gh
to eat. As time went on, they treated me worse and worse. They spoke to
me often in a way that made my heart boil, as if they were so many
queens, and I was some poor mean wretch who was honoured by being
allowed to toil for them. Then they quarrelled among themselves
unceasingly, and of course I had to bear all the bad temper. I never
saw people hate one another like those three did; the sisters even
scratched each other's faces in their fits of jealousy, and sometimes
they both stormed at their mother till she went into hysterics, just
because she couldn't give them more money. The only one in the house
who ever spoke decently to me was the son--Alfred Bolter, his name was.
I suppose I felt grateful to him. Once or twice, when he met me on the
stairs, he kissed me. I was too miserable even to resent it.

"I went about, day after day, in a dazed state, trying to make up my
mind to leave the people, but I couldn't. I don't know how it was, I
had never felt so afraid of being thrown out into the world again. I
suppose it was bodily weakness, want of proper food, and overwork. I
began to feel that the whole world was wronging me. Was there never to
be anything for me but slaving? Was I never to have any enjoyment of
life, like other people? I felt a need of pleasure, I didn't care how
or what. I was always in a fever; everything was exaggerated to me.
What was going to be my future?--I kept asking myself. Was it only to
be hard work, miserably paid, till I died? And I should die at last
without having known what it was to enjoy my life. When I was allowed
to go out--it was very seldom--I walked aimlessly about the streets,
watching all the girls I passed, and fancying they all looked so happy,
all enjoying their life so. I was growing thin and pale. I coughed, and
began to think I was consumptive. A little more of it and I believe I
should have become so really.

"It came to an end, suddenly and unexpectedly. All three, mother and
daughters, had been worrying me through a whole morning, and at last
one of them called me a downright fool, and said I wasn't worth the
bread I ate. I turned on them. I can't remember a word I said, but
speak I did, and in a way that astonished them; they shrank back from
me, looking pale and frightened. I felt in that moment that I was a
thousand times their superior; I believe I told them so. Then I rushed
up to my room, packed my box, and went out into the street.

"I had just turned a