"What sick lady?--where does she live?"

     "At Gateshead; in ---shire."

     "-shire? That is a hundred miles off! Who may she be that sends for people to see her that distance?"

     "Her name is Reed, sir--Mrs. Reed."

     "Reed of Gateshead? There was a Reed of Gateshead, a magistrate."

     "It is his widow, sir."

     "And what have you to do with her? How do you know her?"

     "Mr. Reed was my uncle--my mother's brother."

     "The deuce he was! You never told me that before: you always said you had no relations."

     "None that would own me, sir. Mr. Reed is dead, and his wife cast me off."

     "Why?"

     "Because I was poor, and burdensome, and she disliked me."