oftenmyopinionaboutthechild,andMissisagreedwithme.She’sanunderhandlittlething:Ineversawagirlewithsomuchcover.”

    Bessieanswerednot;buterelong,addressingme,shesaid—“Yououghttobeaware,Miss,thatyouareunderobligationstoMrs.Reed:shekeepsyou:ifsheweretoturnyouoff,youwouldhavetogotothepoorhouse.”

    Ihadnothingtosaytothesewords:theywereome:myveryfirstrecollesofexistencludedhintsofthesamekind.Thisreproaydependencehadbeeavaguesing-songinmyear:verypainfulandcrushing,butonlyhalfintelligible.MissAbbotjoinedin—

    “AndyououghtnottothinkyourselfonanequalitywiththeMissesReedandMasterReed,becauseMissiskindlyallowsyouthtupwiththem.Theywillhaveagreatdealofmoney,andyouwillhaveisyourplacetobehumble,andtotrytomakeyourselfagreeabletothem.”

    “Whatwetellyouisforyood,”addedBessie,innoharshvoice,“youshouldtrytobeusefulandpleasant,then,perhaps,youwouldhaveahomehere;butifyoubeepassionateandrude,Missiswillsendyouaway,Iamsure.”

    “Besides,”saidMissAbbot,“Godwillpunishher:Hemightstrikeherdeadinthemidstofhertantrums,andthenwherewouldshego?e,Bessie,wewillleaveher:Iwouldn’thaveherheartforanything.Sayyourprayers,MissEyre,whenyouarebyyourself;forifyoudo,somethingbadmightbepermittedtoedowntheeyachyouaway.”

    Theywent,shuttingthedoor,andlogitbehindthem.

    Thered-roomwasasquarechamber,veryseldomsleptin,Imightsaynever,indeed,unlesswhenafluxofvisitatesheadHallrenecessarytoturntoatalltheaodationittained:yetitwasohelargestandstateliestchambersinthemansion.Abedsupportedonmassivepillars