小说园

第9部分（第1页）

ool；　my　little　girl？”

I　explained　to　her　that　I　had　no　parents。　She　inquired　how　long　they　had　been　dead：　then　how　old　I　was；　what　was　my　name；　whether　I　could　read；　write；　and　sew　a　little：　then　she　touched　my　cheek　gently　with　her　forefinger；　and　saying；　“She　hoped　I　should　be　a　good　child；”　dismissed　me　along　with　Miss　Miller。

The　lady　I　had　left　might　be　about　twenty…nine；　the　one　who　went　with　me　appeared　some　years　younger：　the　first　impressed　me　by　her　voice；　look；　and　air。　Miss　Miller　was　more　ordinary；　ruddy　in　plexion；　though　of　a　careworn　countenance；　hurried　in　gait　and　action；　like　one　who　had　always　a　multiplicity　of　tasks　on　hand：　she　looked；　indeed；　what　I　afterwards　found　she　really　was；　an　under…teacher。　Led　by　her；　I　passed　from　partment　to　partment；　from　passage　to　passage；　of　a　large　and　irregular　building；　till；　emerging　from　the　total　and　somewhat　dreary　silence　pervading　that　portion　of　the　house　we　had　traversed；　we　came　upon　the　hum　of　many　voices；　and　presently　entered　a　wide；　long　room；　with　great　deal　tables；　two　at　each　end；　on　each　of　which　burnt　a　pair　of　candles；　and　seated　all　round　on　benches；　a　congregation　of　girls　of　every　age；　from　nine　or　ten　to　twenty。　Seen　by　the　dim　light　of　the　dips；　their　number　to　me　appeared　countless；　though　not　in　reality　exceeding　eighty；　they　were　uniformly　dressed　in　brown　stuff　frocks　of　quaint　fashion；　and　long　holland　pinafores。　It　was　the　hour　of　study；　they　were　engaged　in　conning　over　their　to…　morrow’s　task；　and　the　hum　I　had　heard　was　the　bined　result　of　their　whispered　repetitions。

Miss　Miller　signed　to　me　to　sit　on　a　bench　near　the　door；　then　walking　up　to　the　top　of　the　long　room　she　cried　out—

“Monitors；　collect　the　lesson…books　and　put　them　away！　Four　tall　girls　arose　from　different　tables；　and　going　round；　gathered　the　books　and　removed　them。　Miss　Miller　again　gave　the　word　of　mand—

“Monitors；　fetch　the　supper…trays！”

The　tall　girls　went　out　and　returned　presently；　each　bearing　a　tray；　with　portions　of　something；　I　knew　not　what；　arranged　thereon；　and　a　pitcher　of　water　and　mug　in　the　middle　of　each　tray。　The　portions　were　handed　round；　those　who　liked　took　a　draught　of　the　water；　the　mug　being　mon　to　all。　When　it　came　to　my　turn；　I　drank；　for　I　was　thirsty；　but　did　not　touch　the　food；　excitement　and　fatigue　rendering　me　incapable　of　eating：　I　now　saw；　however；　that　it　was　a　thin　oaten　cake　shared　into　fragments。

The　meal　over；　prayers　were　read　by　Miss　Miller；　and　the　classes　filed　off；　two　and　two；　upstairs。　Overpowered　by　this　time　with　weariness；　I　scarcely　noticed　what　sort　of　a　place　the　bedroom　was；　except　that；　like　the　schoolroom；　I　saw　it　was　very　long。　To…night　I　was　to　be　Miss　Miller’s　bed…fellow；　she　helped　me　to　undress：　when　laid　down　I　glanced　at　the　long　rows　of　beds；　each　of　which　was　quickly　filled　with　two　occupants；　in　ten　minutes　the　single　light　was　extinguished；　and　amidst　silence　and　plete　darkness　I　fell　asleep。

The　night　passed　rapidly。　I　was　too　tired　even　to　dream；　I　only　once　awoke　to　hear　the　wind　rave　in　furious　gusts；　and　the　rain　fall　in　torrents；　and　to　be　sensible　that　Miss　Miller　had　taken　her　place　by　my　side。　When　I　again　unclosed　my　eyes；　a　loud　bell　was　ringing；　the　girls　were　up　and　dressing；　day　had　not　yet　begun　to　dawn；　and　a　rushlight　or　two　burned　in　the　room。　I　too　rose　reluctantly；　it　was　bitter　cold；　and　I　dressed　as　well　as　I　could　for　shivering；　and　washed　when　there　was　a　basin　at　liberty；　which　did　not　occur　soon；　as　there　was　but　one　basin　to　six　girls；　on　the　stands　down　the　middle　of　the　room。　Again　the　bell　rang：　all　formed　in　file；　two　and　two；　and　in　that　order　descended　the　stairs　and　entered　the　cold　and　dimly　lit　schoolroom：　here　prayers　were　read　by　Miss　Miller；　afterwards　she　called　out—

“Form　classes！”

A　great　tumult　succeeded　for　some　minutes；　during　which　Miss　Miller　repeatedly　exclaimed；　“Silence！”　and　“Order！”　When　it　subsided；　I　saw　them　all　drawn　up　in　four　semicircles；　before　four　chairs；　placed　at　the　four　tables；　all　held　books　in　their　hands；　and　a　great　book；　like　a　Bible；　lay　on　each　table；　before　the　vacant　seat。　A　pause　of　some　seconds　succeeded；　filled　up　by　the　low；　vague　hum　of　numbers；　Miss　Miller　walked　from　class　to　class；　hushing　this　indefinite　sound。

A　distant　bell　tinkled：　immediately　three　ladies　entered　the　room；　each　walked　to　a　table　and　took　her　seat。　Miss　Miller　assumed　the　fourth　vacant　chair；　which　was　that　nearest　the　door；　and　around　which　the　smallest　of　the　children　were　assembled：　to　this　inferior　class　I　was　called；　and　placed　at　the　bottom　of　it。

Business　now　began；　the　day’s　Collect　was　repeated；　then　certain　texts　of　Scripture　were　said；　and　to　these　succeeded　a　protracted　reading　of　chapters　in　the　Bible；　which　lasted　an　hour。　By　the　time　that　exercise　was　terminated；　day　had　fully　dawned。　The　indefatigable　bell　now　sounded　for　the　fourth　time：　the　classes　were　marshalled　and　marched　into　another　room　to　breakfast：　how　glad　I　was　to　behold　a　prospect　of　getting　something　to　eat！　I　was　now　nearly　sick　from　inanition；　having　taken　so　little　the　day　before。

The　refectory　was　a　great；　low…ceiled；　gloomy　room；　on　two　long　tables　smoked　basins　of　something　hot；　which；　however；　to　my　dismay；　sent　forth　an　odour　far　from　inviting。　I　saw　a　universal　manifestation　of　discontent　when　the　fumes　of　the　repast　met　the　nostrils　of　those　destined　to　swallow　it；　from　the　van　of　the　procession；　the　tall　girls　of　the　first　class；　rose　the　whispered　words—

“Disgusting！　The　porridge　is　burnt　again！”

“Silence！”　ejaculated　a　voice；　not　that　of　Miss　Miller；　but　one　of　the　upper　teachers；　a　little　and　dark　personage；　smartly　dressed；　but　of　somewhat　morose　aspect；　who　installed　herself　at　the　top　of　one　table；　while　a　more　buxom　lady　presided　at　the　other。　I　looked　in　vain　for　her　I　had　first　seen　the　night　before；　she　was　not　visible：　Miss　Miller　occupied　the　foot　of　the　table　where　I　sat；　and　a　strange；　foreign…looking；　elderly　lady；　the　French　teacher；　as　I　afterwards　found；　took　the　corresponding　seat　at　the　other　board。　A　long　grace　was　said　and　a　hymn　sung；　then　a　servant　brought　in　some　tea　for　the　teachers；　and　the　meal　began。

Ravenous；　and　now　very　faint；　I　devoured　a　spoonful　or　two　of　my　portion　without　thinking　of　its　taste；　but　the　first　edge　of　hunger　blunted；　I　perceived　I　had　got　in　hand　a　nauseous　mess；　burnt　porridge　is　almost　as　bad　as　rotten　potatoes；　famine　itself　soon　sickens　over　it。　The　spoons　were　moved　slowly：　I　saw　each　girl　taste　her　food　and　try　to　swallow　it；　but　in　most　cases　the　effort　was　soon　relinquished。　Breakfast　was　over；　and　none　had　breakfasted。　Thanks　being　returned　for　what　we　had　not　got；　and　a　second　hymn　chanted；　the　refectory　was　evacuated　for　the　schoolroom。　I　was　one　of　the　last　to　go　out；　and　in　passing　the　tables；　I　saw　one　teacher　take　a　basin　of　the　porridge　and　taste　it；　she　looked　at　the　others；　all　their　countenances　expressed　displeasure；　and　one　of　them；　the　stout　one；　whispered—

“Abominable　stuff！　How　shameful！”

A　quarter　of　an　hour　passed　before　lessons　again　began；　during　which　the　schoolroom　was　in　a　glorious　tumult；　for　that　space　of　time　it　seemed　to　be　permitted　to　talk　loud　and　more　freely；　and　they　used　their　privilege。　The　whole　conversation　ran　on　the　breakfast；　which　one　and　all　abused　roundly。　Poor　things！　it　was　the　sole　consolation　they　had。　Miss　Miller　was　now　the　only　teacher　in　the　room：　a　group　of　great　girls　standing　about　her　spoke　with　serious　and　sullen　gestures。　I　heard　the　name　of　Mr。　Brocklehurst　pronounced　by　some　lips；　at　which　Miss　Miller　shook　her　head　disapprovingly；　but　she　made　no　great　effort　to　cheek　the　general　wrath；　doubtless　she　shared　in　it。

A　clock　in　the　schoolroom　struck　nine；　Miss　Miller　left　her　circle；　and　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　cried—

“Silence！　To　your　seats！”

Discipline　prevailed：　in　five　minutes　the　confused　throng　was　resolved　into　order；　and　parative　silence　quelled　the　Babel　clamour　of　tongues。　The　upper　teachers　now　punctually　resumed　their　posts：　but　still；　all　seemed　to　wait。　Ranged　on　benches　down　the　sides　of　the　room；　the　eighty　girls　sat　motionless　and　erect；　a　quaint　assemblage　they　appeared；　all　with　plain　locks　bed　from　their　faces；　not　a　curl　visible；　in　brown　dresses；　made　high　and　surrounded　by　a　narrow　tucker　about　the　throat；　with　little　pockets　of　holland　（shaped　something　like　a　Highlander’s　purse）　tied　in　front　of　their　frocks；　and　destined　to　serve　the　purpose　of　a　work…　bag：　all；　too；　wearing　woollen　stockings　and　country…made　shoes；　fastened　with　brass　buckles。　Above　twenty　of　those　clad　in　this　costume　were　full…grown　girls；　or　rather　young　women；　it　suited　them　ill；　and　gave　an　air　of　oddity　even　to　the　prettiest。

I　was　still　looking　at　them；　and　also　at　intervals　examining　the　teachers—none　of　whom　precisely　pleased　me；　for　the　stout　one　was　a　little　coarse；　the　dark　one　not　a　little　fierce；　the　foreigner　harsh　and　grotesque；　and　Miss　Miller；　poor　thing！　looked　purple；　weather…　beaten；　and　over…worked—when；　as　my　eye　wandered　from　face　to　face；　the　whole　school　rose　simultaneously；　as　if　moved　by　a　mon　spring。

What　was　the　matter？　I　had　heard　no　order　given：　I　was　puzzled。　Ere　I　had　gathered　my　wits；　the　classes　were　again　seated：　but　as　all　eyes　were　now　turned　to　one　point；　mine　followed　the　general　direction；　and　encountered　the　personage　who　had　received　me　last　night。　She　stood　at　the　bottom　of　the　long　room；　on　the　hearth；　for　there　was　a　fire　at　each　end；　she　surveyed　the　two　rows　of　girls　silently　and　gravely。　Miss　Miller　approaching；　seemed　to　ask　her　a　question；　and　having　received　her　answer；　went　back　to　her　place；　and　said　aloud—

“Monitor　of　the　first　class；　fetch　the　globes！”

While　the　direction　was　being　executed；　the　lady　consulted　moved　slowly　up　the　room。　I　suppose　I　have　a　considerable　organ　of　veneration；　for　I　retain　yet　the　sense　of　admiring　awe　with　which　my　eyes　traced　her　steps。　Seen　now；　in　broad　daylight；　she　looked　tall；　fair；　and　shapely；　brown　eyes　with　a　benignant　light　in　their　irids；　and　a　fine　pencilling　of　long　lashes　round；　relieved　the　whiteness　of　her　large　front；　on　each　of　her　temples　her　hair；　of　a　very　dark　brown；　was　clustered　in　round　curls；　according　to　the　fashion　of　those　times；　when　neither　smooth　bands　nor　long　ringlets　were　in　vogue；　her　dress；　also　in　the　mode　of　the　day；　was　of　purple　cloth；　relieved　by　a　sort　of　Spanish　trimming　of　black　velvet；　a　gold　watch　（watches　were　not　so　mon　then　as　now）　shone　at　her　girdle。　Let　the　reader　add；　to　plete　the　picture；　refined　features；　a　plexion；　if　pale；　clear；　and　a　stately　air　and　carriage；　and　he　will　have；　at　least；　as　clearly　as　words　can　give　it；　a　correct　idea　of　the　exterior　of　Miss　Temple—Maria　Temple；　as　I　afterwards　saw　the　name　written　in　a　prayer…book　intrusted　to　me　to　carry　to　church。

The　superintendent　of　Lowood　（for　such　was　this　lady）　having　taken　her　seat　before　a　pair　of　globes　placed　on　one　of　the　tables；　summoned　the　first　class　round　her；　and　menced　giving　a　lesson　on　geography；　the　lower　classes　were　called　by　the　teachers：　repetitions　in　history；　grammar；　&c。；　went　on　for　an　hour；　writing　and　arithmetic　succeeded；　and　music　lessons　were　given　by　Miss　Temple　to　so