pered—

    “Abomiuff!Howshameful!”

    Aquarterofanhourpassedbeforelessonsagainbegan,duringwhichtheschoolroomwasinaglorioustumult;forthatspaeitseemedtobepermittedtotalkloudandmorefreely,andtheyusedtheirprivilege.Thewholeversationranonthebreakfast,whieandallabusedroundly.Poorthings!itwasthesolesolationtheyhad.MissMillerwasnowtheonlyteacherintheroom:agroupirlsstandingaboutherspokewithseriousandsulleures.IheardthenameofMr.Brocklehurstpronouncedbysomelips;atwhichMissMillershookherheaddisapprovingly;butshemadeefforttocheekthegeneralwrath;doubtlessshesharedinit.

    Aclotheschoolroomstrue;MissMillerlefthercircle,andstandinginthemiddleoftheroom,cried—

    “Sileoyourseats!”

    Disciplineprevailed:infivemihefusedthrongwasresolvedintoorder,andparativesilencequelledtheBabelclamouroftoheupperteachersnowpunctuallyresumedtheirposts:butstill,allseemedtowait.Rangedonbenchesdownthesidesoftheroom,theeightygirlssatmotionlessa;aquaintassemblagetheyappeared,allwithplainlobedfromtheirfaotacurlvisible;inbrowndresses,madehighandsurroundedbyanarrowtuckeraboutthethroat,withlittlepocketsofholland(shapedsomethinglikeaHighlander’spurse)tiedinfrontoftheirfrocks,aioservethepurposeofawork-bag:all,too,wearingwoollenstogsandtry-madeshoes,fastehbrassbuckles.Abovetwentyofthosecladinthisewerefull-growngirls,orratheryoungwomen;itsuitedthemill,andgaveanairofoddityeventotheprettiest.

    Iwasstilllookingatthem,andalsoatintervalsexaminieachers—noneofwhompreciselypleasedme;forthestoutonewasalittlec