Anne Bronte: Agnes Grey

4. CHAPTER IV--THE GRANDMAMMA (continued)

'Miss Grey! Is it possible? What, in the devil's name, can you be thinking about?'

'I can't get them in, sir,' said I, turning round, and beholding Mr. Bloomfield, with his hair on end, and his pale blue eyes bolting from their sockets.

'But I INSIST upon their being got in!' cried he, approaching nearer, and looking perfectly ferocious.

'Then, sir, you must call them yourself, if you please, for they won't listen to me,' I replied, stepping back.

'Come in with you, you filthy brats; or I'll horsewhip you every one!' roared he; and the children instantly obeyed. 'There, you see!--they come at the first word!'

'Yes, when YOU speak.'

'And it's very strange, that when you've the care of 'em you've no better control over 'em than that!--Now, there they are--gone upstairs with their nasty snowy feet! Do go after 'em and see them made decent, for heaven's sake!'

That gentleman's mother was then staying in the house; and, as I ascended the stairs and passed the drawing-room door, I had the satisfaction of hearing the old lady declaiming aloud to her daughter-in-law to this effect (for I could only distinguish the most emphatic words) -

'Gracious heavens!--never in all my life--!--get their death as sure as--! Do you think, my dear, she's a PROPER PERSON? Take my word for it--'

I heard no more; but that sufficed.