Essential Novelists - Charlotte Brontë. Charlotte Bronte

the cold which nipped me without, and the unsatisfied hunger which gnawed me within, delivered myself up to the employment of watching and thinking. My reflections were too undefined and fragmentary to merit record: I hardly yet knew where I was; Gateshead and my past life seemed floated away to an immeasurable distance; the present was vague and strange, and of the future I could form no conjecture. I looked round the convent-like garden, and then up at the house—a large building, half of which seemed grey and old, the other half quite new. The new part, containing the schoolroom and dormitory, was lit by mullioned and latticed windows, which gave it a church-like aspect; a stone tablet over the door bore this inscription:—

      "Lowood Institution.—This portion was rebuilt A.D. ——, by Naomi Brocklehurst, of Brocklehurst Hall, in this county." "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."—St. Matt. v. 16.

      I read these words over and over again: I felt that an explanation belonged to them, and was unable fully to penetrate their import. I was still pondering the signification of "Institution," and endeavouring to make out a connection between the first words and the verse of Scripture, when the sound of a cough close behind me made me turn my head. I saw a girl sitting on a stone bench near; she was bent over a book, on the perusal of which she seemed intent: from where I stood I could see the title—it was "Rasselas;" a name that struck me as strange, and consequently attractive. In turning a leaf she happened to look up, and I said to her directly—

      "Is your book interesting?" I had already formed the intention of asking her to lend it to me some day.

      "I like it," she answered, after a pause of a second or two, during which she examined me.

      "What is it about?" I continued. I hardly know where I found the hardihood thus to open a conversation with a stranger; the step was contrary to my nature and habits: but I think her occupation touched a chord of sympathy somewhere; for I too liked reading, though of a frivolous and childish kind; I could not digest or comprehend the serious or substantial.

      "You may look at it," replied the girl, offering me the book.

      I did so; a brief examination convinced me that the contents were less taking than the title: "Rasselas" looked dull to my trifling taste; I saw nothing about fairies, nothing about genii; no bright variety seemed spread over the closely-printed pages. I returned it to her; she received it quietly, and without saying anything she was about to relapse into her former studious mood: again I ventured to disturb her—

      "Can you tell me what the writing on that stone over the door means? What is Lowood Institution?"

      "This house where you are come to live."

      "And why do they call it Institution? Is it in any way different from other schools?"

      "It is partly a charity-school: you and I, and all the rest of us, are charity-children. I suppose you are an orphan: are not either your father or your mother dead?"

      "Both died before I can remember."

      "Well, all the girls here have lost either one or both parents, and this is called an institution for educating orphans."

      "Do we pay no money? Do they keep us for nothing?"

      "We pay, or our friends pay, fifteen pounds a year for each."

      "Then why do they call us charity-children?"

      "Because fifteen pounds is not enough for board and teaching, and the deficiency is supplied by subscription."

      "Who subscribes?"

      "Different benevolent-minded ladies and gentlemen in this neighbourhood and in London."

      "Who was Naomi Brocklehurst?"

      "The lady who built the new part of this house as that tablet records, and whose son overlooks and directs everything here."

      "Why?"

      "Because he is treasurer and manager of the establishment."

      "Then this house does not belong to that tall lady who wears a watch, and who said we were to have some bread and cheese?"

      "To Miss Temple? Oh, no! I wish it did: she has to answer to Mr. Brocklehurst for all she does. Mr. Brocklehurst buys all our food and all our clothes."

      "Does he live here?"

      "No—two miles off, at a large hall."

      "Is he a good man?"

      "He is a clergyman, and is said to do a great deal of good."

      "Did you say that tall lady was called Miss Temple?"

      "Yes."

      "And what are the other teachers called?"

      "The one with red cheeks is called Miss Smith; she attends to the work, and cuts out—for we make our own clothes, our frocks, and pelisses, and everything; the little one with black hair is Miss Scatcherd; she teaches history and grammar, and hears the second class repetitions; and the one who wears a shawl, and has a pocket-handkerchief tied to her side with a yellow ribband, is Madame Pierrot: she comes from Lisle, in France, and teaches French."

      "Do you like the teachers?"

      "Well enough."

      "Do you like the little black one, and the Madame ——? I cannot pronounce her name as you do."

      "Miss Scatcherd is hasty—you must take care not to offend her; Madame Pierrot is not a bad sort of person."

      "But Miss Temple is the best—isn't she?"

      "Miss Temple is very good and very clever; she is above the rest, because she knows far more than they do."

      "Have you been long here?"

      "Two years."

      "Are you an orphan?"

      "My mother is dead."

      "Are you happy here?"

      "You ask rather too many questions. I have given you answers enough for the present: now I want to read."

      But at that moment the summons sounded for dinner; all re-entered the house. The odour which now filled the refectory was scarcely more appetising than that which had regaled our nostrils at breakfast: the dinner was served in two huge tin-plated vessels, whence rose a strong steam redolent of rancid fat. I found the mess to consist of indifferent potatoes and strange shreds of rusty meat, mixed and cooked together. Of this preparation a tolerably abundant plateful was apportioned to each pupil. I ate what I could, and wondered within myself whether every day's fare would be like this.

      After dinner, we immediately adjourned to the schoolroom: lessons recommenced, and were continued till five o'clock.

      The only marked event of the afternoon was, that I saw the girl with whom I had conversed in the verandah dismissed in disgrace by Miss Scatcherd from a history class, and sent to stand in the middle of the large schoolroom. The punishment seemed to me in a high degree ignominious, especially for so great a girl—she looked thirteen or upwards. I expected she would show signs of great distress and shame; but to my surprise she neither wept nor blushed: composed, though grave, she stood, the central mark of all eyes. "How can she bear it so quietly—so firmly?" I asked of myself. "Were I in her place, it seems to me I should wish the earth to open and swallow me up. She looks as if she were thinking of something beyond her punishment—beyond her situation: of something not round her nor before her. I have heard of day-dreams—is she in a day-dream now? Her eyes are fixed on the floor, but I am sure they do not see it—her sight seems turned in, gone down into her heart: she is looking at what she can remember, I believe; not at what is really present. I wonder what sort of a girl she is—whether good or naughty."

      Soon after five p.m. we had another meal, consisting of a small mug of coffee, and half-a-slice of brown bread. I devoured my bread and drank my coffee with relish; but I should have been glad of as much more—I was still hungry. Half-an-hour's recreation succeeded, then study; then