natthedoor,andsaidatonce—

    “Sheisinthewindow-seat,tobesure,Jack.”

    AndImediately,forItrembledattheideaofbeingdraggedforthbythesaidJack.

    “Whatdoyouwant?”Iasked,withawkwarddiffidence.

    “Say,‘Whatdoyouwant,MasterReed?’”wastheanswer.“Iwantyoutoehere;”ainghimselfinanarm-chair,heintimatedbyagesturethatIwastoapproadstandbeforehim.

    JohnReedwasaschoolboyoffourteenyearsold;fouryearsolderthanI,forIwasbutten:largeandstoutforhisage,withadingyandunwholesomeskin;thieamentsinaspaciousvisage,heavylimbsandlargeextremities.Hegedhimselfhabituallyattable,whichmadehimbilious,andgavehimadimandblearedeyeandflabbycheeks.Heoughtnowtohavebeenatschool;buthismamahadtakenhimhomeforamonthortwo,“onatofhisdelicatehealth.”Mr.Miles,themaster,affirmedthathewoulddoverywellifhehadfewercakesameatssenthimfromhome;butthemother’sheartturnedfromanopinionsoharsh,andinedrathertothemorerefinedideathatJohn’ssallownesswasowingtoover-applicationand,perhaps,topiningafterhome.

    Johnhadnotmuchaffeforhismotherandsisters,andanantipathytome.Hebulliedandpunishedme;nottwoorthreetimesintheweek,norowitheday,buttinually:everynerveIhadfearedhim,andeverymorseloffleshinmybonesshrankwhenheear.ThereweremomentswhenIwasbewilderedbytheterrorheinspired,becauseIhadnoappealwhateveragaiherhismenacesorhisinflis;theservantsdidnotliketooffendtheiryoungmasterbytakingmypartagainsthim,andMrs.Reedwasblindanddeafonthesubject:sheneversawhimstrikeorheardhimabuseme,thoughhedidbothnowandtheninherverypresence,morefrequent