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Rh turned round their dull and sullen faces. Fanny went up to them, and tried to take a hand of each. They started back, making an inarticulate and frightful sound; the one pushed against the other, who immediately struck her sister, and a complete battle ensued. The servant parted them, and, turning to Miss Beaumont, said, "They are little furies, Miss, I shall be glad enough to have done with them."

Breakfast was now brought, and the two children began to eat ravenously, and without the least regard even to decency. Fanny vainly endeavoured to make them imitate her movements, the least interference only produced the same discordant mutter, and attempts at blows: after the meal was over, they appeared to have no idea of either employment or amusement, excepting scrambling amid a profusion of broken toys, or climbing up to look out of the window. At last however Fanny began to draw figures on a sheet of paper; this attracted their attention, the one pushed the other, but Matilda the eldest,