Chapter 4 Mr Brocklehurst

1 It was January 15th, about nine o'clock in the morning. Bessie had gone down to breakfast, and my cousins had not yet been sent for by their mama. Eliza was putting on her hat and coat to go and feed her chickens, an occupation of which she was fond, as she sold the eggs to the housekeeper at a good profit. Georgiana was putting artificial flowers in her hair. I was making my bed, as Bessie frequently employed me as a sort of extra nursery maid.

2 From the nursery window, the main gates could be seen, and at this moment they were thrown open, and a carriage rolled through. It stopped in front of the house, the doorbell rang loudly, and the newcomer was admitted. Bessie came running upstairs.

3 'Miss Jane, what are you doing? Have you washed your face and hands this morning?'

4 She brushed my hair hurriedly, and told me to go down at once, as I was wanted in the breakfast room.

5 I went slowly downstairs. For a long time, I had never been called to Mrs Reed's presence. Fearful and trembling, I stood before the door of the breakfast room. What a miserable little coward fear, the result of unjust punishment, had made me!

6 'Who could want me?' I wondered. 'Whom shall I see besides Aunt Reed in the room? A man or a woman?'

7 I turned the handle, opened the door, and passing through looked up at ... a black pillar! That, at least, was how the shape, standing upright on the rug, appeared to me, at first sight.

8 Mrs Reed occupied her usual seat by the fire. She made a sign to me to approach, saying to the stranger:

9 'This is the little girl about whom I applied to you.'

10 He (it was a man) turned his head slowly, and having examined me, said solemnly and in a deep voice:

11 'She is small. What is her age?'

12 'Ten years.'

13 'So much?' he said, in surprise. In a little while he addressed me:

14 'Your name, little girl?'

15 'Jane Eyre, sir.'

16 'Well, Jane Eyre, and are you a good child?'

17 I was silent. Mrs Reed answered for me by a shake of her head.

18 'There is no sight so sad as a bad child,' he continued. 'God will punish the wicked. Do you say your prayers night and morning?'

19 'Yes, sir.'

20 Mrs Reed then entered the conversation.

21 'Mr Brocklehurst, I believe I informed you in the letter that I wrote to you three weeks ago, that this little girl has not quite the character she ought to have. If you should admit her to Lowood School, I should be glad if the teachers would keep a strict eye on her, and, above all, guard against her worst fault, a tendency to deceit.'

22 I had good reason to fear Mrs Reed, because it was her nature to wound my feelings cruelly. This accusation, made before a stranger, cut me to the heart. I saw that she was doing her best to spoil for me the new life from which I hoped so much.

23 'Deceit, indeed, is a sad fault in a child,' said Mr Brocklehurst. 'She shall be watched, Mrs Reed. I will speak to Miss Temple and the teachers.'

24 'I wish her to be brought up in a manner suited to her future,' continued my aunt, 'to be made useful, to be kept humble. As for the holidays, she will, with your permission, spend them always at Lowood.'

25 'Your decisions are wise, madam. Little girl, here is a book. Read especially the part containing an account of the sudden death of Martha, a wicked child who told lies.'

26 Shortly after, he left, and Mrs Reed and I were alone together. Some minutes passed in silence. She was sewing. I was watching her. A passion of anger stirred in my heart.

27 Mrs Reed looked up. Her eye settled on mine, and her fingers stopped working.

28 'Go out of the room. Return to the nursery,' was her command.

29 I got up, and went to the door. I came back again across the room, close to her.

30 I must speak, but what strength had I to strike back at this enemy of mine? I gathered all my energies, and attacked in this sentence:

31 'I am not deceitful. If I were, I should say I loved you, but I declare that I do not love you. I dislike you the worst of anyone in the world, except John Reed. And this book about the liar, you may give it to your girl Georgiana, because it is she who tells lies, not I.'

32 Mrs Reed's hand still lay motionless on her work, and her cold eye remained fixed on mine.

33 'What more have you to say?' she asked, rather in the voice in which a person might address someone of the same age than that used to a child.

34 Shaking from head to foot, trembling with uncontrolled excitement, I went on:

35 'I am glad you are no relation of mine. I will never call you aunt again as long as I live. If anyone asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will say that you have no pity, and that you treated me with miserable cruelty.'

36 'How dare you say that, Jane Eyre!'

37 'How dare I, Mrs Reed? Because it is the truth. You think I have no feelings, and can live without one bit of love and kindness. I shall remember how you pushed me back into the red room, though I was frightened, and begged you for mercy. And that punishment you made me suffer because your wicked boy struck me—knocked me down for nothing. People think you are a good woman, but you are bad, hard-hearted!'

38 Before I had finished this reply, my soul began to feel the strangest sense of freedom. It was not without cause. Mrs Reed looked frightened. Her work had slipped from her knee. She was even twisting her face as if she would cry.

39 'Jane, you are mistaken. What is the matter with you? Why do you tremble so violently? Would you like some water?'

40 'No, Mrs Reed.'

41 'Is there anything else you wish for, Jane? Believe me, I desire to be your friend.'

42 'Not you. You told Mr Brocklehurst that I had a bad character, and I'll let everyone at Lowood know what you are, and what you have done.'

43 'Jane, you don't understand these things. Children must be corrected for their faults.'

44 'Deceit is not my fault!'

45 'But you must admit that you are passionate. Now return to the nursery, my dear, and lie down a little.'

46 'I am not your dear. Send me to school soon, Mrs Reed, because I hate to live here.'

47 'I will indeed send her to school soon,' murmured Mrs Reed to herself, and gathering up her work, she suddenly left the room.