　expected；　and　though　she

would　say　not　a　word　to　her　mother　or　Rose；　of　whom　she　was　afraid；

she　was　quite　ready　to　make　the　most　of　her　knowledge　with　Eleanor。



When　she　came　down　stairs　she　found　Walter；　with　his　elbows　on　the

table　and　his　book　before　him；　learning　the　task　which　his　mother

required　of　him　every　day；　Eleanor　had　just　come　in　with　her　lapfull

of　the　still　lingering　flowers；　and　called　her　to　help　to　make　them

up　into　nosegays。



Lucy　came　and　sat　down　by　her　on　the　floor；　but　paid　little　attention

to　the　flowers；　so　intent　was　she　on　showing　her　knowledge。



〃Ah！　you　don't　know　what　I　have　seen。〃



〃I　dare　say　it　is　only　some　nonsense；〃　said　Eleanor；　gravely；　for　she

was　rather　apt　to　plume　herself　on　being　steadier　than　her　elder

sister。



〃It　is　no　nonsense；〃　said　Lucy。　　〃I　know　what　I　know。〃



Before　Eleanor　had　time　to　answer　this　speech；　the　mystery　of　which

was　enhanced　by　a　knowing　little　nod　of　the　head；　young　Mr。　Enderby

made　his　appearance　in　the　hall；　with　a　civil　good…morning　to　Walter；

which　the　boy　hardly　deigned　to　acknowledge　by　a　gruff　reply　and

little　nod；　and　then　going　on　to　the　little　girls；　renewed　with　them

yesterday's　war　of　words。　　〃Weaving　posies；　little　ladies？〃



〃Not　for　rebels；〃　replied　Lucy；　pertly。



〃May　I　not　have　one　poor　daisy？〃



〃Not　one；　the　daisy　is　a　royal　flower。〃



〃If　I　take　one？〃



〃Rebels　take　what　they　can't　get　fairly；〃　said　Lucy；　with　the

smartness　of　a　forward　child；　and　Sylvester；　laughing　heartily；

continued；　〃What　would　General　Cromwell　say　to　such　a　nest　of　little

malignants？〃



〃That　is　an　ugly　name；〃　said　Eleanor。



〃Quite　as　pretty　as　Roundhead。〃



〃Yes；　but　we　don't　deserve　it。〃



〃Not　when　you　make　that　pretty　face　so　sour？〃



〃Ah！〃　interposed　Lucy；　〃she　is　sour　because　I　won't　tell　her　my

secret　of　the　pie。〃



〃Oh；　what？〃　said　Eleanor。



〃Now　I　have　you！〃　cried　Lucy；　delighted。　　〃I　know　what　became　of　the

pigeon　pie。〃



In　extreme　alarm　and　anger；　Walter　turned　round　as　he　caught　these

words。　　〃Lucy；　naughty　child！〃　he　began；　in　a　voice　of　thunder；　then；

recollecting　the　danger　of　exciting　further　suspicion；　he　stammered；

〃whatwhatwhatare　you　doing　here？　　Go　along　to　mother。〃



Lucy　rubbed　her　fingers　into　her　eyes；　and　answered　sharply；　in　a

pettish　tone；　that　she　was　doing　no　harm。　　Eleanor；　in　amazement；

asked　what　could　be　the　matter。



〃Intolerable！〃　exclaimed　Walter。　　〃So　many　girls　always　in　the　way？〃



Sylvester　Enderby　could　not　help　smiling；　as　he　asked；　〃Is　that　all

you　have　to　complain　of？〃



〃I　could　complain　of　something　much　worse；〃　muttered　Walter。　　〃Get

away；　Lucy？〃



〃I　won't　at　your　bidding；　sir。〃



To　Walter's　great　relief；　Rose　entered　at　that　moment；　and　all　was

smooth　and　quiet；　Lucy　became　silent；　and　the　conversation　was　kept

up　in　safe　terms　between　Rose　and　the　young　officer。　　The　colonel；　it

appeared；　was　so　much　better　that　he　intended　to　leave　Forest　Lea

that　very　day；　and　it　was　not　long　before　he　came　down；　and　presently

afterwards　Lady　Woodley；　looking　very　pale　and　exhausted；　for　her

anxieties　had　kept　her　awake　all　night。



After　a　breakfast　on　bread；　cheese；　rashers　of　bacon；　and　beer；　the

horses　were　brought　to　the　door；　and　the　colonel　took　his　leave　of

Lady　Woodley；　thanking　her　much　for　her　hospitality。



〃I　wish　it　had　been　better　worth　accepting；〃　said　she。



〃I　wish　it　had；　though　not　for　my　own　sake；〃　said　the　colonel。　　〃I

wish　you　would　allow　me　to　attempt　something　in　your　favour。　　One

thing；　perhaps；　you　will　deign　to　accept。　　Every　royalist　house；

especially　those　belonging　to　persons　engaged　at　Worcester；　is　liable

to　be　searched；　and　to　have　soldiers　quartered　on　them；　to　prevent

fugitives　from　being　harboured　there。　　I　will　send　Sylvester　at　once

to　obtain　a　protection　for　you；　which　may　prevent　you　from　being　thus

disturbed。〃



〃That　will　be　a　kindness；　indeed；〃　said　Lady　Woodley；　hardly　able　to

restrain　the　eagerness　with　which　she　heard　the　offer　made；　that　gave

the　best　hope　of　saving　her　son。　　She　was　not　certain　that　the

colonel　had　not　some　suspicion　of　the　true　state　of　the　case；　and

would　not　take　notice；　unwilling　to　ruin　the　son　of　his　friend；　and

at　the　same　time　reluctant　to　fail　in　his　duty　to　his　employers。



He　soon　departed；　Mistress　Lucy's　farewell　to　Sylvester　being　thus：

〃Good…bye；　Mr。　Roundhead；　rebel；　crop…eared　traitor。〃　　At　which

Sylvester　and　his　father　turned　and　laughed；　and　their　two　soldiers

looked　very　much　astonished。



Lady　Woodley　called　Lucy　at　once；　and　spoke　to　her　seriously　on　her

forwardness　and　impertinence。　　〃I　could　tell　you；　Lucy；　that　it　is

not　like　a　young　lady；　but　I　must　tell　you　more；　it　is　not　like　a

young　Christian　maiden。　　Do　you　remember　the　text　that　I　gave　you　to

learn　a　little　while　agothe　ornament　fit　for　a　woman？〃



Lucy　hung　her　head；　and　with　tears　filling　her　eyes；　as　her　mother

prompted　her　continually；　repeated　the　text　in　a　low　mumbling　voice；

half　crying：　　〃Whose　adorning；　let　it　not　be　the　putting　on　of　gold；

or　the　plaiting　of　hair；　or　the　putting　on　of　apparel；　but　let　it　be

the　hidden　man　of　the　heart；　even　the　ornament　of　a　meek　and　quiet

spirit；　which　is　in　the　sight　of　GOD　of　great　price。〃



〃And　does　my　little　Lucy　think　she　showed　that　ornament　when　she

pushed　herself　forward　to　talk　idle　nonsense；　and　make　herself　be

looked　at　and　taken　notice　of？〃



Lucy　put　her　finger　in　her　mouth；　she　did　not　like　to　be　scolded；　as

she　called　it；　gentle　as　her　mother　was；　and　she　would　not　open　her

mind　to　take　in　the　kind　reproof。



Lady　Woodley　took　the　old　black…covered　Bible；　and　finding　two　of　the

verses　in　S。　James　about　the　government　of　the　tongue；　desired　Lucy

to　learn　them　by　heart　before　she　went　out　of　the　house；　and　the

little　girl　sat　down　with　them　in　the　window…seat；　in　a　cross

impatient　mood；　very　unfit　for　learning　those　sacred　words。　　〃She　had

done　no　harm；〃　she　thought；　〃she　could　not　help　it　if　the　young

gentleman　would　talk　to　her！〃



So　there　she　sat；　with　the　Bible　in　her　lap；　alone；　for　Lady　Woodley

was　so　harassed　and　unwell；　in　consequence　of　her　anxieties；　that

Rose　had　persuaded　her　to　go　and　lie　down　on　her　bed；　since　it　would

be　better　for　her　not　to　try　to　see　Edmund　till　the　promised

protection　had　arrived；　lest　suspicion　should　be　excited。　　Rose　was

busy　about　her　household　affairs；　Eleanor；　a　handy　little　person；　was

helping　her；　and　Walter　and　Charles　were　gone　out　to　gather　apples

for　a　pudding　which　she　had　promised　them。



Lucy　much　wished　to　be　with　them；　and　after　a　long　brooding　over　her

ill…temper；　it　began　to　wear　out；　not　to　be　conquered；　but　to　depart

of　itself；　she　thought　she　might　as　well　learn　her　lesson　and　have

done　with　it；　so　by　way　of　getting　rid　of　the　task；　not　of　profiting

by　the　warning　it　conveyed；　she　hurried　through　the　two　verses　ending

with〃Behold　how　great　a　matter　a　little　fire　kindleth！〃



As　soon　as　she　could　say　them　perfectly；　she　raced　upstairs；　and　into

her　mother's　room；　gave　her　the　book；　and　repeated　them　at　her

fastest　pace。　　Poor　Lady　Woodley　was　too　weary　and　languid　to　exert

herself　to　speak　to　the　little　girl　about　her　unsuitable　manner；　or

to　try　to　bring　the　lesson　home　to　her；　she　dismissed　her；　only

saying；　〃I　hope；　my　dear；　you　will　remember　this；〃　and　away　ran　Lucy；

first　to　the　orchard　in　search　of　her　brothers；　and　not　finding　them

there；　round　and　round　the　garden　and　pleasance。　　Edmund；　in　his

hiding…place；　heard　the　voice　calling　〃Walter！　　Charlie！〃　and　peeping

out；　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　little　figure；　her　long　frock　tucked　over

her　arm；　and　long　locks　of　dark　hair　blowing　out　from　under　her

small；　round；　white　cap。　　What　a　pleasure　it　was　to　him　to　have　that

one　view　of　his　little　sister！



At　last；　tired　with　her　search；　Lucy　returned　to　the　house；　and　there

found　Deborah　ironing　at　the　long　table　in　the　hall；　and　crooning

away　her　one　dismal　song　of　〃Barbara　Allen's　cruelty。〃



〃So　you　can　sing　again；　Deb；〃　she　began；　〃now　the　Roundheads　are　gone

and　Diggory　come　back？〃



〃Little　girls　should　n