Uncle Silas

S pursued h

y dear? I wager a guinea the woman's a millin

hink not. She is my governess - a f

she do? I venture to say she's fit to teach nothing but devilment - not that she has taught you much, my dear - yet

dress, which must be very absurd to elicit so much unaffected laughter from my experienced rel

e? what's t

rish and rheum

; is she up

om, but no

governess may be a very useful or a very useless person; but she may also be about the most pernicious inmate imaginable. She may teach

said, fearing a collision between M

well,

somehow to escape before

any evidence of a similar contemptuous estimate on the part of that beautiful and garrulous dandy. I could not - quite the reverse, indeed. Still I wa

om. I met Mrs. Rusk bustling alo

Madame?"

. "Nothing the matter that I know of. She eat enough for

et extended near to the bars, and a little coffee equipage beside her. She stuffed a book hastily between her dress and the chai

etter, Madame," I

are all so good, trying me with every little thing, like a bird; here is

cold, is i

finger-tips supporting her forehead, and then she made a little sigh,

r I am console and oblige de bontés, ma chère, que vous avez tous pour moi;" and with

to see you, only for a few mi

nd a momentary energy. "Besides, I cannot converse; je sens de temps des douleurs de tête -

h her eyes closed and her hand

e she forgot that I knew how well she could speak English, and must perceive that she was heightening the interest of her helple

u might, without much inconvenience, s

me whether I will not converse with strangers. I did not think you would be so unkain, Maud; but it is impossibl

ays came at call, and with her hand p

I suffer, and leave me, Maud, for I wish to lie down a l

d, but I dare say betraying my suspicion that more was made o

ppose that you had left us for the evening, has gone to th

umble and smack of balls which

ng Maud how detest

of you, Monica!

ut, and look after her, and who's to do it? She's a dowdy - don't you see? Such a dust! and it is rea

ncy, been a privileged person, and my father, whom we all feared, received her jolly attacks, as

n overture?" said my fath

-and-twenty years ago, or more, with a hundred and twenty thousand pounds? Well, you know, she has got ever so much now, and she

not the first,

er last husband, the Russian merchant, left her everything

ing, and putting his hand kindly on hers. "But it won't do. No

t no widower is quite above or below that danger; and I remember, whenever my father, which

ed you, my dear, if he bring

a very tender one on me, went silently to t

. Rusk and Mary Quince, in their several ways, used to enhance, by occasional anecdotes and frequent reflections, the terrors of such a

le long to be vexed

e said. "I don't mind him - I never did. You must

so sly and comical, that I think I should have laughe

w is our frien

in her ear, that she says it would be

u say? Poor thing! Well, dear, I think I can cure that in five minutes. I

nd agile step she scaled the stairs, I following; and havi

eard and divined our approach, for her door suddenly shut, and t

e'll come in, please, and see you. I've som

dame had rolled herself in the blue coverlet, and was lying on the b

Knollys, getting round to the side

again over the bed, began very gently with her fingers to lift the coverlet that covered her face. Ma

ve your ear. Pray let me see it. She can't be asleep, she's

ype="