第15部分(第6/7 页)

gleam　in　overshadowed　spots　like　scatterings　of　the　sweetest　lustre。　All　this　I　enjoyed　often　and　fully；　free；　unwatched；　and　almost　alone：　for　this　unwonted　liberty　and　pleasure　there　was　a　cause；　to　which　it　now　bees　my　task　to　advert。

Have　I　not　described　a　pleasant　site　for　a　dwelling；　when　I　speak　of　it　as　bosomed　in　hill　and　wood；　and　rising　from　the　verge　of　a　stream？　Assuredly；　pleasant　enough：　but　whether　healthy　or　not　is　another　question。

That　forest…dell；　where　Lowood　lay；　was　the　cradle　of　fog　and　fog…　bred　pestilence；　which；　quickening　with　the　quickening　spring；　crept　into　the　Orphan　Asylum；　breathed　typhus　through　its　crowded　schoolroom　and　dormitory；　and；　ere　May　arrived；　transformed　the　seminary　into　an　hospital。

Semi…starvation　and　neglected　colds　had　predisposed　most　of　the　pupils　to　receive　infection：　forty…five　out　of　the　eighty　girls　lay　ill　at　one　time。　Classes　were　broken　up；　rules　relaxed。　The　few　who　continued　well　were　allowed　almost　unlimited　license；　because　the　medical　attendant　insisted　on　the　necessity　of　frequent　exercise　to　keep　them　in　health：　and　had　it　been　otherwise；　no　one　had　leisure　to　watch　or　restrain　them。　Miss　Temple’s　whole　attention　was　absorbed　by　the　patients：　she　lived　in　the　sick…room；　never　quitting　it　except　to　snatch　a　few　hours’　rest　at　night。　The　teachers　were　fully　occupied　with　packing　up　and　making　other　necessary　preparations　for　the　departure　of　those　girls　who　were　fortunate　enough　to　have　friends　and　relations　able　and　willing　to　remove　them　from　the　seat　of　contagion。　Many；　already　smitten；　went　home　only　to　die：　some　died　at　the　school；　and　were　buried　quietly　and　quickly；　the　nature　of　the　malady　forbidding　delay。

While　disease　had　thus　bee　an　inhabitant　of　Lowood；　and　death　i