The next day commenced as before, getting up and dressing by

rushlight; but this morning we were obliged to dispense with the

ceremony of washing; the water in the pitchers was frozen. A change

had taken place in the weather the preceding evening, and a keen

north-east wind, whistling through the crevices of our bedroom

windows all night long, had made us shiver in our beds, and turned

the contents of the ewers to ice.

Before the long hour and a half of prayers and Bible-reading was

over, I felt ready to perish with cold. Breakfast-time came at

last, and this morning the porridge was not burnt; the quality was

eatable, the quantity small. How small my portion seemed! I wished

it had been doubled.

In the course of the day I was enrolled a member of the fourth

class, and regular tasks and occupations were assigned me:

hitherto, I had only been a spectator of the proceedings at Lowood;

I was now to become an actor therein. At first, being little

accustomed to learn by heart, the lessons appeared to me both long

and difficult; the frequent change from task to task, too,

bewildered me; and I was glad when, about three o'clock in the

afternoon, Miss Smith put into my hands a border of muslin two yards

long, together with needle, thimble, &c., and sent me to sit in a

quiet corner of the schoolroom, with directions to hem the same. At

that hour most of the others were sewing likewise; but one class

still stood round Miss Scatcherd's chair reading, and as all was

quiet, the subject of their lessons could be heard, together with

the manner in which each girl acquitted herself, and the

animadversions or commendations of Miss Scatcherd on the

performance. It was English history: among the readers I observed

my acquaintance of the verandah: at the commencement of the lesson,

her place had been at the top of the class, but for some error of

pronunciation, or some inattention to stops, she was suddenly sent

to the very bottom. Even in that obscure position, Miss Scatcherd

continued to make her an object of constant notice: she was

continually addressing to her such phrases as the following:"Burns" (such it seems was her name: the girls here were all called

by their surnames, as boys are elsewhere), "Burns, you are standing

on the side of your shoe; turn your toes out immediately." "Burns,

you poke your chin most unpleasantly; draw it in." "Burns, I insist

on your holding your head up; I will not have you before me in that

attitude," &c. &c.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024