第13部分(第2/8 頁)

　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　overe　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？”