CHAPTER	O
I	O
There	O
was	O
no	O
possibility	O
of	O
taking	O
a	O
walk	O
that	O
day	O
.	O

We	O
had	O
been	O
wandering	EVENT
,	O
indeed	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
leafless	O
shrubbery	O
an	O
hour	O
in	O
the	O
morning	O
;	O
but	O
since	O
dinner	EVENT
(	O
Mrs.	O
Reed	O
,	O
when	O
there	O
was	O
no	O
company	O
,	O
dined	O
early	O
)	O
the	O
cold	O
winter	O
wind	EVENT
had	O
brought	EVENT
with	O
it	O
clouds	EVENT
so	O
sombre	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
rain	EVENT
so	O
penetrating	O
,	O
that	O
further	O
out-door	O
exercise	O
was	O
now	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
question	O
.	O

I	O
was	O
glad	O
of	O
it	O
:	O
I	O
never	O
liked	O
long	O
walks	O
,	O
especially	O
on	O
chilly	O
afternoons	O
:	O
dreadful	O
to	O
me	O
was	O
the	O
coming	O
home	O
in	O
the	O
raw	O
twilight	O
,	O
with	O
nipped	O
fingers	O
and	O
toes	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
heart	O
saddened	O
by	O
the	O
chidings	O
of	O
Bessie	O
,	O
the	O
nurse	O
,	O
and	O
humbled	O
by	O
the	O
consciousness	O
of	O
my	O
physical	O
inferiority	O
to	O
Eliza	O
,	O
John	O
,	O
and	O
Georgiana	O
Reed	O
.	O

The	O
said	O
Eliza	O
,	O
John	O
,	O
and	O
Georgiana	O
were	O
now	O
clustered	O
round	O
their	O
mama	O
in	O
the	O
drawing-room	O
:	O
she	O
lay	O
reclined	O
on	O
a	O
sofa	O
by	O
the	O
fireside	O
,	O
and	O
with	O
her	O
darlings	O
about	O
her	O
(	O
for	O
the	O
time	O
neither	O
quarrelling	O
nor	O
crying	O
)	O
looked	O
perfectly	O
happy	O
.	O

Me	O
,	O
she	O
had	O
dispensed	EVENT
from	O
joining	O
the	O
group	O
;	O
saying	EVENT
,	O
"	O
She	O
regretted	O
to	O
be	O
under	O
the	O
necessity	O
of	O
keeping	O
me	O
at	O
a	O
distance	O
;	O
but	O
that	O
until	O
she	O
heard	O
from	O
Bessie	O
,	O
and	O
could	O
discover	O
by	O
her	O
own	O
observation	O
,	O
that	O
I	O
was	O
endeavouring	O
in	O
good	O
earnest	O
to	O
acquire	O
a	O
more	O
sociable	O
and	O
childlike	O
disposition	O
,	O
a	O
more	O
attractive	O
and	O
sprightly	O
manner	O
--	O
something	O
lighter	O
,	O
franker	O
,	O
more	O
natural	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
were	O
--	O
she	O
really	O
must	O
exclude	O
me	O
from	O
privileges	O
intended	O
only	O
for	O
contented	O
,	O
happy	O
,	O
little	O
children	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
What	O
does	O
Bessie	O
say	EVENT
I	O
have	O
done	O
?	O
"	O

I	O
asked	EVENT
.	O

"	O
Jane	O
,	O
I	O
do	O
n't	O
like	O
cavillers	O
or	O
questioners	O
;	O
besides	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
something	O
truly	O
forbidding	O
in	O
a	O
child	O
taking	O
up	O
her	O
elders	O
in	O
that	O
manner	O
.	O

Be	O
seated	O
somewhere	O
;	O
and	O
until	O
you	O
can	O
speak	O
pleasantly	O
,	O
remain	O
silent	O
.	O
"	O

A	O
breakfast-room	O
adjoined	O
the	O
drawing-room	O
,	O
I	O
slipped	EVENT
in	O
there	O
.	O

It	O
contained	O
a	O
bookcase	O
:	O
I	O
soon	O
possessed	EVENT
myself	O
of	O
a	O
volume	O
,	O
taking	O
care	EVENT
that	O
it	O
should	O
be	O
one	O
stored	O
with	O
pictures	O
.	O

I	O
mounted	EVENT
into	O
the	O
window	O
-	O
seat	O
:	O
gathering	EVENT
up	O
my	O
feet	O
,	O
I	O
sat	EVENT
cross-legged	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
Turk	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
having	O
drawn	EVENT
the	O
red	O
moreen	O
curtain	O
nearly	O
close	O
,	O
I	O
was	O
shrined	O
in	O
double	O
retirement	O
.	O

Folds	O
of	O
scarlet	O
drapery	O
shut	O
in	O
my	O
view	O
to	O
the	O
right	O
hand	O
;	O
to	O
the	O
left	O
were	O
the	O
clear	O
panes	O
of	O
glass	O
,	O
protecting	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
separating	O
me	O
from	O
the	O
drear	O
November	O
day	O
.	O

At	O
intervals	O
,	O
while	O
turning	EVENT
over	O
the	O
leaves	O
of	O
my	O
book	O
,	O
I	O
studied	EVENT
the	O
aspect	O
of	O
that	O
winter	O
afternoon	O
.	O

Afar	O
,	O
it	O
offered	O
a	O
pale	O
blank	O
of	O
mist	EVENT
and	O
cloud	EVENT
;	O
near	O
a	O
scene	O
of	O
wet	O
lawn	O
and	O
storm-beat	O
shrub	O
,	O
with	O
ceaseless	O
rain	EVENT
sweeping	EVENT
away	O
wildly	O
before	O
a	O
long	O
and	O
lamentable	O
blast	EVENT
.	O

I	O
returned	EVENT
to	O
my	O
book	O
--	O
Bewick	O
's	O
History	O
of	O
British	O
Birds	O
:	O
the	O
letterpress	O
thereof	O
I	O
cared	O
little	O
for	O
,	O
generally	O
speaking	O
;	O
and	O
yet	O
there	O
were	O
certain	O
introductory	O
pages	O
that	O
,	O
child	O
as	O
I	O
was	O
,	O
I	O
could	O
not	O
pass	O
quite	O
as	O
a	O
blank	O
.	O

They	O
were	O
those	O
which	O
treat	O
of	O
the	O
haunts	O
of	O
sea-fowl	O
;	O
of	O
"	O
the	O
solitary	O
rocks	O
and	O
promontories	O
"	O
by	O
them	O
only	O
inhabited	O
;	O
of	O
the	O
coast	O
of	O
Norway	O
,	O
studded	O
with	O
isles	O
from	O
its	O
southern	O
extremity	O
,	O
the	O
Lindeness	O
,	O
or	O
Naze	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
North	O
Cape	O
--	O
"	O
Where	O
the	O
Northern	O
Ocean	O
,	O
in	O
vast	O
whirls	O
,	O
Boils	O
round	O
the	O
naked	O
,	O
melancholy	O
isles	O
Of	O
farthest	O
Thule	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
Atlantic	O
surge	O
Pours	O
in	O
among	O
the	O
stormy	O
Hebrides	O
.	O
"	O

Nor	O
could	O
I	O
pass	O
unnoticed	O
the	O
suggestion	O
of	O
the	O
bleak	O
shores	O
of	O
Lapland	O
,	O
Siberia	O
,	O
Spitzbergen	O
,	O
Nova	O
Zembla	O
,	O
Iceland	O
,	O
Greenland	O
,	O
with	O
"	O
the	O
vast	O
sweep	O
of	O
the	O
Arctic	O
Zone	O
,	O
and	O
those	O
forlorn	O
regions	O
of	O
dreary	O
space	O
,	O
--	O
that	O
reservoir	O
of	O
frost	O
and	O
snow	O
,	O
where	O
firm	O
fields	O
of	O
ice	O
,	O
the	O
accumulation	O
of	O
centuries	O
of	O
winters	O
,	O
glazed	O
in	O
Alpine	O
heights	O
above	O
heights	O
,	O
surround	O
the	O
pole	O
,	O
and	O
concentre	O
the	O
multiplied	O
rigours	O
of	O
extreme	O
cold	O
.	O
"	O

Of	O
these	O
death-white	O
realms	O
I	O
formed	EVENT
an	O
idea	O
of	O
my	O
own	O
:	O
shadowy	O
,	O
like	O
all	O
the	O
half-comprehended	O
notions	O
that	O
float	O
dim	O
through	O
children	O
's	O
brains	O
,	O
but	O
strangely	O
impressive	O
.	O

The	O
words	O
in	O
these	O
introductory	O
pages	O
connected	O
themselves	O
with	O
the	O
succeeding	O
vignettes	O
,	O
and	O
gave	O
significance	O
to	O
the	O
rock	O
standing	O
up	O
alone	O
in	O
a	O
sea	O
of	O
billow	O
and	O
spray	O
;	O
to	O
the	O
broken	O
boat	O
stranded	O
on	O
a	O
desolate	O
coast	O
;	O
to	O
the	O
cold	O
and	O
ghastly	O
moon	O
glancing	EVENT
through	O
bars	O
of	O
cloud	O
at	O
a	O
wreck	O
just	O
sinking	EVENT
.	O

I	O
can	O
not	O
tell	O
what	O
sentiment	O
haunted	O
the	O
quite	O
solitary	O
churchyard	O
,	O
with	O
its	O
inscribed	O
headstone	O
;	O
its	O
gate	O
,	O
its	O
two	O
trees	O
,	O
its	O
low	O
horizon	O
,	O
girdled	O
by	O
a	O
broken	O
wall	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
newly-risen	EVENT
crescent	O
,	O
attesting	O
the	O
hour	O
of	O
eventide	O
.	O

The	O
two	O
ships	O
becalmed	O
on	O
a	O
torpid	O
sea	O
,	O
I	O
believed	O
to	O
be	O
marine	O
phantoms	O
.	O

The	O
fiend	O
pinning	EVENT
down	O
the	O
thief	O
's	O
pack	O
behind	O
him	O
,	O
I	O
passed	EVENT
over	O
quickly	O
:	O
it	O
was	O
an	O
object	O
of	O
terror	O
.	O

So	O
was	O
the	O
black	O
horned	O
thing	O
seated	O
aloof	O
on	O
a	O
rock	O
,	O
surveying	EVENT
a	O
distant	O
crowd	O
surrounding	O
a	O
gallows	O
.	O

Each	O
picture	O
told	O
a	O
story	O
;	O
mysterious	O
often	O
to	O
my	O
undeveloped	O
understanding	O
and	O
imperfect	O
feelings	O
,	O
yet	O
ever	O
profoundly	O
interesting	O
:	O
as	O
interesting	O
as	O
the	O
tales	O
Bessie	O
sometimes	O
narrated	O
on	O
winter	O
evenings	O
,	O
when	O
she	O
chanced	O
to	O
be	O
in	O
good	O
humour	O
;	O
and	O
when	O
,	O
having	O
brought	O
her	O
ironing-table	O
to	O
the	O
nursery	O
hearth	O
,	O
she	O
allowed	O
us	O
to	O
sit	O
about	O
it	O
,	O
and	O
while	O
she	O
got	O
up	O
Mrs.	O
Reed	O
's	O
lace	O
frills	O
,	O
and	O
crimped	O
her	O
nightcap	O
borders	O
,	O
fed	O
our	O
eager	O
attention	O
with	O
passages	O
of	O
love	O
and	O
adventure	O
taken	O
from	O
old	O
fairy	O
tales	O
and	O
other	O
ballads	O
;	O
or	O
(	O
as	O
at	O
a	O
later	O
period	O
I	O
discovered	O
)	O
from	O
the	O
pages	O
of	O
Pamela	O
,	O
and	O
Henry	O
,	O
Earl	O
of	O
Moreland	O
.	O

With	O
Bewick	O
on	O
my	O
knee	O
,	O
I	O
was	O
then	O
happy	O
:	O
happy	O
at	O
least	O
in	O
my	O
way	O
.	O

I	O
feared	O
nothing	O
but	O
interruption	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
came	EVENT
too	O
soon	O
.	O

The	O
breakfast	O
-	O
room	O
door	O
opened	EVENT
.	O

"	O
Boh	O
!	O

Madam	O
Mope	O
!	O
"	O

cried	EVENT
the	O
voice	O
of	O
John	O
Reed	O
;	O
then	O
he	O
paused	EVENT
:	O
he	O
found	EVENT
the	O
room	O
apparently	O
empty	O
.	O

"	O
Where	O
the	O
dickens	O
is	O
she	O
!	O
"	O

he	O
continued	EVENT
.	O

"	O
Lizzy	O
!	O

Georgy	O
!	O

(	O
calling	EVENT
to	O
his	O
sisters	O
)	O
Joan	O
is	O
not	O
here	O
:	O
tell	O
mama	O
she	O
is	O
run	O
out	O
into	O
the	O
rain	O
--	O
bad	O
animal	O
!	O
"	O

"	O
It	O
is	O
well	O
I	O
drew	EVENT
the	O
curtain	O
,	O
"	O
thought	EVENT
I	O
;	O
and	O
I	O
wished	EVENT
fervently	O
he	O
might	O
not	O
discover	O
my	O
hiding-place	O
:	O
nor	O
would	O
John	O
Reed	O
have	O
found	O
it	O
out	O
himself	O
;	O
he	O
was	O
not	O
quick	O
either	O
of	O
vision	O
or	O
conception	O
;	O
but	O
Eliza	O
just	O
put	EVENT
her	O
head	O
in	O
at	O
the	O
door	O
,	O
and	O
said	EVENT
at	O
once	O
--	O
"	O
She	O
is	O
in	O
the	O
window-seat	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
sure	O
,	O
Jack	O
.	O
"	O

And	O
I	O
came	EVENT
out	O
immediately	O
,	O
for	O
I	O
trembled	EVENT
at	O
the	O
idea	EVENT
of	O
being	O
dragged	O
forth	O
by	O
the	O
said	O
Jack	O
.	O

"	O
What	O
do	O
you	O
want	O
?	O
"	O

I	O
asked	EVENT
,	O
with	O
awkward	O
diffidence	O
.	O

"	O
Say	O
,	O
'	O
What	O
do	O
you	O
want	O
,	O
Master	O
Reed	O
?	O
'	O
"	O

was	O
the	O
answer	EVENT
.	O

"	O
I	O
want	O
you	O
to	O
come	O
here	O
;	O
"	O
and	O
seating	EVENT
himself	O
in	O
an	O
arm-chair	O
,	O
he	O
intimated	EVENT
by	O
a	O
gesture	EVENT
that	O
I	O
was	O
to	O
approach	O
and	O
stand	O
before	O
him	O
.	O

John	O
Reed	O
was	O
a	O
schoolboy	O
of	O
fourteen	O
years	O
old	O
;	O
four	O
years	O
older	O
than	O
I	O
,	O
for	O
I	O
was	O
but	O
ten	O
:	O
large	O
and	O
stout	O
for	O
his	O
age	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
dingy	O
and	O
unwholesome	O
skin	O
;	O
thick	O
lineaments	O
in	O
a	O
spacious	O
visage	O
,	O
heavy	O
limbs	O
and	O
large	O
extremities	O
.	O

He	O
gorged	O
himself	O
habitually	O
at	O
table	O
,	O
which	O
made	O
him	O
bilious	O
,	O
and	O
gave	O
him	O
a	O
dim	O
and	O
bleared	O
eye	O
and	O
flabby	O
cheeks	O
.	O

He	O
ought	O
now	O
to	O
have	O
been	O
at	O
school	O
;	O
but	O
his	O
mama	O
had	O
taken	EVENT
him	O
home	O
for	O
a	O
month	O
or	O
two	O
,	O
"	O
on	O
account	O
of	O
his	O
delicate	O
health	O
.	O
"	O

Mr.	O
Miles	O
,	O
the	O
master	O
,	O
affirmed	O
that	O
he	O
would	O
do	O
very	O
well	O
if	O
he	O
had	O
fewer	O
cakes	O
and	O
sweetmeats	O
sent	O
him	O
from	O
home	O
;	O
but	O
the	O
mother	O
's	O
heart	O
turned	O
from	O
an	O
opinion	O
so	O
harsh	O
,	O
and	O
inclined	O
rather	O
to	O
the	O
more	O
refined	O
idea	O
that	O
John	O
's	O
sallowness	O
was	O
owing	O
to	O
over-application	O
and	O
,	O
perhaps	O
,	O
to	O
pining	O
after	O
home	O
.	O

John	O
had	O
not	O
much	O
affection	O
for	O
his	O
mother	O
and	O
sisters	O
,	O
and	O
an	O
antipathy	O
to	O
me	O
.	O

He	O
bullied	O
and	O
punished	O
me	O
;	O
not	O
two	O
or	O
three	O
times	O
in	O
the	O
week	O
,	O
nor	O
once	O
or	O
twice	O
in	O
the	O
day	O
,	O
but	O
continually	O
:	O
every	O
nerve	O
I	O
had	O
feared	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
every	O
morsel	O
of	O
flesh	O
in	O
my	O
bones	O
shrank	O
when	O
he	O
came	O
near	O
.	O

There	O
were	O
moments	O
when	O
I	O
was	O
bewildered	O
by	O
the	O
terror	O
he	O
inspired	O
,	O
because	O
I	O
had	O
no	O
appeal	O
whatever	O
against	O
either	O
his	O
menaces	O
or	O
his	O
inflictions	O
;	O
the	O
servants	O
did	O
not	O
like	O
to	O
offend	O
their	O
young	O
master	O
by	O
taking	O
my	O
part	O
against	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
Mrs.	O
Reed	O
was	O
blind	O
and	O
deaf	O
on	O
the	O
subject	O
:	O
she	O
never	O
saw	O
him	O
strike	O
or	O
heard	O
him	O
abuse	O
me	O
,	O
though	O
he	O
did	O
both	O
now	O
and	O
then	O
in	O
her	O
very	O
presence	O
,	O
more	O
frequently	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
behind	O
her	O
back	O
.	O

Habitually	O
obedient	O
to	O
John	O
,	O
I	O
came	EVENT
up	O
to	O
his	O
chair	O
:	O
he	O
spent	O
some	O
three	O
minutes	O
in	O
thrusting	EVENT
out	O
his	O
tongue	O
at	O
me	O
as	O
far	O
as	O
he	O
could	O
without	O
damaging	O
the	O
roots	O
:	O
I	O
knew	O
he	O
would	O
soon	O
strike	O
,	O
and	O
while	O
dreading	O
the	O
blow	O
,	O
I	O
mused	EVENT
on	O
the	O
disgusting	O
and	O
ugly	O
appearance	O
of	O
him	O
who	O
would	O
presently	O
deal	O
it	O
.	O

I	O
wonder	O
if	O
he	O
read	O
that	O
notion	O
in	O
my	O
face	O
;	O
for	O
,	O
all	O
at	O
once	O
,	O
without	O
speaking	O
,	O
he	O
struck	EVENT
suddenly	O
and	O
strongly	O
.	O

I	O
tottered	EVENT
,	O
and	O
on	O
regaining	EVENT
my	O
equilibrium	O
retired	EVENT
back	O
a	O
step	O
or	O
two	O
from	O
his	O
chair	O
.	O

"	O
That	O
is	O
for	O
your	O
impudence	EVENT
in	O
answering	EVENT
mama	O
awhile	O
since	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
he	O
,	O
"	O
and	O
for	O
your	O
sneaking	O
way	O
of	O
getting	O
behind	O
curtains	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
the	O
look	EVENT
you	O
had	O
in	O
your	O
eyes	O
two	O
minutes	O
since	O
,	O
you	O
rat	O
!	O
"	O

Accustomed	O
to	O
John	O
Reed	O
's	O
abuse	O
,	O
I	O
never	O
had	O
an	O
idea	O
of	O
replying	O
to	O
it	O
;	O
my	O
care	O
was	O
how	O
to	O
endure	O
the	O
blow	O
which	O
would	O
certainly	O
follow	O
the	O
insult	O
.	O

"	O
What	O
were	O
you	O
doing	O
behind	O
the	O
curtain	O
?	O
"	O

he	O
asked	EVENT
.	O

"	O
I	O
was	O
reading	EVENT
.	O
"	O

"	O
Show	O
the	O
book	O
.	O
"	O

I	O
returned	EVENT
to	O
the	O
window	O
and	O
fetched	EVENT
it	O
thence	O
.	O

"	O
You	O
have	O
no	O
business	O
to	O
take	O
our	O
books	O
;	O
you	O
are	O
a	O
dependent	O
,	O
mama	O
says	O
;	O
you	O
have	O
no	O
money	O
;	O
your	O
father	O
left	O
you	O
none	O
;	O
you	O
ought	O
to	O
beg	O
,	O
and	O
not	O
to	O
live	O
here	O
with	O
gentlemen	O
's	O
children	O
like	O
us	O
,	O
and	O
eat	O
the	O
same	O
meals	O
we	O
do	O
,	O
and	O
wear	O
clothes	O
at	O
our	O
mama	O
's	O
expense	O
.	O

Now	O
,	O
I	O
'll	O
teach	O
you	O
to	O
rummage	O
my	O
bookshelves	O
:	O
for	O
they	O
_	O
are	O
_	O
mine	O
;	O
all	O
the	O
house	O
belongs	O
to	O
me	O
,	O
or	O
will	O
do	O
in	O
a	O
few	O
years	O
.	O

Go	O
and	O
stand	O
by	O
the	O
door	O
,	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
way	O
of	O
the	O
mirror	O
and	O
the	O
windows	O
.	O
"	O

I	O
did	EVENT
so	O
,	O
not	O
at	O
first	O
aware	O
what	O
was	O
his	O
intention	O
;	O
but	O
when	O
I	O
saw	EVENT
him	O
lift	EVENT
and	O
poise	EVENT
the	O
book	O
and	O
stand	EVENT
in	O
act	O
to	O
hurl	O
it	O
,	O
I	O
instinctively	O
started	EVENT
aside	O
with	O
a	O
cry	EVENT
of	O
alarm	O
:	O
not	O
soon	O
enough	O
,	O
however	O
;	O
the	O
volume	O
was	O
flung	EVENT
,	O
it	O
hit	EVENT
me	O
,	O
and	O
I	O
fell	EVENT
,	O
striking	EVENT
my	O
head	O
against	O
the	O
door	O
and	O
cutting	EVENT
it	O
.	O

The	O
cut	O
bled	EVENT
,	O
the	O
pain	EVENT
was	O
sharp	EVENT
:	O
my	O
terror	EVENT
had	O
passed	EVENT
its	O
climax	EVENT
;	O
other	O
feelings	EVENT
succeeded	O
.	O