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简爱(英文版)-第9部分

小说: 简爱(英文版) 字数: 每页4000字

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“No sight so sad as that of a naughty child;” he began; “especially a naughty little girl。 Do you know where the wicked go after death?”
“They go to hell;” was my ready and orthodox answer。
“And what is hell? Can you tell me that?”
“A pit full of fire。”
“And should you like to fall into that pit; and to be burning there for ever?”
“No; sir。”
“What must you do to avoid it?”
I deliberated a moment; my answer; when it did e; was objectionable: “I must keep in good health; and not die。”
“How can you keep in good health? Children younger than you die daily。 I buried a little child of five years old only a day or two since;—a good little child; whose soul is now in heaven。 It is to be feared the same could not be said of you were you to be called hence。”
Not being in a condition to remove his doubt; I only cast my eyes 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 disfort 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 repense 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 bed 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 acmodations; 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 being 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 he 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 account of the awfully sudden death of Martha G —; a naughty child 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

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