第13部分(第4/7 页)

ntially　received　by　Miss　Temple；　as　Mrs。　and　the　Misses　Brocklehurst；　and　conducted　to　seats　of　honour　at　the　top　of　the　room。　It　seems　they　had　e　in　the　carriage　with　their　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　enchanted　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　e　forward！”

Of　my　own　accord　I　could　not　have　stirred；　I　was　paralysed：　but　the　two　great　girls　who　sit　on　each　side　of　me；　set　me　on　my　legs　and　pushed　me　towards　the　dread　judge；　and　then　Miss　Temple　gently　assisted　m