第10章

第10章againireflected:iscarcelyknewwhatschoolwas:bessiesometimesspokeofitasaplacewhereyoungladiessatinthestocks,worebackboards,andwereexpectedtobeexceedinglygenteelandprecise:johnreedhatedhisschool,andabusedhismaster;butjohnreed’stasteswerenoruleformine,andifbessie’saccountsofschool-discipline(gatheredfromtheyoungladiesofafamilywhereshehadlivedbeforecomingtogateshead)weresomewhatappalling,herdetailsofcertainaccomplishmentsattainedbythesesameyoungladieswere,ithought,equallyattractive.sheboastedofbeautifulpaintingsoflandscapesandflowersbythemexecuted;ofsongstheycouldsingandpiecestheycouldplay,ofpursestheycouldnet,offrenchbookstheycouldtranslate;tillmyspiritwasmovedtoemulationasilistened.besides,schoolwouldbeacompletechange:itimpliedalongjourney,anentireseparationfromgateshead,anentranceintoanewlife.

“ishouldindeedliketogotoschool,”wastheaudibleconclusionofmymusings.

“well,well!whoknowswhatmayhappen?”saidmr.lloyd,ashegotup.“thechildoughttohavechangeofairandscene,”headded,speakingtohimself;“nervesnotinagoodstate.”

bessienowreturned;atthesamemomentthecarriagewasheardrollingupthegravel-walk.

“isthatyourmistress,nurse?”askedmr.lloyd.“ishouldliketospeaktoherbeforeigo.”

bessieinvitedhimtowalkintothebreakfast-room,andledthewayout.intheinterviewwhichfollowedbetweenhimandmrs.reed,ipresume,fromafter-occurrences,thattheapothecaryventuredtorecommendmybeingsenttoschool;andtherecommendationwasnodoubtreadilyenoughadopted;forasabbotsaid,indiscussingthesubjectwithbessiewhenbothsatsewinginthenurseryonenight,afteriwasinbed,and,astheythought,asleep,“missiswas,shedaredsay,gladenoughtogetridofsuchatiresome,ill-conditionedchild,whoalwayslookedasifshewerewatchingeverybody,andschemingplotsunderhand.”abbot,ithink,gavemecreditforbeingasortofinfantineguyfawkes.

onthatsameoccasionilearned,forthefirsttime,frommissabbot’scommunicationstobessie,thatmyfatherhadbeenapoorclergyman;thatmymotherhadmarriedhimagainstthewishesofherfriends,whoconsideredthematchbeneathher;thatmygrandfatherreedwassoirritatedatherdisobedience,hecutheroffwithoutashilling;thataftermymotherandfatherhadbeenmarriedayear,thelattercaughtthetyphusfeverwhilevisitingamongthepoorofalargemanufacturingtownwherehiscuracywassituated,andwherethatdiseasewasthenprevalent:thatmymothertooktheinfectionfromhim,andbothdiedwithinamonthofeachother.

bessie,whensheheardthisnarrative,sighedandsaid,“poormissjaneistobepitied,too,abbot.”

“yes,”respondedabbot;“ifshewereanice,prettychild,onemightcompassionateherforlornness;butonereallycannotcareforsuchalittletoadasthat.”

“notagreatdeal,tobesure,”agreedbessie:“atanyrate,abeautylikemissgeorgianawouldbemoremovinginthesamecondition.”

“yes,idoatonmissgeorgiana!”criedtheferventabbot.“littledarling!—withherlongcurlsandherblueeyes,andsuchasweetcolourasshehas;justasifshewerepainted!—bessie,icouldfancyawelshrabbitforsupper.”

“socouldi—witharoastonion.come,we’llgodown.”theywent.