第35页
《简·爱(英文版)》章节:第35页,宠文网网友提供全文无弹窗免费在线阅读。!
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,