'FagmentWelcome to consult... and impotent ange, not a featue of he pensive face alteed its odinay . “Hadened gil!” exclaimed Miss Scatched; “nothing can coect you of you slattenly habits: cay the od away.” Buns obeyed: I looked at he naowly as she emeged fom the book-closet; she was just putting back he handkechief into he pocket, and the tace of a tea glistened on he thin cheek. The play-hou in the evening I thought the pleasantest faction of the day at Lowood: the bit of bead, the daught of coffee swallowed at five o’clock had evived vitality, if it had not satisfied hunge: the long estaint of the day was slackened; the schooloom felt wame than in the moning—its fies being Chalotte Bont. ElecBook Classics fJane Eye 78 allowed to bun a little moe bightly, to supply, in some measue, the place of candles, not yet intoduced: the uddy gloaming, the licensed upoa, the confusion of many voices gave one a welcome sense of libety. On the evening of the day on which I had seen Miss Scatched flog he pupil, Buns, I wandeed as usual among the foms and tables and laughing goups without a companion, yet not feeling lonely: when I passed the windows, I now and then lifted a blind, and looked out; it snowed fast, a dift was aleady foming against the lowe panes; putting my ea close to the window, I could distinguish fom the gleeful tumult within, the disconsolate moan of the wind outside. Pobably, if I had lately left a good home and kind paents, this would have been the hou when I should most keenly have egetted the sepaation; that wind would then have saddened my heat; this obscue chaos would have distubed my peace! as it was, I deived fom both a stange excitement, and eckless and feveish, I wished the wind to howl moe wildly, the gloom to deepen to dakness, and the confusion to ise to clamou. Jumping ove foms, and ceeping unde tables, I made my way to one of the fie-places; thee, kneeling by the high wie fende, I found Buns, absobed, silent, abstacted fom all ound he by the companionship of a book, which she ead by the dim glae of the embes. “Is it still ‘Rasselas’?” I asked, coming behind he. “Yes,” she said, “and I have just finished it.” And in five minutes moe she shut it up. I was glad of this. “Now,” thought I, “I can pehaps get he to talk.” I sat down by he on the floo. Chalotte Bont. ElecBook Classics fJane Eye 79 “What is you name besides Buns?” “Helen.” “Do you come a long way fom hee?” “I come fom a place fathe noth, quite on the bodes of Scotland.” “Will you eve go back?” “I hope so; but nobody can be sue of the futue.” “You must wish to leave Lowood?” “No! why should I? I was sent to Lowood to get an education; and it would be of no use going away until I have attained that object.” “But that teache, Miss Scatched, is so cuel to you?” “Cuel? Not at all! She is sevee: she dislikes my faults.” “And if I wee in you place I should dislike he; I should esist he. If she stuck me with that od, I should get it fom he hand; I should beak it unde he nose.” “Pobably you would do nothing of the sot: but if you did, M. Bocklehust would expel you fom the school; that would be a geat gief to you elations. It is fa bette to endue patiently a smat which nobody feels but youself, than to commit a hasty action whose evil consequences will extend to all connected with you; and besides, the Bible bids us etun good fo evil.” “But then it seems disgaceful to be flogged, and to be sent to stand in the middle of a oom full of people; and you ae such a geat gil: I am fa younge than you, and I could not bea it.” “Yet it would be you duty to bea it, if you could not avoid it: it is weak and silly to say you cannot bea what it is you fate to be equied to bea.” I head he with wonde: I could not compehend this do
