s:butIhadnotimetolistentowhattheysaid;othermatterscalledoffandentedmyattention.

    Hitherto,whilegatheringupthediscourseofMr.BrocklehurstandMissTemple,Ihadnot,atthesametime,edprecautionstosecuremypersonalsafety;whichIthoughtwouldbeeffected,ifIcouldonlyeludeobservation.Tothisend,Ihadsatwellbatheform,andwhileseemingtobebusywithmysum,hadheldmyslateinsuchamaocealmyface:Imighthaveescapednotice,hadnotmytreacherousslatesomehoeoslipfrommyhand,andfallingwithanobtrusivecrash,directlydrawneveryeyeuponme;Ikwasallovernow,and,asIstoopedtopickupthetwmentsofslate,Iralliedmyforcesfortheworst.Itcame.

    “Acarelessgirl!”saidMr.Brocklehurst,andimmediatelyafter—“Itisthenewpupil,Iperceive.”AndbeforeIcoulddrawbreath,“ImustnetIhaveawordtosayrespegher.”Thenaloud:howlouditseemedtome!“Letthechildwhobrokeherslateeforward!”

    OfmyownaccordIcouldnothavestirred;Iaralysed:butthetwirlswhositoneachsideofme,setmeonmylegsandpushedmetowardsthedreadjudge,andthenMissTemplegentlyassistedmetohisveryfeet,andIcaughtherwhisperedsel—

    “Don’tbeafraid,Jane,Isawitwasanact;youshallnotbepunished.”

    Thekindwhisperwenttomyheartlikeadagger.

    “Anotherminute,andshewilldespisemeforahypocrite,”thoughtI;andanimpulseainstReed,Brocklehurst,andCo.boundedinmypulsesatthevi.IwasnoHelenBurns.

    “Fetchthatstool,”saidMr.Brocklehurst,pointingthonefromwhichamonitorhadjustrisen:itwasbrought.

    “Placethechilduponit.”

    AndIlacedthere,bywhomIdon’tknow:Iwasinnoditiontoiculars;Iwasonlyawarethattheyhadho