第12章

第12章longdidthehoursseemwhileiwaitedthedepartureofthecompany,andlistenedforthesoundofbessie’ssteponthestairs:sometimesshewouldcomeupintheintervaltoseekherthimbleorherscissors,orperhapstobringmesomethingbywayofsupper—abunoracheese-cake—thenshewouldsitonthebedwhileiateit,andwhenihadfinished,shewouldtucktheclothesroundme,andtwiceshekissedme,andsaid,“goodnight,missjane.”whenthusgentle,bessieseemedtomethebest,prettiest,kindestbeingintheworld;andiwishedmostintenselythatshewouldalwaysbesopleasantandamiable,andneverpushmeabout,orscold,ortaskmeunreasonably,asshewastoooftenwonttodo.bessieleemust,ithink,havebeenagirlofgoodnaturalcapacity,forshewassmartinallshedid,andhadaremarkableknackofnarrative;so,atleast,ijudgefromtheimpressionmadeonmebyhernurserytales.shewasprettytoo,ifmyrecollectionsofherfaceandpersonarecorrect.irememberherasaslimyoungwoman,withblackhair,darkeyes,verynicefeatures,andgood,clearcomplexion;butshehadacapriciousandhastytemper,andindifferentideasofprincipleorjustice:still,suchasshewas,ipreferredhertoanyoneelseatgatesheadhall.

itwasthefifteenthofjanuary,aboutnineo’clockinthemorning:bessiewasgonedowntobreakfast;mycousinshadnotyetbeensummonedtotheirmama;elizawasputtingonherbonnetandwarmgarden-coattogoandfeedherpoultry,anoccupationofwhichshewasfond:andnotlesssoofsellingtheeggstothehousekeeperandhoardingupthemoneyshethusobtained.shehadaturnfortraffic,andamarkedpropensityforsaving;shownnotonlyinthevendingofeggsandchickens,butalsoindrivinghardbargainswiththegardeneraboutflower-roots,seeds,andslipsofplants;thatfunctionaryhavingordersfrommrs.reedtobuyofhisyoungladyalltheproductsofherparterreshewishedtosell:andelizawouldhavesoldthehairoffherheadifshecouldhavemadeahandsomeprofitthereby.astohermoney,shefirstsecreteditinoddcorners,wrappedinaragoranoldcurl-paper;butsomeofthesehoardshavingbeendiscoveredbythehousemaid,eliza,fearfulofonedaylosinghervaluedtreasure,consentedtointrustittohermother,atausuriousrateofinterest—fiftyorsixtypercent.;whichinterestsheexactedeveryquarter,keepingheraccountsinalittlebookwithanxiousaccuracy.

georgianasatonahighstool,dressingherhairattheglass,andinterweavinghercurlswithartificialflowersandfadedfeathers,ofwhichshehadfoundastoreinadrawerintheattic.iwasmakingmybed,havingreceivedstrictordersfrombessietogetitarrangedbeforeshereturned(forbessienowfrequentlyemployedmeasasortofunder-nurserymaid,totidytheroom,dustthechairs,&c.).havingspreadthequiltandfoldedmynight-dress,iwenttothewindow-seattoputinordersomepicture-booksanddoll’shousefurniturescatteredthere;anabruptcommandfromgeorgianatoletherplaythingsalone(forthetinychairsandmirrors,thefairyplatesandcups,wereherproperty)stoppedmyproceedings;andthen,forlackofotheroccupation,ifelltobreathingonthefrost-flowerswithwhichthewindowwasfretted,andthusclearingaspaceintheglassthroughwhichimightlookoutonthegrounds,whereallwasstillandpetrifiedundertheinfluenceofahardfrost.

fromthiswindowwerevisibletheporter’slodgeandthecarriage-road,andjustasihaddissolvedsomuchofthesilver-whitefoliageveilingthepanesasleftroomtolookout,isawthegatesthrownopenandacarriagerollthrough.iwatcheditascendingthedrivewithindifference;carriagesoftencametogateshead,butnoneeverbroughtvisitorsinwhomiwasinterested;itstoppedinfrontofthehouse,thedoor-bellrangloudly,thenew-comerwasadmitted.allthisbeingnothingtome,myvacantattentionsoonfoundlivelierattractioninthespectacleofalittlehungryrobin,whichcameandchirrupedonthetwigsoftheleaflesscherry-treenailedagainstthewallnearthecasement.theremainsofmybreakfastofbreadandmilkstoodonthetable,andhavingcrumbledamorselofroll,iwasingatthesashtoputoutthecrumbsonthewindow-sill,whenbessiecamerunningupstairsintothenursery.

“missjane,takeoffyourpinafore;whatareyoudoingthere?haveyouwashedyourhandsandfacethismorning?”igaveanothertugbeforeianswered,foriwantedthebirdtobesecureofitsbread:thesashyielded;iscatteredthecrumbs,someonthestonesill,someonthecherry-treebough,then,closingthewindow,ireplied—

“no,bessie;ihaveonlyjustfinisheddusting.”

“troublesome,carelesschild!andwhatareyoudoingnow?youlookquitered,asifyouhadbeenaboutsomemischief:whatwereyouopeningthewindowfor?”

iwassparedthetroubleofanswering,forbessieseemedintoogreatahurrytolistentoexplanations;shehauledmetothewashstand,inflictedamerciless,buthappilybriefscrubonmyfaceandhandswithsoap,water,andacoarsetowel;disciplinedmyheadwithabristlybrush,denudedmeofmypinafore,andthenhurryingmetothetopofthestairs,bidmegodowndirectly,asiwaswantedinthebreakfast-room.

iwouldhaveaskedwhowantedme:iwouldhavedemandedifmrs.reedwasthere;butbessiewasalreadygone,andhadclosedthenursery-dooruponme.islowlydescended.fornearlythreemonths,ihadneverbeencalledtomrs.reed’spresence;restrictedsolongtothenursery,thebreakfast,dining,anddrawing-roomswerebecomeformeawfulregions,onwhichitdismayedmetointrude.