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第6章 紫金震天

　　Business now began: the day's Collect was repeated, then certaintexts of Scripture were said, and to these succeeded a protractedreading of chapters in the Bible, which lasted an hour. By the timethat exercise was terminated, day had fully dawned. Theindefatigable bell now sounded for the fourth time: the classes weremarshalled and marched into another room to breakfast: how glad Iwas to behold a prospect of getting something to eat! I was now nearlysick from inanition, having taken so little the day before.

　　'Nine years is a tolerable time. Was he so very fond of his brotheras to be still inconsolable for his loss?'

　　I saw Mr. Lloyd smile and frown at the same time. 'Ghost! What, youare a baby after all! You are afraid of ghosts?'

　　'Do you say your prayers night and morning?' continued myinterrogator.

　　'No- two miles off, at a large hall.'

　　'Yes,' she said, 'and I have just finished it.'

　　Each picture told a story; mysterious often to my undevelopedunderstanding and imperfect feelings, yet ever profoundly interesting:as interesting as the tales Bessie sometimes narrated on winterevenings, when she chanced to be in good humour; and when, havingbrought her ironing-table to the nursery hearth, she allowed us to sitabout it, and while she got up Mrs. Reed's lace frills, and crimpedher nightcap borders, fed our eager attention with passages of loveand adventure taken from old fairy tales and other ballads; or (asat a later period I discovered) from the pages of Pamela, and Henry,Earl of Moreland.

　　In uttering these words I looked up: he seemed to me a tallgentleman; but then I was very little; his features were large, andthey and all the lines of his frame were equally harsh and prim.

　　I looked: I saw a woman attired like a well-dressed servant,matronly, yet still young; very good-looking, with black hair andeyes, and lively complexion.