第6部分(第2/7 页)

　from　the　impression　made　on　me　by　her　nursery　tales。　She　was　pretty　too；　if　my　recollections　of　her　face　and　person　are　correct。　I　remember　her　as　a　slim　young　woman；　with　black　hair；　dark　eyes；　very　nice　features；　and　good；　clear　plexion；　but　she　had　a　capricious　and　hasty　temper；　and　indifferent　ideas　of　principle　or　justice：　still；　such　as　she　was；　I　preferred　her　to　any　one　else　at　Gateshead　Hall。

It　was　the　fifteenth　of　January；　about　nine　o’clock　in　the　morning：　Bessie　was　gone　down　to　breakfast；　my　cousins　had　not　yet　been　summoned　to　their　mama；　Eliza　was　putting　on　her　bon　and　warm　garden…coat　to　go　and　feed　her　poultry；　an　occupation　of　which　she　was　fond：　and　not　less　so　of　selling　the　eggs　to　the　housekeeper　and　hoarding　up　the　money　she　thus　obtained。　She　had　a　turn　for　traffic；　and　a　marked　propensity　for　saving；　shown　not　only　in　the　vending　of　eggs　and　chickens；　but　also　in　driving　hard　bargains　with　the　gardener　about　flower…roots；　seeds；　and　slips　of　plants；　that　functionary　having　orders　from　Mrs。　Reed　to　buy　of　his　young　lady　all　the　products　of　her　parterre　she　wished　to　sell：　and　Eliza　would　have　sold　the　hair　off　her　head　if　she　could　have　made　a　handsome　profit　thereby。　As　to　her　money；　she　first　secreted　it　in　odd　corners；　wrapped　in　a　rag　or　an　old　curl…paper；　but　some　of　these　hoards　having　been　discovered　by　the　housemaid；　Eliza；　fearful　of　one　day　losing　her　valued　treasure；　consented　to　intrust　it　to　her　mother；　at　a　usurious　rate　of　interest—fifty　or　sixty　per　cent。；　which　interest　she　exacted　every　quarter；　keeping　her　accounts　in　a　little　book　with　anxious　accuracy。

Georgiana　sat　on　a　high　stool；　dressing　her　hair　at　the　glass；　and　interweaving　her　curls　with　artificial　flowers　and　faded　feathers；　of　which　she　had　found　a