正文预览

第3章 收割学分

　　Bessie invited him to walk into the breakfast-room, and led the wayout. In the interview which followed between him and Mrs. Reed, Ipresume, from after-occurrences, that the apothecary ventured torecommend my being sent to school; and the recommendation was no doubtreadily enough adopted; for as Abbot said, in discussing the subjectwith Bessie when both sat sewing in the nursery one night, after I wasin bed, and, as they thought, asleep, 'Missis was, she dared say, gladenough to get rid of such a tiresome, ill-conditioned child, whoalways looked as if she were watching everybody, and scheming plotsunderhand.' Abbot, I think, gave me credit for being a sort ofinfantine Guy Fawkes.

　　'Yes, sir.'

　　A distant bell tinkled: immediately three ladies entered theroom, each walked to a table and took her seat; Miss Miller assumedthe fourth vacant chair, which was that nearest the door, and aroundwhich the smallest of the children were assembled: to this inferiorclass I was called, and placed at the bottom of it.

　　'Has it other furniture of the same kind within?'

st Hall, in this county.' 'Let your lightso shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorifyyour Father which is in heaven.'- St. Matt. v. 16.

　　'None that I ever heard of,' returned Mrs. Fairfax, smiling.

　　'What must you do to avoid it?'

I was noting these things and enjoying them as a childmight, when it entered my mind as it had never done before:-

　　A quarter of an hour passed before lessons again began, duringwhich the schoolroom was in a glorious tumult; for that space oftime it seemed to be permitted to talk loud and more freely, andthey used their privilege. The whole conversation ran on thebreakfast, which one and all abused roundly. Poor things! it was thesole consolation they had. Miss Miller was now the only teacher in theroom: a group of great girls standing about her spoke with serious andsullen gestures. I heard the name of Mr. Brocklehurst pronounced bysome lips; at which Miss Miller shook her head disapprovingly; but shemade no great effort to check the general wrath; doubtless sheshared in it.