第20章 - 简·爱 - 佚名 - 都市言情小说 - 30读书
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第20章

第20章“youhadthismorningabreakfastwhichyoucouldnoteat;youmustbehungry:—ihaveorderedthatalunchofbreadandcheeseshallbeservedtoall.”

theteacherslookedatherwithasortofsurprise.“itistobedoneonmyresponsibility,”sheadded,inanexplanatorytonetothem,andimmediatelyafterwardslefttheroom.

thebreadandcheesewaspresentlybroughtinanddistributed,tothehighdelightandrefreshmentofthewholeschool.theorderwasnowgiven“tothegarden!”eachputonacoarsestrawbonnet,withstringsofcolouredcalico,andacloakofgreyfrieze.iwassimilarlyequipped,and,followingthestream,imademywayintotheopenair.

thegardenwasawideinclosure,surroundedwithwallssohighastoexcludeeveryglimpseofprospect;acoveredverandahrandownoneside,andbroadwalksborderedamiddlespacedividedintoscoresoflittlebeds:thesebedswereassignedasgardensforthepupilstocultivate,andeachbedhadanowner.whenfullofflowerstheywoulddoubtlesslookpretty;butnow,atthelatterendofjanuary,allwaswintryblightandbrowndecay.ishudderedasistoodandlookedroundme:itwasaninclementdayforoutdoorexercise;notpositivelyrainy,butdarkenedbyadrizzlingyellowfog;allunderfootwasstillsoakingwetwiththefloodsofyesterday.thestrongeramongthegirlsranaboutandengagedinactivegames,butsundrypaleandthinonesherdedtogetherforshelterandwarmthintheverandah;andamongstthese,asthedensemistpenetratedtotheirshiveringframes,iheardfrequentlythesoundofahollowcough.

asyetihadspokentonoone,nordidanybodyseemtotakenoticeofme;istoodlonelyenough:buttothatfeelingofisolationiwasaccustomed;itdidnotoppressmemuch.ileantagainstapillaroftheverandah,drewmygreymantlecloseaboutme,and,tryingtoforgetthecoldwhichnippedmewithout,andtheunsatisfiedhungerwhichgnawedmewithin,deliveredmyselfuptotheemploymentofwatchingandthinking.myreflectionsweretooundefinedandfragmentarytomeritrecord:ihardlyyetknewwhereiwas;gatesheadandmypastlifeseemedfloatedawaytoanimmeasurabledistance;thepresentwasvagueandstrange,andofthefutureicouldformnoconjecture.ilookedroundtheconvent-likegarden,andthenupatthehouse—alargebuilding,halfofwhichseemedgreyandold,theotherhalfquitenew.thenewpart,containingtheschoolroomanddormitory,waslitbymullionedandlatticedwindows,whichgaveitachurch-likeaspect;astonetabletoverthedoorborethisinscription:—

“lowoodinstitution.—thisportionwasrebuilta.d.—,bynaomibrocklehurst,ofbrocklehursthall,inthiscounty.”“letyourlightsoshinebeforemen,thattheymayseeyourgoodworks,andglorifyyourfatherwhichisinheaven.”—st.matt.v.16.

ireadthesewordsoverandoveragain:ifeltthatanexplanationbelongedtothem,andwasunablefullytopenetratetheirimport.iwasstillponderingthesignificationof“institution,”andendeavouringtomakeoutaconnectionbetweenthefirstwordsandtheverseofscripture,whenthesoundofacoughclosebehindmemademeturnmyhead.isawagirlsittingonastonebenchnear;shewasbentoverabook,ontheperusalofwhichsheseemedintent:fromwhereistoodicouldseethetitle—itwas“rasselas;”anamethatstruckmeasstrange,andconsequentlyattractive.inturningaleafshehappenedtolookup,andisaidtoherdirectly—

“isyourbookinteresting?”ihadalreadyformedtheintentionofaskinghertolendittomesomeday.

“ilikeit,”sheanswered,afterapauseofasecondortwo,duringwhichsheexaminedme.

“whatisitabout?”icontinued.ihardlyknowwhereifoundthehardihoodthustoopenaconversationwithastranger;thestepwascontrarytomynatureandhabits:butithinkheroccupationtouchedachordofsympathysomewhere;foritoolikedreading,thoughofafrivolousandchildishkind;icouldnotdigestorcomprehendtheseriousorsubstantial.

“youmaylookatit,”repliedthegirl,offeringmethebook.

ididso;abriefexaminationconvincedmethatthecontentswerelesstakingthanthetitle:“rasselas”lookeddulltomytriflingtaste;isawnothingaboutfairies,nothingaboutgenii;nobrightvarietyseemedspreadovertheclosely-printedpages.ireturnedittoher;shereceiveditquietly,andwithoutsayinganythingshewasabouttorelapseintoherformerstudiousmood:againiventuredtodisturbher—

“canyoutellmewhatthewritingonthatstoneoverthedoormeans?whatislowoodinstitution?”

“thishousewhereyouarecometolive.”

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