Oh, my dear!” said I. If you won’t let me speak—” ‟

‟You’re speaking now. You know you are. Don’t tell stories, Miss

Summerson.”

My dear,” said I, as long as you won’t hear me out—” ‟ ‟

‟I don’t want to hear you out.”

Oh, yes, I think you do,” said I, because that would be so very ‟ ‟

unreasonable. I did not know what you tell me because the servant did

not come near me at dinner; but I don’t doubt what you tell me, and I am

sorry to hear it.”

‟You needn’t make a merit of that,” said she.

No, my dear,” said I. That would be very foolish.” ‟ ‟

She was still standing by the bed, and now stooped down (but still

with the same discontented face) and kissed Ada. That done, she came

softly back and stood by the side of my chair. Her bosom was heaving in

a distressful manner that I greatly pitied, but I thought it better not to

speak.

I wish I was dead!” she broke out. I wish we were all dead. It would ‟ ‟

be a great deal better for us.”

In a moment afterwards, she knelt on the ground at my side, hid her

face in my dress, passionately begged my pardon, and wept. I comforted

her and would have raised her, but she cried no, no; she wanted to stay

there!

You used to teach girls,” she said, If you could only have taught me, I ‟ ‟

could have learnt from you! I am so very miserable, and I like you so

much!”

I could not persuade her to sit by me or to do anything but move a

ragged stool to where she was kneeling, and take that, and still hold my

dress in the same manner. By degrees the poor tired girl fell asleep, and

then I contrived to raise her head so that it should rest on my lap, and to

cover us both with shawls. The fire went out, and all night long she

slumbered thus before the ashy grate. At first I was painfully awake and‟You’re speaking now. You know you are. Don’t tell stories, Miss

Summerson.”

My dear,” said I, as long as you won’t hear me out—” ‟ ‟

‟I don’t want to hear you out.”

Oh, yes, I think you do,” said I, because that would be so very ‟ ‟

unreasonable. I did not know what you tell me because the servant did

not come near me at dinner; but I don’t doubt what you tell me, and I am

sorry to hear it.”

‟You needn’t make a merit of that,” said she.

No, my dear,” said I. That would be very foolish.” ‟ ‟

She was still standing by the bed, and now stooped down (but still

with the same discontented face) and kissed Ada. That done, she came

softly back and stood by the side of my chair. Her bosom was heaving in

a distressful manner that I greatly pitied, but I thought it better not to

speak.

I wish I was dead!” she broke out. I wish we were all dead. It would ‟ ‟

be a great deal better for us.”

In a moment afterwards, she knelt on the ground at my side, hid her

face in my dress, passionately begged my pardon, and wept. I comforted

her and would have raised her, but she cried no, no; she wanted to stay

there!

You used to teach girls,” she said, If you could only have taught me, I ‟ ‟

could have learnt from you! I am so very miserable, and I like you so

much!”

I could not persuade her to sit by me or to do anything but move a

ragged stool to where she was kneeling, and take that, and still hold my

dress in the same manner. By degrees the poor tired girl fell asleep, and

then I contrived to raise her head so that it should rest on my lap, and to

cover us both with shawls. The fire went out, and all night long she

slumbered thus before the ashy grate. At first I was painfully awake and