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11TheredroomWecouldnotgoforawalkthatafternoon．Therewassuchafreezingcoldwind，andsuchheavyrain，thatweallstayedindoors．Iwasgladofit．Ineverlikedlongwalks，especiallyinwinter．Iusedtohatecominghomewhenitwasalmostdark，withice-coldfingersandtoes，feelingmiserablebccauseBessie，thenursemaid，wasalwaysscoldingme．AllthetimeIknewIwasdifferentfrommycousins，Eliza，JohnandGeorgianaReed．Theyweretallerandstrongerthanme，andtheywereloved．Thesethreeusuallyspenttheirtimecryingandquarrelling，buttodaytheyweresittingquietlyaroundtheirmotherinthesitting-room．Iwantedtojointhefamilycircle，butMrsReed，myaunt，refusedBessiehadcomplaintedaboutme．'No，I'msorry，Jane．UntilIhearfromBessie，orseeformyself，thatyouarereallytryingtobehavebetter，youcannotbetreatedasagood，happychild，likemychildren．''WhatdoesBessiesayIhavedone？'Iasked．'Jane，itisnotpolitetoquestionmeinthatway．Ifyoucannotspeakpleasantly，bequiet．'2Icreptoutofthesitting-roomandintothesmallroomnextdoor，whereIchoseabookfullofpicturesfromthebookcase．Iclimbedontothewindow-seatanddrewthecurtains，sothatIwascompletelyhidden．Isatthereforawhile．SometimesIlookedoutofthewindowatthegreyNovemberafternoon，andsawtherainpouringdownontheleaflessgarden．ButmostofthetimeIstudiedthebookandstared，fascinated，atthepictures．Lostintheworldofimagination，Iforgotmysad，lonelyexistenceforawhile，andwashappy，Iwasonlyafraidthatmysecrethiding-placemightbediscovered．Suddenlythedooroftheroomopened．JohnReedrushedin．'Whereareyou，rat？'heshouted．Hedidnotseemebehindthecurtain．'Eliza！Georgy！Janeisn'there！TellMammashe'srunoutintotherain—whatabadanimalsheis！''HowluckyIdrewthecurtain，'Ithought．Hewouldneverhavefoundme，becausehewasnotveryintelligent．ButElizaguessedatoncewhereIwas．'She'sinthewindow-seat，John，'shecalledfromthe3sitting-room．SoIcameoutimmediately，asIdidnotwanthimtopullmeout．'Whatdoyouwant？'Iaskedhim．'Say，“Whatdoyouwant，MasterReed”，'heanswered，sittinginanarmchair．'Iwantyoutocomehere．'JohnReedwasfourteenandIwasonlyten．Hewaslargeandratherfat．Heusuallyatetoomuchatmeals，whichmadehimill．Heshouldhavebeenatboardingschool，buthismother，wholovedhimverymuch，hadbroughthimhomeforamonthortwo，becauseshethoughthishealthwasdelicate．Johndidnotlovehismotherorhissister，andhehatedmeHebulliedandpunishedme，nottwoorthreetimesaweek，notonceortwiceaday，butallthetime．Mywholebodytrembledwhenhecamenear．Sometimeshehitme，sometimeshejustthreatenedme，andIlivedinterriblefearofhim．Ihadnoideaabouthowtostophim．Theservantsdidnotwanttooffendtheiryoungmaster，andMrsReedcouldseenofaultinherdearboy．SoIobeyedJohn'sorderandapproachedhisarmchair，thinkinghowveryuglyhisfacewas．Perhapshe4understoodwhatIwasthinking，forhehitmehardontheface．'ThatisforyourrudenesstoMammajustnow，'hesaid，'andforyourwickednessinhiding，andforlookingatmelikethat，yourat！'IwassousedtohisbullyingthatIneverthoughtofhittinghimback．'Whatwereyoudoingbehindthatcurtain？'heasked．'Iwasreading，'Ianswered．'Showmethebook．'Igaveittohim．'Youhavenorighttotakeourbooks，'hecontinued．'Youhavenomoneyandyourfatherleftyornone．Yououghttobeginthestreets，notlivehereincomfortwithagentleman'sfamily．Aayway，allthesebooksaremine，andsoisthewholehouse，orwillbeinafewyears'time．I'llteachyounottoborrowmybooksagain．'Heliftedtheheavybookandthrewithardatme．IthitmeandIfell，cuttingmyheadonthedoor．Iwasingreatpain，andsuddenlyforthefirsttimeinmylife，IforgotmyfearofJohnReed．'Youwicked，cruelboy！'Icried．'Youareabully！Youareasbadasamurderer！'5'What！What！'hecried．'Didshesaythattome？Didyouhear，ElizaandGeorgiana？I'lltellMamma，butfirst…'Herushedtoattackme，butnowhewasfightingwithadesperategirl．Ireallysawhimasawickedmurderer．Ifeltthebloodrunningdownmyface，andthepaingavemestrength．IfoughtbackashardasIcould．Myresistancesurprisedhim，andheshoutedforhelp．HissistersranforMrsReed，whocalledhermaid，MissAbbott，andBessie．TheypulledusapartandIheardthemsay，'Whatawickedgirl！SheattackedMasterJohn！'MrsReedsaidcalmly，'Takeherawaytotheredroomandlockherinthere．'AndsoIwascarriedupstairs，armswavingandlegskicking．Assoonaswearrivedintheredroom，Ibecamequietagain，andthetwoservantsbothstartedscoldingme．'Really，MissEyre，'saidMissAbbott，'howcouldyouhithim？He'syouryoungmaster！''Howcanhebemymaster？Iamnotaservant！'Icried．'No，MissEyre，youarelessthanaservant，becauseyoudonotwork，repliedMissAbbott．Theybothlookedatmeas6iftheystronglydisapprovedofme．'Youshouldremember，miss，'saidBessie，'thatyourauntpaysforyourfoodandclothes，andyoushouldbegrateful．Youhavenootherrelationsorfriends．'AllmyshortlifeIhadbeentoldthis，andIhadnoanswertoit．Istayedsilent，listeningtothesepainfulreminders．'Andifyouareangryandrude，MrsReedmaysendyouaway，'addedBessie．'Anyway，'saidMissAbbott，'Godwillpunishyou，JaneEyre，foryourwickedheart．PraytoGod，andsayyou'resorry．'Theylefttheroom，lockingthedoorcarefullybehindthem．Theredroomwasacold，silentroom，hardlyeverused，althoughitwasoneofthelargestbedroomsinthehouse．Nineyearsago，myuncle，MrReed，haddiedinthisroom，andsincethennobodyhadwantedtosleepinit．NowthatIwasaloneIthoughtbitterlyofthepeopleIlivedwith．JohnReed，hissisters，hismother，theservants，theyallaccusedme，scoldedme，hatedme．WhycouldIne