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emmeline i have made good progress with； and my experience with her fits the pattern of behavior i have seen in other difficult children。 she is not； i think； as badly disturbed as was reported； and with my influence will e to be a nice child。 she is affectionate and sturdy； has learned to appreciate the benefits of hygiene； eats with a good appetite and can be made to obey instructions by kind coaxing and the promise of small treats。 she will soon e to understand that goodness rewards by bringing the esteem of others in its wake； and then i will be able to reduce the bribery。 she will never be clever； but then i know the limits of my methods。 whatever my strengths； i can only develop what is there to start with。
i am content with my work on emmeline。
her sister is a more difficult case。 violence i have seen before； and i am less shocked than adeline thinks by her destructiveness。 however； i am struck by one thing： in other children destructiveness is generally a side effect of rage and not its primary objective。 the violent act； as i have observed it in other charges； is most frequently motivated by an excess of anger； and the outpouring of the anger is only incidentally damaging to people and property。 adeline’s case does not fit this model。 i have seen incidents myself； and been told of others； in which destruction seems to be adeline’s only motive； and rage something she has to tease out； stoke up in herself in order to generate the energy to destroy。 for she is a feeble little thing； skin and bone； and eats only crumbs。 mrs。 dunne has told me of one incident in the garden； when adeline is known to have damaged a number of yews。 if this is true； it is a great shame。 the garden was clearly very beautiful。 it could be put to rights； but john has lost heart over the matter； and it is not only the topiary but the garden in general that suffers from his lack of interest。 i will find the time and a way to restore his pride。 it will do much to improve the appearance and the atmosphere of the house if he can be made happy in his work and the garden made orderly again。
talking of john and the garden reminds me—i must speak to him about the boy。 walking about the schoolroom this afternoon； i happened to e near the window。 it was raining； and i wanted to close the window so as not to let any more damp in； the window ledge on the inside is already crumbling away。 if i hadn’t been so close to the window； nose almost pressed to the glass； in fact； i doubt i’d have seen him。 but there he was： a boy； crouching in the flower bed； weeding。 he was wearing a pair of men’s trousers； cut off at the ankle and held up with a pair of braces。 a wide…brimmed hat cast his face in shadow； and i was unable to get a clear impression of his age； though he might have been eleven or twelve。 i know it is mon practice in rural areas for children to engage in horticultural work； though i thought it was more monly farmwork they did； and i appreciate the advantages of their learning their trade early； but i do not like to see any child out of school during school hours。 i will speak to john about it and make sure he understands the boy must spend school hours in school。
but to return to my subject： where adeline’s viciousness to her sister is concerned； she might be surprised to know it； but i have seen it all before。 jealousy and anger between siblings is monplace； and in twins rivalries are frequently heightened。 with time i will be able to minimise the aggression； but in the meantime constant vigilance is required to prevent adeline hurting her sister； and this slows down progress on other fronts； which is a pity。 why emmeline lets herself be beaten （and have her hair pulled out； and be chased by adeline wielding the fire tongs in which she carries hot coals） i have yet to understand。 she is twice the size of her sister and could defend herself more vigorously than she does。 perhaps she flinches from inflicting hurt on her sister； she is an affectionate soul。
my first judgment of adeline in the early days was of a child who might not ever e to live as independent and normal a life as her sister； but who could be brought to a point of balance； of stability； and whose rages could be contained by the imposition of a strict routine。 i did not expect ever to bring her to understanding。 the task i foresaw was greater than for her sister； but i expected far less thanks for it； for it would seem less in the eyes of the world。 but i have been startled into modifying that opinion by signs of a dark and clouded intelligence。 this morning she came into the classroom dragging her feet； but without the worst displays of unwillingness； and once in her seat； rested her head on her arm just as i have seen before。 i began the lesson。 it was nothing more than the telling of a story； an adaptation i had made for the purpose of the opening chapters of jane eyre； a story loved by a great many girls。 i was concentrating on emmeline； encouraging her to follow the story by animating it as much as possible。 i gave one voice to the heroine； another to the aunt； yet another to the cousin； and i acpanied the storytelling with such gestures and expressions as seemed to illustrate the emotions of the characters。 emmeline did not take her eyes off me； and i was pleased with my effect。
out of the corner of my eye i caught a movement。 adeline had turned her head in my direction。 still her head rested on her arm； still her eyes appeared closed； yet i had the distinct impression she was listening to me。 even if the change of position was meaningless （and it was not； she has always turned away from me before）； there is the alteration in the way she held herself。 where she normally slumps over her desk when she sleeps； in a state of animal unconsciousness； today her whole body seemed alert： the set of the shoulders； a certain tension。 as if she was straining toward the story； yet still trying to give the impression of inert slumber。
i did not want her to see that i had noticed anything。 i continued to look as if i was reading only to emmeline。 i maintained the animation of my face and voice。 but all the time i was keeping an eye on adeline。 and she wasn’t only listening。 i caught a quiver of her lids。 i had thought her eyes closed； but not at all—from between her lashes； she was watching me！
it is a most interesting development； and one that i foresee will be the centerpin of my project here。
then the most unexpected thing happened。 the doctor’s face changed。 yes； hanged； before my very eyes。 it was one of those moments when a face es suddenly into new focus； when the features； all recognizably as they were before； are prone to a dizzying shift and present themselves in an unexpected new light。 i would like to know what it is in a human mind that causes the faces of those we know to shift and dance about like that。 i have ruled out optical effects； phenomena related to light and so on； and have arrived at the conclusion that the explanation is rooted in the psychology of the onlooker。 anyway； the sudden movement and rearrangement of his facial features caused me to stare at him for a few moments； which must have seemed very strange to him。 when his features had