第70部分(第1/7 页)

he　mistress　was　different。　She　was　a　great　reader；　and　studied　a　deal；　and　the　“bairns”　had　taken　after　her。　There　was　nothing　like　them　in　these　parts；　nor　ever　had　been；　they　had　liked　learning；　all　three；　almost　from　the　time　they　could　speak；　and　they　had　always　been　“of　a　mak’　of　their　own。”　Mr。　St。　John；　when　he　grew　up；　would　go　to　college　and　be　a　parson；　and　the　girls；　as　soon　as　they　left　school；　would　seek　places　as　governesses：　for　they　had　told　her　their　father　had　some　years　ago　lost　a　great　deal　of　money　by　a　man　he　had　trusted　turning　bankrupt；　and　as　he　was　now　not　rich　enough　to　give　them　fortunes；　they　must　provide　for　themselves。　They　had　lived　very　little　at　home　for　a　long　while；　and　were　only　e　now　to　stay　a　few　weeks　on　account　of　their　father’s　death；　but　they　did　so　like　Marsh　End　and　Morton；　and　all　these　moors　and　hills　about。　They　had　been　in　London；　and　many　other　grand　towns；　but　they　always　said　there　was　no　place　like　home；　and　then　they　were　so　agreeable　with　each　other—never　fell　out　nor　“threaped。”　She　did　not　know　where　there　was　such　a　family　for　being　united。

Having　finished　my　task　of　gooseberry　picking；　I　asked　where　the　two　ladies　and　their　brother　were　now。

“Gone　over　to　Morton　for　a　walk；　but　they　would　be　back　in　half…an…　hour　to　tea。”

They　returned　within　the　time　Hannah　had　allotted　them：　they　entered　by　the　kitchen　door。　Mr。　St。　John；　when　he　saw　me；　merely　bowed　and　passed　through；　the　two　ladies　stopped：　Mary；　in　a　few　words；　kindly　and　calmly　expressed　the　pleasure　she　felt　in　seeing　me　well　enough　to　be　able　to　e　down；　Diana　took　my　hand：　she　shook　her　head　at　me。

“You　should　have　waited　for　my　leave　to　descend；”　she　said。　“You　still　look　very　pale—and　so　thin！　Poor　child！—poor　girl！”