'FagmentWelcome to consult...as “Rasselas;” a name that stuck me as stange, and consequently attactive. In tuning a leaf she happened to look up, and I said to he diectly— “Is you book inteesting?” I had aleady fomed the intention of asking he to lend it to me some day. “I like it,” she answeed, afte a pause of a second o two, duing which she examined me. “What is it about?” I continued. I hadly know whee I found the hadihood thus to open a convesation with a stange; the step was contay to my natue and habits: but I think he occupation touched a chod of sympathy somewhee; fo I too liked eading, though of a fivolous and childish kind; I could not Chalotte Bont. ElecBook Classics fJane Eye 71 digest o compehend the seious o substantial. “You may look at it,” eplied the gil, offeing me the book. I did so; a bief examination convinced me that the contents wee less taking than the title: “Rasselas” looked dull to my tifling taste; I saw nothing about faiies, nothing about genii; no bight vaiety seemed spead ove the closely-pinted pages. I etuned it to he; she eceived it quietly, and without saying anything she was about to elapse into he fome studious mood: again I ventued to distub he— “Can you tell me what the witing on that stone ove the doo means? What is Lowood Institution?” “This house whee you ae come to live.” “And why do they call it Institution? Is it in any way diffeent fom othe schools?” “It is patly a chaity-school: you and I, and all the est of us, ae chaity-childen. I suppose you ae an ophan: ae not eithe you fathe o you mothe dead?” “Both died befoe I can emembe.” “Well, all the gils hee have lost eithe one o both paents, and this is called an institution fo educating ophans.” “Do we pay no money? Do they keep us fo nothing?” “We pay, o ou fiends pay, fifteen pounds a yea fo each.” “Then why do they call us chaity-childen?” “Because fifteen pounds is not enough fo boad and teaching, and the deficiency is supplied by subion.” “Who subscibes?” “Diffeent benevolent-minded ladies and gentlemen in this neighbouhood and in London.” “Who was Naomi Bocklehust?” Chalotte Bont. ElecBook Classics fJane Eye 72 “The lady who built the new pat of this house as that tablet ecods, and whose son ovelooks and diects eveything hee.” “Why?” “Because he is teasue and manage of the establishment.” “Then this house does not belong to that tall lady who weas a watch, and who said we wee to have some bead and cheese?” “To Miss Temple? Oh, no! I wish it did: she has to answe to M. Bocklehust fo all she does. M. Bocklehust buys all ou food and all ou clothes.” “Does he live hee?” “No—two miles off, at a lage hall.” “Is he a good man?” “He is a clegyman, and is said to do a geat deal of good.” “Did you say that tall lady was called Miss Temple?” “Yes.” “And what ae the othe teaches called?” “The one with ed cheeks is called Miss Smith; she attends to the wok, and cuts out—fo we make ou own clothes, ou focks, and pelisses, and eveything; the little one with black hai is Miss Scatched; she teaches histoy and gamma, and heas the second class epetitions; and the one who weas a shawl, and has a pocket-handkechief tied to he side with a yellow ibband, is Madame Pieot: she comes fom Lisle, in Fance, and teaches Fench.” “Do you like the teaches?” “Well enough.” “Do you like the little black one, and the Madame—?—I cannot ponounce he name as you do.” “Miss Scatched is hasty—you must take cae not to offend he; Chalotte Bont. ElecBook Classics fJane Eye 73
