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together in a heap； they were then propped up with the monitors'
high stools。
I have not yet alluded to the visits of Mr。 Brocklehurst； and
indeed that gentleman was from home during the greater part of the
first month after my arrival； perhaps prolonging his stay with his
friend the archdeacon： his absence was a relief to me。 I need not
say that I had my own reasons for dreading his coming： but come he did
at last。
One afternoon （I had then been three weeks at Lowood）； as I was
sitting with a slate in my hand； puzzling over a sum in long division；
my eyes； raised in abstraction to the window； caught sight of a figure
just passing： I recognised almost instinctively that gaunt outline；
and when； two minutes after； all the school； teachers included； rose
en masse； it was not necessary for me to look up in order to ascertain
whose entrance they thus greeted。 A long stride measured the
schoolroom； and presently beside Miss Temple； who herself had risen；
stood the same black column which had frowned on me so ominously
from the hearthrug of Gateshead。 I now glanced sideways at this
piece of architecture。 Yes； I was right： it was Mr。 Brocklehurst；
buttoned up in a surtout； and looking longer； narrower； and more rigid
than ever。
I had my own reasons for being dismayed at this apparition； too
well I remembered the perfidious hints given by Mrs。 Reed about my
disposition； etc。； the promise pledged by Mr。 Brocklehurst to
apprise Miss Temple and the teachers of my vicious nature。 All along I
had been dreading the fulfilment of this promise；… I had been
looking out daily for the 'Coming Man；' whose information respecting
my past life and conversation was to brand me as a bad child for ever：
now there he was。
He stood at Miss Temple's side； he was speaking low in her ear： I
did not doubt he was making disclosures of my villainy； and I
watched her eye with painful anxiety； expecting every moment to see
its dark orb turn on me a glance of repugnance and contempt。 I
listened too； and as I happened to be seated quite at the top of the
room； I caught most of what he said： its import relieved me from
immediate apprehension。
'I suppose； Miss Temple； the thread I bought at Lowton will do；
it struck me that it would be just of the quality for the calico
chemises； and I sorted the needles to match。 You may tell Miss Smith
that I forgot to make a memorandum of the darning needles； but she
shall have some papers sent in next week； and she is not； on any
account； to give out more than one at a time to each pupil： if they
have more； they are apt to be careless and lose them。 And； O ma'am！
I wish the woollen stockings were better looked to！… when I was here
last； I went into the kitchen…garden and examined the clothes drying
on the line； there was a quantity of black hose in a very bad state of
repair： from the size of the holes in them I was sure they had not
been well mended from time to time。'
He paused。
'Your directions shall be attended to； sir；' said Miss Temple。
'And； ma'am；' he continued； 'the laundress tells me some of the
girls have two clean tuckers in the week： it is too much； the rules
limit them to one。'
'I think I can explain that circumstance； sir。 Agnes and
Catherine Johnstone were invited to take tea with some friends at
Lowton last Thursday； and I gave them leave to put on clean tuckers
for the occasion。'
Mr。 Brocklehurst nodded。
'Well； for once it may pass； but please not to let the circumstance
occur too often。 And there is another thing which surprised me； I
find； in settling accounts with the housekeeper； that a lunch；
consisting of bread and cheese； has twice been served out to the girls
during the past fortnight。 How is this？ I looked over the regulations；
and I find no such meal as lunch mentioned。 Who introduced this
innovation？ and by what authority？'
'I must be responsible for the circumstance； sir；' replied Miss
Temple： 'the breakfast was so ill prepared that the pupils could not
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