"How is Mrs. Reed?" I asked soon，looking calmly at Georgiana，who thought fit to bridle at the direct address，as if it were an unexpected liberty.

"Mrs. Reed? Ah，mama，you mean; she is extremely poorly: I doubt if you can see her to-night."

"If," said I，"you would just step upstairs and tell her I am e，I should be much obliged to you."

Georgiana almost started，and she opened her blue eyes wild and wide. "I know she had a particular wish to see me," I added，"and I would not defer attending to her desire longer than is absolutely necessary."

"Mama dislikes being disturbed in an evening," remarked Eliza. I soon rose，quietly took off my bonnet and gloves，uninvited，and said I would just step out to Bessie- who was，I dared say，in the kitchen- and ask her to ascertain whether Mrs. Reed was disposed to receive me or not to-night. I went，and having found Bessie and despatched her on my errand，I proceeded to take further measures.

It had heretofore been my habit always to shrink from arrogance: received as I had been to-day，I should，a year ago，have resolved to quit Gateshead the very next morning; now，it was disclosed to me all at once that that would be a foolish plan. I had taken a journey of a hundred miles to see my aunt，and I must stay with her till she was better- or dead: as to her daughters" pride or folly，I must put it on one side，make myself independent of it. So I addressed the housekeeper; asked her to show me a room，told her I should probably be a visitor here for a week or two，had my trunk conveyed to my chamber，and followed it thither myself: I met Bessie on the landing.

"Missis is awake," said she; "I have told her you are here: e and let us see if she will know you."