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reverend relative, and had been conducting a rummaging scrutiny of the
room upstairs, while he transacted business with the housekeeper,
questioned the laundress, and lectured the superintendent. They now
proceeded to address divers remarks and reproofs to Miss Smith, who
was charged with the care of the linen and the inspection of the
dormitories: but I had no time to listen to what they said; other
matters called off and enchained my attention.
Hitherto, while gathering up the discourse of Mr. Brocklehurst
and Miss Temple, I had not, at the same time, neglected precautions to
secure my personal safety; which I thought would be effected, if I
could only elude observation. To this end, I had sat well back on
the form, and while seeming to be busy with my sum, had held my
slate in such a manner as to conceal my face: I might have escaped
notice, had not my treacherous slate somehow happened to slip from
my hand, and falling with an obtrusive crash, directly drawn every eye
upon me; I knew it was all over now, and, as I stooped to pick up
the two fragments of slate, I rallied my forces for the worst. It
came.
'A careless girl!' said Mr. Brocklehurst, and immediately after-
'It is the new pupil, I perceive.' And before I could draw breath,
'I must not forget I have a word to say respecting her.' Then aloud:
how loud it seemed to me! 'Let the child who broke her slate come
forward!'
Of my own accord I could not have stirred; I was paralysed: but the
two great girls who sat on each side of me, set me on my legs and
pushed me towards the dread judge, and then Miss Temple gently
assisted me to his very feet, and I caught her whispered counsel-
'Don't be afraid, Jane, I saw it was an accident; you shall not
be punished.'
The kind whisper went to my heart like a dagger.
'Another minute, and she will despise me for a hypocrite,'
thought I; and an impulse of fury against Reed, Brocklehurst, and
Co. bounded in my pulses at the conviction. I was no Helen Burns.
'Fetch that stool,' said Mr. Brocklehurst, pointing to a very
high one from which a monitor had just risen: it was brought.
'Place the child upon it.'
And I was placed there, by whom I don't know: I was in no condition
to note particulars; I was only aware that they had hoisted me up to
the height of Mr. Brocklehurst's nose, that he was within a yard of
me, and that a spread of shot orange and purple silk pelisses and a
cloud of silvery plumage extended and waved below me.
Mr. Brocklehurst hemmed.
'Ladies,' said he, turning to his family, 'Miss Temple, teachers,
and children, you all see this girl?'
Of course they did; for I felt their eyes directed like
burning-glasses against my scorched skin.
'You see she is yet young; you observe she possesses the ordinary
form of childhood; God has graciously given her the shape that He
has given to all of us; no signal deformity points her out as a marked