“I have kept myself； and； I trust； shall keep myself again。 What are you going to do with these gooseberries？” I inquired； as she brought out a basket of the fruit。
“Mak’ ‘em into pies。”
“Give them to me and I’ll pick them。”
“Nay； I dunnut want ye to do nought。”
“But I must do something。 Let me have them。”
She consented； and she even brought me a clean towel to spread over my dress； “lest；” as she said； “I should mucky it。”
“Ye’ve not been used to sarvant’s wark； I see by your hands；” she remarked。 “Happen ye’ve been a dressmaker？”
“No； you are wrong。 And now； never mind what I have been： don’t trouble your head further about me； but tell me the name of the house where we are。”
“Some calls it Marsh End； and some calls it Moor House。”
“And the gentleman who lives here is called Mr。 St。 John？”
“Nay； he doesn’t live here： he is only staying a while。 When he is at home； he is in his own parish at Morton。”
“That village a few miles off？
“Aye。”
“And what is he？”
“He is a parson。”
I remembered the answer of the old housekeeper at the parsonage； when I had asked to see the clergyman。 “This； then； was his father’s residence？”
“Aye； old Mr。 Rivers lived here； and his father； and grandfather； and gurt （great） grandfather afore him。”
“The name； then； of that gentleman； is Mr。 St。 John Rivers？”
“Aye； St。 John is like his kirstened name。”
“And his sisters are called Diana and Mary Rivers？”
“Yes。”
“Their father is dead？”
“Dead three weeks sin’ of a stroke。”
“They have no mother？”
“The mistress has been dead this mony a year。”
“Have you lived with the family long？”
“I’ve lived here thirty year。 I nursed