第7部分(第1/7 頁)

“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　faul