“Youhavelivedthelifeofanun:nodoubtyouarewelldrilledinreligiousforms;—Brocklehurst,whoIuanddirectsLowood,isaparson,ishenot?”

    “Yes,sir.”

    “Andyougirlsprobablyworshippedhim,asaventfullieuseswouldworshiptheirdirector.”

    “Oh,no.”

    “Youareverycool!No!What!anoviotworshipherpriest!Thatsoundsblasphemous.”

    “IdislikedMr.Brocklehurst;andIwasnotalohefeeling.Heisaharshman;atonpousandmeddlioffourhair;andforey’ssakeboughtusbadneedlesandthread,withwhichwecouldhardlysew.”

    “Thatwasveryfalseey,”remarkedMrs.Fairfax,whonowagaincaughtthedriftofthedialogue.

    “Andwasthattheheadandfrontofhisoffending?”demandedMr.Rochester.

    “Hestarveduswhehesolesuperintendeheprovisioment,beforetheitteeointed;andheboreduswithlouresonceaweek,andwitheveningreadingsfrombooksofhisowninditing,aboutsuddehsandjudgments,whichmadeusafraidtogotobed.”

    “WhatagewereyouwhenyouwenttoLowood?”

    “Aboutten.”

    “Andyoustayedthereeightyears:youarenow,theeen?”

    Iassented.

    “Arithmetic,yousee,isuseful;withoutitsaid,Ishouldhardlyhavebeeoguessye.Itisapointdifficulttofixwherethefeaturesandtenancearesomuchatvarianceasinyourcase.AndnowwhatdidyoulearnatLowood?youplay?”

    “Alittle.”

    “Ofcourse:thatistheestablishedanswer.Gointothelibrary—Imean,ifyouplease.—(Excusemytoneofand;Iamusedtosay,‘Dothis,’anditisdone:Iotaltermyaryhabitsforonenewinmate.)—Go,then,intothelibrary;takeadlewithyou;leavethedooropen;sitdowntothepiano,andplayatune.”

    Ideparted,ob