第9部分(第3/7 页)

to　six　girls；　on　the　stands　down　the　middle　of　the　room。　Again　the　bell　rang：　all　formed　in　file；　two　and　two；　and　in　that　order　descended　the　stairs　and　entered　the　cold　and　dimly　lit　schoolroom：　here　prayers　were　read　by　Miss　Miller；　afterwards　she　called　out—

“Form　classes！”

A　great　tumult　succeeded　for　some　minutes；　during　which　Miss　Miller　repeatedly　exclaimed；　“Silence！”　and　“Order！”　When　it　subsided；　I　saw　them　all　drawn　up　in　four　semicircles；　before　four　chairs；　placed　at　the　four　tables；　all　held　books　in　their　hands；　and　a　great　book；　like　a　Bible；　lay　on　each　table；　before　the　vacant　seat。　A　pause　of　some　seconds　succeeded；　filled　up　by　the　low；　vague　hum　of　numbers；　Miss　Miller　walked　from　class　to　class；　hushing　this　indefinite　sound。

A　distant　bell　tinkled：　immediately　three　ladies　entered　the　room；　each　walked　to　a　table　and　took　her　seat。　Miss　Miller　assumed　the　fourth　vacant　chair；　which　was　that　nearest　the　door；　and　around　which　the　smallest　of　the　children　were　assembled：　to　this　inferior　class　I　was　called；　and　placed　at　the　bottom　of　it。

Business　now　began；　the　day’s　Collect　was　repeated；　then　certain　texts　of　Scripture　were　said；　and　to　these　succeeded　a　protracted　reading　of　chapters　in　the　Bible；　which　lasted　an　hour。　By　the　time　that　exercise　was　terminated；　day　had　fully　dawned。　The　indefatigable　bell　now　sounded　for　the　fourth　time：　the　classes　were　marshalled　and　marched　into　another　room　to　breakfast：　how　glad　I　was　to　behold　a　prospect　of　getting　something　to　eat！　I　was　now　nearly　sick　from　inanition；　having　taken　so　little　the　day　before。

The　refectory　was　a　great；　low…ceiled；　gloomy　room；　on　two　long　tables　smoked　basins　of　something　hot；　which；　however；　to　my　dismay；　sent　forth　an　odour　far　from　invit