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aloud。 She sat down on the ground near me; embraced her knees with her 
arms; and rested her head upon them; in that attitude she remained 
silent as an Indian。 I was the first who spoke… 
   'Helen; why do you stay with a girl whom everybody believes to be a 
liar?' 
   'Everybody; Jane? Why; there are only eighty people who have 
heard you called so; and the world contains hundreds of millions。' 
   'But what have I to do with millions? The eighty; I know; despise 
me。' 
   'Jane; you are mistaken: probably not one in the school either 
despises or dislikes you: many; I am sure; pity you much。' 
   'How can they pity me after what Mr。 Brocklehurst has said?' 
   'Mr。 Brocklehurst is not a god: nor is he even a great and 
admired man; he is little liked here; he never took steps to make 
himself liked。 Had he treated you as an especial favourite; you 
would have found enemies; declared or covert; all around you; as it 
is; the greater number would offer you sympathy if they dared。 
Teachers and pupils may look coldly on you for a day or two; but 
friendly feelings are concealed in their hearts; and if you 
persevere in doing well; these feelings will ere long appear so much 
the more evidently for their temporary suppression。 Besides; Jane'… 
she paused。 
   'Well; Helen?' said I; putting my hand into hers: she chafed my 
fingers gently to warm them; and went on… 
   'If all the world hated you; and believed you wicked; while your 
own conscience approved you; and absolved you from guilt; you would 
not be without friends。' 
   'No; I know I should think well of myself; but that is not 
enough: if others don't love me I would rather die than live… I cannot 
bear to be solitary and hated; Helen。 Look here; to gain some real 
affection from you; or Miss Temple; or any other whom I truly love; 
I would willingly submit to have the bone of my arm broken; or to 
let a bull toss me; or to stand behind a kicking horse; and let it 
dash its hoof at my chest…' 
   'Hush; Jane! you think too much of the love of human beings; you 
are too impulsive; too vehement; the sovereign hand that created 
your frame; and put life into it; has provided you with other 
resources than your feeble self; or than creatures feeble as you。 
Besides this earth; and besides the race of men; there is an invisible 
world and a kingdom of spirits: that world is round us; for it is 
everywhere; and those spirits watch us; for they are commissioned to 
guard us; and if we were dying in pain and shame; if scorn smote us on 
all sides; and hatred crushed us; angels see our tortures; recognise 
our innocence (if innocent we be: as I know you are of this charge 
which Mr。 Brocklehurst has weakly and pompously repeated at secondhand 
from Mrs。 Reed; for I read a sincere nature in your ardent eyes and on 
your clear front); and God waits only the separation of spirit from 
flesh to crown us with a full reward。 Why; then; should we ever sink 
overwhelmed with distress; when life is so soon over; and death is 
so certain an entrance to happiness… to glory?' 
   I was silent; Helen had calmed me; but in the tranquillity she 
imparted there was an alloy of inexpressible sadness。 I felt the 
impression of woe as she spoke; but I could not tell whence it came; 
and when; having done speaking; she breathed a little fast and coughed 
a short cough; I momentarily forgot my own sorrows to yield to a vague 
concern for her。 
   Resting my head on Helen's shoulder; I put my arms round her waist; 
she drew me to her; and we reposed in silence。 We had not sat long 
thus; when another person came in。 Some heavy clouds; swept from the 
sky by a rising wind; had left the moon bare; and her light; streaming 
in through a window near; shone full both on us and on the approaching 
figure; which we at once recognised as Miss Temple。 
   'I came on purpose to find you; Jane Eyre;' said she; 'I want you 
in my room; and as Helen Burns is with you; she may come too。' 
   We went; following the superintendent's guidance; we had to 
thread some intricate passages; and mount a staircase before we 
reached her apartment; it contained a good fire; and looked 
cheerful。 Miss Temple told Helen Burns to be seated in a low arm…chair 
on one side of the hearth; and herself taking another; she called me 
to her side。 
   'Is it all over?' she asked; looking down at my face。 'Have you 
cried your grief away?' 
   'I am afraid I never shall do that。' 
   'Why?' 
   'Because I have been wrongly accused; and you; ma'am; and everybody 
else; will now think me wicked。' 
   'We shall think you what you prove yourself to be; my child。 
Continue to act as a good girl; and you will satisfy us。' 
   'Shall I; Miss Temple?' 
   'You will;' said she; passing her arm round me。 'And now tell me 
who is the lady whom Mr。 Brocklehurst called your benefactress?' 
   'Mrs。 Reed; my uncle's wife。 My uncle is dead; and he left me to 
her care。' 
   'Did she not; then; adopt you of her own accord?' 
   'No; ma'am; she was sorry to have to do it: but my uncle; as I have 
often heard the servants say; got her to promise before he died that 
she would always keep me。' 
   'Well now; Jane; you know; or at least I will tell you; that when a 
criminal is accused; he is always allowed to speak in his own defence。 
You have been charged with falsehood; defend yourself to me as well as 
you can。 Say whatever your memory suggests as true; but add nothing 
and exaggerate nothing。' 
   I resolved; in the depth of my heart; that I would be most 
moderate… most correct; and; having reflected a few minutes in order 
to arrange coherently what I had to say; I told her all the story of 
my sad childhood。 Exhausted by emotion; my language was more subdued 
than it generally was when it developed that sad theme; and mindful of 
Helen's warnings against the indulgence of resentment; I infused 
into the narrative far less of gall and wormwood than ordinary。 Thus 
restrained and simplified; it sounded more credible: I felt as I 
went on that Miss Temple fully believed me。 
   In the course of the tale I had mentioned Mr。 Lloyd as having 
come to see me after the fit: for I never forgot the; to me; frightful 
episode of the red…room: in detailing which; my excitement was sure; 
in some degree; to break bounds; for nothing could soften in my 
recollection the spasm of agony which clutched my heart when Mrs。 Reed 
spurned my wild supplication for pardon; and locked me a second time 
in the dark and haunted chamber。 
   I had finished: Miss Temple regarded me a few minutes in silence; 
she then said… 
   'I know something of Mr。 Lloyd; I shall write to him; if his 
reply agrees with your statement; you shall be publicly cleared from 
every imputation; to me; Jane; you are clear now。' 
   She kissed me; and still keeping me at her side (where I was well 
contented to stand for I derived a child's pleasure from the 
contemplation of her face; her dress; her one or two ornaments; her 
white forehead; her clustered and shining curls; and beaming dark 
eyes); she proceeded to address Helen Burns。 
   'How are you to…night; Helen? Have you coughed much to…day?' 
   'Not quite so much; I think; ma'am。' 
   'And the pain in your chest?' 
   'It is a little better。' 
   Miss Temple got up; took her hand and examined her pulse; then 
she returned to her own seat: as she resumed it; I heard her sigh low。 
She was pensive a few minutes; then rousing herself; she said 
cheerfully… 
   'But you two are my visitors to…night; I must treat you as such。' 
She rang her bell。 
   'Barbara;' she said to the servant who answered it; 'I have not yet 
had tea; bring the tray and place cups for these two young ladies。' 
   And a tray was soon brought。 How pretty; to my eyes; did the 
china cups and bright teapot look; placed on the little round table 
near the fire! How fragrant was the steam of the beverage; and the 
scent of the toast! of which; however; I; to my dismay (for I was 
beginning to be hungry); discerned only a very small portion: Miss 
Temple discerned it too。 
   'Barbara;' said she; 'can you not bring a little more bread and 
butter? There is not enough for three。' 
   Barbara went out: she returned soon… 
   'Madam; Mrs。 Harden says she has sent up the usual quantity。' 
   Mrs。 Harden; be it observed; was the housekeeper: a woman after Mr。 
Brocklehurst's own heart; made up of equal parts of whalebone and 
iron。 
   'Oh; very well!' returned Miss Temple; 'we must make it do; 
Barbara; I suppose。' And as the girl withdrew she added; smiling; 
'Fortunately; I have it in my power to supply deficiencies for this 
once。' 
   Having invited Helen and me to approach the table; and placed 
before each of us a cup of tea with one delicious but thin morsel of 
toast; she got up; unlocked a drawer; and taking from it a parcel 
wrapped in paper; disclosed presently to our eyes a good…sized 
seed…cake。 
   'I meant to give each of you some of this to take with you;' said 
she; 'but as there is so little toast; you must have it now;' and 
she proceeded to cut slices with a generous hand。 
   We feasted that evening as on nectar 

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