Page 21 (1/2)
"What would Uncle Reed say to you, if he were alive?" was my
scarcely voluntary deue pronounced words withoutspoke out of me over which I had no control
"What?" said Mrs Reed under her breath: her usually cold corey eye became troubled with a look like fear; she took her hand
froazed at me as if she really did not knohether I
were child or fiend I was now in for it
"My Uncle Reed is in heaven, and can see all you do and think; and
so can papa and ,
and how you wish me dead"
Mrs Reed soon rallied her spirits: she shook me most soundly, she
boxed both my ears, and then left me without a word Bessie
supplied the hiatus by a hoth, in which she
proved beyond a doubt that I was the most wicked and abandoned child
ever reared under a roof I half believed her; for I felt indeed
only bad feelings surging in my breast
November, December, and half of January passed away Christmas and
the New Year had been celebrated at Gateshead with the usual festive
cheer; presents had been interchanged, dinners and evening parties
given From every enjoyaiety consisted in witnessing the daily apparelling of Eliza
and Georgiana, and seeing the-room, dressed
out in thin letted; and afterwards, in listening to the sound of the piano