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第4章 七杀七暴丹

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　　I was spared the trouble of answering, for Bessie seemed in toogreat a hurry to listen to explanations; she hauled me to thewashstand, inflicted a merciless, but happily brief scrub on my faceand hands with soap, water, and a coarse towel; disciplined my headwith a bristly brush, denuded me of my pinafore, and then hurryingme to the top of the stairs, bid me go down directly, as I waswanted in the breakfast-room.

　　'Silence! To your seats!'

　　'I have to thank her for this sprain.'

　　'Are you warm, darling?'

　　'The child is very young to be sent alone,' said she, putting hercandle down on the table. She considered me attentively for a minuteor two, then further added-

　　A small breakfast-room adjoined the drawing-room, I slipped inthere. It contained a bookcase: I soon possessed myself of a volume,taking care that it should be one stored with pictures. I mounted intothe window-seat: gathering up my feet, I sat cross-legged, like aTurk; and, having drawn the red moreen curtain nearly close, I wasshrined in double retirement.

　　'You ask rather too many questions. I have given you answers enoughfor the present: now I want to read.'

　　He paused.