had a peculiar taste and talent for teaching, undertook little
Charlotte's lessons herself.




CHAPTER 2



If the ill spirit have so fair a house,
Good things will strive to dwell with't.--THE TEMPEST


One of the pleasantest rooms at Hollywell was Mrs. Edmonstone's
dressing-room--large and bay-windowed, over the drawing-room, having
little of the dressing-room but the name, and a toilet-table with a
black and gold japanned glass, and curiously shaped boxes to match; her
room opened into it on one side, and Charles's on the other; it was a
sort of up-stairs parlour, where she taught Charlotte, cast up
accounts, spoke to servants, and wrote notes, and where Charles was
usually to be found, when unequal to coming down-stairs. It had an air
of great snugness, with its large folding-screen, covered with prints
and caricatures of ancient date, its book-shelves, its tables, its
peculiarly easy arm-chairs, the great invalid sofa, and the grate,
which always lighted up better than any other in the house.

In the bright glow of the fire, with the shutters closed and curtains
drawn, lay Charles on his couch, one Monday evening, in a gorgeous
dressing-gown of a Chinese pattern, all over pagodas, while little