第14章

第14章“nothing,indeed,”thoughti,asiledtorepressasob,andhastilywipedawaysometears,theimpotentevidencesofmyanguish.

“deceitis,indeed,asadfaultinachild,”saidmr.brocklehurst;“itisakintofalsehood,andallliarswillhavetheirportioninthelakeburningwithfireandbrimstone;sheshall,however,bewatched,mrs.reed.iwillspeaktomisstempleandtheteachers.”

“ishouldwishhertobebroughtupinamannersuitingherprospects,”continuedmybenefactress;“tobemadeuseful,tobekepthumble:asforthevacations,shewill,withyourpermission,spendthemalwaysatlowood.”

“yourdecisionsareperfectlyjudicious,madam,”returnedmr.brocklehurst.“humilityisachristiangrace,andonepeculiarlyappropriatetothepupilsoflowood;i,therefore,directthatespecialcareshallbebestowedonitscultivationamongstthem.ihavestudiedhowbesttomortifyinthemtheworldlysentimentofpride;and,onlytheotherday,ihadapleasingproofofmyess.myseconddaughter,augusta,wentwithhermamatovisittheschool,andonherreturnsheexclaimed:‘oh,dearpapa,howquietandplainallthegirlsatlowoodlook,withtheirhaircombedbehindtheirears,andtheirlongpinafores,andthoselittlehollandpocketsoutsidetheirfrocks—theyarealmostlikepoorpeople’schildren!and,’saidshe,‘theylookedatmydressandmama’s,asiftheyhadneverseenasilkgownbefore.’”

“thisisthestateofthingsiquiteapprove,”returnedmrs.reed;“hadisoughtallenglandover,icouldscarcelyhavefoundasystemmoreexactlyfittingachildlikejaneeyre.consistency,mydearmr.brocklehurst;iadvocateconsistencyinallthings.”

“consistency,madam,isthefirstofchristianduties;andithasbeenobservedineveryarrangementconnectedwiththeestablishmentoflowood:plainfare,simpleattire,unsophisticatedaccommodations,hardyandactivehabits;suchistheorderofthedayinthehouseanditsinhabitants.”

“quiteright,sir.imaythendependuponthischildbeingreceivedasapupilatlowood,andtherebeingtrainedinconformitytoherpositionandprospects?”

“madam,youmay:sheshallbeplacedinthatnurseryofchosenplants,anditrustshewillshowherselfgratefulfortheinestimableprivilegeofherelection.”

“iwillsendher,then,assoonaspossible,mr.brocklehurst;for,iassureyou,ifeelanxioustoberelievedofaresponsibilitythatwasbecomingtooirksome.”

“nodoubt,nodoubt,madam;andnowiwishyougoodmorning.ishallreturntobrocklehursthallinthecourseofaweekortwo:mygoodfriend,thearchdeacon,willnotpermitmetoleavehimsooner.ishallsendmisstemplenoticethatsheistoexpectanewgirl,sothattherewillhenodifficultyaboutreceivingher.good-bye.”

“good-bye,mr.brocklehurst;remembermetomrs.andmissbrocklehurst,andtoaugustaandtheodore,andmasterbroughtonbrocklehurst.”

“iwill,madam.littlegirl,hereisabookentitledthe‘child’sguide,’readitwithprayer,especiallythatpartcontaining‘anaccountoftheawfullysuddendeathofmarthag—,anaughtychildaddictedtofalsehoodanddeceit.’”

withthesewordsmr.brocklehurstputintomyhandathinpamphletsewninacover,andhavingrungforhiscarriage,hedeparted.

mrs.reedandiwereleftalone:someminutespassedinsilence;shewassewing,iwaswatchingher.mrs.reedmightbeatthattimesomesixorsevenandthirty;shewasawomanofrobustframe,square-shoulderedandstrong-limbed,nottall,and,thoughstout,notobese:shehadasomewhatlargeface,theunderjawbeingmuchdevelopedandverysolid;herbrowwaslow,herchinlargeandprominent,mouthandnosesufficientlyregular;underherlighteyebrowsglimmeredaneyedevoidofruth;herskinwasdarkandopaque,herhairnearlyflaxen;herconstitutionwassoundasabell—illnessnevercamenearher;shewasanexact,clevermanager;herhouseholdandtenantrywerethoroughlyunderhercontrol;herchildrenonlyattimesdefiedherauthorityandlaughedittoscorn;shedressedwell,andhadapresenceandportcalculatedtosetoffhandsomeattire.

sittingonalowstool,afewyardsfromherarm-chair,iexaminedherfigure;iperusedherfeatures.inmyhandiheldthetractcontainingthesuddendeathoftheliar,towhichnarrativemyattentionhadbeenpointedastoanappropriatewarning.whathadjustpassed;whatmrs.reedhadsaidconcerningmetomr.brocklehurst;thewholetenoroftheirconversation,wasrecent,raw,andstinginginmymind;ihadfelteverywordasacutelyasihadhearditplainly,andapassionofresentmentfomentednowwithinme.

mrs.reedlookedupfromherwork;hereyesettledonmine,herfingersatthesametimesuspendedtheirnimblemovements.

“gooutoftheroom;returntothenursery,”washermandate.mylookorsomethingelsemusthavestruckherasoffensive,forshespokewithextremethoughsuppressedirritation.igotup,iwenttothedoor;icamebackagain;iwalkedtothewindow,acrosstheroom,thencloseuptoher.

speakimust:ihadbeentroddenonseverely,andmustturn:buthow?whatstrengthhaditodartretaliationatmyantagonist?igatheredmyenergiesandlaunchedtheminthisbluntsentence—

“iamnotdeceitful:ifiwere,ishouldsayilovedyou;butideclareidonotloveyou:idislikeyoutheworstofanybodyintheworldexceptjohnreed;andthisbookabouttheliar,youmaygivetoyourgirl,georgiana,foritisshewhotellslies,andnoti.”

mrs.reed’shandsstilllayonherworkinactive:hereyeoficecontinuedtodwellfreezinglyonmine.

“whatmorehaveyoutosay?”sheasked,ratherinthetoneinwhichapersonmightaddressanopponentofadultagethansuchasisordinarilyusedtoachild.

thateyeofhers,thatvoicestirredeveryantipathyihad.shakingfromheadtofoot,thrilledwithungovernableexcitement,icontinued—