第5部分(第3/7 页)

sted　of　beautiful　paintings　of　landscapes　and　flowers　by　them　executed；　of　songs　they　could　sing　and　pieces　they　could　play；　of　purses　they　could　；　of　French　books　they　could　translate；　till　my　spirit　was　moved　to　emulation　as　I　listened。　Besides；　school　would　be　a　plete　change：　it　implied　a　long　journey；　an　entire　separation　from　Gateshead；　an　entrance　into　a　new　life。

“I　should　indeed　like　to　go　to　school；”　was　the　audible　conclusion　of　my　musings。

“Well；　well！　who　knows　what　may　happen？”　said　Mr。　Lloyd；　as　he　got　up。　“The　child　ought　to　have　change　of　air　and　scene；”　he　added；　speaking　to　himself；　“nerves　not　in　a　good　state。”

Bessie　now　returned；　at　the　same　moment　the　carriage　was　heard　rolling　up　the　gravel…walk。

“Is　that　your　mistress；　nurse？”　asked　Mr。　Lloyd。　“I　should　like　to　speak　to　her　before　I　go。”

Bessie　invited　him　to　walk　into　the　breakfast…room；　and　led　the　way　out。　In　the　interview　which　followed　between　him　and　Mrs。　Reed；　I　presume；　from　after…occurrences；　that　the　apothecary　ventured　to　remend　my　being　sent　to　school；　and　the　remendation　was　no　doubt　readily　enough　adopted；　for　as　Abbot　said；　in　discussing　the　subject　with　Bessie　when　both　sat　sewing　in　the　nursery　one　night；　after　I　was　in　bed；　and；　as　they　thought；　asleep；　“Missis　was；　she　dared　say；　glad　enough　to　get　rid　of　such　a　tiresome；　ill…　conditioned　child；　who　always　looked　as　if　she　were　watching　everybody；　and　scheming　plots　underhand。”　Abbot；　I　think；　gave　me　credit　for　being　a　sort　of　infantine　Guy　Fawkes。

On　that　same　occasion　I　learned；　for　the　first　time；　from　Miss　Abbot’s　munications　to　Bessie；　that　my　father　had　been　a　poor　clergyman；　that　my　mother　had　married　him　against　the　wishes　of　her　friends；　who　considered　the　match　beneath　her；　t