Chapter 2
It was hard up-hill work for Lois to win herself a place in this
family. Her aunt was a woman of narrow, strong affections. Her love
for her husband, if ever she had any, was burnt out and dead long
ago. What she did for him she did from duty; but duty was not
strong enough to restrain that little member the tongue; and Lois's
heart often bled at the continual flow of contemptuous reproof
which Grace constantly addressed to her husband, even while she was
sparing no pains or trouble to minister to his bodily ease and
comfort. It was more as a relief to herself that she spoke in this
way, than with any desire that her speeches should affect him; and
he was too deadened by illness to feel hurt by them; or, it may be,
the constant repetition of her sarcasms had made him
