your eyes on her movements, weigh well her words,
scrutinize her actions, punish her body to save her soul: if, indeed, such
salvation be possible, for (my tongue falters while I tell it) this girl, this
child, the native of a Christian land, worse than many a little heathen who says
its prayers to Brahma and kneels before Juggernaut - this girl is - a liar!«
    Now came a pause of ten minutes; during which I, by this time in perfect
possession of my wits, observed all the female Brocklehursts produce their
pocket-handkerchiefs and apply them to their optics, while the elderly lady
swayed herself to and fro, and the two younger ones whispered, »How shocking!«
    Mr. Brocklehurst resumed.
    »This I learned from her benefactress; from the pious and charitable lady
who adopted her in her orphan state, reared her as her own daughter, and whose
kindness, whose generosity the unhappy girl repaid by an ingratitude so bad, so
dreadful, that at last her excellent patroness was obliged to separate her from
her own young ones, fearful lest her vicious example should contaminate their
purity: she has sent her here to be healed, even as the Jews of old sent their
diseased to the troubled pool of Bethesda; and, teachers, superintendent, I beg
of you not to allow the waters to stagnate round her.«
    With this sublime conclusion, Mr. Brocklehurst adjusted the top button of
his surtout, muttered something to his family, who rose, bowed to Miss Temple,
and then all the great people sailed in state from the room. Turning at the
door, my judge said: -
    »Let her stand half an hour longer on that stool, and let no one speak to
her during the remainder of the day.«
    There was I, then, mounted aloft: I, who had said I could not bear the shame
of standing on my natural feet in the middle of the room, was now exposed to
general view on a pedestal of infamy. What my sensations were, no language can
describe; but just as they all rose, stifling my breath and constricting my
throat, a girl came up and passed me: in passing, she lifted her eyes. What a
strange light inspired them! What an extraordinary sensation that ray sent
through me! How the new feeling bore me up! It was as if a martyr, a hero, had
passed a slave or victim, and imparted strength in the transit. I mastered the
rising hysteria, lifted up my head, and took a firm stand on the