down on the two large feet planted on the rug； and sighed； wishing
myself far enough away。
'I hope that sigh is from the heart； and that you repent of ever
having been the occasion of discomfort to your excellent
benefactress。'
'Benefactress！ benefactress！' said I inwardly： 'they all call
Mrs。 Reed my benefactress； if so； a benefactress is a disagreeable
thing。'
'Do you say your prayers night and morning？' continued my
interrogator。
'Yes； sir。'
'Do you read your Bible？'
'Sometimes。'
'With pleasure？ Are you fond of it？'
'I like Revelations； and the book of Daniel； and Genesis and
Samuel； and a little bit of Exodus； and some parts of Kings and
Chronicles； and Job and Jonah。'
'And the Psalms？ I hope you like them？'
'No； sir。'
'No？ oh； shocking！ I have a little boy； younger than you； who knows
six Psalms by heart： and when you ask him which he would rather
have； a gingerbread…nut to eat or a verse of a Psalm to learn； he
says： 〃Oh！ the verse of a Psalm！ angels sing Psalms；〃 says he； 〃I wish
to be a little angel here below；〃 he then gets two nuts in
recompense for his infant piety。'
'Psalms are not interesting；' I remarked。
'That proves you have a wicked heart； and you must pray to God to
change it： to give you a new and clean one： to take away your heart of
stone and give you a heart of flesh。'
I was about to propound a question； touching the manner in which
that operation of changing my heart was to be performed； when Mrs。
Reed interposed； telling me to sit down； she then proceeded to carry
on the conversation herself。
'Mr。 Brocklehurst； I believe I intimated in the letter which I
wrote to you three weeks ago； that this little girl has not quite
the character and disposition I could wish： should you admit her
into Lowood school； I should be glad if the superintendent and
teachers were requested to keep a strict eye on her； and； above all；
to guard against her worst fault； a tendency to deceit。 I mention this
in your hearing； Jane； that you may not attempt to impose on Mr。
Brocklehurst。'
Well might I dread； well might I dislike Mrs。 Reed； for it was
her nature to wound me cruelly； never was I happy in her presence；
however carefully I obeyed； however strenuously I strove to please
her； my efforts were still repulsed and repaid by such sentences as
the above。 Now； uttered before a stranger； the accusation cut me to
the heart； I dimly perceived that she was already obliterating hope
from the new phase of existence which she destined me to enter； I
felt； though I could not have expressed the feeling； that she was
sowing aversion and unkindness along my future path； I saw myself
transformed under Mr。 Brocklehurst's eye into an artful； noxious
child； and what could I do to remedy the injury？
'Nothing； indeed；' thought I； as I struggled to repress a sob；
and hastily wiped away some tears； the impotent evidences of my
anguish。
'Deceit is； indeed； a sad fault in a child；' said Mr。 Brocklehurst；
'it is akin to falsehood； and all liars will have their portion in the
lake burning with fire and brimstone； she shall； however； be
watched； Mrs。 Reed。 I will speak to Miss Temple and the teachers。'
'I should wish her to be brought up in a manner suiting her
prospects；' continued my benefactress； 'to be made useful； to be
kept humble： as for the vacations； she will； with your permission；
spend them always at Lowood。'
'Your decisions are perfectly judicious； madam；' returned Mr。
Brocklehurst。 'Humility is a Christian grace； and one peculiarly
appropriate to the pupils of Lowood； I； therefore； direct that
especial care shall be bestowed on its cultivation amongst them。 I
have studied how best to mortify in them the worldly sentiment of
pride； and； only the other day； I had a pleasing proof of my
success。 My second daughter； Augusta； went with her mama to visit
the school； and on her return she exclaimed： 〃Oh； dear papa； how quiet
and plain all the girls at Lowood look； with their hair combed
behind their ears； and their long pinafores； and those little
holland pockets outside their frocks… they are almost like poor
people's children！ and；〃 said she； 〃they looked at my dress and
mama's； as if they had never seen a silk gown before。〃'
'This is the state of things I quite approve；' returned Mrs。
Reed； 'had I sought all England over； I could scarcely have found a
system more exactly fitting a child like Jane Eyre。 Consistency； my
dear Mr。 Brocklehurst； I advocate consistency in all things。'
'Consistency； madam； is the first of Christian duties； and it has
been observed in every arrangement connected with the establishment of
Lowood： plain fare； simple attire； unsophisticated accommodations；
hardy and active habits； such is the order of the day in the house and
its inhabitants。'
'Quite right； sir。 I may then depend upon this child being received
as a pupil at Lowood； and there being trained in conformity to her
position and prospects？'
'Madam； you may： she shall be placed in that nursery of chosen
plants； and I trust she will show herself grateful for the inestimable
privilege of her election。'
'I will send her； then； as soon as possible； Mr。 Brocklehurst； for；
I assure you； I feel anxious to be relieved of a responsibility that
was becoming too irksome。'
'No doubt； no doubt； madam； and now I wish you good morning。 I
shall return to Brocklehurst Hall in the course of a week or two： my
good friend； the Archdeacon； will not permit me to leave him sooner。 I
shall send Miss Temple notice that she is to expect a new girl； so
that there will be no difficulty about receiving her。 Good…bye。'
'Good…bye； Mr。 Brocklehurst； remember me to Mrs。 and Miss
Brocklehurst； and to Augusta and Theodore； and Master Broughton
Brocklehurst。'
'I will； madam。 Little girl； here is a book entitled the Child's
Guide； read it with prayer； especially that part containing 〃An
addicted to falsehood and deceit。〃'
With these words Mr。 Brocklehurst put into my hand a thin
pamphlet sewn in a cover； and having rung for his carriage； he
departed。
Mrs。 Reed and I were left alone： some minutes passed in silence；
she was sewing； I was watching her。 Mrs。 Reed might be at that time
some six or seven and thirty； she was a woman of robust frame；
square…shouldered and strong…limbed； not tall； and； though stout；
not obese： she had a somewhat large face； the under jaw being much
developed and very solid； her brow was low； her chin large and
prominent； mouth and nose sufficiently regular； under her light
eyebrows glimmered an eye devoid of ruth； her skin was dark and
opaque； her hair nearly flaxen； her constitution was sound as a
bell… illness never came near her； she was an exact； clever manager；
her household and tenantry were thoroughly under her control； her
children only at times defied her authority and laughed it to scorn；
she dressed well； and had a presence and port calculated to set off
handsome attire。
Sitting on a low stool； a few yards from her arm…chair； I
examined her figure； I perused her features。 In my hand I held the
tract containing the sudden death of the Liar； to which narrative my
attention had been pointed as to an appropriate warning。 What had just
passed； what Mrs。 Reed had said concerning me to Mr。 Brocklehurst； the
whole tenor of their conversation； was recent； raw； and stinging in my
mind； I had felt every word as acutely as I had heard it plainly；
and a passion of resentment fomented now within me。
Mrs。 Reed looked up from her work； her eye settled on mine； her
fingers at the same time suspended their nimble movements。
'Go out of the room； return to the nursery；' was her mandate。 My
look or something else must have struck her as offensive； for she
spoke with extreme though suppressed irritation。 I got up； I went to
the door； I came back again； I walked to the window； across the
room； then close up to her。
Speak I must： I had been trodden on severely； and must turn： but
how？ What strength had I to dart retaliation at my antagonist？ I
gathered my energies and launched them in this blunt sentence…
'I am not deceitful： if I were； I should say I loved you； but I
declare I do not love you： I dislike you the worst of anybody in the
world except John Reed； and this book about the liar； you may give
to your girl； Georgiana； for it is she who tells lies； and not I。'
Mrs。 Reed's hands still lay on her work inactive： her eye of ice
continued to dwell freezingly on mine。
'What more have you to say？' she asked； rather in the tone in which
a person might address an opponent of adult age than such as is
ordinarily used to a child。
That eye of hers； that voice stirred every antipathy I had。 Shaking
from head to foot； thrilled with ungovernable excitement； I continued…
'I am glad you are no relation of mine： I will never call you
aunt again so long as I live。 I will never come to see you when I am
grown up； and if any one asks me how I liked you； and how you
treated me； I will say the very thought of you makes me sick； and that
you treated me with miserable cruelty。'
'How dare you affirm that； Jane Eyre？'
'How dare I； Mrs。 Reed？ How dare I？ Because it is the truth。 You
think I have no feelings； and that I can do without one bit of love or
kindness； but I cannot live so： and you have no pity。 I shall remember
how you thrust me back… roughly and violently thrust me back… into the
red…room； and locked me up there； to my dying day； though I was in
agony； though I cried out； while suffocating with distress； 〃Have
mercy！ Have mercy； Aunt Reed！〃 And that punishment you made me
suffer because your wicked boy struck me… knocked me down for nothing。
I will tell anybody who asks me questions； this exact tale。 People
think you a good woman； but you are bad； hard…hearted。 You are
deceitful！'
Ere I had finished this reply； my soul began to expand； to exult；
with the strangest sense of freedom； of triumph； I ever felt。 It
seemed as if an invisible bond had burst； an