简爱

Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte / 夏洛蒂 伯朗特

Part Two - A girl at Lowood

4

Making a friend

The next morning we got up in the dark as before, but the water was frozen, so we could not wash. It was freezing cold in all the rooms. This time the porridge was not burnt, but I still felt hungry, as the quantity was so small.

I stayed in the bottom class, but noticed the girl that I had been talking to was in another class. Her surname seemed to be Burns. Teachers called girls by their surnames in this school. Her class were studying history, and her teacher, Miss Scatcherd, appeared constantly annoyed by her.

‘Burns, hold your head up, can't you! '

‘Burns, don't stand like that! '

The history questions asked by Miss Scatcherd sounded very difficult, but Burns knew all the answers. I kept expecting the teacher to praise her, but instead she suddenly cried out,

‘You dirty girl! You haven't washed your hands this morning! '

I was surprised that Burns did not explain that none of us could wash our faces or hands because the water had been frozen. Miss Scatcherd gave an order. Burns left the room and returned, carrying a stick. The teacher took it and hit Burns several times with it. The girl did not cry or change her expression.

4. 交朋友

　　第二天早晨，我们和以往一样天黑就起床了，可是水都冻了冰，不能洗漱了。所有的屋里都冰冷冰冷的。这次粥没有烧糊，但我还是饿，因为量太少了。
　　我仍在最低班，却注意到曾和我讲话的女孩在另一个班，她好像姓伯恩斯。在这所学校，老师们总是用姓叫学生。她们班在学历史，她的老师斯盖查德小姐似乎总是被她惹恼。
　　“伯恩斯，抬起头来，难道做不到吗？”
　　“伯恩斯，别那么站着！”
　　斯盖查德小姐提出的历史问题听起来非常艰深，但伯恩斯知道所有的答案。我总是期待着老师表扬她，但却听到老师突然吼道：
　　“你这个脏丫头。早晨你没有洗手！”
　　我感到惊讶的是，伯恩斯并没有解释，我们谁也没洗脸、洗手，因为水冻冰了。斯盖查德小姐下了一个命令。伯恩斯出去了，回来时拿了一根棍子。老师接过棍子，在伯恩斯身上打了好几下。她既没有哭，也没有表情上的变化。

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