in him, so that it suited both parties. My
father, therefore, never came to the house, except after the hospital
supper, when he remained a few minutes to see Virginia, and then
departed. On Sundays he spent the whole day there, and was kindly
welcomed, but he always left in the evening to smoke his pipe elsewhere.
As for me, when I did come I was always kindly received, and slept in a
spare bed on the same floor with my mother and Virginia. Before my time
was out I was too well supplied by Bramble ever to want anything, and
afterwards I made plenty of money, and seldom came home without bringing
a present both to my mother and Virginia.

Having thus given a general outline of affairs, I shall in the next
chapter enter more minutely into some particulars, without which the
detail of events will not be complete.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

IN WHICH THE SINE QUA NON OF ALL NOVELS IS, FOR THE FIRST TIME,
INTRODUCED.

In the last chapter I have said in few words that Bessy Goodwin had been
sent to school, and had since returned home. She had been home nearly a
year before the period to which I brought up my history, but now she no
longer was employed in any menial service, the girl who had been hired
during her absence being still retained. Bessy now superintended the
household, but did nothing more; and there was a greater degree of
comfort and expenditure than had formerly been the case. Whether this
was on Bessy's account, or from Bessy's imbibed ideas, I cannot pretend
to say; but certainly there was a great change in our style of living,
which Bramble appeared to sanction. Mrs Maddox remained as a mere
pensioner, sitting by the fire, and perhaps finishing a pair of
stockings about every five or six weeks, talking as usual at and to
everybody and with everything. In another point, also, there was a
change in Bramble's house: it was much oftener filled with company; this
was, I presume, to be ascribed to Bessy's personal charms, which
certainly were very great. She was of a peculiar and much admired style
of beauty, a description which strikes some people at first sight, and
not others--those not perceiving it at first eventually admiring it even
more than the others. She was taller than the middle height, her person
finely developed, yet not so much so as to take away from its grace: her
complexion was pale and clear, her eyes and hair very dark; there was a
coldness about her beauty when in repose, like s