CHAPTERIX95
unnumberedvarietiesofmossfilleditshollows,anditmadeastrangeground-sunshineoutofthewealthofitswildprimroseplants:Ihaveseentheirpalegoldgleaminovershadowedspotslikescatteringsofthesweetestlustre.AllthisIenjoyedoftenandfully,free,unwatched,andalmostalone:forthisunwontedlibertyandpleasuretherewasacause,towhichitnowbecomesmytasktoadvert.
HaveInotdescribedapleasantsiteforadwelling,whenIspeakofitasbosomedinhillandwood,andrisingfromthevergeofastream?Assuredly,pleasantenough:butwhetherhealthyornotisanotherquestion.
Thatforest-dell,whereLowoodlay,wasthecradleoffogandfog-bredpestilence;which,quickeningwiththequickeningspring,creptintotheOrphanAsylum,breathedtyphusthroughitscrowdedschoolroomanddormitory,and,ereMayarrived,transformedtheseminaryintoanhospital.
Semi-starvationandneglectedcoldshadpredisposedmostofthepupilstoreceiveinfection:forty-fiveoutoftheeightygirlslayillatonetime.Classeswerebrokenup,rulesrelaxed.Thefewwhocontinuedwellwereallowedalmostunlimitedlicense;becausethemedicalattendantinsistedonthenecessityoffrequentexercisetokeeptheminhealth:andhaditbeenotherwise,noonehadleisuretowatchorrestrainthem.MissTemple'swholeattentionwasabsorbedbythepatients:shelivedinthesick-room,neverquittingitexcepttosnatchafewhours'restatnight.Theteacherswerefullyoccupiedwithpackingupandmakingothernecessarypreparationsforthedepartureofthosegirlswhowerefortunateenoughtohavefriendsandrelationsableandwillingtoremovethemfromtheseatofcontagion.Many,alreadysmitten,wenthomeonlytodie:somediedattheschool,andwereburiedquietlyandquickly,thenatureofthemaladyforbiddingdelay.
WhilediseasehadthusbecomeaninhabitantofLowood,anddeathitsfrequentvisitor;whiletherewasgloomandfearwithinitswalls;whileitsroomsandpassagessteamedwithhospitalsmells,thedrugandthepastillestrivingvainlytoovercometheeffluviaofmortality,thatbrightMayshoneuncloudedovertheboldhillsandbeautifulwoodlandoutofdoors.Its