Before the long hour and a half of prayers and Bible-reading
was over, I felt ready to perish with cold. Breakfast-time came
at last, and this morning the porridge was not burnt; the quality
was eatable, the quantity small. How small my portion seemed! I
wished it had been doubled.
In the course of the day I was enrolled a member of the fourth class,
and regular tasks and occupations were assigned me: hitherto, I
had only been a spectator of the proceedings at Lowood; I was now
to become an actor therein. At first, being little accustomed to
learn by heart, the lessons appeared to me both long and difficult;
the frequent change from task to task, too, bewildered me; and
I was glad when, about three o'clock in the afternoon, Miss Smith
put into my hands a border of muslin two yards long, together with
needle, thimble, &c., and sent me to sit in a quiet corner of the
schoolroom, with directions to hem the same. At that hour most of
the others were sewing likewise; but one class still stood round
Miss Scatcherd's chair reading, and as all was quiet, the subject
of their lessons could be heard, together with the manner in which
each girl acquitted herself, and the animadversions or commendations
of Miss Scatcherd on the performance. It was English history:
among the readers I observed my acquaintance of the verandah: at
the commencement of the lesson, her place had been at the top of
the class, but for some error of pronunciation, or some inattention
to stops, she was suddenly sent to the very bottom. Even in that
obscure position, Miss Scatcherd continued to make her an object
of constant notice: she was continually addressing to her such
phrases as the following:-
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