"I don't know as I ought to say what I was going to. I had a feeling she would be glad about what I was sorry about." "Don't know _that_ you ought to say," said Alice. "Remember, you are to study English with me." Ellen smiled a glad smile. "And you have had a weary two weeks of it, haven't you, dear?" "Oh," said Ellen, with another long-drawn sigh, "how weary! Part of that time, to be sure, I was out of my head; but I have got _so_ tired lying here all alone; Aunt Fortune coming in and out was just as good as nobody." "Poor child!" said Alice, "you have had a worse time than I." "I used to lie and watch that crack in the door at the foot of my bed," said Ellen, "and I got so tired of it I hated to see it, but when I opened my eyes I couldn't help looking at it, and watching all the little ins and outs in the crack till I was as sick of it as could be. And that button, too, that fastens the door, and the little round mark the button has made, and thinking how far the button went round. And then if I looked towards the windows I would go right to counting the panes, first up and down and then across; and I didn't want to count them, but I couldn't help it; and watching to see through which pane the sky looked brightest. Oh, I got so sick of it all! There was only the fire that I didn't get tired of looking at; I always liked to lie and look at that, except when it hurt my eyes. And, oh, how I wanted to see you, Miss Alice! You can't think how sad I felt that you didn't come to see me. I couldn't think what could be the matter." "I should have been with you, dear, and not have left you, if I had not been tied at home myself." "So I thought; and that made it seem so very strange. But, oh! don't you think," said Ellen, her face suddenly brightening, "don't you think, Mr. Van Brunt came up to see me last night? Wasn't it good of him? He even sat down and read to me; only think of that. And isn't he kind? he asked if I would like a rocking-chair; and of course I said yes, for these other chairs are dreadful, they break my back; and there wasn't such a thing as a rocking-chair in Aunt Fortune's house, she hates 'em, she says; and this morning, the first thing I knew, in walked Mr. Van Brunt with this nice rocking-chair. Just get up and see how nice it is; you see the back is cushioned, and the elbows, as well as the seat; it's queer looking, ain't it? but it's very comfortable. Wasn't it good of him?" "It was very kind, I think. But do you know, Ellen, I am going to have a quarrel with you?" "What about?" said Ellen. "I don't believe it's anything very bad, for you look pretty good-humoured, considering." "Nothing _very_ bad," said Alice, "but still enough to quarrel about. You have twice said '_ain't_' since I have been here." "Oh," said Ellen laughing, "is that all?" "Yes," said Alice, "and my English ears don't like it at all."