'it is akin to falsehood； and all liars will have their portion in the
lake burning with fire and brimstone； she shall； however； be
watched； Mrs。 Reed。 I will speak to Miss Temple and the teachers。'
'I should wish her to be brought up in a manner suiting her
prospects；' continued my benefactress； 'to be made useful； to be
kept humble： as for the vacations； she will； with your permission；
spend them always at Lowood。'
'Your decisions are perfectly judicious； madam；' returned Mr。
Brocklehurst。 'Humility is a Christian grace； and one peculiarly
appropriate to the pupils of Lowood； I； therefore； direct that
especial care shall be bestowed on its cultivation amongst them。 I
have studied how best to mortify in them the worldly sentiment of
pride； and； only the other day； I had a pleasing proof of my
success。 My second daughter； Augusta； went with her mama to visit
the school； and on her return she exclaimed： 〃Oh； dear papa； how quiet
and plain all the girls at Lowood look； with their hair combed
behind their ears； and their long pinafores； and those little
holland pockets outside their frocks… they are almost like poor
people's children！ and；〃 said she； 〃they looked at my dress and
mama's； as if they had never seen a silk gown before。〃'
'This is the state of things I quite approve；' returned Mrs。
Reed； 'had I sought all England over； I could scarcely have found a
system more exactly fitting a child like Jane Eyre。 Consistency； my
dear Mr。 Brocklehurst； I advocate consistency in all things。'
'Consistency； madam； is the first of Christian duties； and it has
been observed in every arrangement connected with the establishment of
Lowood： plain fare； simple attire； unsophisticated accommodations；
hardy and active habits； such is the order of the day in the house and
its inhabitants。'
'Quite right； sir。 I may then depend upon this child being received
as a pupil at Lowood； and there being trained in conformity to her
position and prospects？'
'Madam； you may： she shall be placed in that nursery of chosen
plants； and I trust she will show herself grateful for the inestimable
privilege of her election。'
'I will send her； then； as soon as possible； Mr。 Brocklehurst； for；
I assure you； I feel anxious to be relieved of a responsibility that
was becoming too irksome。'
'No doubt； no doubt； madam； and now I wish you good morning。 I
shall return to Brocklehurst Hall in the course of a week or two： my
good friend； the Archdeacon； will not permit me to leave him sooner。 I
shall send Miss Temple notice that she is to expect a new girl； so
that there will be no difficulty about receiving her。 Good…bye。'
'Good…bye； Mr。 Brocklehurst； remember me to Mrs。 and Miss
Brocklehurst； and to Augusta and Theodore； and Master Broughton
Brocklehurst。'
'I will； madam。 Little girl； here is a book entitled the Child's
Guide； read it with prayer； especially that part containing 〃An
addicted to falsehood and deceit。〃'
With these words Mr。 Brocklehurst put into my hand a thin
pamphlet sewn in a cover； and having rung for his carriage； he
departed。
Mrs。 Reed and I were left alone： some minutes passed in silence；
she was sewing； I was watching her。 Mrs。 Reed might be at that time
some six or seven and thirty； she was a woman of robust frame；
square…shouldered and strong…limbed； not tall； and； though stout；
not obese： she had a somewhat large face； the under jaw being much
developed and very solid； her brow was low； her chin large and
prominent； mouth and nose sufficiently regular； under her light
eyebrows glimmered an eye devoid of ruth； her skin was dark and
opaque； her hair nearly flaxen； her constitution was sound as a
bell… illness never came near her； she was an exact； clever manager；
her household and tenantry were thoroughly under her control； her
children only at times defied her authority and laughed it to scorn；
she dressed well； and had a presence and port calculated to set off
handsome attire。
Sitting on a low stool； a few yards from her arm…chair； I
examined her figure； I perused her features。 In my hand I held the
tract containing the sudden death of the Liar； to which narrative my
attention had been pointed as to an appropriate warning。 What had just
passed； what Mrs。 Reed had said concerning me to Mr。 Brocklehurst； the
whole tenor of their conversation； was recent； raw； and stinging in my
mind； I had felt every word as acutely as I had heard it plainly；
and a passion of resentment fomented now within me。
Mrs。 Reed looked up from her work； her eye settled on mine； her
fingers at the same time suspended their nimble movements。
'Go out of the room； return to the nursery；' was her mandate。 My
look or something else must have struck her as offensive； for she
spoke with extreme though suppressed irritation。 I got up； I went to
the door； I came back again； I walked to the window； across the
room； then close up to her。
Speak I must： I had been trodden on severely； and must turn： but
how？ What strength had I to dart retaliation at my antagonist？ I
gathered my energies and launched them in this blunt sentence…
'I am not deceitful： if I were； I should say I loved you； but I
declare I do not love you： I dislike you the worst of anybody in the
world except John Reed； and this book about the liar； you may give
to your girl； Georgiana； for it is she who tells lies； and not I。'
Mrs。 Reed's hands still lay on her work inactive： her eye of ice
continued to dwell freezingly on mine。
'What more have you to say？' she asked； rather in the tone in which
a person might address an opponent of adult age than such as is
ordinarily used to a child。
That eye of hers； that voice stirred every antipathy I had。 Shaking
from head to foot； thrilled with ungovernable excitement； I continued…
'I am glad you are no relation of mine： I will never call you
aunt again so long as I live。 I will never come to see you when I am
grown up； and if any one asks me how I liked you； and how you
treated me； I will say the very thought of you makes me sick； and that
you treated me with miserable cruelty。'
'How dare you affirm that； Jane Eyre？'
'How dare I； Mrs。 Reed？ How dare I？ Because it is the truth。 You
think I have no feelings； and that I can do without one bit of love or
kindness； but I cannot live so： and you have no pity。 I shall remember
how you thrust me back… roughly and violently thrust me back… into the
red…room； and locked me up there； to my dying day； though I was in
agony； though I cried out； while suffocating with distress； 〃Have
mercy！ Have mercy； Aunt Reed！〃 And that punishment you made me
suffer because your wicked boy struck me… knocked me down for nothing。
I will tell anybody who asks me questions； this exact tale。 People
think you a good woman； but you are bad； hard…hearted。 You are
deceitful！'
Ere I had finished this reply； my soul began to expand； to exult；
with the strangest sense of freedom； of triumph； I ever felt。 It
seemed as if an invisible bond had burst； and that I had struggled out
into unhoped…for liberty。 Not without cause was this sentiment： Mrs。
Reed looked frightened； her work had slipped from her knee； she was
lifting up her hands； rocking herself to and fro； and even twisting
her face as if she would cry。
'Jane； you are under a mistake： what is the matter with you？ Why do
you tremble so violently？ Would you like to drink some water？'
'No； Mrs。 Reed。'
'Is there anything else you wish for； Jane？ I assure you； I
desire to be your friend。'
'Not you。 You told Mr。 Brocklehurst I had a bad character； a
deceitful disposition； and I'll let everybody at Lowood know what
you are； and what you have done。'
'Jane； you don't understand these things： children must be
corrected for their faults。'
'Deceit is not my fault！' I cried out in a savage； high voice。
'But you are passionate； Jane； that you must allow： and now
return to the nursery… there's a dear… and lie down a little。'
'I am not your dear； I cannot lie down： send me to school soon；
Mrs。 Reed； for I hate to live here。'
'I will indeed send her to school soon；' murmured Mrs。 Reed sotto
voce； and gathering up her work； she abruptly quitted the apartment。
I was left there alone… winner of the field。 It was the hardest
battle I had fought； and the first victory I had gained： I stood
awhile on the rug； where Mr。 Brocklehurst had stood； and I enjoyed
my conqueror's solitude。 First； I smiled to myself and felt elate； but
this fierce pleasure subsided in me as fast as did the accelerated
throb of my pulses。 A child cannot quarrel with its elders； as I had
done； cannot give its furious feelings uncontrolled play； as I had
given mine； without experiencing afterwards the pang of remorse and
the chill of reaction。 A ridge of lighted heath； alive； glancing；
devouring； would have been a meet emblem of my mind when I accused and
menaced Mrs。 Reed： the same ridge； black and blasted after the
flames are dead； would have represented as meetly my subsequent
condition；