mentalsuffering,butIoughttiveyou,foryoukwhatyoudid:whilerendingmyheart-strings,youthoughtyouwereonlyuprootingmybadpropensities.

    day,bynoon,Ianddressed,andsatedinashawlbythenurseryhearth.Ifeltphysicallyweakandbrokendown:butmyworseailmentwasanunutterablewretessofmind:awretesswhichkeptdrawingfrommesilenttears;nosoonerhadIwipedodropfrommycheekthananotherfollowed.Yet,Ithought,Ioughttohavebeenhappy,forheReedswerethere,theywereallgointhecarriagewiththeirmama.Abbot,too,wassewinginanotherroom,andBessie,asshemovedhitherandthither,puttingawaytoysandarrangingdrawers,addressedtomeeverynowandthenawordofunwontedkihisstateofthingsshouldhavebeentomeaparadiseofpeace,acedasIwastoalifeofceaselessreprimandandthanklessfagging;but,infact,myraerveswerenowinsuchastatethatnocalmcouldsoothe,andnopleasureexcitethemagreeably.

    Bessiehadbeendownintothekit,andshebroughtupwithheratartoainbrightlypaintedaplate,whosebirdofparadise,lingihofvolvuliandrosebuds,hadbeenwonttostirinmeamostenthusiastiseofadmiration;andwhichplateIhadofteioobeallowedtotakeinmyhandioexamimoreclosely,buthadalwayshithertobeendeemedunworthyofsuchaprivilege.Thispreciousvesselwasnowplayknee,andIwascordiallyioeatthecircletofdelicatepastryuponit.Vainfavour!ing,likemostotherfavourslongdeferredandoftenwishedfor,toolate!Icouldhetart;andtheplumageofthebird,thetintsoftheflowers,seemedstrangelyfaded:Iputbothplateandtartaway.BessieaskedifIwouldhaveabook:thewordBOOKactedasatraimulus,andIbeggedhertofetchGulliver’sTravelsfromthelibrary.Thi