assume the burden of his maintenance or education.
My master hesitated not a moment in complying with her request; reluctant as he was to leave home at ordinary calls, he flew to answer this; commending Catherine to my peculiar vigilance, in his absence; with reiterated orders that she must not wander out of the park, even under my escort; he did not calculate on her going unaccompanied.
He was away three weeks: the first day or two, my charge sat in a corner of the library, too sad for either reading or playing: in that quiet state she caused me little trouble; but it was succeeded by an interval of impatient, fretful weariness; and being too busy, and too old then, to run up and down amusing her, I hit on a method by which she might entertain herself.
I used to send her on her travels round the grounds—now on foot, and now on a pony; indulging her with a patient audience of all
