"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 comprehend 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 eyes. I

suspected she might be right and I wrong; but I would not ponder the

matter deeply; like Felix, I put it off to a more convenient season.

"You say you have faults, Helen: what are they? To me you seem

very good."

"Then learn from me, not to judge by appearances: I am, as Miss

Scatcherd said, slatternly; I seldom put, and never keep, things, in

order; I am careless; I forget rules; I read when I should learn my

lessons; I have no method; and sometimes I say, like you, I cannot

BEAR to be subjected to systematic arrangements. This is all very

provoking to Miss Scatcherd, who is naturally neat, punctual, and

particular."

"And cross and cruel," I added; but Helen Burns would not admit my

addition: she kept silence.

"Is Miss Temple as severe to you as Miss Scatcherd?"

At the utterance of Miss Temple's name, a soft smile flitted over

her grave face.

"Miss Temple is full of goodness; it pains her to be severe to any

one, even the worst in the school: she sees my errors, and tells me

of them gently; and, if I do anything worthy of praise, she gives me

my meed liberally. One strong proof of my wretchedly defective

nature is, that even her expostulations, so mild, so rational, have

not influence to cure me of my faults; and even her praise, though I

value it most highly, cannot stimulate me to continued care and

foresight."

"That is curious," said I, "it is so easy to be careful."

"For YOU I have no doubt it is. I observed you in your class this

morning, and saw you were closely attentive: your thoughts never

seemed to wander while Miss Miller explained the lesson and

questioned you. Now, mine continually rove away; when I should be

listening to Miss Scatcherd, and collecting all she says with

assiduity, often I lose the very sound of her voice; I fall into a

sort of dream. Sometimes I think I am in Northumberland, and that

the noises I hear round me are the bubbling of a little brook which

runs through Deepden, near our house;--then, when it comes to my

turn to reply, I have to be awakened; and having heard nothing of

what was read for listening to the visionary brook, I have no answer

ready."




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