第1部分(第5/7 页)

　the　title　of　novelist　rests　on　this　one　work　alone。　If；　therefore；　the　authorship　of　other　works　of　fiction　has　been　attributed　to　me；　an　honour　is　awarded　where　it　is　not　merited；　and　consequently；　denied　where　it　is　justly　due。

This　explanation　will　serve　to　rectify　mistakes　which　may　already　have　been　made；　and　to　prevent　future　errors。

CURRER　BELL。

April　13th；　1848。

Chapter　1

There　was　no　possibility　of　taking　a　walk　that　day。　We　had　been　wandering；　indeed；　in　the　leafless　shrubbery　an　hour　in　the　morning；　but　since　dinner　（Mrs。　Reed；　when　there　was　no　pany；　dined　early）　the　cold　winter　wind　had　brought　with　it　clouds　so　sombre；　and　a　rain　so　perating；　that　further　out…door　exercise　was　now　out　of　the　question。

I　was　glad　of　it：　I　never　liked　long　walks；　especially　on　chilly　afternoons：　dreadful　to　me　was　the　ing　home　in　the　raw　twilight；　with　nipped　fingers　and　toes；　and　a　heart　saddened　by　the　chidings　of　Bessie；　the　nurse；　and　humbled　by　the　consciousness　of　my　physical　inferiority　to　Eliza；　John；　and　Georgiana　Reed。

The　said　Eliza；　John；　and　Georgiana　were　now　clustered　round　their　mama　in　the　drawing…room：　she　lay　reclined　on　a　sofa　by　the　fireside；　and　with　her　darlings　about　her　（for　the　time　neither　quarrelling　nor　crying）　looked　perfectly　happy。　Me；　she　had　dispensed　from　joining　the　group；　saying；　“She　regretted　to　be　under　the　necessity　of　keeping　me　at　a　distance；　but　that　until　she　heard　from　Bessie；　and　could　discover　by　her　own　observation；　that　I　was　endeavouring　in　good　earnest　to　acquire　a　more　sociable　and　childlike　disposition；　a　more　attractive　and　sprightly　manner—　something　lighter；　franker；　more　natural；　as　it　were—she　really　must　exclude　me　from　privileges　intended　only　for　contented；　happy；