第6部分(第4/7 页)

ou　doing　there？　Have　you　washed　your　hands　and　face　this　morning？”　I　gave　another　tug　before　I　answered；　for　I　wanted　the　bird　to　be　secure　of　its　bread：　the　sash　yielded；　I　scattered　the　crumbs；　some　on　the　stone　sill；　some　on　the　cherry…tree　bough；　then；　closing　the　window；　I　replied—

“No；　Bessie；　I　have　only　just　finished　dusting。”

“Troublesome；　careless　child！　and　what　are　you　doing　now？　You　look　quite　red；　as　if　you　had　been　about　some　mischief：　what　were　you　opening　the　window　for？”

I　was　spared　the　trouble　of　answering；　for　Bessie　seemed　in　too　great　a　hurry　to　listen　to　explanations；　she　hauled　me　to　the　washstand；　inflicted　a　merciless；　but　happily　brief　scrub　on　my　face　and　hands　with　soap；　water；　and　a　coarse　towel；　disciplined　my　head　with　a　bristly　brush；　denuded　me　of　my　pinafore；　and　then　hurrying　me　to　the　top　of　the　stairs；　bid　me　go　down　directly；　as　I　was　wanted　in　the　breakfast…room。

I　would　have　asked　who　wanted　me：　I　would　have　demanded　if　Mrs。　Reed　was　there；　but　Bessie　was　already　gone；　and　had　closed　the　nursery…door　upon　me。　I　slowly　descended。　For　nearly　three　months；　I　had　never　been　called　to　Mrs。　Reed’s　presence；　restricted　so　long　to　the　nursery；　the　breakfast；　dining；　and　drawing…rooms　were　bee　for　me　awful　regions；　on　which　it　dismayed　me　to　intrude。

I　now　stood　in　the　empty　hall；　before　me　was　the　breakfast…room　door；　and　I　stopped；　intimidated　and　trembling。　What　a　miserable　little　poltroon　had　fear；　engendered　of　unjust　punishment；　made　of　me　in　those　days！　I　feared　to　return　to　the　nursery；　and　feared　to　go　forward　to　the　parlour；　ten　minutes　I　stood　in　agitated　hesitation；　the　vehement　ringing　of　the　breakfast…room　bell　decided　me；　I　must　enter。

“Who　could　want　me？”　I　asked　inwardly；　as　with