iseltoopenit,andherbrowsettledgraduallyirifiedseverity.

    Meantime,Mr.Brocklehurst,standingonthehearthwithhishandsbehindhisback,majesticallysurveyedthewholeschool.Suddenlyhiseyegaveablink,asifithadmetsomethingthateitherdazzledorshockeditspupil;turning,hesaidinmorerapidatsthanhehadhithertoused—

    “MissTemple,MissTemple,what—whatisthatgirlwithcurledhair?Redhair,ma’am,curled—curledallover?”Aendinghisehepoiheawfulobject,hishandshakingashedidso.

    “ItisJuliaSevern,”repliedMissTemple,veryquietly.

    “JuliaSevern,ma’am!Andwhyhasshe,oranyother,curledhair?Why,indefianceofeverypreceptandprincipleofthishouse,doesshetotheworldsoopenly—hereinanevangelical,charitableestablishment—astowearherhaironemassofcurls?”

    “Julia’shaircurlsnaturally,”returnedMissTemple,stillmorequietly.

    “Naturally!Yes,butwearenottotonature;IwishthesegirlstobethechildrenofGradwhythatabundance?IhaveagainandagainintimatedthatIdesirethehairtedclosely,modestly,plainly.MissTemple,thatgirl’shairmustbecutoffentirely;Iwillsendabarberto-morrow:aherswhohavefartoomuchoftheexcresce—thattallgirl,tellhertoturnround.Tellallthefirstformtoriseupanddirecttheirfacestothewall.”

    MissTemplepassedherhandkerchiefoverherlips,asiftosmoothawaytheinvoluntarysmilethatcurledthem;shegavetheorder,however,ahefirstclasscouldtakeinwhatwasrequiredofthem,theyobeyed.Leaningalittlebaybench,Icouldseethelooksandgrimaceswithwhichtheyehisman?uvre:itityMr.Brocklehurstcouldhemtoo;hewouldperhapshavefeltthat,whateverhemightdo