I should be perfectly unkind if I were to complain of miss Lesley—­indeed, I have not the least cause of complaint against her.  As my companion, her affection and her gratitude had been unbounded; and now that it was my turn to be the humble friend, she tried by every means in her power, to make me think she felt the same respectful gratitude, which in her dependant station she had so naturally displayed.

Only in a few rarely constituted minds, does that true attentive kindness spring up, that delicacy of feeling, which enters into every trivial thing, is ever awake and keeping watch lest it should offend.  Myself, though educated with the extremest care, possessed but little of this virtue.  Virtue I call it, though among men it is termed politeness, for since the days of my humiliating reverse of fortune I have learned its value.

I feel quite ashamed to give instances of any deficiency I observed, or thought I have observed, in miss Lesley.  Now I am away from her, and dispassionately speaking of it, it seems as if my own soreness of temper had made me fancy things.  I really believe now that I was mistaken; but miss Lesley had been so highly praised for her filial tenderness, I thought at last she seemed to make a parade about it, and used to run up to my mother, and affect to be more glad to see her than she really was after a time; and I think Dr. Wheelding thought so, by a little hint he once dropped.  But he too might be mistaken, for he was very partial to me.

I am under the greatest obligation in the world to this good Dr. Wheelding.  He has made my mother quite a respectable woman, and I am sure it is owing a great deal to him that she loves me as well as she does.

And here, though it may seem a little out of place, let me stop to assure you, that if I ever could have had any doubt of the sincerity of miss Lesley’s affection towards me, her behaviour on the occasion of my coming here ought completely to efface it.  She entreated with many tears, and almost the same energy with which she pleaded for forgiveness for my mother, that I might not be sent away.—­But she was not alike successful in her supplications.

Miss Lesley had made some progress in reading and writing during the time she was my companion only, it was highly necessary that every exertion should be now made—­the whole house was, as I may say, in requisition for her instruction.  Sir Edward and lady Harriot devoted great part of the day to this purpose.  A well educated young person was taken under our governess, to assist her in her labours, and to teach miss Lesley music.  A drawing-master was engaged to reside in the house.

At this time I was not remarkably forward in my education.  My governess being a native of France, I spoke French very correctly, and I had made some progress in Italian.  I had only had the instruction of masters during the few months in the year we usually passed in London.