第26章

第26章hestoodatmisstemple’sside;hewasspeakinglowinherear:ididnotdoubthewasmakingdisclosuresofmyvillainy;andiwatchedhereyewithpainfulanxiety,expectingeverymomenttoseeitsdarkorbturnonmeaglanceofrepugnanceandcontempt.ilistenedtoo;andasihappenedtobeseatedquiteatthetopoftheroom,icaughtmostofwhathesaid:itsimportrelievedmefromimmediateapprehension.

“isuppose,misstemple,thethreadiboughtatlowtonwilldo;itstruckmethatitwouldbejustofthequalityforthecalicochemises,andisortedtheneedlestomatch.youmaytellmisssmiththatiforgottomakeamemorandumofthedarningneedles,butsheshallhavesomepaperssentinnextweek;andsheisnot,onanyaccount,togiveoutmorethanoneatatimetoeachpupil:iftheyhavemore,theyareapttobecarelessandlosethem.and,oma’am!iwishthewoollenstockingswerebetterlookedto!—wheniwasherelast,iwentintothekitchen-gardenandexaminedtheclothesdryingontheline;therewasaquantityofblackhoseinaverybadstateofrepair:fromthesizeoftheholesinthemiwassuretheyhadnotbeenwellmendedfromtimetotime.”

hepaused.

“yourdirectionsshallbeattendedto,sir,”saidmisstemple.

“and,ma’am,”hecontinued,“thelaundresstellsmesomeofthegirlshavetwocleantuckersintheweek:itistoomuch;theruleslimitthemtoone.”

“ithinkicanexplainthatcircumstance,sir.agnesandcatherinejohnstonewereinvitedtotaketeawithsomefriendsatlowtonlastthursday,andigavethemleavetoputoncleantuckersfortheoccasion.”

mr.brocklehurstnodded.

“well,foronceitmaypass;butpleasenottoletthecircumstanceoccurtoooften.andthereisanotherthingwhichsurprisedme;ifind,insettlingaccountswiththehousekeeper,thatalunch,consistingofbreadandcheese,hastwicebeenservedouttothegirlsduringthepastfortnight.howisthis?ilookedovertheregulations,andifindnosuchmealaslunchmentioned.whointroducedthisinnovation?andbywhatauthority?”

“imustberesponsibleforthecircumstance,sir,”repliedmisstemple:“thebreakfastwassoillpreparedthatthepupilscouldnotpossiblyeatit;andidarednotallowthemtoremainfastingtilldinner-time.”

“madam,allowmeaninstant.youareawarethatmyplaninbringingupthesegirlsis,nottoaccustomthemtohabitsofluxuryandindulgence,buttorenderthemhardy,patient,self-denying.shouldanylittleaccidentaldisappointmentoftheappetiteoccur,suchasthespoilingofameal,theunderortheoverdressingofadish,theincidentoughtnottobeneutralisedbyreplacingwithsomethingmoredelicatethecomfortlost,thuspamperingthebodyandobviatingtheaimofthisinstitution;itoughttobeimprovedtothespiritualedificationofthepupils,byencouragingthemtoevincefortitudeundertemporaryprivation.abriefaddressonthoseoccasionswouldnotbemistimed,whereinajudiciousinstructorwouldtaketheopportunityofreferringtothesufferingsoftheprimitivechristians;tothetormentsofmartyrs;totheexhortationsofourblessedlordhimself,callinguponhisdisciplestotakeuptheircrossandfollowhim;tohiswarningsthatmanshallnotlivebybreadalone,butbyeverywordthatproceedethoutofthemouthofgod;tohisdivineconsolations,“ifyesufferhungerorthirstformysake,happyareye.”oh,madam,whenyouputbreadandcheese,insteadofburntporridge,intothesechildren’smouths,youmayindeedfeedtheirvilebodies,butyoulittlethinkhowyoustarvetheirimmortalsouls!”

mr.brocklehurstagainpaused—perhapsovercomebyhisfeelings.misstemplehadlookeddownwhenhefirstbegantospeaktoher;butshenowgazedstraightbeforeher,andherface,naturallypaleasmarble,appearedtobeassumingalsothecoldnessandfixityofthatmaterial;especiallyhermouth,closedasifitwouldhaverequiredasculptor’schiseltoopenit,andherbrowsettledgraduallyintopetrifiedseverity.

meantime,mr.brocklehurst,standingonthehearthwithhishandsbehindhisback,majesticallysurveyedthewholeschool.suddenlyhiseyegaveablink,asifithadmetsomethingthateitherdazzledorshockeditspupil;turning,hesaidinmorerapidaccentsthanhehadhithertoused—

“misstemple,misstemple,what—whatisthatgirlwithcurledhair?redhair,ma’am,curled—curledallover?”andextendinghiscanehepointedtotheawfulobject,hishandshakingashedidso.

“itisjuliasevern,”repliedmisstemple,veryquietly.

“juliasevern,ma’am!andwhyhasshe,oranyother,curledhair?why,indefianceofeverypreceptandprincipleofthishouse,doessheconformtotheworldsoopenly—hereinanevangelical,charitableestablishment—astowearherhaironemassofcurls?”

“julia’shaircurlsnaturally,”returnedmisstemple,stillmorequietly.

“naturally!yes,butwearenottoconformtonature;iwishthesegirlstobethechildrenofgrace:andwhythatabundance?ihaveagainandagainintimatedthatidesirethehairtobearrangedclosely,modestly,plainly.misstemple,thatgirl’shairmustbecutoffentirely;iwillsendabarberto-morrow:andiseeotherswhohavefartoomuchoftheexcrescence—thattallgirl,tellhertoturnround.tellallthefirstformtoriseupanddirecttheirfacestothewall.”

misstemplepassedherhandkerchiefoverherlips,asiftosmoothawaytheinvoluntarysmilethatcurledthem;shegavetheorder,however,andwhenthefirstclasscouldtakeinwhatwasrequiredofthem,theyobeyed.leaningalittlebackonmybench,icouldseethelooksandgrimaceswithwhichtheycommentedonthismanoeuvre:itwasapitymr.brocklehurstcouldnotseethemtoo;hewouldperhapshavefeltthat,whateverhemightdowiththeoutsideofthecupandplatter,theinsidewasfurtherbeyondhisinterferencethanheimagined.