"A little."

There was one in the room; Bessie went and opened it，and then asked me to sit down and give her a tune: I played a waltz or two，and she was charmed.

"The Miss Reeds could not play as well!" said she exultingly. "I always said you would surpass them in learning: and can you draw?"

"That is one of my paintings over the chimney-piece." It was a landscape in water colours，of which I had made a present to the superintendent，in acknowledgment of her obliging mediation with the mittee on my behalf，and which she had framed and glazed.

"Well，that is beautiful，Miss Jane! It is as fine a picture as any Miss Reed"s drawing-master could paint，let alone the young ladies themselves，who could not e near it: and have you learnt French?"

"Yes，Bessie，I can both read it and speak it."

"And you can work on muslin and canvas?"

"I can."

"Oh，you are quite a lady，Miss Jane! I knew you would be: you will get on whether your relations notice you or not. There was something I wanted to ask you. Have you ever heard anything from your father"s kinsfolk，the Eyres?"

"Never in my life."

"Well，you know，Missis always said they were poor and quite despicable: and they may be poor; but I believe they are as much gentry as the Reeds are; for one day，nearly seven years ago，a Mr. Eyre came to Gateshead and wanted to see you; Missis said you were at school fifty miles off; he seemed so much disappointed，for he could not stay: he was going on a voyage to a foreign country，and the ship was to sail from London in a day or two. He looked quite a gentleman，and I believe he was your father"s brother."

"What foreign country was he going to，Bessie?"