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childer！'
'I have； indeed； Betty； and I daresay you know what it is。'
'Ay； I do so！ But I don't vex myself o'er 'em as you do。 And then；
you see； I hit 'em a slap sometimes： and them little 'uns … I gives 'em a
good whipping now and then： there's nothing else will do for 'em； as
what they say。 Howsoever； I've lost my place for it。'
'Have you； Betty？ I heard you were going to leave。'
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'Eh； bless you； yes！ Missis gave me warning a three wik sin'。 She
told me afore Christmas how it mud be； if I hit 'em again； but I couldn't
hold my hand off 'em at nothing。 I know not how YOU do； for Miss
Mary Ann's worse by the half nor her sisters！'
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CHAPTER V … THE UNCLE
BESIDES the old lady； there was another relative of the family； whose
visits were a great annoyance to me … this was 'Uncle Robson；' Mrs。
Bloomfield's brother； a tall； self…sufficient fellow； with dark hair and
sallow complexion like his sister； a nose that seemed to disdain the earth；
and little grey eyes； frequently half… closed； with a mixture of real
stupidity and affected contempt of all surrounding objects。 He was a
thick…set； strongly…built man； but he had found some means of
compressing his waist into a remarkably small compass； and that； together
with the unnatural stillness of his form； showed that the lofty…minded；
manly Mr。 Robson； the scorner of the female sex； was not above the
foppery of stays。 He seldom deigned to notice me； and； when he did； it
was with a certain supercilious insolence of tone and manner that
convinced me he was no gentleman： though it was intended to have a
contrary effect。 But it was not for that I disliked his coming； so much as
for the harm he did the children … encouraging all their evil propensities；
and undoing in a few minutes the little good it had taken me months of
labour to achieve。
Fanny and little Harriet he seldom condescended to notice； but Mary
Ann was something of a favourite。 He was continually encouraging her
tendency to affectation （which I had done my utmost to crush）； talking
about her pretty face； and filling her head with all manner of conceited
notions concerning her personal appearance （which I had instructed her to
regard as dust in the balance compared with the cultivation of her mind
and manners）； and I never saw a child so susceptible of flattery as she was。
Whatever was wrong； in either her or her brother； he would encourage by
laughing at； if not by actually praising： people little know the injury they
do to children by laughing at their faults； and making a pleasant jest of
what their true friends have endeavoured to teach them to hold in grave
abhorrence。
Though not a positive drunkard； Mr。 Robson habitually swallowed
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great quantities of wine； and took with relish an occasional glass of brandy
and water。 He taught his nephew to imitate him in this to the utmost of
his ability； and to believe that the more wine and spirits he could take； and
the better he liked them； the more he manifested his bold； and manly spirit；
and rose superior to his sisters。 Mr。 Bloomfield had not much to say
against it； for his favourite beverage was gin and water； of which he took a
considerable portion every day； by dint of constant sipping … and to that I
chiefly attributed his dingy complexion and waspish temper。
Mr。 Robson likewise encouraged Tom's propensity to persecute the
lower creation； both by precept and example。 As he frequently came to
course or shoot over his brother…in…law's grounds； he would bring his
favourite dogs with him； and he treated them so brutally that； poor as I
was； I would have given a sovereign any day to see one of them bite him；
provided the animal could have done it with impunity。 Sometimes； when
in a very complacent mood； he would go a…birds'…nesting with the children；
a thing that irritated and annoyed me exceedingly； as； by frequent and
persevering attempts； I flattered myself I had partly shown them the evil of
this pastime； and hoped； in time； to bring them to some general sense of
justice and humanity； but ten minutes' birds'…nesting with uncle Robson； or
even a laugh from him at some relation of their former barbarities； was
sufficient at once to destroy the effect of my whole elaborate course of
reasoning and persuasion。 Happily； however； during that spring； they
never； but once； got anything but empty nests； or eggs … being too
impatient to leave them till the birds were hatched； that once； Tom； who
had been with his uncle into the neighbouring plantation； came running in
high glee into the garden； with a brood of little callow nestlings in his
hands。 Mary Ann and Fanny； whom I was just bringing out； ran to
admire his spoils； and to beg each a bird for themselves。 'No； not one！'
cried Tom。 'They're all mine； uncle Robson gave them to me … one； two；
three； four； five … you shan't touch one of them！ no； not one； for your
lives！' continued he； exultingly； laying the nest on the ground； and
standing over it with his legs wide apart； his hands thrust into his
breeches…pockets； his body bent forward； and his face twisted into all
manner of contortions in the ecstasy of his delight。
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'But you shall see me fettle 'em off。 My word； but I WILL wallop
'em？ See if I don't now。 By gum！ but there's rare sport for me in that
nest。'
'But； Tom；' said I； 'I shall not allow you to torture those birds。 They
must either be killed at once or carried back to the place you took them
from； that the old birds may continue to feed them。'
'But you don't know where that is； Madam： it's only me and uncle
Robson that knows that。'
'But if you don't tell me； I shall kill them myself … much as I hate it。'
'You daren't。 You daren't touch them for your life！ because you know
papa and mamma； and uncle Robson； would be angry。 Ha； ha！ I've
caught you there； Miss！'
'I shall do what I think right in a case of this sort without consulting
any one。 If your papa and mamma don't happen to approve of it； I shall
be sorry to offend them； but your uncle Robson's opinions； of course； are
nothing to me。'
So saying … urged by a sense of duty … at the risk of both making
myself sick and incurring the wrath of my employers … I got a large flat
stone； that had been reared up for a mouse…trap by the gardener； then；
having once more vainly endeavoured to persuade the little tyrant to let the
birds be carried back； I asked what he intended to do with them。 With
fiendish glee he commenced a list of torments； and while he was busied in
the relation； I dropped the stone upon his intended victims and crushed
them flat beneath it。 Loud were the outcries； terrible the execrations；
consequent upon this daring outrage； uncle Robson had been coming up
the walk with his gun； and was just then pausing to kick his dog。 Tom
flew towards him； vowing he would make him kick me instead of Juno。
Mr。 Robson leant upon his gun； and laughed excessively at the violence of
his nephew's passion； and the bitter maledictions and opprobrious epithets
he heaped upon me。 'Well； you ARE a good 'un！' exclaimed he； at length；
taking up his weapon and proceeding towards the house。 'Damme； b