udsoffthechoicestplantsintheservatory:hecalledhismother“oldgirl,”too;sometimesreviledherforherdarkskin,similartohisown;bluntlydisregardedherwishes;notunfrequentlytoreandspoiledhersilkattire;andhewasstill“herowndarling.”Idareditnofault:Istrovetofulfileveryduty;andIwastermednaughtyandtiresome,sullenandsneaking,frtonoon,andfromnoontonight.

    MyheadstillachedahtheblowandfallIhadreceived:noonehadreprovedJohnforwantonlystrikingme;andbecauseIhadturnedagainsthimtoavertfartherirrationalviolence,Iwasloadedwithgeneralopprobrium.

    “Unjust!—unjust!”saidmyreason,forcedbytheagonisingstimulusintoprecociousthoughtransitorypower:andResolve,equallywroughtup,instigatedsomestrangeexpedienttoachieveescapefrominsupportableoppression—asrunningaway,or,ifthatcouldnotbeeffected,ingordrinkingmore,aingmyselfdie.

    Whatasternationofsoulwasmidrearyafternoon!Howallmybrainwasintumult,andallmyheartininsurre!Yetinwhatdarkness,whatdenseignorance,wasthementalbattlefought!Icouldnotaheceaselessinwardquestion—whyIthussuffered;now,atthedistanceof—Iwillnotsayhowmanyyears,Iseeitclearly.

    IwasadiscatesheadHall:Iwaslikenobodythere;IhadnothinginharmonywithMrs.Reedorherchildren,orherchosenvassalage.Iftheydidnotloveme,infact,aslittledidIlovethem.Theywerenotboundtardwithaffeathingthatcouldnotsympathisewithoneamongstthem;aheterogehing,opposedtothemintemperament,incapacity,inpropensities;auselessthing,incapabletheiri,oraddingtotheirpleasure;anoxiousthing,cherishingthegermsofindignationattheirtreatment,of