第3章

第3章“boh!madammope!”criedthevoiceofjohnreed;thenhepaused:hefoundtheroomapparentlyempty.

“wherethedickensisshe!”hecontinued.“lizzy!georgy!(callingtohissisters)joanisnothere:tellmamasheisrunoutintotherain—badanimal!”

“itiswellidrewthecurtain,”thoughti;andiwishedferventlyhemightnotdiscovermyhiding-place:norwouldjohnreedhavefounditouthimself;hewasnotquickeitherofvisionorconception;butelizajustputherheadinatthedoor,andsaidatonce—

“sheisinthewindow-seat,tobesure,jack.”

andicameoutimmediately,foritrembledattheideaofbeingedforthbythesaidjack.“whatdoyouwant?”iasked,withawkwarddiffidence.

“say,‘whatdoyouwant,masterreed?’”wastheanswer.“iwantyoutocomehere;”andseatinghimselfinanarm-chair,heintimatedbyagesturethatiwastoapproachandstandbeforehim.

johnreedwasaschoolboyoffourteenyearsold;fouryearsolderthani,foriwasbutten:largeandstoutforhisage,withadingyandunwholesomeskin;thicklineamentsinaspaciousvisage,heavylimbsandlargeextremities.hegorgedhimselfhabituallyattable,whichmadehimbilious,andgavehimadimandblearedeyeandflabbycheeks.heoughtnowtohavebeenatschool;buthismamahadtakenhimhomeforamonthortwo,“onaccountofhisdelicatehealth.”mr.miles,themaster,affirmedthathewoulddoverywellifhehadfewercakesandsweetmeatssenthimfromhome;butthemother’sheartturnedfromanopinionsoharsh,andinclinedrathertothemorerefinedideathatjohn’ssallownesswasowingtoover-applicationand,perhaps,topiningafterhome.

johnhadnotmuchaffectionforhismotherandsisters,andanantipathytome.hebulliedandpunishedme;nottwoorthreetimesintheweek,noronceortwiceintheday,butcontinually:everynerveihadfearedhim,andeverymorseloffleshinmybonesshrankwhenhecamenear.thereweremomentswheniwasbewilderedbytheterrorheinspired,becauseihadnoappealwhateveragainsteitherhismenacesorhisinflictions;theservantsdidnotliketooffendtheiryoungmasterbytakingmypartagainsthim,andmrs.reedwasblindanddeafonthesubject:sheneversawhimstrikeorheardhimabuseme,thoughhedidbothnowandtheninherverypresence,morefrequently,however,behindherback.

habituallyobedienttojohn,icameuptohischair:hespentsomethreeminutesinthrustingouthistongueatmeasfarashecouldwithoutdamagingtheroots:iknewhewouldsoonstrike,andwhiledreadingtheblow,imusedonthedisgustinganduglyappearanceofhimwhowouldpresentlydealit.iwonderifhereadthatnotioninmyface;for,allatonce,withoutspeaking,hestrucksuddenlyandstrongly.itottered,andonregainingmyequilibriumretiredbackasteportwofromhischair.

“thatisforyourimpudenceinansweringmamaawhilesince,”saidhe,“andforyoursneakingwayofgettingbehindcurtains,andforthelookyouhadinyoureyestwominutessince,yourat!”

accustomedtojohnreed’sabuse,ineverhadanideaofreplyingtoit;mycarewashowtoenduretheblowwhichwouldcertainlyfollowtheinsult.

“whatwereyoudoingbehindthecurtain?”heasked.

“iwasreading.”

“showthebook.”

ireturnedtothewindowandfetcheditthence.

“youhavenobusinesstotakeourbooks;youareadependent,mamasays;youhavenomoney;yourfatherleftyounone;yououghttobeg,andnottoliveherewithgentlemen’schildrenlikeus,andeatthesamemealswedo,andwearclothesatourmama’sexpense.now,i’llteachyoutorummagemybookshelves:fortheyaremine;allthehousebelongstome,orwilldoinafewyears.goandstandbythedoor,outofthewayofthemirrorandthewindows.”

ididso,notatfirstawarewhatwashisintention;butwhenisawhimliftandpoisethebookandstandinacttohurlit,iinstinctivelystartedasidewithacryofalarm:notsoonenough,however;thevolumewasflung,ithitme,andifell,strikingmyheadagainstthedoorandcuttingit.thecutbled,thepainwassharp:myterrorhadpasseditsclimax;otherfeelingseeded.

“wickedandcruelboy!”isaid.“youarelikeamurderer—youarelikeaslave-driver—youareliketheromanemperors!”

ihadreadgoldsmith’shistoryofrome,andhadformedmyopinionofnero,caligula,&c.alsoihaddrawnparallelsinsilence,whichineverthoughtthustohavedeclaredaloud.

“what!what!”hecried.“didshesaythattome?didyouhearher,elizaandgeorgiana?won’titellmama?butfirst—”

heranheadlongatme:ifelthimgraspmyhairandmyshoulder:hehadclosedwithadesperatething.ireallysawinhimatyrant,amurderer.ifeltadroportwoofbloodfrommyheadtrickledownmyneck,andwassensibleofsomewhatpungentsuffering:thesesensationsforthetimepredominatedoverfear,andireceivedhiminfranticsort.idon’tverywellknowwhatididwithmyhands,buthecalledme“rat!rat!”andbellowedoutaloud.aidwasnearhim:elizaandgeorgianahadrunformrs.reed,whowasgoneupstairs:shenowcameuponthescene,followedbybessieandhermaidabbot.wewereparted:iheardthewords—

“dear!dear!whatafurytoflyatmasterjohn!”

“dideveranybodyseesuchapictureofpassion!”

thenmrs.reedsubjoined—

“takeherawaytothered-room,andlockherinthere.”fourhandswereimmediatelylaiduponme,andiwasborneupstairs.