andtheMissesBrocklehurst，andconductedtoseatsofhonouratthetopoftheroom。Itseemstheyhadcomeinthecarriagewiththeirreverendrelative，andhadbeenconductingarummagingscrutinyoftheroomupstairs，whilehetransactedbusinesswiththehousekeeper，questionedthelaundress，andlecturedthesuperintendent。TheynowproceededtoaddressdiversremarksandreproofstoMissSmith，whowaschargedwiththecareofthelinenandtheinspectionofthedormitories:butIhadnotimetolistentowhattheysaid;othermatterscalledoffandenchainedmyattention。
Hitherto，whilegatheringupthediscourseofMr。BrocklehurstandMissTemple，Ihadnot，atthesametime，neglectedprecautionstosecuremypersonalsafety;whichIthoughtwouldbeeffected，ifI
couldonlyeludeobservation。Tothisend，Ihadsatwellbackontheform，andwhileseemingtobebusywithmysum，hadheldmyslateinsuchamannerastoconcealmyface:Imighthaveescapednotice，hadnotmytreacherousslatesomehowhappenedtoslipfrommyhand，andfallingwithanobtrusivecrash，directlydrawneveryeyeuponme;Iknewitwasallovernow，and，asIstoopedtopickupthetwofragmentsofslate，Iralliedmyforcesfortheworst。Itcame。
\'Acarelessgirl！\'saidMr。Brocklehurst，andimmediatelyafter—
\'Itisthenewpupil，Iperceive。\'AndbeforeIcoulddrawbreath，\'ImustnotforgetIhaveawordtosayrespectingher。\'Thenaloud: