第12部分(第4/8 頁)

acting　irritation　I　endured　from　this　cause　every　evening；　when　my　feet　inflamed；　and　the　torture　of　thrusting　the　swelled；　raw；　and　stiff　toes　into　my　shoes　in　the　morning。　Then　the　scanty　supply　of　food　was　distressing：　with　the　keen　appetites　of　growing　children；　we　had　scarcely　sufficient　to　keep　alive　a　delicate　invalid。　From　this　deficiency　of　nourishment　resulted　an　abuse；　which　pressed　hardly　on　the　younger　pupils：　whenever　the　famished　great　girls　had　an　opportunity；　they　would　coax　or　menace　the　little　ones　out　of　their　portion。　Many　a　time　I　have　shared　between　two　claimants　the　precious　morsel　of　brown　bread　distributed　at　tea…time；　and　after　relinquishing　to　a　third　half　the　contents　of　my　mug　of　coffee；　I　have　swallowed　the　remainder　with　an　acpaniment　of　secret　tears；　forced　from　me　by　the　exigency　of　hunger。

Sundays　were　dreary　days　in　that　wintry　season。　We　had　to　walk　two　miles　to　Brocklebridge　Church；　where　our　patron　officiated。　We　set　out　cold；　we　arrived　at　church　colder：　during　the　morning　service　we　became　almost　paralysed。　It　was　too　far　to　return　to　dinner；　and　an　allowance　of　cold　meat　and　bread；　in　the　same　penurious　proportion　observed　in　our　ordinary　meals；　was　served　round　between　the　services。

At　the　close　of　the　afternoon　service　we　returned　by　an　exposed　and　hilly　road；　where　the　bitter　winter　wind；　blowing　over　a　range　of　snowy　summits　to　the　north；　almost　flayed　the　skin　from　our　faces。

I　can　remember　Miss　Temple　walkin