第6部分(第4/8 頁)

st　as　I　had　dissolved　so　much　of　the　silver…white　foliage　veiling　the　panes　as　left　room　to　look　out；　I　saw　the　gates　thrown　open　and　a　carriage　roll　through。　I　watched　it　ascending　the　drive　with　indifference；　carriages　often　came　to　Gateshead；　but　none　ever　brought　visitors　in　whom　I　was　interested；　it　stopped　in　front　of　the　house；　the　door…bell　rang　loudly；　the　new…er　was　admitted。　All　this　being　nothing　to　me；　my　vacant　attention　soon　found　livelier　attraction　in　the　spectacle　of　a　little　hungry　robin；　which　came　and　chirruped　on　the　twigs　of　the　leafless　cherry…tree　nailed　against　the　wall　near　the　casement。　The　remains　of　my　breakfast　of　bread　and　milk　stood　on　the　table；　and　having　crumbled　a　morsel　of　roll；　I　was　tugging　at　the　sash　to　put　out　the　crumbs　on　the　window…　sill；　when　Bessie　came　running　upstairs　into　the　nursery。

“Miss　Jane；　take　off　your　pinafore；　what　are　you　doing　there？　Have　you　washed　your　hands　and　face　this　morning？”　I　gave　another　tug　before　I　answered；　for　I　wanted　the　bird　to　be　secure　of　its　bread：　the　sash　yielded；　I　scattered　the　crumbs；　some　on　the　stone　sill；　some　on　the　cherry…tree　bough；　then；　closing　the　window；　I　replied—

“No；　Bessie；　I　have　only　just　finished　dusting。”

“Troublesome；　careless　child！　and　what　are　you　doing　now？　You　look　quite　red；　as　if　you　had　been　about　some　mischief：　what　were　you　opening　the　window　for？”

I　was　spared　the　trouble　of　answering；　for　Bessie　seemed　in　too　great　a　hurry　to　list