第48部分(第1/7 頁)

article；　she　informed　me　it　was　a　covering　for　the　altar　of　a　new　church　lately　erected　near　Gateshead。　Two　hours　she　devoted　to　her　diary；　two　to　working　by　herself　in　the　kitchen…garden；　and　one　to　the　regulation　of　her　accounts。　She　seemed　to　want　no　pany；　no　conversation。　I　believe　she　was　happy　in　her　way：　this　routine　sufficed　for　her；　and　nothing　annoyed　her　so　much　as　the　occurrence　of　any　incident　which　forced　her　to　vary　its　clockwork　regularity。

She　told　me　one　evening；　when　more　disposed　to　be　municative　than　usual；　that　John’s　conduct；　and　the　threatened　ruin　of　the　family；　had　been　a　source　of　profound　affliction　to　her：　but　she　had　now；　she　said；　settled　her　mind；　and　formed　her　resolution。　Her　own　fortune　she　had　taken　care　to　secure；　and　when　her　mother　died—and　it　was　wholly　improbable；　she　tranquilly　remarked；　that　she　should　either　recover　or　linger　long—she　would　execute　a　long…cherished　project：　seek　a　retirement　where　punctual　habits　would　be　permanently　secured　from　disturbance；　and　place　safe　barriers　between　herself　and　a　frivolous　world。　I　asked　if　Georgiana　would　acpany　her。

“Of　course　not。　Georgiana　and　she　had　nothing　in　mon：　they　never　had　had。　She　would　not　be　burdened　with　her　society　for　any　consideration。　Georgiana　should　take　her　own　course；　and　she；　Eliza；　would　take　hers。”

Georgiana；　when　not　unburdening　her　heart　to　me；　spent　most　of　her　time　in　lying　on　the　sofa；　fretting　about　the　dulness　of　the　house；　and　wishing　over　and　over　again　that　her　aunt　Gibson　would　send　her　an　invitation　up　to　town。　“It　would　be　so　much　better；”　she　said；　“if　she　could　only　get　out　of　the　way　for　a　month　or　two；　till　all　was　over。”　I　did　not　ask　what　she　meant　by　“all　being　over；”　but　I　suppose　she　referred　to　the　expected　dec