Page:Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey (1st edition), Volume 3 (Agnes Grey).djvu/20

12 active daughters; for this reason—that being so clever and diligent herself, she was never tempted to trust her affairs to a deputy, but on the contrary, was willing to act and think for others as well as for number one; and whatever was the business in hand, she was apt to think that no one could do it so well as herself; so that whenever I offered to assist her, I received such an answer as—"No love you cannot indeed—there's nothing here you can do. Go and help your sister, or get her to take a walk with you—tell her she must not sit so much, and stay so constantly in the house as she does—she may well look thin and dejected."

"Mary, mama says I'm to help you; or get you to take a walk with me; she says you may well look thin and dejected, if you sit so constantly in the house."

"Help me you cannot Agnes; and I cannot go out with you—I have far too much to do."

"Then let me help you."

"You cannot indeed dear child. Go and practise your music, or play with the kitten."

There was always plenty of sewing on hand; but I had not been taught to cut out a single garment; and except plain hemming and