Page 348 - jane-eyre

powers, and less withering dread of oppression. The gaping
wound of my wrongs, too, was now quite healed; and the
flame of resentment extinguished.
‘You shall go into the breakfast-room first,’ said Bessie,
as she preceded me through the hall; ‘the young ladies will
be there.’
In another moment I was within that apartment. There
was every article of furniture looking just as it did on the
morning I was first introduced to Mr. Brocklehurst: the
very rug he had stood upon still covered the hearth. Glanc-
ing at the bookcases, I thought I could distinguish the two
volumes of Bewick’s British Birds occupying their old place
on the third shelf, and Gulliver’s Travels and the Arabian
Nights ranged just above. The inanimate objects were not
changed; but the living things had altered past recognition.
Two young ladies appeared before me; one very tall, al-
most as tall as Miss Ingram—very thin too, with a sallow
face and severe mien. There was something ascetic in her
look, which was augmented by the extreme plainness of a
straight-skirted, black, stuff dress, a starched linen collar,
hair combed away from the temples, and the nun-like or-
nament of a string of ebony beads and a crucifix. This I felt
sure was Eliza, though I could trace little resemblance to
her former self in that elongated and colourless visage.
The other was as certainly Georgiana: but not the Geor-
giana I remembered—the slim and fairy-like girl of eleven.
This was a full-blown, very plump damsel, fair as waxwork,
with handsome and regular features, languishing blue eyes,
and ringleted yellow hair. The hue of her dress was black