第11部分(第2/8 頁)

ed　instantly　when　it　reached　Burns：　her　memory　seemed　to　have　retained　the　substance　of　the　whole　lesson；　and　she　was　ready　with　answers　on　every　point。　I　kept　expecting　that　Miss　Scatcherd　would　praise　her　attention；　but；　instead　of　that；　she　suddenly　cried　out—

“You　dirty；　disagreeable　girl！　you　have　never　cleaned　your　nails　this　morning！”

Burns　made　no　answer：　I　wondered　at　her　silence。　“Why；”　thought　I；　“does　she　not　explain　that　she　could　neither　clean　her　nails　nor　wash　her　face；　as　the　water　was　frozen？”

My　attention　was　now　called　off　by　Miss　Smith　desiring　me　to　hold　a　skein　of　thread：　while　she　was　winding　it；　she　talked　to　me　from　time　to　time；　asking　whether　I　had　ever　been　at　school　before；　whether　I　could　mark；　stitch；　knit；　&c。；　till　she　dismissed　me；　I　could　not　pursue　my　observations　on　Miss　Scatcherd’s　movements。　When　I　returned　to　my　seat；　that　lady　was　just　delivering　an　order　of　which　I　did　not　catch　the　import；　but　Burns　immediately　left　the　class；　and　going　into　the　small　inner　room　where　the　books　were　kept；　returned　in　half　a　minute；　carrying　in　her　hand　a　bundle　of　twigs　tied　together　at　one　end。　This　ominous　tool　she　presented　to　Miss　Scatcherd　with　a　respectful　curtesy；　then　she　quietly；　and　without　being　told；　unloosed　her　pinafore；　and　the　teacher　instantly　and　sharply　inflicted　on　her　neck　a　dozen　strokes　with　the　bunch　of　twigs。　Not　a　tear　rose　to　Burns’　eye；　and；　while　I　paused　from　my　sewing；　because　my　fingers　quivered　a