The new vicar appointed had come down to look over
the house, and to make arrangements for bringing in his family. The
furniture he had previously agreed to take at a valuation, and the sum
had been appropriated in liquidation of your father's debts. I had
already been permitted to remain longer than was usual, and had no
alternative but to quit, which I did not do until the last moment. I
could not leave my address, for I knew not where I was to go. I took my
place in the coach, and arrived in London. My first object was to secure
the means of livelihood, by offering myself as a governess; but I found
great difficulties from not being able to procure a good reference, and
from not having already served in that capacity. At last I was taken
into a family to bring up three little girls; but I soon found out how
little chance I had of comfort. The lady had objected to me as too
good-looking--for this same reason the gentleman insisted upon my being
engaged.
"Thus was I a source of disunion; the lady treated me with harshness,
and the gentleman with too much attention. At last her ill-treatment and
his persecution, were both so intolerable, that I gave notice that I
should leave my situation."
"I beg pardon, Miss Ellen, but you will oblige me with the name and
residence of that gentleman?" said O'Brien.
"Indeed, Ellen, do no such thing," replied I; "continue your story."
"I could not obtain another situation as governess; for, as I always
stated where I had been, and did not choose to give the precise reason
for quitting, merely stating that I was not comfortable, whenever the
lady was called upon for my character, she invariably spoke of me so as
to prevent my obtaining a situation.
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