第12部分(第3/7 页)

　fled；　and　getting　up；　obeyed　the　monitor　without　reply　as　without　delay。

Chapter　7

My　first　quarter　at　Lowood　seemed　an　age；　and　not　the　golden　age　either；　it　prised　an　irksome　struggle　with　difficulties　in　habituating　myself　to　new　rules　and　unwonted　tasks。　The　fear　of　failure　in　these　points　harassed　me　worse　than　the　physical　hardships　of　my　lot；　though　these　were　no　trifles。

During　January；　February；　and　part　of　March；　the　deep　snows；　and；　after　their　melting；　the　almost　impassable　roads；　prevented　our　stirring　beyond　the　garden　walls；　except　to　go　to　church；　but　within　these　limits　we　had　to　pass　an　hour　every　day　in　the　open　air。　Our　clothing　was　insufficient　to　protect　us　from　the　severe　cold：　we　had　no　boots；　the　snow　got　into　our　shoes　and　melted　there：　our　ungloved　hands　became　numbed　and　covered　with　chilblains；　as　were　our　feet：　I　remember　well　the　distracting　irritation　I　endured　from　this　cause　every　evening；　when　my　feet　inflamed；　and　the　torture　of　thrusting　the　swelled；　raw；　and　stiff　toes　into　my　shoes　in　the　morning。　Then　the　scanty　supply　of　food　was　distressing：　with　the　keen　appetites　of　growing　children；　we　had　scarcely　sufficient　to　keep　alive　a　delicate　invalid。　From　this　deficiency　of　nourishment　resulted　an　abuse；　which　pressed　hardly　on　the　younger　pupils：　whenever　the　famished　great　girls　had　an　opportunity；　they　would　coax　or　menace　the　little　ones　out　of　their　portion。　Many　a　time　I　have　shared　between　two　claimants　the　precious　morsel　of　brown　bread　distributed　at　tea…time；　and　after　relinquishing　to　a　third　half　the　contents　of　my　mug　of　coffee；　I　have　swallowed　the　remainder　with　an　acpaniment　of　secret　tears；　forced　from　me　by　the　exigency　of　hunger。

Sundays　were　dreary　days　in　that　wintry　season。　We　had　to