fact, I have no time. I
am engaged educating Amy so many hours, that I could not practise enough
to be able to hit a bonassus, like a celebrated marksman of my
acquaintance; far less a partridge."

"And you educate Amy? and yet you have brothers? and don't despise young
Jeeks? and know every body?"

"And like them all," she added.

"All equally?" I enquired.

"With a difference, as a body may say."

"And Amy is your sister?"

"We call ourselves so."

"Then, by Heavens, you are Miss Poggs!"

"Well, is that any thing to swear about? There have been Misses Poggs in
the world before, I suppose."

"But you talked of educating her; devoting your time to her."

"So I do."

"Then you are the governess in Mr Juffles' family."

"Why not? You don't think worse of a person for being able to give a
little information to a little girl of seven years old, do you?"

"Think worse of her? Ah, Lucy Ashton! I could not think worse of you, if
you were able to teach the Head of a college."

"You could not think _worse_ of me? Do you mean worse of me than you
think already? In that case I must retire."

"No, no; don't go! I have not found out yet who you are."

"I thought you had found out I was two. You can't surely be wrong in
both."

"I suspect I am. You spoke of your brothers. Now, I make a guess you
have seven. I could tell you their names."

"You mistake your role, or rather confuse it. You are the master of
Ravenswood, not Frank Osbaldistone. I am not Di Vernon."

"You are a puzzle; an Urganda the unknown."

"That means that you are the Bel Tenebroso. You will perhaps be
disenchanted soon."

"Only if you leave the country."

"Why, won't you have the Poggses, Jeekses, Juffleses, though I find
another situation? you can make their acquaintance whenever you please.
You will be re-enchanted again, I assure you."

"By Heavens, I believe you are making a fool of me all this time! You
are the third Miss Juffles yourself."

"Swearing again? What would Mr Dobble say, by the by? I never denied
that I was either the third or fourth Miss Juffles. Are you happy now?"
she said with a smile.

"I can't be any thing else so near to Lucy Ashton."

"Oh, cry you mercy; you are back again at Wolf's Crag! And I assure you,
I like you better in the character of its inhabitant than as the
Inquisitor-general and particular too--which you have acted all to-day.
Let there be a truce between us in question and answer, and all w