Ihadbeenintroducedasanobjectofabhorrenceintothefamily;
asacreatureofwhommystep—mother，thoughshehadbeenkindenoughtoletmeliveinthehousewithherownchild，couldmakenothing。Iwasdescribedasawretch，whosenosemustbekepttothegrindingstone——anditwasheldtherewithanirongrasp。Itseemedindeedtheprivilegeoftheirsuperiornaturetokickmeabout，likethedogorcat。IfIwereattentive，Iwascalledfawning，ifrefractory，anobstinatemule，andlikeamuleIreceivedtheircensureonmyloadedback。Oftenhasmymistress，forsomeinstanceofforgetfulness，thrownmefromonesideofthekitchentotheother，knockedmyheadagainstthewall，spitinmyface，withvariousrefinementsonbarbaritythatIforbeartoenumerate，thoughtheywereallactedoveragainbytheservant，withadditionalinsults，towhichtheappellationofbastard，wascommonlyadded，withtauntsorsneers。ButIwillnotattempttogiveyouanadequateideaofmysituation，lestyou，whoprobablyhaveneverbeendrenchedwiththedregsofhumanmisery，shouldthinkIexaggerate。
\"Istolenow，fromabsolutenecessity，——bread;yetwhateverelsewastaken，whichIhaditnotinmypowertotake，wasascribedtome。Iwasthefilchingcat，theravenousdog，thedumbbrute，whomustbearall;forifIendeavouredtoexculpatemyself，Iwassilenced，withoutanyenquiriesbeingmade，with’Holdyourtongue，younevertelltruth。’EventheveryairIbreathedwastaintedwithscorn;forIwassenttotheneighbouringshopswithGlutton，Liar，orThief，writtenonmyforehead。Thiswas，atfirst，themostbitterpunishment;butsullenpride，orakindofstupiddesperation，mademe，atlength，almostregardlessofthecontempt，whichhadwrungfrommesomanysolitarytearsattheonlymomentswhenIwasallowedtorest。
\"ThuswasIthemarkofcrueltytillmysixteenthyear;andthenIhaveonlytopointoutachangeofmisery;foraperiodI
neverknew。Allowmefirsttomakeoneobservation。NowIlookback，Icannothelpattributingthegreaterpartofmymisery，tothemisfortuneofhavingbeenthrownintotheworldwithoutthegrandsupportoflife——amother’saffection。Ihadnoonetoloveme;ortomakemerespected，toenablemetoacquirerespect。