第27章

第27章hescrutinisedthereverseoftheselivingmedalssomefiveminutes,thenpronouncedsentence.thesewordsfellliketheknellofdoom—

“allthosetop-knotsmustbecutoff.”

misstempleseemedtoremonstrate.

“madam,”hepursued,“ihaveamastertoservewhosekingdomisnotofthisworld:mymissionistomortifyinthesegirlsthelustsoftheflesh;toteachthemtoclothethemselveswithshame-facednessandsobriety,notwithbraidedhairandcostlyapparel;andeachoftheyoungpersonsbeforeushasastringofhairtwistedinplaitswhichvanityitselfmighthavewoven;these,irepeat,mustbecutoff;thinkofthetimewasted,of—”

mr.brocklehurstwashereinterrupted:threeothervisitors,ladies,nowenteredtheroom.theyoughttohavecomealittlesoonertohaveheardhislectureondress,fortheyweresplendidlyattiredinvelvet,silk,andfurs.thetwoyoungerofthetrio(finegirlsofsixteenandseventeen)hadgreybeaverhats,theninfashion,shadedwithostrichplumes,andfromunderthebrimofthisgracefulhead-dressfellaprofusionoflighttresses,elaboratelycurled;theelderladywasenvelopedinacostlyvelvetshawl,trimmedwithermine,andsheworeafalsefrontoffrenchcurls.

theseladiesweredeferentiallyreceivedbymisstemple,asmrs.andthemissesbrocklehurst,andconductedtoseatsofhonouratthetopoftheroom.itseemstheyhadcomeinthecarriagewiththeirreverendrelative,andhadbeenconductingarummagingscrutinyoftheroomupstairs,whilehetransactedbusinesswiththehousekeeper,questionedthelaundress,andlecturedthesuperintendent.theynowproceededtoaddressdiversremarksandreproofstomisssmith,whowaschargedwiththecareofthelinenandtheinspectionofthedormitories:butihadnotimetolistentowhattheysaid;othermatterscalledoffandenchantedmyattention.

hitherto,whilegatheringupthediscourseofmr.brocklehurstandmisstemple,ihadnot,atthesametime,neglectedprecautionstosecuremypersonalsafety;whichithoughtwouldbeeffected,ificouldonlyeludeobservation.tothisend,ihadsatwellbackontheform,andwhileseemingtobebusywithmysum,hadheldmyslateinsuchamannerastoconcealmyface:imighthaveescapednotice,hadnotmytreacherousslatesomehowhappenedtoslipfrommyhand,andfallingwithanobtrusivecrash,directlydrawneveryeyeuponme;iknewitwasallovernow,and,asistoopedtopickupthetwofragmentsofslate,iralliedmyforcesfortheworst.itcame.

“acarelessgirl!”saidmr.brocklehurst,andimmediatelyafter—“itisthenewpupil,iperceive.”andbeforeicoulddrawbreath,“imustnotforgetihaveawordtosayrespectingher.”thenaloud:howlouditseemedtome!“letthechildwhobrokeherslatecomeforward!”

ofmyownaccordicouldnothavestirred;iwasparalysed:butthetwogreatgirlswhositoneachsideofme,setmeonmylegsandpushedmetowardsthedreadjudge,andthenmisstemplegentlyassistedmetohisveryfeet,andicaughtherwhisperedcounsel—

“don’tbeafraid,jane,isawitwasanaccident;youshallnotbepunished.”

thekindwhisperwenttomyheartlikeaer.

“anotherminute,andshewilldespisemeforahypocrite,”thoughti;andanimpulseoffuryagainstreed,brocklehurst,andco.boundedinmypulsesattheconviction.iwasnohelenburns.

“fetchthatstool,”saidmr.brocklehurst,pointingtoaveryhighonefromwhichamonitorhadjustrisen:itwasbrought.

“placethechilduponit.”

andiwasplacedthere,bywhomidon’tknow:iwasinnoconditiontonoteparticulars;iwasonlyawarethattheyhadhoistedmeuptotheheightofmr.brocklehurst’snose,thathewaswithinayardofme,andthataspreadofshotorangeandpurplesilkpelissesandacloudofsilveryplumageextendedandwavedbelowme.

mr.brocklehursthemmed.

“ladies,”saidhe,turningtohisfamily,“misstemple,teachers,andchildren,youallseethisgirl?”

ofcoursetheydid;forifelttheireyesdirectedlikeburning-glassesagainstmyscorchedskin.