possibly eat it； and I dared not allow them to remain fasting till
dinner…time。'
'Madam； allow me an instant。 You are aware that my plan in bringing
up these girls is； not to accustom them to habits of luxury and
indulgence； but to render them hardy； patient； self…denying。 Should
any little accidental disappointment of the appetite occur； such as
the spoiling of a meal； the under or the over dressing of a dish；
the incident ought not to be neutralised by replacing with something
more delicate the comfort lost； thus pampering the body and
obviating the aim of this institution； it ought to be improved to
the spiritual edification of the pupils； by encouraging them to evince
fortitude under the temporary privation。 A brief address on those
occasions would not be mistimed； wherein a judicious instructor
would take the opportunity of referring to the sufferings of the
primitive Christians； to the torments of martyrs； to the
exhortations of our blessed Lord Himself； calling upon His disciples
to take up their cross and follow Him； to His warnings that man
shall not live by bread alone； but by every word that proceedeth out
of the mouth of God； to His divine consolations； 〃If ye suffer
hunger or thirst for My sake； happy are ye。〃 Oh； madam； when you put
bread and cheese； instead of burnt porridge； into these children's
mouths； you may indeed feed their vile bodies； but you little think
how you starve their immortal souls！'
Mr。 Brocklehurst again paused… perhaps overcome by his feelings。
Miss Temple had looked down when he first began to speak to her； but
she now gazed straight before her； and her face； naturally pale as
marble； appeared to be assuming also the coldness and fixity of that
material； especially her mouth； closed as if it would have required
a sculptor's chisel to open it； and her brow settled gradually into
petrified severity。
Meantime； Mr。 Brocklehurst； standing on the hearth with his hands
behind his back； majestically surveyed the whole school。 Suddenly
his eye gave a blink； as if it had met something that either dazzled
or shocked its pupil； turning； he said in more rapid accents than he
had hitherto used…
'Miss Temple； Miss Temple； what… what is that girl with curled
hair？ Red hair； ma'am； curled… curled all over？' And extending his
cane he pointed to the awful object； his hand shaking as he did so。
'It is Julia Severn；' replied Miss Temple； very quietly。
'Julia Severn； ma'am！ And why has she； or any other； curled hair？
Why； in defiance of every precept and principle of this house； does
she conform to the world so openly… here in an evangelical； charitable
establishment… as to wear her hair one mass of curls？'
'Julia's hair curls naturally；' returned Miss Temple； still more
quietly。
'Naturally！ Yes； but we are not to conform to nature； I wish
these girls to be the children of Grace： and why that abundance？ I
have again and again intimated that I desire the hair to be arranged
closely； modestly； plainly。 Miss Temple； that girl's hair must be
cut off entirely； I will send a barber tomorrow： and I see others
who have far too much of the excrescence… that tall girl； tell her
to turn round。 Tell all the first form to rise up and direct their
faces to the wall。'
Miss Temple passed her handkerchief over her lips； as if to
smooth away the involuntary smile that curled them； she gave the
order； however； and when the first class could take in what was
required of them； they obeyed。 Leaning a little back on my bench； I
could see the looks and grimaces with which they commented on this
manoeuvre： it was a pity Mr。 Brocklehurst could not see them too； he
would perhaps have felt that； whatever he might do with the outside of
the cup and platter； the inside was further beyond his interference
than he imagined。
He scrutinised the reverse of these living medals some five
minutes； then pronounced sentence。 These words fell like the knell
of doom…
'All those top…knots must be cut off。'
Miss Temple seemed to remonstrate。
'Madam；' he pursued； 'I have a Master to serve whose kingdom is not
of this world： my mission is to mortify in these girls the lusts of
the flesh； to teach them to clothe themselves with shame…facedness and
sobriety； not with braided hair and costly apparel； and each of the
young persons before us has a string of hair twisted in plaits which
vanity itself might have woven； these； I repeat； must be cut off；
think of the time wasted； of…'
Mr。 Brocklehurst was here interrupted： three other visitors；
ladies； now entered the room。 They ought to have come a little
sooner to have heard his lecture on dress； for they were splendidly
attired in velvet； silk； and furs。 The two younger of the trio （fine
girls of sixteen and seventeen） had grey beaver hats； then in fashion；
shaded with ostrich plumes； and from under the brim of this graceful
head…dress fell a profusion of light tresses； elaborately curled；
the elder lady was enveloped in a costly velvet shawl； trimmed with
ermine； and she wore a false front of French curls。
These ladies were deferentially received by Miss Temple； as Mrs。
and the Misses Brocklehurst； and conducted to seats of honour at the
top of the room。 It seems they had come in the carriage with their
reverend relative； and had been conducting a rummaging scrutiny of the
room upstairs； while he transacted business with the housekeeper；
questioned the laundress； and lectured the superintendent。 They now
proceeded to address divers remarks and reproofs to Miss Smith； who
was charged with the care of the linen and the inspection of the
dormitories： but I had no time to listen to what they said； other
matters called off and enchained my attention。
Hitherto； while gathering up the discourse of Mr。 Brocklehurst
and Miss Temple； I had not； at the same time； neglected precautions to
secure my personal safety； which I thought would be effected； if I
could only elude observation。 To this end； I had sat well back on
the form； and while seeming to be busy with my sum； had held my
slate in such a manner as to conceal my face： I might have escaped
notice； had not my treacherous slate somehow happened to slip from
my hand； and falling with an obtrusive crash； directly drawn every eye
upon me； I knew it was all over now； and； as I stooped to pick up
the two fragments of slate； I rallied my forces for the worst。 It
came。
'A careless girl！' said Mr。 Brocklehurst； and immediately after…
'It is the new pupil； I perceive。' And before I could draw breath；
'I must not forget I have a word to say respecting her。' Then aloud：
how loud it seemed to me！ 'Let the child who broke her slate come
forward！'
Of my own accord I could not have stirred； I was paralysed： but the
two great girls who sat on each side of me； set me on my legs and
pushed me towards the dread judge； and then Miss Temple gently
assisted me to his very feet； and I caught her whispered counsel…
'Don't be afraid； Jane； I saw it was an accident； you shall not
be punished。'
The kind whisper went to my heart like a dagger。
'Another minute； and she will despise me for a hypocrite；'
thought I； and an impulse of fury against Reed； Brocklehurst； and
Co。 bounded in my pulses at the conviction。 I was no Helen Burns。
'Fetch that stool；' said Mr。 Brocklehurst； pointing to a very
high one from which a monitor had just risen： it was brought。
'Place the child upon it。'
And I was placed there； by whom I don't know： I was in no condition
to note particulars； I was only aware that they had hoisted me up to
the height of Mr。 Brocklehurst's nose； that he was within a yard of
me； and that a spread of shot orange and purple silk pelisses and a
cloud of silvery plumage extended and waved below me。
Mr。 Brocklehurst hemmed。
'Ladies；' said he； turning to his family； 'Miss Temple； teachers；
and children； you all see this girl？'
Of course they did； for I felt their eyes directed like
burning…glasses against my scorched skin。
'You see she is yet young； you observe she possesses the ordinary
form of childhood； God has graciously given her the shape that He
has given to all of us； no signal deformity points her out as a marked
character。 Who would think that the Evil One had already found a
servant and agent in her？ Yet such； I grieve to say； is the case。'
A pause… in which I began to steady the palsy of my nerves； and
to feel that the Rubicon was passed； and that the trial； no longer
to be shirked； must be firmly sustained。
'My dear children；' pursued the black marble clergyman； with
pathos； 'this is a sad； a melancholy occasion； for it becomes my
duty to warn you； that this girl； who might be one of God's own lambs；
is a little castaway： not a member of the true flock； but evidently an
interloper and an alien。 You must be on your guard against her； you
must shun her example； if necessary； avoid her company； exclude her
from your sports； and shut her out from your converse。 Teachers； you
must watch her： keep your eyes on her movements； weigh well her words；
scrutinise her actions； punish her body to save her soul： if；
indeed； such salvation be possible； for （my tongue falters while I
tell it） this girl； this child； the native of a Christian land；
worse than many a little heathen who says its prayers to Brahma and
kneels before Juggernaut… this girl is… a liar！'
Now came a pause of ten minutes； during which I； by this time in
perfect possession of my wits； observed all the female Brocklehursts
produce their pocket…handkerchiefs and apply them to their optics；
while the elderly lady swayed herself to and fro； and the two
younger ones whispered； 'How shocking！'
Mr。 Brocklehurst resumed。
'This I learned from her benefactress； from the pious and
charitable lady who adopted her in her orphan state； reared her as her
own daughter； and whose kindness； whose generosity the unhappy girl
repaid by an ingratitude so bad； so dreadful； that at last her
excellent patroness was obliged to separate her from her own