standing up alone in a sea of billow and spray； to the broken boat stranded on a desolate coast； to the cold and ghastly moon glancing through bars of cloud at a wreck just sinking。
I cannot tell what sentiment haunted the quite solitary churchyard； with its inscribed headstone； its gate； its two trees； its low horizon； girdled by a broken wall； and its newly…risen crescent； attesting the hour of eventide。
The two ships becalmed on a torpid sea； I believed to be marine phantoms。
The fiend pinning down the thief’s pack behind him； I passed over quickly： it was an object of terror。
So was the black horned thing seated aloof on a rock； surveying a distant crowd surrounding a gallows。
Each picture told a story； mysterious often to my undeveloped understanding and imperfect feelings； yet ever profoundly interesting： as interesting as the tales Bessie sometimes narrated on winter evenings； when she chanced to be in good humour； and when； having brought her ironing…table to the nursery hearth； she allowed us to sit about it； and while she got up Mrs。 Reed’s lace frills； and crimped her nightcap borders； fed our eager attention with passages of love and adventure taken from old fairy tales and other ballads； or （as at a later period I discovered） from the pages of Pamela； and Henry； Earl of Moreland。
With Bewick on my knee； I was then happy： happy at least in my way。 I feared nothing but interruption； and that came too soon。 The breakfast…room door opened。
“Boh！ Madam Mope！” cried the voice of John Reed； then he paused： he found the room apparently empty。
“Where the dickens is she！” he continued。 “Lizzy！ Georgy！ （calling to his sisters） Joan is not here： tell mama she is run out into the rain—bad animal！”
“It is