The story begins with ten-year old Jane at the Reed home. Mrs. Reed and her three children, Eliza,John<are all sitting together in the drawing room. Jane is excluded from this,and finds sits in a separate room. She begins reading Bewick’s History of British Birds,which she enjoys because of the pictures.
‘ Each picture told a story;mysterious often to my undeveloped understanding and imperfect feelings,yet ever profoundly interesting…”
Jane is interrupted a few moments later by John Reed. Jane fears John because he bullies her. She describes him as,’Large and stout for his age,with a dingy and unwholesome skin;thick lineaments in a spacious visage,heavy limbs and large extremities.’
John tells Jane to come stand before him,and she obeys immediately.
‘ Each picture told a story;mysterious often to my undeveloped understanding and imperfect feelings,yet ever profoundly interesting…”
Jane is interrupted a few moments later by John Reed. Jane fears John because he bullies her. She describes him as,’Large and stout for his age,with a dingy and unwholesome skin;thick lineaments in a spacious visage,heavy limbs and large extremities.’
John tells Jane to come stand before him,and she obeys immediately.