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第7章 以一敌千军

　　'Oh fie, Miss!' said Bessie.

　　Next morning, Miss Scatcherd wrote in conspicuous characters on apiece of pasteboard the word 'Slattern,' and bound it like aphylactery round Helen's large, mild, intelligent, andbenign-looking forehead. She wore it till evening, patient,unresentful, regarding it as a deserved punishment. The moment MissScatcherd withdrew after afternoon school, I ran to Helen, tore itoff, and thrust it into the fire: the fury of which she wasincapable had been burning in my soul all day, and tears, hot andlarge, had continually been scalding my cheek; for the spectacle ofher sad resignation gave me an intolerable pain at the heart.

　　'When is his tea-time?' I inquired.

　　Close by Miss Temple's bed, and half covered with its whitecurtains, there stood a little crib. I saw the outline of a form underthe clothes, but the face was hid by the hangings: the nurse I hadspoken to in the garden sat in an easy-chair asleep; an unsnuffedcandle burnt dimly on the table. Miss Temple was not to be seen: Iknew afterwards that she had been called to a delirious patient in thefever-room. I advanced; then paused by the crib side: my hand was onthe curtain, but I preferred speaking before I withdrew it. I stillrecoiled at the dread of seeing a corpse.

　　'Madam, you may: she shall be placed in that nursery of chosenplants, and I trust she will show herself grateful for the inestimableprivilege of her election.'

　　'I don't know: I asked Aunt Reed once, and she said possibly Imight have some poor, low relations called Eyre, but she knewnothing about them.'

　　I sat down quite disembarrassed. A reception of finished politenesswould probably have confused me: I could not have returned or repaidit by answering grace and elegance on my part; but harsh capricelaid me under no obligation; on the contrary, a decent quiescence,under the freak of manner, gave me the advantage. Besides, theeccentricity of the proceeding was piquant: I felt interested to seehow he would go on.

　　'Mrs. Fairfax!' I called out: for I now heard her descending thegreat stairs. 'Did you hear that loud laugh? Who is it?'

　　'Silence!' ejaculated a voice; not that of Miss Miller, but oneof the upper teachers, a little and dark personage, smartly dressed,but of somewhat morose aspect, who installed herself at the top of onetable, while a more buxom lady presided at the other. I looked in vainfor her I had first seen the night before; she was not visible: MissMiller occupied the foot of the table where I sat, and a strange,foreign-looking, elderly lady, the French teacher, as I afterwardsfound, took the corresponding seat at the other board. A long gracewas said and a hymn sung; then a servant brought in some tea for theteachers, and the meal began.