第22章 - 简·爱 - 佚名 - 都市言情小说 - 30读书
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第22章

第22章thenextdaycommencedasbefore,gettingupanddressingbyrushlight;butthismorningwewereobligedtodispensewiththeceremonyofwashing;thewaterinthepitcherswasfrozen.achangehadtakenplaceintheweathertheprecedingevening,andakeennorth-eastwind,whistlingthroughthecrevicesofourbedroomwindowsallnightlong,hadmadeusshiverinourbeds,andturnedthecontentsoftheewerstoice.

beforethelonghourandahalfofprayersandbible-readingwasover,ifeltreadytoperishwithcold.breakfast-timecameatlast,andthismorningtheporridgewasnotburnt;thequalitywaseatable,thequantitysmall.howsmallmyportionseemed!iwishedithadbeendoubled.

inthecourseofthedayiwasenrolledamemberofthefourthclass,andregulartasksandoccupationswereassignedme:hitherto,ihadonlybeenaspectatoroftheproceedingsatlowood;iwasnowtobecomeanactortherein.atfirst,beinglittleaccustomedtolearnbyheart,thelessonsappearedtomebothlonganddifficult;thefrequentchangefromtasktotask,too,bewilderedme;andiwasgladwhen,aboutthreeo’clockintheafternoon,misssmithputintomyhandsaborderofmuslintwoyardslong,togetherwithneedle,thimble,&c.,andsentmetositinaquietcorneroftheschoolroom,withdirectionstohemthesame.atthathourmostoftheothersweresewinglikewise;butoneclassstillstoodroundmissscatcherd’schairreading,andasallwasquiet,thesubjectoftheirlessonscouldbeheard,togetherwiththemannerinwhicheachgirlacquittedherself,andtheanimadversionsorcommendationsofmissscatcherdontheperformance.itwasenglishhistory:amongthereadersiobservedmyacquaintanceoftheverandah:atthecommencementofthelesson,herplacehadbeenatthetopoftheclass,butforsomeerrorofpronunciation,orsomeinattentiontostops,shewassuddenlysenttotheverybottom.eveninthatobscureposition,missscatcherdcontinuedtomakeheranobjectofconstantnotice:shewascontinuallyaddressingtohersuchphrasesasthefollowing:—

“burns”(suchitseemswashername:thegirlsherewereallcalledbytheirsurnames,asboysareelsewhere),“burns,youarestandingonthesideofyourshoe;turnyourtoesoutimmediately.”“burns,youpokeyourchinmostunpleasantly;drawitin.”“burns,iinsistonyourholdingyourheadup;iwillnothaveyoubeforemeinthatattitude,”&c.&c.

achapterhavingbeenreadthroughtwice,thebookswereclosedandthegirlsexamined.thelessonhadcomprisedpartofthereignofcharlesi.,andthereweresundryquestionsabouttonnageandpoundageandship-money,whichmostofthemappearedunabletoanswer;still,everylittledifficultywassolvedinstantlywhenitreachedburns:hermemoryseemedtohaveretainedthesubstanceofthewholelesson,andshewasreadywithanswersoneverypoint.ikeptexpectingthatmissscatcherdwouldpraiseherattention;but,insteadofthat,shesuddenlycriedout—

“youdirty,disagreeablegirl!youhavenevercleanedyournailsthismorning!”

burnsmadenoanswer:iwonderedathersilence.“why,”thoughti,“doesshenotexplainthatshecouldneithercleanhernailsnorwashherface,asthewaterwasfrozen?”

myattentionwasnowcalledoffbymisssmithdesiringmetoholdaskeinofthread:whileshewaswindingit,shetalkedtomefromtimetotime,askingwhetherihadeverbeenatschoolbefore,whethericouldmark,stitch,knit,&c.;tillshedismissedme,icouldnotpursuemyobservationsonmissscatcherd’smovements.whenireturnedtomyseat,thatladywasjustdeliveringanorderofwhichididnotcatchtheimport;butburnsimmediatelylefttheclass,andgoingintothesmallinnerroomwherethebookswerekept,returnedinhalfaminute,carryinginherhandabundleoftwigstiedtogetheratoneend.thisominoustoolshepresentedtomissscatcherdwitharespectfulcourtesy;thenshequietly,andwithoutbeingtold,unloosedherpinafore,andtheteacherinstantlyandsharplyinflictedonherneckadozenstrokeswiththebunchoftwigs.notatearrosetoburns’eye;and,whileipausedfrommysewing,becausemyfingersquiveredatthisspectaclewithasentimentofunavailingandimpotentanger,notafeatureofherpensivefacealtereditsordinaryexpression.

“hardenedgirl!”exclaimedmissscatcherd;“nothingcancorrectyouofyourslatternlyhabits:carrytherodaway.”

burnsobeyed:ilookedathernarrowlyassheemergedfromthebook-closet;shewasjustputtingbackherhandkerchiefintoherpocket,andthetraceofatearglistenedonherthincheek.

theplay-hourintheeveningithoughtthepleasantestfractionofthedayatlowood:thebitofbread,thedraughtofcoffeeswallowedatfiveo’clockhadrevivedvitality,ifithadnotsatisfiedhunger:thelongrestraintofthedaywasslackened;theschoolroomfeltwarmerthaninthemorning—itsfiresbeingallowedtoburnalittlemorebrightly,tosupply,insomemeasure,theplaceofcandles,notyetintroduced:theruddygloaming,thelicenseduproar,theconfusionofmanyvoicesgaveoneawelcomesenseofliberty.

ontheeveningofthedayonwhichihadseenmissscatcherdflogherpupil,burns,iwanderedasusualamongtheformsandtablesandlaughinggroupswithoutacompanion,yetnotfeelinglonely:whenipassedthewindows,inowandthenliftedablind,andlookedout;itsnowedfast,adriftwasalreadyformingagainstthelowerpanes;puttingmyearclosetothewindow,icoulddistinguishfromthegleefultumultwithin,thedisconsolatemoanofthewindoutside.

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