needexercisefortheirfaculties,andafieldfortheirefforts,asmuchastheirbrothersdo;theysufferfromtidarestraint,tooabsoluteastagnation,preciselyasmenwouldsuffer;anditisnarrow-miheirmoreprivilegedfellow-creaturestosaythattheyoughttofihemselvestomakingpuddingsandknittingstogs,toplayingonthepianoandembrbags.Itisthoughtlesstonthem,hatthem,iftheyseektodomoreorlearhanhaspronounecessaryfortheirsex.

    Whenthusalone,InotunfrequentlyheardGracePoole’slaugh:thesamepeal,thesamelow,slowha!ha!which,whenfirstheard,hadthrilledme:Iheard,too,heretricmurmurs;strahanherlaugh.Thereweredayswhenshewasquitesilent;buttherewereotherswhenIcouldnotatforthesoundsshemade.SometimesIsawher:shewouldeoutofherroomwithabasin,oraplate,oratrayinherhand,godowntothekitandshortlyreturn,generally(oh,romanticreader,fivemefortellingtheplaintruth!)bearingapotofporter.Herappearancealwaysactedasadampertothecuriosityraisedbyheroraloddities:hard-featuredandstaid,shehadnopointtowhiterestcouldattach.Imadesomeattemptstodrawherintoversation,butsheseemedapersonoffewwords:amonosyllabicreplyusuallycutshorteveryeffortofthatsort.

    Theothermembersofthehousehold,viz.,Johnandhiswife,Leahthehousemaid,andSophietheFrenurse,weredetpeople;butinnorespectremarkable;withSophieIusedtotalkFrendsometimesIaskedherquestionsabouthernativetry;butshewasnotofadescriptiveornarrativeturn,andgenerallygavesuchvapidandfusedanswersaswerecalculatedrathertocheckthanenceinquiry.

    October,November,Decemberpassedaway.OernooninJanuary,Mrs.Fairfaxhadbegg