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　　'Well, but, leaving his land out of the question, do you likehim? Is he liked for himself?'

　　'Adele,' I inquired, 'with whom did you live when you were inthat pretty clean town you spoke of?'

　　'Very likely,' I returned; 'or perhaps clerk or agent to awine-merchant.'

　　'I have no cause to do otherwise than like him; and I believe he isconsidered a just and liberal landlord by his tenants: but he hasnever lived much amongst them.'

　　'Silence! To your seats!'

　　'Different benevolent-minded ladies and gentlemen in thisneighbourhood and in London.'

　　Next morning, Miss Scatcherd wrote in conspicuous characters on apiece of pasteboard the word 'Slattern,' and bound it like aphylactery round Helen's large, mild, intelligent, andbenign-looking forehead. She wore it till evening, patient,unresentful, regarding it as a deserved punishment. The moment MissScatcherd withdrew after afternoon school, I ran to Helen, tore itoff, and thrust it into the fire: the fury of which she wasincapable had been burning in my soul all day, and tears, hot andlarge, had continually been scalding my cheek; for the spectacle ofher sad resignation gave me an intolerable pain at the heart.

　　'No, no, Helen!' I stopped, distressed. While I tried to devourmy tears, a fit of coughing seized Helen; it did not, however, wakethe nurse; when it was over, she lay some minutes exhausted; thenshe whispered-

　　'You have a kind aunt and cousins.'