CHAPTER IV.
Winter came early and sudden that year.
It was to me a long, dreary season, worse even than my winters inevitably were.

I never stirred from my room, and never saw anybody but my father, Dr.Jessop, and Jael.

At last I took courage to say to the former that I wished he would send John Halifax up some day.
"What does thee want the lad for ?" "Only to see him." "Pshaw! a lad out o' the tan-yard is not fit company for thee.

Let him alone; he'll do well enough if thee doesn't try to lift him out of his place." Lift John Halifax out of his "place"! I agreed with my father that that was impossible; but then we evidently differed widely in our definition of what the "place" might be.

So, afraid of doing him harm, and feeling how much his future depended on his favour with his master, I did not discuss the matter.