第11部分(第4/7 页)

　talk。”　I　sat　down　by　her　on　the　floor。

“What　is　your　name　besides　Burns？”

“Helen。”

“Do　you　e　a　long　way　from　here？”

“I　e　from　a　place　farther　north；　quite　on　the　borders　of　Scotland。”

“Will　you　ever　go　back？”

“I　hope　so；　but　nobody　can　be　sure　of　the　future。”

“You　must　wish　to　leave　Lowood？”

“No！　why　should　I？　I　was　sent　to　Lowood　to　get　an　education；　and　it　would　be　of　no　use　going　away　until　I　have　attained　that　object。”

“But　that　teacher；　Miss　Scatcherd；　is　so　cruel　to　you？”

“Cruel？　Not　at　all！　She　is　severe：　she　dislikes　my　faults。”

“And　if　I　were　in　your　place　I　should　dislike　her；　I　should　resist　her。　If　she　struck　me　with　that　rod；　I　should　get　it　from　her　hand；　I　should　break　it　under　her　nose。”

“Probably　you　would　do　nothing　of　the　sort：　but　if　you　did；　Mr。　Brocklehurst　would　expel　you　from　the　school；　that　would　be　a　great　grief　to　your　relations。　It　is　far　better　to　endure　patiently　a　smart　which　nobody　feels　but　yourself；　than　to　mit　a　hasty　action　whose　evil　consequences　will　extend　to　all　connected　with　you；　and　besides；　the　Bible　bids　us　return　good　for　evil。”

“But　then　it　seems　disgraceful　to　be　flogged；　and　to　be　sent　to　stand　in　the　middle　of　a　room　full　of　people；　and　you　are　such　a　great　girl：　I　am　far　younger　than　you；　and　I　could　not　bear　it。”

“Yet　it　would　be　your　duty　to　bear　it；　if　you　could　not　avoid　it：　it　is　weak　and　silly　to　say　you　cannot　bear　what　it　is　your　fate　to　be　required　to　bear。”

I　heard　her　with　wonder：　I　could　not　prehend　this　doctrine　of　endurance；　and　still　less　could　I　understand　or　sympathise　with　the　forbearance　she　expressed　for　her　chastiser。　Still　I　felt　that　Helen　Burns　considered　things　by　a　light　invisible　to　my　ey