第14部分(第1/7 页)

g；　she　lifted　her　eyes。　What　a　strange　light　inspired　them！　What　an　extraordinary　sensation　that　ray　sent　through　me！　How　the　new　feeling　bore　me　up！　It　was　as　if　a　martyr；　a　hero；　had　passed　a　slave　or　victim；　and　imparted　strength　in　the　transit。　I　mastered　the　rising　hysteria；　lifted　up　my　head；　and　took　a　firm　stand　on　the　stool。　Helen　Burns　asked　some　slight　question　about　her　work　of　Miss　Smith；　was　chidden　for　the　triviality　of　the　inquiry；　returned　to　her　place；　and　smiled　at　me　as　she　again　went　by。　What　a　smile！　I　remember　it　now；　and　I　know　that　it　was　the　effluence　of　fine　intellect；　of　true　courage；　it　lit　up　her　marked　lineaments；　her　thin　face；　her　sunken　grey　eye；　like　a　reflection　from　the　aspect　of　an　angel。　Yet　at　that　moment　Helen　Burns　wore　on　her　arm　“the　untidy　badge；”　scarcely　an　hour　ago　I　had　heard　her　condemned　by　Miss　Scatcherd　to　a　dinner　of　bread　and　water　on　the　morrow　because　she　had　blotted　an　exercise　in　copying　it　out。　Such　is　the　imperfect　nature　of　man！　such　spots　are　there　on　the　disc　of　the　clearest　pla；　and　eyes　like　Miss　Scatcherd’s　can　only　see　those　minute　defects；　and　are　blind　to　the　full　brightness　of　the　orb。

Chapter　8

Ere　the　half…hour　ended；　five　o’clock　struck；　school　was　dismissed；　and　all　were　gone　into　the　refectory　to　tea。　I　now　ventured　to　descend：　it　was　deep　dusk；　I　retired　into　a　corner　and　sat　down　on　the　floor。　The　spell　by　which　I　had　been　so　far　supported　began　to　dissolve；　reaction　took　place；　and　soon；　so　overwhelming　was　the　grief　that　seized　me；　I　sank　prostrate　with　my　face　to　the　ground。　Now　I　wept：　Helen　Burns　was　not　here；　nothing　sustained　me；　left　to　myself　I　abandoned　myself；　and　my　tears　watered　the　boards。　I　had　meant　to　be　so　good；　and　to　do　so　much　at　Lowood：　to　make　so　many　f