It was difficult for me to get used to the school rules at Lowood, and to the hard physical
conditions. In January, February and March there was deep snow, but we still had to spend an hour
outside every day. We had no boots or gloves, and my hands and feet ached badly. We were
growing children, and needed more food than was provided. Sometimes the big girls bullied us little
ones and made us hand over our teatime bread or evening biscuit.
One afternoon, when I had been at Lowood for three weeks, a visitor arrived. All the teachers
and pupils stood respectfully as he entered the schoolroom. I looked up. There, next to Miss Temple,
stood the same black column which had frowned on me in the breakfast-room at Gateshead. I had
been afraid he would come. I remembered only too well Mrs. Reed's description of my character, and
the promise he had given her to warn teachers at Lowood about my wickedness. Now they would
consider me a bad child for ever.
At first Mr. Brocklehurst