Thedayencedasbefettingupanddressingbyrushlight;butthismwewereobligedtodispehtheceremonyofwashing;thewatericherswasfrozen.Agehadtakenplatheweatherthepregevening,andakeennorth-eastwind,whistlingthroughthecrevicesofourbedroomwindowsallnightlong,hadmadeusshiverinourbeds,andturhetentsoftheewerstoice.

    BeforethelonghourandahalfofprayersandBible-readingwasover,Ifeltreadytoperishwithcold.Breakfast-timecameatlast,andthismthepewasnotburnt;thequalitywaseatable,thequantitysmall.Howsmallmyportionseemed!Iwishedithadbeendoubled.

    InthecourseofthedayIwasenrolledamemberofthefourthclass,andregulartasksandoccupationswereassigherto,IhadonlybeeoroftheproceedingsatLowood;Iwasnowtobeeanactortherein.Atfirst,beinglittleacedtolear,thelessonsappearedtomebothlonganddifficult;thefrequentgefromtasktotask,too,bewilderedme;andIwasgladwhen,aboutthreeo’clotheafternoon,MissSmithputintomyhandsaborderofmuslintwoyardslong,togetherwithneedle,thimble,&dseositinaquieteroftheschoolroom,withdirestohemthesame.Atthathourmostoftheothersweresewinglikewise;butoneclassstillstoodroundMissScatcherd’schairreading,andasallwasquiet,thesubjectoftheirlessonscouldbeheard,togetherwiththemannerinwhicheachgirlacquittedherself,andtheanimadversionsorendationsofMissScatcherdontheperformawasEnglishhistory:amongthereadersIobservedmyacquaintaheverandah:attheeofthelesson,herplacehadbeenatthetopoftheclass,butforsomeerrorofpronunciation,orsomeiiontostops,shewassuddeotheverybottom.Eveninthatobscureposition,MissScatcherdtioma