ty of taking a day. e since dinner (Mrs. Reed, clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating, t furt-door exercise of tion.
I : I never liked long o me y to Eliza, John, and Georgiana Reed.
tered round t ime neitly ted to be under ty of keeping me at a distance; but t until sion, t I to acquire a more sociable and cion, a more attractive and spriger, franker, more natural, as it ended only for contented, tle children.”
“ does Bessie say I have done?” I asked.
“Jane, I don’t like cavillers or questioners; besides, truly forbidding in a caking up manner. Be seated somely, remain silent.”
A breakfast-room adjoined t contained a bookcase: I soon possessed myself of a volume, taking care t it sored ures. I mounted into t: gat, I sat cross-legged, like a turk; and, ain nearly close, I .
Folds of scarlet drapery s in my vieo t o t ecting, but not separating me from t intervals, udied t of t er afternoon. Afar, it offered a pale blank of mist and cloud; near a scene of laorm-beat sable blast.
I returned to my book—Beisterpress ttle for, generally speaking; and yet tain introductory pages t, c pass quite as a blank. treat of ts of sea-foary rocks and promontories” by ted; of t of Norudded s soutremity, to th Cape—
“ whirls,
Boils round the naked, melancholy isles
Of fart tlantic surge
Pours in among tormy hebrides.”
Nor could I pass unnoticed tion of tzbergen, Nova Zembla, Iceland, Greenland, sic Zone, and t reservoir of frost and snouries of ers, glazed in Alpine s above s, surround tre tiplied rigours of extreme cold.” Of te realms I formed an idea of my o float dim t strangely impressive. troductory pages connected ttes, and gave significance to tanding up alone in a sea of billoo t stranded on a desolate coast; to tly moon glancing t a sinking.
I cannot tell iment ed te solitary cs inscribed one; its gate, its trees, its lo, attesting tide.
to be marine poms.
t of terror.
So ed aloof on a rock, surveying a distant crowd surrounding a gallows.
Eacure told a story; mysterious often to my undeveloped understanding and imperfect feelings, yet ever profoundly interesting: as interesting as tales Bessie sometimes narrated on er evenings, o to sit about it, and tention ure taken from old fairy tales and ot a later period I discovered) from the pages of Pamela, and henry, Earl of Moreland.
it least in my interruption, and t came too soon. t-room door opened.
“Boly empty.
“inued. “Lizzy! Georgy! (calling to ers) Joan is not ell mama s into the rain—bad animal!”
“It is ain,” t I; and I discover my out quick eition; but Eliza just put t once—
“S, to be sure, Jack.”
And I came out immediately, for I trembled at the said Jack.
“ do you ?” I asked, h awkward diffidence.
“Say, ‘ do you , Master Reed?’” you to come ing imated by a gesture t I o approacand before him.
Joeen years old; four years older t ten: large and stout for s in a spacious visage, remities. ually at table, o sc aken of e er, affirmed t meats sent t turned from an opinion so o t Joo over-application and, pero pining after home.
Jo mucion for ers, and an antipato me. times in t continually: every nerve I s eitions; ts did not like to offend ter by taking my part against : srike or ly, however, behind her back.
ually obedient to Joo some tes in ting out ongue at me as far as damaging ts: I kne. I ion in my face; for, all at once, speaking, ruck suddenly and strongly. I tottered, and on regaining my equilibrium retired back a step or two from his chair.
“t is for your impudence in ansing beains, and for tes since, you rat!”
Accustomed to Joo it; my care ainly follo.
“ were you doing beain?” he asked.
“I was reading.”
“She book.”
I returned to tc thence.
“You o take our books; you are a dependent, mama says; you you none; you ougo beg, and not to live lemen’s c t our mama’s expense. Noeaco rummage my bookso me, or and by t of the windows.”
I did so, not at first aion; but and in act to , I instinctively started aside soon enoug me, and I fell, striking my tting it. t bled, terror s climax; other feelings succeeded.
“icked and cruel boy!” I said. “You are like a murderer—you are like a slave-driver—you are like the Roman emperors!”
I ory of Rome, and to have declared aloud.
“! o me? Did you I tell mama? but first—”
me: I felt e tyrant, a murderer. I felt a drop or t suffering: tions for time predominated over fear, and I received ic sort. I don’t very ! Rat!” and bello aloud. Aid ed: I he words—
“Dear! dear! a fury to fly at Master John!”
“Did ever anybody see sucure of passion!”
then Mrs. Reed subjoined—
“take o tely laid upon me, and I airs.