CHAPTER XXI 280 was surrounded with a crape band.
" I daresay you hardly remember me, Miss," he said, rising as I entered; " but my name is Leaven: I lived coachman with Mrs. Reed when you were at Gateshead, eight or nine years since, and I live there still."
" Oh, Robert! how do you do? I remember you very well: you used to give me a ride sometimes on Miss Georgiana ' s bay pony. And how is Bessie? You are married to Bessie?"
" Yes, Miss: my wife is very hearty, thank you; she brought me another little one about two months since-- we have three now-- and both mother and child are thriving."
" And are the family well at the house, Robert?"
" I am sorry I can ' t give you better news of them, Miss: they are very badly at present-- in great trouble."
" I hope no one is dead," I said, glancing at his black dress. He too looked down at the crape round his hat and replied-
" Mr. John died yesterday was a week, at his chambers in London." " Mr. John?" " Yes." " And how does his mother bear it?"
" Why, you see, Miss Eyre, it is not a common mishap: his life has been very wild: these last three years he gave himself up to strange ways, and his death was shocking."
" I heard from Bessie he was not doing well."