egrees possessed
my soul and rendered me unfit to share the youthful pleasures of my
sisters. It was not that I was in any way unmindful of all the kindness
shown to me in countless ways, but that a craving, always with me since
my earliest days, to see the wonderful world I had so often heard
described in glowing terms, grew with me as time went by, and, weary of
the idle life I led, I longed to use and develop in wider fields the
great intelligence I had been gifted with.

'At first, as was to be expected, my parents would not hear of my
leaving them, but seeing that I grew sadder and more discontented day by
day, they at length reluctantly gave their consent, for, after all, what
greater wish had they than for my happiness.

'After many consultations with the wisest men in my father's court, it
was decided that I should take a course of instruction at the Royal
Charing College of Sicily, and, on the fateful day, I took leave of my
sorrowing parents and sisters, and, in charge of the Grand Vizier, left
for Sicily.

'With such good introductions as my father was easily able to command, I
had no difficulty in gaining an entry to the College, in which I very
soon learnt to distinguish myself. No lack of enthusiasm and industry
did I bring to my tasks, and a native ability far above the average soon
found opportunities for development, so that in the course of time I was
discharged, a fully certified and perfected char-woman.

'Since those early days my skill, my virtues, and my affections have
been devoted to the welfare of many families, some of whom were
undoubtedly good, some indifferent, while some again were undoubtedly
bad. But without any question the worst household of all was that of the
Pettigrew Leanmuffins, when first I devoted myself to the wellbeing of
its members. Afterwards, however, as you shall hear, their trials,
together with my disinterested conduct, wrought a reformation in their
natures as astounding as it was welcome to all who knew them.

'Mr. Pettigrew Leanmuffins himself, a man of some attainments, though
ill-tempered and close to a degree bordering on meanness, had little
enough to do with me, hardly ever, indeed, disguising his efforts to
ignore my very existence; but no words at my command could describe the
ungenerous nature of Mrs. Leanmuffins, who not only refused to concede
any little favours to me, such as gracefully offering to entertain my
worthy friend the waiter and his respect