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258 英英英 http://www.258en.com/ Chapter 16 I BOTH wished and feared to see Mr. Rochester on the day which followed this sleepless night: I wanted to hear his voice again, yet feared to meet his eye. During the early part of the morning, I momentarily expected his coming; he was not in the frequent habit of entering the schoolroom, but he did step in for a few minutes sometimes, and I had the impression that he was sure to visit it that day. But the morning passed just as usual: nothing happened to interrupt the quiet course of Adele's studies; only soon after breakfast, I heard some bustle in the neighbourhood of Mr. Rochester's chamber, Mrs. Fairfax's voice, and Leah's, and the cook's- that is, John's wife- and even John's own gruff tones. There were exclamations of 'What a mercy master was not burnt in his bed!' 'It is always dangerous to keep a candle lit at night.' 'How providential that he had presence of mind to think of the water-jug!' 'I wonder he waked nobody!' 'It is to be hoped he will not take cold with sleeping on the library sofa,' etc. To much confabulation succeeded a sound of scrubbing and setting to rights; and when I passed the room, in going downstairs to dinner, I saw through the open door that all was again restored to complete order; only the bed was stripped of its hangings. Leah stood up in the window-seat, rubbing the panes of glass dimmed with smoke. I was about to address her, for I wished to know what account had been given of the affair: but, on advancing, I saw a second person in the chamber- a woman sitting on a chair by the bedside, and sewing rings to new curtains. That woman was no other than Grace Poole. There she sat, staid and taciturn-looking, as usual, in her brown stuff gown, her check apron, White handkerchief, and cap. She was intent on her work, in which her whole thoughts seemed absorbed: on her hard forehead, and in her commonplace features, was nothing either of the paleness or desperation one would have expected to see marking the countenance of a woman who had attempted murder, and whose intended victim had followed her last night to her lair, and (as I believed), charged her with the crime she wished to perpetrate. I was amazed-confounded. She looked up, while I still gazed at her: no start, no increase or failure of colour betrayed emotion, consciousness of guilt, or fear of detection. She said 'Good morning, Miss,' in her usual 258 英英英 http://www.258en.com/

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Chapter 16 I BOTH wished and feared to see Mr. Rochester on the day which followed this sleepless night: I wanted to hear his voice again, yet feared to meet his eye. During the early part of the morning, I

momentarily expected his coming; he was not in the frequent habit of entering the schoolroom, but he did step in for a few minutes sometimes, and I had the impression that he was sure to visit it

that day.But the morning passed just as usual: nothing happened to interrupt the quiet course of Adele's studies; only soon after breakfast, I heard some bustle in the neighbourhood of Mr. Rochester's chamber, Mrs. Fairfax's voice, and Leah's, and the cook's- that is, John's wife- and even John's

own gruff tones. There were exclamations of 'What a mercy master was not burnt in his bed!' 'It is always dangerous to keep a candle lit at night.' 'How providential that he had presence of mind to think of the water-jug!' 'I wonder he waked nobody!' 'It is to be hoped he will not take cold with

sleeping on the library sofa,' etc.

To much confabulation succeeded a sound of scrubbing and setting to rights; and when I passed the room, in going downstairs to dinner, I saw through the open door that all was again restored to complete order; only the bed was stripped of its hangings. Leah stood up in the window-seat, rubbing the panes of glass dimmed with smoke. I was about to address her, for I wished to know what account had been given of the affair: but, on advancing, I saw a second person in the chamber- a woman sitting on a chair by the bedside, and sewing rings to new curtains. That woman was no other than Grace Poole.

There she sat, staid and taciturn-looking, as usual, in her brown stuff gown, her check apron, White handkerchief, and cap. She was intent on her work, in which her whole thoughts seemed absorbed: on her hard forehead, and in her commonplace features, was nothing either of the paleness or desperation one would have expected to see marking the countenance of a woman who had attempted murder, and whose intended victim had followed her last night to her lair, and (as I believed), charged her with the crime she wished to perpetrate. I was amazed-confounded. She looked up, while I still gazed at her: no start, no increase or failure of colour betrayed emotion, consciousness of guilt, or fear of detection. She said 'Good morning, Miss,' in her usual phlegmatic and brief manner; and taking up another ring and more tape, went on with her sewing.

'I will put her to some test,' thought I: 'such absolute impenetrability is past comprehension.'

'Good morning, Grace,' I said. 'Has anything happened here? I thought I heard the servants all talking together a while ago.'

'Only master had been reading in his bed last night; he fell asleep with his candle lit, and the curtains got on fire; but, fortunately, he awoke before the bedclothes or the woodwork caught, and contrived to quench the flames with the water in the ewer.'

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'A strange affair!' I said, in a low voice: then, looking at her fixedly- 'Did Mr. Rochester wake nobody? Did no one hear him move?'

She again raised her eyes to me, and this time there was something of consciousness in their expression. She seemed to examine me warily; then she answered-

'The servants sleep so far off, you know, Miss, they would not be likely to hear. Mrs. Fairfax's room and yours are the nearest to master's; but Mrs. Fairfax said she heard nothing: when people get elderly, they often sleep heavy.' She paused, and then added, with a sort of assumed indifference, but still in a marked and significant tone- 'But you are young, Miss; and I should say a light sleeper: perhaps you may have heard a noise?'

'I did,' said I, dropping my voice, so that Leah, who was still polishing the panes, could not hear me, 'and at first I thought it was Pilot: but Pilot cannot laugh; and I am certain I heard a laugh, and a strange one.'

She took a new needleful of thread, waxed it carefully, threaded her needle with a steady hand, and then observed, with perfect composure-

'It is hardly likely master would laugh, I should think, Miss, when he was in such danger: you must have been dreaming.'

'I was not dreaming,' I said, with some warmth, for her brazen coolness provoked me. Again she looked at me; and with the same scrutinising and conscious eye.

'Have you told master that you heard a laugh?' she inquired.

'I have not had the opportunity of speaking to him this morning.'

'You did not think of opening your door and looking out into the gallery?' she further asked.

She appeared to be cross-questioning me, attempting to draw from me information unawares. The idea struck me that if she discovered I knew or suspected her guilt, she would be playing off some of her malignant pranks on me; I thought it advisable to be on my guard.

'On the contrary,' said I, 'I bolted my door.'

'Then you are not in the habit of bolting your door every night before you get into bed?'

'Fiend! she wants to know my habits, that she may lay her plans accordingly!' Indignation again prevailed over prudence: I replied sharply, 'Hitherto I have often omitted to fasten the bolt: I did not think it necessary. I was not aware any danger or annoyance was to be

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dreaded at Thornfield Hall: but in future' (and I laid marked stress on the words) 'I shall take good care to make all secure before I venture to lie down.'

'It will be wise so to do,' was her answer: 'this neighbourhood is as quiet as any I know, and I never heard of the hall being attempted by robbers since it was a house; though there are hundreds of pounds' worth of plate in the plate-closet, as is well known. And you see, for such a large house, there are very few servants, because master has never lived here much; and when he does come, being a bachelor, he needs little waiting on: but I always think it best to err on the safe side; a door is soon fastened, and it is as well to have a drawn bolt between one and any mischief that may be about. A deal of people, Miss, are for trusting all to Providence; but I say Providence will not dispense with the means, though He often blesses them when they are used discreetly.' And here she closed her harangue: a long one for her, and uttered with the demureness of a Quakeress.

I still stood absolutely dumfoundered at what appeared to me her miraculous self-possession, and most inscrutable hypocrisy, when the cook entered.

'Mrs. Poole,' said she, addressing Grace, 'the servants' dinner will soon be ready: will you come down?'

'No; just put my pint of porter and bit of pudding on a tray, and I'll carry it upstairs.'

'You'll have some meat?'

'Just a morsel, and a taste of cheese, that's all.'

'And the sago?'

'Never mind it at present: I shall be coming down before tea-time: I'll make it myself.'

The cook here turned to me, saying that Mrs. Fairfax was waiting for me: so I departed.

I hardly heard Mrs. Fairfax's account of the curtain conflagration during dinner, so much was I occupied in puzzling my brains over the enigmatical character of Grace Poole, and still more in pondering the problem of her position at Thornfield and questioning why she had not been given into custody that morning, or, at the very least, dismissed from her master's service. He had almost as much as declared his conviction of her criminality last night: what mysterious cause withheld him from accusing her? Why had he enjoined me, too, to secrecy? It was strange: a bold, vindictive, and haughty gentleman seemed somehow in the power of one of the meanest of his dependants; so much in her power, that even when she lifted her hand against his life, he dared not openly charge her with the attempt, much less punish her for it.

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Had Grace been young and handsome, I should have been tempted to think that tenderer feelings than prudence or fear influenced Mr. Rochester in her behalf; but, hard-favoured and matronly as she was, the idea could not be admitted. 'Yet,' I reflected, 'she has been young once; her youth would be contemporary with her master's: Mrs. Fairfax told me once, she had lived here many years. I don't think she can ever have been pretty; but, for aught I know, she may possess originality and strength of character to compensate for the want of personal advantages. Mr. Rochester is an amateur of the decided and eccentric: Grace is eccentric at least. What if a former caprice (a freak very possible to a nature so sudden and headstrong as his) has delivered him into her power, and she now exercises over his actions a secret influence, the result of his own indiscretion, which he cannot shake off, and dare not disregard?' But, having reached this point of conjecture, Mrs. Poole's square, flat figure, and uncomely, dry, even coarse face, recurred so distinctly to my mind's eye, that I thought, 'No; impossible! my supposition cannot be correct. Yet,' suggested the secret voice which talks to us in our own hearts, 'you are not beautiful either, and perhaps Mr. Rochester approves you: at any rate, you have often felt as if he did; and last night- remember his words; remember his look; remember his voice!'

I well remembered all; language, glance, and tone seemed at the moment vividly renewed. I was now in the schoolroom; Adele was drawing; I bent over her and directed her pencil. She looked up with a sort of start.

'Qu'avez-vous, mademoiselle?' said she. 'Vos doigts tremblent comme la feuille, et vos joues sont rouges: mais, rouges comme des cerises!' 'I am hot, Adele, with stooping!' She went on sketching; I went on thinking.

I hastened to drive from my mind the hateful notion I had been conceiving respecting Grace Poole; it disgusted me. I compared myself with her, and found we were different. Bessie Leaven had said I was quite a lady; and she spoke truth- I was a lady. And now I looked much better than I did when Bessie saw me; I had more colour and more flesh, more life, more vivacity, because I had brighter hopes and keener enjoyments.

'Evening approaches,' said I, as I looked towards the window. 'I have never heard Mr. Rochester's voice or step in the house to-day; but surely I shall see him before night: I feared the meeting in the morning; now I desire it, because expectation has been so long baffled that it is grown impatient.'

When dusk actually closed, and when Adele left me to go and play in the nursery with Sophie, I did most keenly desire it. I listened for the bell to ring below; I listened for Leah coming up with a message; I fancied sometimes I heard Mr. Rochester's own tread, and I turned to the door, expecting it to open and admit him. The door remained shut; darkness only came in through the window. Still it was not late; he often sent for me at seven and eight o'clock, and it was yet but six. Surely I should not be wholly disappointed to-night, when I had so many things to say to him! I wanted again to introduce the subject of

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Grace Poole, and to hear what he would answer; I wanted to ask him plainly if he really believed it was she who had made last night's hideous attempt; and if so, why he kept her wickedness a secret. It little mattered whether my curiosity irritated him; I knew the pleasure of vexing and soothing him by turns; it was one I chiefly delighted in, and a sure instinct always prevented me from going too far; beyond the verge of provocation I never ventured; on the extreme brink I liked well to try my skill.

Retaining every minute form of respect, every propriety of my station, I could still meet him in argument without fear or uneasy restraint; this suited both him and me.

A tread creaked on the stairs at last. Leah made her appearance; but it was only to intimate that tea was ready in Mrs. Fairfax's room.

Thither I repaired, glad at least to go downstairs; for that brought me, I imagined, nearer to Mr. Rochester's presence.

'You must want your tea,' said the good lady, as I joined her; 'you ate so little at dinner. I am afraid,' she continued, 'you are not well to-day: you look flushed and feverish.'

'Oh, quite well! I never felt better.'

'Then you must prove it by evincing a good appetite; will you fill the teapot while I knit off this needle?' Having completed her task, she rose to draw down the blind, which she had hitherto kept up, by way, I suppose, of making the most of daylight, though dusk was now fast deepening into total obscurity.

'It is fair to-night,' said she, as she looked through the panes, 'though not starlight; Mr. Rochester has, on the whole, had a favourable day for his journey.'

'Journey!- Is Mr. Rochester gone anywhere? I did not know he was out.'

'Oh, he set off the moment he had breakfast! He is gone to the Leas, Mr. Eshton's place, ten miles on the other side Millcote. I believe there is quite a party assembled there; Lord Ingram, Sir George Lynn, Colonel Dent, and others.'

'Do you expect him back to-night?'

'No- nor to-morrow either; I should think he is very likely to stay a week or more: when these fine, fashionable people get together, they are so surrounded by elegance and gaiety, so well provided with all that can please and entertain, they are in no hurry to separate.

Gentlemen especially are often in request on such occasions; and Mr. Rochester is so talented and so lively in society, that I believe he is a general favourite: the ladies are very fond of him; though you would not think his appearance calculated to recommend

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him particularly in their eyes: but I suppose his acquirements and abilities, perhaps his wealth and good blood, make amends for any little fault of look.'

'Are there ladies at the Leas?'

'There are Mrs. Eshton and her three daughters- very elegant young ladies indeed; and there are the Honourable Blanche and Mary Ingram, most beautiful women, I suppose: indeed I have seen Blanche, six or seven years since, when she was a girl of eighteen. She came here to a Christmas ball and party Mr. Rochester gave. You should have seen the dining-room that day- how richly it was decorated, how brilliantly lit up! I should think there were fifty ladies and gentlemen present- all of the first county families; and Miss Ingram was considered the belle of the evening.'

'You saw her, you say, Mrs. Fairfax: what was she like?'

'Yes, I saw her. The dining-room doors were thrown open; and, as it was Christmas-time, the servants were allowed to assemble in the hall, to hear some of the ladies sing and play. Mr. Rochester would have me to come in, and I sat down in a quiet corner and watched them. I never saw a more splendid scene: the ladies were magnificently dressed; most of them- at least most of the younger ones- looked handsome; but Miss Ingram was certainly the queen.'

'And what was she like?'

'Tall, fine bust, sloping shoulders; long, graceful neck: olive complexion, dark and clear; noble features; eyes rather like Mr. Rochester's: large and black, and as brilliant as her jewels. And then she had such a fine head of hair; raven-black and so becomingly arranged: a crown of thick plaits behind, and in front the longest, the glossiest curls I ever saw. She was dressed in pure white; an amber-coloured scarf was passed over her shoulder and across her breast, tied at the side, and descending in long, fringed ends  below her knee. She wore an amber-coloured flower, too, in her hair: it contrasted well with the jetty mass of her curls.'

'She was greatly admired, of course?'

'Yes, indeed: and not only for her beauty, but for her accomplishments. She was one of the ladies who sang: a gentleman accompanied her on the piano. She and Mr. Rochester sang a duet.'

'Mr. Rochester? I was not aware he could sing.'

'Oh! he has a fine bass voice, and an excellent taste for music.'

'And Miss Ingram: what sort of a voice had she?'

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'A very rich and powerful one: she sang delightfully; it was a treat to listen to her;- and she played afterwards. I am no judge of music, but Mr. Rochester is; and I heard him say her execution was remarkably good.'

'And this beautiful and accomplished lady, she is not yet married.'

'It appears not: I fancy neither she nor her sister have very large fortunes. Old Lord Ingram's estates were chiefly entailed, and the eldest son came in for everything almost.'

'But I wonder no wealthy nobleman or gentleman has taken a fancy to her: Mr. Rochester, for instance. He is rich, is he not?'

'Oh! yes. But you see there is a considerable difference in age: Mr. Rochester is nearly forty; she is but twenty-five.'

'What of that? More unequal matches are made every day.'

'True: yet I should scarcely fancy Mr. Rochester would entertain an idea of the sort. But you eat nothing: you have scarcely tasted since you began tea.'

'No: I am too thirsty to eat. Will you let me have another cup?'

I was about again to revert to the probability of a union between Mr. Rochester and the beautiful Blanche; but Adele came in, and the conversation was turned into another channel.

When once more alone, I reviewed the information I had got; looked into my heart, examined its thoughts and feelings, and endeavoured to bring back with a strict hand such as had been straying through imagination's boundless and trackless waste, into the safe fold of common sense.

Arraigned at my own bar, Memory having given her evidence of the hopes, wishes, sentiments I had been cherishing since last night- of the general state of mind in which I had indulged for nearly a fortnight past; Reason having come forward and told, in her own quiet way, a plain, unvarnished tale, showing how I had rejected the real, and rabidly devoured the ideal;- I pronounced judgment to this effect:-

That a greater fool than Jane Eyre had never breathed the breath of life; that a more fantastic idiot had never surfeited herself on sweet lies, and swallowed poison as if it were nectar.

'You,' I said, 'a favourite with Mr. Rochester? You gifted with the power of pleasing him? You of importance to him in any way? Go! your folly sickens me. And you have derived pleasure from occasional tokens of preference- equivocal tokens shown by a gentleman of family and a man of the world to a dependant and a novice. How dared you? Poor

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stupid dupe!- Could not even self-interest make you wiser? You repeated to yourself this morning the brief scene of last night?-

Cover your face and be ashamed! He said something in praise of your eyes, did he? Blind puppy! Open their bleared lids and look on your own accursed senselessness! It does good to no woman to be flattered by her superior, who cannot possibly intend to marry her; and it is madness in all women to let a secret love kindle within them, which, if unreturned and unknown, must devour the life that feeds it; and, if discovered and responded to, must lead, ignis-fatuus-like, into miry wilds whence there is no extrication.

'Listen, then, Jane Eyre, to your sentence: to-morrow, place the glass before you, and draw in chalk your own picture, faithfully, without softening one defect; omit no harsh line, smooth away no displeasing irregularity; write under it, "Portrait of a Governess, disconnected, poor, and plain."

'Afterwards, take a piece of smooth ivory- you have one prepared in your drawing-box: take your palette, mix your freshest, finest, clearest tints; choose your most delicate camel-hair pencils; delineate carefully the loveliest face you can imagine; paint it in your softest shades and sweetest hues, according to the description given by Mrs. Fairfax of Blanche Ingram; remember the raven ringlets, the oriental eye;- What! you revert to Mr. Rochester as a model! Order! No snivel!- no sentiment!- no regret! I will endure only sense and resolution. Recall the august yet harmonious lineaments, the Grecian neck and bust; let the round and dazzling arm be visible, and the delicate hand; omit neither diamond ring nor gold bracelet; portray faithfully the attire, aerial lace and glistening satin, graceful scarf and golden rose; call it "Blanche, an accomplished lady of rank."

'Whenever, in future, you should chance to fancy Mr. Rochester thinks well of you, take out these two pictures and compare them: say, "Mr. Rochester might probably win that noble lady's love, if he chose to strive for it; is it likely he would waste a serious thought on this indigent and insignificant plebeian?"'

'I'll do it,' I resolved: and having framed this determination, I grew calm, and fell asleep.

I kept my word. An hour or two sufficed to sketch my own portrait in crayons; and in less than a fortnight I had completed an ivory miniature of an imaginary Blanche Ingram. It looked a lovely face enough, and when compared with the real head in chalk, the contrast was as great as self-control could desire. I derived benefit from the task: it had kept my head and hands employed, and had given force and fixedness to the new impressions I wished to stamp indelibly on my heart.

Ere long, I had reason to congratulate myself on the course of wholesome discipline to which I had thus forced my feelings to submit.

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Thanks to it, I was able to meet subsequent occurrences with a decent calm, which, had they found me unprepared, I should probably have been unequal to maintain, even externally.   那个不眠之夜后的第二天,我既希望见到罗切斯特先生,而又害怕见到他。我很想再次倾听他的声音,而又害怕与他的目光相遇。上午的前半晌,我时刻盼他来。他不常进读书室,但有时却进来呆几分钟。我有这样的预感,那天他一定会来。但是,早上像往常那么过去了。没有发生什么影响阿黛勒宁静学习课程的事情。只是早饭后不久,我听到罗切斯特先生卧室附近一阵喧闹,有费尔法克斯太太的嗓音,还有莉娅的和厨师的——也就是约翰妻子的嗓音,甚至还有约翰本人粗哑的调门,有人大惊小怪地叫着:“真幸运呀,老爷没有给烧死在床上!”“点蜡烛过夜总归是危险的。”“真是上帝保佑,他还能那么清醒,想起了水罐!”“真奇怪,他谁都没有吵醒!”“但愿他睡在图书室沙发上不会着凉!”这一番闲聊之后,响起了擦擦洗洗,收拾整理的声音。我下楼吃饭经过这间房子,从开着的门后进去,只见一切都又恢复得井井有条。只有床上的帐幔都已拆除,莉娅站在窗台上,擦着被烟薰黑的玻璃。我希望知道这件事是怎么解释的,正要同她讲话,但往前一看,只见房里还有第二个人——一个女人,坐在床边的椅子上,缝着新窗帘的挂环。那女人正是格雷斯.普尔。她坐在那里,还是往常那付沉默寡言的样子,穿着褐色料子服,系着格子围裙,揣着白手帕,戴着帽子。她专心致志地忙着手头的活儿,似乎全身心都扑上去了。她冷漠的额头和普普通通的五官,既不显得苍白,也不见绝望的表情,那种人们期望在一个蓄谋杀人的女人脸上看到的表情特征,而且那位受害者昨晚跟踪到了她的藏身之处,并(如我所相信)指控她蓄意犯罪。我十分惊讶,甚至感到惶惑。我继续盯着她看时,她抬起了头来,没有惊慌之态,没有变脸色,而因此泄露她的情绪和负罪感,以及害怕被发现的恐惧心理。她以平时那种冷淡和简慢的态度说了声:“早安,小姐,”又拿起一个挂环和一圈线带,继续缝了起来。“我倒要试试她看,”我想,“那么丝毫不露声色是令人难以理解的”。“早安,格雷斯,”我说,“这儿发生了什么事吗?我想刚才我听到仆人们都议论纷纷呢。”“不过是昨晚老爷躺在床上看书,亮着蜡烛就睡着了,床幔起了火,幸亏床单或木板还没着火他就醒了,想法用罐子里的水浇灭了火焰。”“怪事!”我低声说,随后目光紧盯着她,“罗切斯特先生没有弄醒谁吗!你没有听到他走动?”她再次抬眼看我,这回她的眸子里露出了一种若有所悟的表情。她似乎先警惕地审视我,然后才回答道:

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“仆人们睡的地方离得很远,你知道的,小姐,她们不可能听到。费尔法克斯太太的房间和你的离老爷的卧室最近,但费尔法克斯太太说她没有听到什么,人老了,总是睡得很死,”她顿了一顿,随后装作若无其事的样子,却以清楚而意味深长的语调补充说:“不过你很年轻,小姐,而且应当说睡得不熟,也许你听到了什么声音。”“我是听到了,”我压低了声音说。这样,仍在擦窗的莉娅就不会听到我了。“起初,我以为是派洛特,可是派洛特不会笑,而我敢肯定,我听到了笑声,古怪的笑声”。她又拿了一根线,仔细地上了蜡,她的手沉稳地把线穿进针眼,随后非常镇静地说:“我想老爷处在危险之中是不大可能笑的,小姐,你一定是在做梦了。”“我没有做梦,”我带着几分恼火说,因为她那种厚颜无耻的镇定把我激怒了。她又带着同样探究和警惕的目光看着我。“你告诉老爷了没有,你听到笑声了?”她问道。“早上我还没有机会同他说呢。”“你没有想到开门往走廊里一瞧?”她往下问她似乎在盘问我,想在不知不觉中把我的话掏出来。我忽然想到,她要是发觉我知道或是怀疑她的罪行,就会恶意作弄我,我想还是警惕为妙。“恰恰相反,”我说,“我把门拴上了。”“那你每天睡觉之前没有拴门的习惯吗?”“这恶魔!她想知道我的习惯,好以此来算计我:”愤怒再次压倒谨慎,我尖刻地回答:“到目前为止我还是常常忽略了拴门,我认为没有这必要,我以前没有意识到在桑菲尔德还要担心什么危险或者烦恼,不过将来(我特别强调了这几个字),我要小心谨慎,弄得一切都安安全全了才敢躺下睡觉。”“这样做才聪明呢,”她回答,“这一带跟我知道的任何地方都一样安静,打从府宅建成以来、我还没有听说过有强盗上门呢。尽管谁都知道,盘子柜里有价值几百英镑的盘子,而且你知道,老爷不在这里长住,就是来住,因为是单身汉也不大要人服侍,所以这么大的房子,只有很少几个仆人。不过我总认为过份注意安全总比不注意安全好,门一下子就能拴上,还是拴上门,把自己和可能发生的祸害隔开为好。小姐,很多人都把一切托付给上帝,但要我说呀,上帝不会排斥采取措施,尽管他只常常祝福那些谨慎采取的措施,”说到这里她结束了长篇演说。这番话对地来说是够长的了,而且口气里带着贵格会女教徒的假正经。我依旧站在那里,正被她出奇的镇定和难以理解的虚伪弄得目瞪口呆时,厨师进门来了。“普尔太太,”她对格雷斯说,“佣人的午饭马上就好了,你下楼去吗?”

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“不啦,你就把我那一品特葡萄酒和一小块布丁放在托盘里吧,我会端到楼上去。”“你还要些肉吗?”“就来一小份吧,再来一点奶酪,就这些。”“还有西米呢?”“现在就不用啦,用茶点之前我会下来的,我自己来做。”这时厨师转向我,说费尔法克斯太太在等看我,于是我就离开了。吃午饭时候,费尔法克斯太太谈起帐幔失火的事。我几乎没有听见,因为我绞尽脑汁,思索着格雷斯.普尔这个神秘人物,尤其是考虑她在桑菲尔德的地位问题;对为什么那天早晨她没有被拘留,或者至少被老爷解雇,而感到纳闷。昨天晚上,他几乎等于宣布确信她犯了罪。是什么神秘的原因却使他不去指控她呢,为什么他也嘱咐我严守秘密呢,真也奇怪,一位大胆自负、复仇心切的绅士,不知怎地似乎受制于一个最卑微的下属、而且被她控制得如此之紧,甚至当她动手要谋害他时,竟不敢公开指控她的图谋,更不必说惩罚她了。要是格雷斯年轻漂亮,我会不由得认为,那种比谨慎或忧虑更为温存的情感左右了罗切斯特先生,使他偏袒于她。可是她面貌丑陋,又是一付管家婆样子,这种想法也就站不住脚了。“不过,”我思忖道,“她曾有过青春年华,那时主人也跟她一样年轻。费尔法克斯太太曾告诉我,她在这里已住了很多年。我认为她从来就没有姿色,但是也许她性格的力量和独特之处弥补了外貌上的不足。罗切斯特先生喜欢果断和古怪的人,格雷斯至少很古怪。要是从前一时的荒唐(像他那种刚愎自用、反复无常的个性,完全有可能干出轻率的事来)使他落入了她的掌中,行为上的不检点酿成了恶果,使他如今对格雷斯所施加给自己的秘密影响,既无法摆脱,又不能漠视,那又有什么奇怪呢?但是,一想到这里,普尔太太宽阔、结实、扁平的身材和丑陋干瘪甚至粗糙的面容,便清晰地浮现在我眼前,于是我想:“不,不可能!我的猜想不可能是对的。不过,”一个在我心里悄悄说话的声音建议道:“你自己也并不漂亮,而罗切斯特先生却赞赏你,至少你总是觉得好像他是这样,而且昨天晚上——别忘了他的话,别忘了他的神态,别忘了他的嗓音!”这一切我都记得清清楚楚:那语言,那眼神,那声调此刻似乎活生生地再现了。这时我呆在读书室里,阿黛勒在画画,我弯着身子指导她使用画笔,她抬起头,颇有些吃惊。“Q'avez vous, Mademoiselle”她说“Vos doigts tremblent comme la feuille,et vos joues sont rouges: mais, rouges comme des cerises!”“我很热,阿黛勒,这么躬着身!”她继续画她的速写,我继续我的思考。我急于要把对格雷斯.普尔的讨厌想法,从脑海中驱走,因为它使我感到厌恶,我把她与自己作了比较,发现彼此并不相同。贝茜.利文曾说我很有小姐派头。她说的是事实,我是一位小姐。而如今,我看上去已比当初贝茜见我时好多了。我脸色已更加红润,人已更加丰满,更富有生命力,更加朝气蓬勃,因为有了更光明的前景和更大的欢乐。

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“黄昏快到了,”我朝窗子看了看,自言自语地说。“今天我还没有在房间里听到过罗切斯特先生的声音和脚步声呢。不过天黑之前我肯定会见到他。早上我害怕见面,而现在却渴望见面了。我的期望久久落空,真有点让人不耐烦了。”当真的暮色四合,阿黛勒离开我到保育室同索菲娅一起去玩时,我急盼着同他见面。我等待着听到楼下响起铃声,等待着听到莉娅带着口讯上楼的声音。有时还在恍惚中听到罗切斯特先生自己的脚步声,便赶紧把脸转向门口,期待着门一开,他走了进来。但门依然紧闭着,唯有夜色透进了窗户。不过现在还不算太晚,他常常到七、八点钟才派人来叫我,而此刻才六点。当然今晚我不应该完全失望,因为我有那么多的话要同他说,我要再次提起格雷斯.普尔这个话题,听听他会怎么回答,我要爽爽气气地问他,是否真的相信是她昨夜动了恶念,要是相信,那他为什么要替她的恶行保守秘密。我的好奇心会不会激怒他关系不大,反正我知道一会儿惹他生气,一会儿抚慰他的乐趣,这是一件我很乐意干的事,一种很有把握的直觉常常使我不至于做过头,我从来没有冒险越出使他动怒的界线,但在正边缘上我很喜欢一试身手。我可以既保持细微的自尊,保持我的身份所需的一应礼节,而又可以无忧无虑、无拘无束地同他争论,这样对我们两人都合适。楼梯上终于响起了吱格的脚步声,莉娅来了,但她不过是来通知茶点己在费尔法克斯太太房间里摆好,我朝那走去,心里很是高兴,至少可以到楼下去了。我想这么一来离罗切斯特先生更近了。“你一定想用茶点了,”到了她那里后,这位善良的太太说,“午饭你吃得那么少,”她往下说,“我担心你今天不大舒服。你看上去脸色绯红,像是发了烧。”“啊!很好呀,我觉得再好没有了。”“那你得用好胃口来证实一下,你把茶壶灌满让我织完这一针好吗,”这活儿一了结,她便站起来把一直开着的百叶窗放下。我猜想没有关窗是为了充分利用日光,尽管这时己经暮霭沉沉,天色一片朦胧了。“今晚天气晴朗,”她透过窗玻璃往外看时说,“虽然没有星光,罗切斯特先生出门总算遇上了好天气。”“出门?——罗切斯特先生到哪里去了吗,我不知道他出去了。”“噢,他吃好早饭就出去了!他去了里斯。埃希顿先生那儿,在米尔科特的另一边,离这儿十英里,我想那儿聚集了一大批人,英格拉姆勋爵、乔治.林恩爵士、登特上校等都在。”“你盼他今晚回来么?”“不,——明天也不会回来。我想他很可能呆上一个礼拜,或者更长一点。这些杰出的上流社会的人物相聚,气氛欢快,格调高雅,娱乐款待,应有尽有,所以他们不急于散伙。而在这样的场合,尤其需要有教养有身份的人。罗切斯特先生既有才能,在社交场中又很活跃,我想他一定受到大家的欢迎。女士们都很喜欢他,尽管你会认为,在她们眼里他的外貌并没有特别值得赞许的地方。不过我猜想,他的学识、能力,也许还有他的财富和血统,弥补了他外貌上的小小缺陷。”

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“里斯地方有贵妇、小姐吗?”“有伊希顿太太和她的三个女儿——真还都是举止文雅的年轻小姐。还有可尊敬的布兰奇和玛丽.英格拉姆,我想都是非常漂亮的女人。说实在我是六七年前见到布兰奇的,当时她才十八岁。她来这里参加罗切斯特先生举办的圣诞舞会和聚会。你真该看一看那一天的餐室——布置得那么豪华,点得又那么灯火辉煌!我想有五十位女士和先生在场——都是出身于郡里的上等人家。英格拉姆小姐是那天晚上公认的美女。”“你说你见到了她,费尔法克斯太太。她长得怎么个模样?”“是呀、我看到她了,餐室的门敞开着,而且因为圣诞期间,允许佣人们聚在大厅里,听一些女士们演唱和弹奏。罗切斯特先生要我进去,我就在一个安静的角落里坐下来看她们。我从来没有见过这么光彩夺目的景象。女士们穿戴得富丽堂皇,大多数——至少是大多数年轻女子,长得很标致,而英格拉姆小姐当然是女皇了。”“她什么模样?”“高高的个子,漂亮的胸部,斜肩膀,典雅硕长的脖子,黝黑而洁净的橄榄色皮肤,高贵的五官,有些像罗切斯特先生那样的眼睛,又大又黑,像她的珠宝那样大放光彩,同时她还有一头很好的头发,乌黑乌黑,而又梳理得非常妥贴,脑后盘着粗粗的发辫,额前是我所看到过的最长最富有光泽的卷发,她一身素白,一块琥珀色的围巾绕过肩膀,越过胸前,在腰上扎一下,一直垂到膝盖之下,下端悬着长长的流苏。头发上还戴着一朵琥珀色的花,与她一团乌黑的卷发形成了对比。”“当然她很受别人倾慕了?”“是呀,一点也不错,不仅是因为她的漂亮,而且还因为她的才艺,她是那天演唱的女士之一,一位先生用钢琴替她伴奏,她和罗切斯特先生还表演了二重唱。”“罗切斯特先生!我不知道他还能唱歌。”“呵!他有一个漂亮的男低音,对音乐有很强的鉴赏力。”“那么英格拉姆小姐呢,她属于哪类嗓子?”“非常圆润而有力,她唱得很动听。听她唱歌是一种享受——随后她又演奏。我不会欣赏音乐,但罗切斯特先生行。我听他说她的演技很出色。”“这位才貌双全的小姐还没有结婚吗?”“好像还没有,我想她与她妹妹的财产都不多。老英格拉姆勋爵的产业大体上限定了继承人,而他的大儿子几乎继承了一切。”“不过我觉得很奇怪,为什么没有富裕的贵族或绅士看中她,譬如罗切斯特先生,他很有钱,不是吗,”

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“唉!是呀,不过你瞧,年龄差别很大。罗切斯特先生已快四十,而她只有二十五岁。”“那有什么关系?比这更不般配的婚姻每天都有呢。”“那是事实,但我不会认为罗切斯特先生会抱有那种想法。——可是你什么也没吃,从开始吃茶点到现在,你几乎没有尝过一口。”“不,我太渴了,吃不下去。让我再喝一杯行吗?”我正要重新将话题扯到罗切斯特先生和漂亮的布兰奇小姐有没有结合的可能性上,阿黛勒进来了,谈话也就转到了别的方面。当我复又独处时,我细想了听到的情况,窥视了我的心灵,审察了我的思想和情感,努力用一双严厉的手,把那些在无边无际、无路可循的想象荒野上徘徊的一切,纳入常识的可靠规范之中。我在自己的法庭上受到了传讯。记忆出来作证,陈述了从昨夜以来我所怀的希望、意愿和情感,陈述了过去近两周我所沉溺的一般思想状态。理智走到前面,不慌不忙地讲了一个朴实无华的故事,揭示了我如何拒绝了现实,狂热地吞下了理想。我宣布了大致这样的判决:世上还不曾有过比简.爱更大的傻瓜,还没有一个更异想天开的白痴,那么轻信甜蜜的谎言、把毒药当作美酒吞下。“你,”我说,“得宠于罗切斯特先生吗?你有讨他欢心的天赋吗?你有哪一点对他来说举足轻重吗?滚开!你的愚蠢让我厌烦。而你却因为人家偶尔表示了喜欢便乐滋滋的,殊不知这是一个出身名门的绅士,一个精于世故的人对一个下属、一个初出毛庐的人所作的暧昧表示。你好大的胆子,愚蠢得可怜的受骗者。——难道想到自身的利益都不能让你聪明些吗?今天早上你反复叨念着昨夜的短暂情景啦?——蒙起你的脸,感到羞愧吧,他说了几句称赞你眼晴的话、是吗?盲目的自命不凡者,睁开那双模糊的眼睛,瞧瞧你自己该死的糊涂劲儿吧!受到无意与她结婚的上司的恭维,对随便哪个女人来说都没有好处。爱情之火悄悄地在内心点燃,得不到回报,不为对方所知,必定会吞没煽起爱的生命;要是被发现了,得到了回报,必定犹如鬼火,将爱引入泥泞的荒地而不能自拔。对所有的女人来说,那简直是发疯。”“那么,简.爱,听着对你的判决:明天,把镜子放在你面前,用粉笔绘出你自己的画像,要照实画,不要淡化你的缺陷,不要省略粗糙的线条,不要抹去令人讨厌的不匀称的地方,并在画像下面书上‘孤苦无依、相貌平庸的家庭女教师肖像。”“然后,拿出一块光滑的象牙来——你在画盒子里有一块备着:拿出你的调色板,把你最新、最漂亮、最明洁的色泽调起来,选择你最精细的骆驼毛画笔,仔细地画出你所能想象的最漂亮的脸蛋,根据费尔法克斯太太对布兰奇.英格拉姆的描绘,用最柔和的浓淡差别,最甜蜜的色泽来画。记住乌黑的头发,东方式的眸子——什么!你把罗切斯特先生作为模持儿,镇静!别哭鼻子!——不要感情用事!——不要反悔!我只能忍受理智和决心。回忆一下那庄重而和谐的面部特征,希腊式的脖子和胸部,露出圆圆的光彩照人的胳膊和纤细的手。

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不要省掉钻石耳环和金手镯。一丝不差地画下衣服、悬垂的花边、闪光的缎子、雅致的围巾和金色的玫瑰,把这幅肖像画题作‘多才多艺的名门闺秀布兰奇。’”“我会这么干的,”我打定了注意。决心一下,人也就平静下来了,于是便沉沉睡去。我说到做到,一二个小时便用蜡笔画成了自己的肖像。而用了近两周的工夫完成了一幅想象中的布兰奇.英格拉姆象牙微型画。这张脸看上去是够可爱的,同用蜡笔根据真人画成的头像相比,其对比之强烈已到了自制力所能承受的极限。我很得益于这一做法。它使我的脑袋和双手都不闲着,也使我希望在心里烙下的不可磨灭的新印象更强烈,更不可动摇。不久我有理由庆幸自己,在迫使我的情感服从有益的纪律方面有所长进。多亏了它,我才能够大大方方、平平静静地对付后来发生的事情,要是我毫无准备,那恐怕是连表面的镇静都是无法保持的。

Chapter 17

A WEEK passed, and no news arrived of Mr. Rochester: ten days,and still he did not come. Mrs. Fairfax said she should not be surprised if he were to go straight from the Leas to London, and thence to the Continent, and not show his face again at Thornfield for a year to come; he had not unfrequently quitted it in a manner quite as abrupt and unexpected. When I heard this, I was beginning to feel a strange chill and failing at the heart. I was actually permitting myself to experience a sickening sense of disappointment; but rallying my wits, and recollecting my principles, I at once called my sensations to order; and it was wonderful how I got over the temporary blunder- how I cleared up the mistake of supposing Mr. Rochester's movements a matter in which I had any cause to take a vital interest. Not that I humbled myself by a slavish notion of inferiority: on the contrary, I just said-'You have nothing to do with the master of Thornfield, further than to receive the salary he gives you for teaching his protegee, and to be grateful for such respectful and kind treatment as, if you do your duty, you have a right to expect at his hands. Be sure that is the only tie he seriously acknowledges between you and him; so don't make him the object of your fine feelings, your raptures, agonies, and so forth. He is not of your order: keep to your caste, and be too self-respecting to lavish the love of the whole heart, soul, and strength, where such a gift is not wanted and would be despised.'

I went on with my day's business tranquilly; but ever and anon vague suggestions kept wandering across my brain of reasons why I should quit Thornfield; and I kept involuntarily framing advertisements and pondering conjectures about new situations: these thoughts I did not think it necessary to check; they might germinate and bear fruit if they could.

Mr. Rochester had been absent upwards of a fortnight, when the post brought Mrs. Fairfax a letter.

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'It is from the master,' said she, as she looked at the direction. 'Now I suppose we shall know whether we are to expect his return or not.'

And while she broke the seal and perused the document, I went on taking my coffee (we were at breakfast): it was hot, and I attributed to that circumstance a fiery glow which suddenly rose to my face. Why my hand shook, and why I involuntarily spilt half the contents of my cup into my saucer, I did not choose to consider.

'Well, I sometimes think we are too quiet; but we run a chance of being busy enough now: for a little while at least,' said Mrs.

Fairfax, still holding the note before her spectacles.

Ere I permitted myself to request an explanation, I tied the string of Adele's pinafore, which happened to be loose: having helped her also to another bun and refilled her mug with milk, I said nonchalantly-

'Mr. Rochester is not likely to return soon, I suppose?'

'Indeed he is- in three days, he says: that will be next Thursday; and not alone either. I don't know how many of the fine people at the Leas are coming with him: he sends directions for all the best bedrooms to be prepared; and the library and drawing-rooms are to be cleaned out; and I am to get more kitchen hands from the George Inn, at Millcote, and from wherever else I can; and the ladies will bring their maids and the gentlemen their valets: so we shall have a full house of it.' And Mrs. Fairfax swallowed her breakfast and hastened away to commence operations.

The three days were, as she had foretold, busy enough. I had thought all the rooms at Thornfield beautifully clean and well arranged; but it appears I was mistaken. Three women were got to help; and such scrubbing, such brushing, such washing of paint and beating of carpets, such taking down and putting up of pictures, such polishing of mirrors and lustres, such lighting of fires in bedrooms, such airing of sheets and feather-beds on hearths, I never beheld, either before or since. Adele ran quite wild in the midst of it: the preparations for company and the prospect of their arrival, seemed to throw her into ecstasies. She would have Sophie to look over all her 'toilettes,' as she called frocks; to furbish up any that were 'passees,' and to air and arrange the new. For herself, she did nothing but caper about in the front chambers, jump on and off the bedsteads, and lie on the mattresses and piled-up bolsters and pillows before the enormous fires roaring in the chimneys. From school duties she was exonerated: Mrs. Fairfax had pressed me into her service, and I was all day in the storeroom, helping (or hindering) her and the cook; learning to make custards and cheese-cakes and French pastry, to truss game and garnish dessert-dishes.

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The party were expected to arrive on Thursday afternoon, in time for dinner at six. During the intervening period I had no time to nurse chimeras; and I believe I was as active and gay as anybody- Adele excepted. Still, now and then, I received a damping check to my cheerfulness; and was, in spite of myself, thrown back on the region of doubts and portents, and dark conjectures. This was when I chanced to see the third-storey staircase door (which of late had always been kept locked) open slowly, and give passage to the form of Grace Poole, in prim cap, white apron, and handkerchief; when I watched her glide along the gallery, her quiet tread muffled in a list slipper; when I saw her look into the bustling, topsy-turvy bedrooms,- just say a word, perhaps, to the charwoman about the proper way to polish a grate, or clean a marble mantelpiece, or take stains from papered walls, and then pass on. She would thus descend to the kitchen once a day, eat her dinner, smoke a moderate pipe on the hearth, and go back, carrying her pot of porter with her, for her private solace, in her own gloomy, upper haunt. Only one hour in the twenty-four did she pass with her fellow-servants below; all the rest of her time was spent in some low-ceiled, oaken chamber of the second storey: there she sat and sewed- and probably laughed drearily to herself,- as companionless as a prisoner in his dungeon.

The strangest thing of all was, that not a soul in the house, except me, noticed her habits, or seemed to marvel at them: no one discussed her position or employment; no one pitied her solitude or isolation. I once, indeed, overheard part of a dialogue between Leah and one of the charwomen, of which Grace formed the subject. Leah had been saying something I had not caught, and the charwoman remarked-

'She gets good wages, I guess?'

'Yes,' said Leah; 'I wish I had as good; not that mine are to complain of,- there's no stinginess at Thornfield; but they're not one fifth of the sum Mrs. Poole receives. And she is laying by: she goes every quarter to the bank at Millcote. I should not wonder but she has saved enough to keep her independent if she liked to leave; but I suppose she's got used to the place; and then she's not forty yet, and strong and able for anything. It is too soon for her to give up business.'

'She is a good hand, I daresay,' said the charwoman.

'Ah!- she understands what she has to do,- nobody better,' rejoined Leah significantly; 'and it is not every one could fill her shoes- not for all the money she gets.'

'That it is not!' was the reply. 'I wonder whether the master-'

The charwoman was going on; but here Leah turned and perceived me, and she instantly gave her companion a nudge.

'Doesn't she know?' I heard the woman whisper.

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Leah shook her head, and the conversation was of course dropped.

All I had gathered from it amounted to this,- that there was a mystery at Thornfield; and that from participation in that mystery I was purposely excluded.

Thursday came: all work had been completed the previous evening; carpets were laid down, bed-hangings festooned, radiant white counterpanes spread, toilet tables arranged, furniture rubbed, flowers piled in vases: both chambers and saloons looked as fresh and bright as hands could make them. The hall, too, was scoured; and the great carved clock, as well as the steps and banisters of the staircase, were polished to the brightness of glass; in the dining-room, the sideboard flashed resplendent with plate; in the drawing-room and boudoir, vases of exotics bloomed on all sides.

Afternoon arrived: Mrs. Fairfax assumed her best black satin gown, her gloves, and her gold watch; for it was her part to receive the company,- to conduct the ladies to their rooms, etc. Adele, too, would be dressed: though I thought she had little chance of being introduced to the party that day at least. However, to please her, I allowed Sophie to apparel her in one of her short, full muslin frocks.

For myself, I had no need to make any change; I should not be called upon to quit my sanctum of the schoolroom; for a sanctum it was now become to me,- 'a very pleasant refuge in time of trouble.'

It had been a mild, serene spring day- one of those days which, towards the end of March or the beginning of April, rise shining over the earth as heralds of summer. It was drawing to an end now; but the evening was even warm, and I sat at work in the schoolroom with the window open.

'It gets late,' said Mrs. Fairfax, entering in rustling state. 'I am glad I ordered dinner an hour after the time Mr. Rochester mentioned; for it is past six now. I have sent John down to the gates to see if there is anything on the road: one can see a long way from thence in the direction of Millcote.' She went to the window.

'Here he is!' said she. 'Well, John' (leaning out), 'any news?'

'They're coming, ma'am,' was the answer. 'They'll be here in ten minutes.'

Adele flew to the window. I followed, taking care to stand on one side, so that, screened by the curtain, I could see without being seen.

The ten minutes John had given seemed very long, but at last wheels were heard; four equestrians galloped up the drive, and after them came two open carriages. Fluttering veils and waving plumes filled the vehicles; two of the cavaliers were young, dashing-looking gentlemen; the third was Mr. Rochester, on his black horse, Mesrour,  Pilot bounding before him; at his side rode a lady, and he and she were the first of the party.

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Her purple riding-habit almost swept the, ground, her veil streamed long on the breeze; mingling with its transparent folds, and gleaming through them, shone rich raven ringlets.

'Miss Ingram!' exclaimed Mrs. Fairfax, and away she hurried to her post below.

The cavalcade, following the sweep of the drive, quickly turned the angle of the house, and I lost sight of it. Adele now petitioned to go down; but I took her on my knee, and gave her to understand that she must not on any account think of venturing in sight of the ladies, either now or at any other time, unless expressly sent for: that Mr. Rochester would be very angry, etc. 'Some natural tears she shed' on being told this; but as I began to look very grave, she consented at last to wipe them.

A joyous stir was now audible in the hall: gentlemen's deep tones and ladies' silvery accents blent harmoniously together, and distinguishable above all, though not loud, was the sonorous voice of the master of Thornfield Hall, welcoming his fair and gallant guests under its roof. Then light steps ascended the stairs; and there was a tripping through the gallery, and soft cheerful laughs, and opening and closing doors, and, for a time, a hush.

'Elles changent de toilettes,' said Adele; who, listening attentively, had followed every movement; and she sighed.

'Chez maman,' said she, 'quand il y avait du monde, je le suivais partout, au salon et a leurs chambres; souvent je regardais les femmes de chambre coiffer et habiller les dames, et c'etait si amusant: comme cela on apprend.'

'Don't you feel hungry, Adele?'

'Mais oui, mademoiselle: voila cinq ou six heures que nous n'avons pas mange.'

'Well now, while the ladies are in their rooms, I will venture down and get you something to eat.'

And issuing from my asylum with precaution, I sought a backstairs which conducted directly to the kitchen. All in that region was fire and commotion; the soup and fish were in the last stage of projection, and the cook hung over her crucibles in a frame of mind and body threatening spontaneous combustion. In the servants' hall two coachmen and three gentlemen's gentlemen stood or sat round the fire; the abigails, I suppose, were upstairs with their mistresses; the new servants, that had been hired from Millcote, were bustling about everywhere. Threading this chaos, I at last reached the larder; there I took possession of a cold chicken, a roll of bread, some tarts, a plate or two and a knife and fork: with this booty I made a hasty retreat. I had regained the gallery, and was just shutting the back-door behind me, when an accelerated hum warned me that the ladies were about to issue from their chambers. I could not proceed to the schoolroom without passing some of their doors, and running the risk of being surprised with my cargo of

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victualage; so I stood still at this end, which, being windowless, was dark: quite dark now, for the sun was set and twilight gathering.

Presently the chambers gave up their fair tenants one after another: each came out gaily and airily, with dress that gleamed lustrous through the dusk. For a moment they stood grouped together at the other extremity of the gallery, conversing in a key of sweet subdued vivacity: they then descended the staircase almost as noiselessly as a bright mist rolls down a hill. Their collective appearance had left on me an impression of high-born  elegance, such as I had never before received.

I found Adele peeping through the schoolroom door, which she held ajar. 'What beautiful ladies!' cried she in English. 'Oh, I wish I might go to them! Do you think Mr. Rochester will send for us by and by, after dinner?'

'No, indeed, I don't; Mr. Rochester has something else to think about. Never mind the ladies to-night; perhaps you will see them to-morrow: here is your dinner.'

She was really hungry, so the chicken and tarts served to divert her attention for a time. It was well I secured this forage, or both she, I, and Sophie, to whom I conveyed a share of our repast, would have run a chance of getting no dinner at all: every one downstairs was too much engaged to think of us. The dessert was not carried out till after nine, and at ten footmen were still running to and fro with trays and coffee-cups. I allowed Adele to sit up much later than usual; for she declared she could not possibly go to sleep while the doors kept opening and shutting below, and people bustling about.

Besides, she added, a message might possibly come from Mr. Rochester when she was undressed; 'et alors quel dommage!'

I told her stories as long as she would listen to them; and then for a change I took her out into the gallery. The hall lamp was now lit, and it amused her to look over the balustrade and watch the servants passing backwards and forwards. When the evening was far advanced, a sound of music issued from the drawing-room, whither the piano had been removed; Adele and I sat down on the top step of the stairs to listen. Presently a voice blent with the rich tones of the instrument; it was a lady who sang, and very sweet her  notes were. The solo over, a duet followed, and then a glee: a joyous conversational murmur filled up the intervals. I listened long: suddenly I discovered that my ear was wholly intent on analysing the mingled sounds, and trying to discriminate amidst the confusion of accents those of Mr. Rochester; and when it caught them, which it soon did, it found a further task in framing the tones, rendered by distance inarticulate, into words.

The clock struck eleven. I looked at Adele, whose head leant against my shoulder; her eyes were waxing heavy, so I took her up in my arms and carried her off to bed. It was near one before the gentlemen and ladies sought their chambers.

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The next day was as fine as its predecessor: it was devoted by the party to an excursion to some site in the neighbourhood. They set out early in the forenoon, some on horseback, the rest in carriages; I witnessed both the departure and the return. Miss Ingram, as before, was the only lady equestrian; and, as before, Mr. Rochester galloped at her side; the two rode a little apart from the rest. I pointed out this circumstance to Mrs. Fairfax, who was standing at the window with me-

'You said it was not likely they should think of being married,'

said I, 'but you see Mr. Rochester evidently prefers her to any of the other ladies.'

'Yes, I daresay: no doubt he admires her.'

'And she him,' I added; 'look how she leans her head towards him as if she were conversing confidentially; I wish I could see her face; I have never had a glimpse of it yet.'

'You will see her this evening,' answered Mrs. Fairfax. 'I happened to remark to Mr. Rochester how much Adele wished to be introduced to the ladies, and he said: "Oh! let her come into the drawing-room after dinner; and request Miss Eyre to accompany her."'

'Yes; he said that from mere politeness: I need not go, I am sure,' I answered.

'Well, I observed to him that as you were unused to company, I did not think you would like appearing before so gay a party- all strangers; and he replied, in his quick way- "Nonsense! If she objects, tell her it is my particular wish; and if she resists, say I shall come and fetch her in case of contumacy."'

'I will not give him that trouble,' I answered. 'I will go, if no better may be; but I don't like it. Shall you be there, Mrs. Fairfax?'

'No; I pleaded off, and he admitted my plea. I'll tell you how to manage so as to avoid the embarrassment of making a formal entrance, which is the most disagreeable part of the business. You must go into the drawing-room while it is empty, before the ladies leave the dinner-table; choose your seat in any quiet nook you like; you need not stay long after the gentlemen come in, unless you please: just let Mr. Rochester see you are there and then slip away- nobody will notice you.'

'Will these people remain long, do you think?'

'Perhaps two or three weeks, certainly not more. After the Easter recess, Sir George Lynn, who was lately elected member for Millcote, will have to go up to town and take his seat; I daresay Mr. Rochester will accompany him: it surprises me that he has already made so protracted a stay at Thornfield.'

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It was with some trepidation that I perceived the hour approach when I was to repair with my charge to the drawing-room. Adele had been in a state of ecstasy all day, after hearing she was to be presented to the ladies in the evening; and it was not till Sophie commenced the operation of dressing her that she sobered down. Then the importance of the process quickly steadied her, and by the time she had her curls arranged in well-smoothed, drooping clusters, her pink satin frock put on, her long sash tied, and her lace mittens adjusted, she looked as grave as any judge. No need to warn her not to disarrange her attire: when she was dressed, she sat demurely down in her little chair, taking care previously to lift up the satin skirt for fear she should crease it, and assured me she would not stir thence till I was ready. This I quickly was: my best dress (the silver-grey one, purchased for Miss Temple's wedding, and never worn since) was soon put on; my hair was soon smoothed; my sole ornament, the pearl brooch, soon assumed. We descended.

Fortunately there was another entrance to the drawing-room than that through the saloon where they were all seated at dinner. We found the apartment vacant; a large fire burning silently on the marble hearth, and wax candles shining in bright solitude, amid the exquisite flowers with which the tables were adorned. The crimson curtain hung before the arch: slight as was the separation this drapery formed from the party in the adjoining saloon, they spoke in so low a key that nothing of their conversation could be distinguished beyond a soothing murmur.

Adele, who appeared to be still under the influence of a most solemnising impression, sat down, without a word, on the footstool I pointed out to her. I retired to a window-seat, and taking a book from a table near, endeavoured to read. Adele brought her stool to my feet; ere long she touched my knee.

'What is it, Adele?'

'Est-ce que je ne puis pas prendre une seule de ces fleurs magnifiques, mademoiselle? Seulement pour completer ma toilette.'

'You think too much of your "toilette," Adele: but you may have a flower.' And I took a rose from a vase and fastened it in her sash.

She sighed a sigh of ineffable satisfaction, as if her cup of happiness were now full. I turned my face away to conceal a smile I could not suppress: there was something ludicrous as well as painful in the little Parisienne's earnest and innate devotion to matters of dress.

A soft sound of rising now became audible; the curtain was swept back from the arch; through it appeared the dining-room, with its lit lustre pouring down light on the silver and glass of a magnificent dessert-service covering a long table; a band of ladies stood in the opening; they entered, and the curtain fell behind them.

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There were but eight; yet, somehow, as they flocked in, they gave the impression of a much larger number. Some of them were very tall; many were dressed in white; and all had a sweeping amplitude of array that seemed to magnify their persons as a mist magnifies the moon. I rose and curtseyed to them: one or two bent their heads in return, the others only stared at me.

They dispersed about the room, reminding me, by the lightness and buoyancy of their movements, of a flock of white plumy birds. Some of them threw themselves in half-reclining positions on the sofas and ottomans: some bent over the tables and examined the flowers and books: the rest gathered in a group round the fire: all talked in a low but clear tone which seemed habitual to them. I knew their names afterwards, and may as well mention them now.

First, there was Mrs. Eshton and two of her daughters. She had evidently been a handsome woman, and was well preserved still. Of her daughters, the eldest, Amy, was rather little: naive, and child-like in face and manner, and piquant in form; her white muslin dress and blue sash became her well. The second, Louisa, was taller and more elegant in figure; with a very pretty face, of that order the French term minois chiffone: both sisters were fair as lilies.

Lady Lynn was a large and stout personage of about forty, very erect, very haughty-looking, richly dressed in a satin robe of changeful sheen: her dark hair shone glossily under the shade of an azure plume, and within the circlet of a band of gems.

Mrs. Colonel Dent was less showy; but, I thought, more lady-like.

She had a slight figure, a pale, gentle face, and fair hair. Her black satin dress, her scarf of rich foreign lace, and her pearl ornaments, pleased me better than the rainbow radiance of the titled dame.

But the three most distinguished- partly, perhaps, because the tallest figures of the band- were the Dowager Lady Ingram and her daughters, Blanche and Mary. They were all three of the loftiest stature of women. The Dowager might be between forty and fifty: her shape was still fine; her hair (by candlelight at least) still black; her teeth, too, were still apparently perfect. Most people would have termed her a splendid woman of her age: and so she was, no doubt, physically speaking; but then there was an expression of almost insupportable haughtiness in her bearing and countenance. She had Roman features and a double chin, disappearing into a throat like a pillar: these features appeared to me not only inflated and darkened, but even furrowed with pride; and the chin was sustained by the same principle, in a position of almost preternatural erectness. She had, likewise, a fierce and a hard eye: it reminded me of Mrs. Reed's; she mouthed her words in speaking; her voice was deep, its inflections very pompous, very dogmatical,- very intolerable, in short. A crimson velvet robe, and a shawl turban of some

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gold-wrought Indian fabric, invested her (I suppose she thought) with a truly imperial dignity.

Blanche and Mary were of equal stature,- straight and tall as poplars. Mary was too slim for her height, but Blanche was moulded like a Dian. I regarded her, of course, with special interest.

First, I wished to see whether her appearance accorded with Mrs. Fairfax's description; secondly, whether it at all resembled the fancy miniature I had painted of her; and thirdly- it will out!- whether it were such as I should fancy likely to suit Mr. Rochester's taste.

As far as person went, she answered point for point, both to my picture and Mrs. Fairfax's description. The noble bust, the sloping shoulders, the graceful neck, the dark eyes and black ringlets were all there;- but her face? Her face was like her mother's; a youthful unfurrowed likeness: the same low brow, the same high features, the same pride. It was not, however, so saturnine a pride! she laughed continually; her laugh was satirical, and so was the habitual expression of her arched and haughty lip.

Genius is said to be self-conscious. I cannot tell whether Miss Ingram was a genius, but she was self-conscious- remarkably self-conscious indeed. She entered into a discourse on  botany with the gentle Mrs. Dent. It seemed Mrs. Dent had not studied that science: though, as she said, she liked flowers, 'especially wild ones'; Miss Ingram had, and she ran over its vocabulary with an air. I presently perceived she was (what is vernacularly termed) trailing Mrs. Dent; that is, playing on her ignorance: her trail might be clever, but it was decidedly not good-natured. She played: her execution was brilliant; she sang, her voice was fine; she talked French apart to her mama; and she talked it well, with fluency and with a good accent.

Mary had a milder and more open countenance than Blanche; softer features too, and a skin some shades fairer (Miss Ingram was dark as a Spaniard)- but Mary was deficient in life: her face lacked expression, her eye lustre; she had nothing to say, and having once taken her seat, remained fixed like a statue in its niche. The sisters were both attired in spotless white.

And did I now think Miss Ingram such a choice as Mr. Rochester would be likely to make? I could not tell- I did not know his taste in female beauty. If he liked the majestic, she was the very type of majesty: then she was accomplished, sprightly. Most gentlemen would admire her, I thought; and that he did admire her, I already seemed to have obtained proof: to remove the last shade of doubt, it remained but to see them together.

You are not to suppose, reader, that Adele has all this time been sitting motionless on the stool at my feet: no; when the ladies entered, she rose, advanced to meet them, made a stately reverence, and said with gravity-

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'Bon jour, mesdames.'

And Miss Ingram had looked down at her with a mocking air, and exclaimed, 'Oh, what a little puppet!'

Lady Lynn had remarked, 'It is Mr. Rochester's ward, I suppose- the little French girl he was speaking of.'

Mrs. Dent had kindly taken her hand, and given her a kiss. Amy and Louisa Eshton had cried out simultaneously-

'What a love of a child!'

And then they had called her to a sofa, where she now sat, ensconced between them, chattering alternately in French and broken English; absorbing not only the young ladies' attention, but that of Mrs. Eshton and Lady Lynn, and getting spoilt to her heart's content.

At last coffee is brought in, and the gentlemen are summoned. I sit in the shade- if any shade there be in this brilliantly-lit apartment; the window-curtain half hides me. Again the arch yawns; they come. The collective appearance of the gentlemen, like that of the ladies, is very imposing: they are all costumed in black; most of them are tall, some young. Henry and Frederick Lynn are very dashing sparks indeed; and Colonel Dent is a fine soldierly man. Mr. Eshton, the magistrate of the district, is gentleman-like: his hair is quite white, his eyebrows and whiskers still dark, which gives him something of the appearance of a 'pere noble de theatre.' Lord Ingram, like his sisters, is very tall; like them, also, he is handsome; but he shares Mary's apathetic and listless look: he seems to have more length of limb than vivacity of blood or vigour of brain.

And where is Mr. Rochester?

He comes in last: I am not looking at the arch, yet I see him enter. I try to concentrate my attention on those netting-needles, on the meshes of the purse I am forming- I wish to think only of the work I have in my hands, to see only the silver beads and silk threads that lie in my lap; whereas, I distinctly behold his figure, and I inevitably recall the moment when I last saw it; just after I had rendered him, what he deemed, an essential service, and he, holding my hand, and looking down on my face, surveyed me with eyes that revealed a heart full and eager to overflow; in whose emotions I had a part.

How near had I approached him at that moment! What had occurred since, calculated to change his and my relative positions? Yet now, how distant, how far estranged we were! So far estranged, that I did not expect him to come and speak to me. I did not wonder, when, without looking at me, he took a seat at the other side of the room, and began conversing with some of the ladies.

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No sooner did I see that his attention was riveted on them, and that I might gaze without being observed, than my eyes were drawn involuntarily to his face; I could not keep their lids under control: they would rise, and the irids would fix on him. I looked, and had an acute pleasure in looking,- a precious yet poignant pleasure; pure gold, with a steely point of agony: a pleasure like what the thirst-perishing man might feel who knows the well to which he has crept is poisoned, yet stoops and drinks divine draughts nevertheless.

Most true is it that 'beauty is in the eye of the gazer.' My master's colourless, olive face, square, massive brow, broad and jetty eyebrows, deep eyes, strong features, firm, grim mouth,- all energy, decision, will,- were not beautiful, according to rule; but they were more than beautiful to me; they were full of an interest, an influence that quite mastered me,- that took my feelings from my own power and fettered them in his. I had not intended to love him; the reader knows I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected; and now, at the first renewed view of him, they spontaneously arrived, green and strong! He made me love him without looking at me.

I compared him with his guests. What was the gallant grace of the Lynns, the languid elegance of Lord Ingram,- even the military distinction of Colonel Dent, contrasted with his look of native pith and genuine power? I had no sympathy in their appearance, their expression: yet I could imagine that most observers would call them attractive, handsome, imposing; while they would pronounce Mr. Rochester at once harsh-featured and melancholy-looking. I saw them smile, laugh- it was nothing; the light of the candles had as much soul in it as their smile; the tinkle of the bell as much significance as their laugh. I saw Mr. Rochester smile:- his stern features softened; his eye grew both brilliant and gentle, its ray both searching and sweet. He was talking, at the moment, to Louisa and Amy Eshton. I wondered to see them receive with calm that look which seemed to me so penetrating: I expected their eyes to fall, their colour to rise under it; yet I was glad when I found they were in no sense moved. 'He is not to them what he is to me,' I thought: 'he is not of their kind. I believe he is of mine;- I am sure he is- I feel akin to him- I understand the language of his countenance and movements: though rank and wealth sever us widely, I have something in my brain and heart, in my blood and nerves, that assimilates me mentally to him. Did I say, a few days since, that I had nothing to do with him but to receive my salary at his hands? Did I forbid myself to think of him in any other light than as a paymaster? Blasphemy against nature! Every good, true, vigorous feeling I have gathers impulsively round him. I know I must conceal my sentiments: I must smother hope; I must remember that he cannot care much for me. For when I say that I am of his kind, I do not mean that I have his force to influence, and his spell to attract; I mean only that I have certain tastes and feelings in common with him. I must, then, repeat continually that we are for ever sundered:- and yet, while I breathe and think, I must love him.'

Coffee is handed. The ladies, since the gentlemen entered, have become lively as larks; conversation waxes brisk and merry. Colonel Dent and Mr. Eshton argue on politics; their

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wives listen. The two proud dowagers, Lady Lynn and Lady Ingram, confabulate together. Sir George- whom, by the bye, I have forgotten to describe,- a very big, and very fresh-looking country gentleman, stands before their sofa, coffee-cup in hand, and occasionally puts in a word. Mr. Frederick Lynn has taken a seat beside Mary Ingram, and is showing her the engravings of a splendid volume: she looks, smiles now and then, but apparently says little. The tall and phlegmatic Lord Ingram leans with folded arms on the chair-back of the little and lively Amy Eshton; she glances up at him, and chatters like a wren: she likes him better than she does Mr. Rochester. Henry Lynn has taken possession of an ottoman at the feet of Louisa: Adele shares it with him: he is trying to talk French with her, and Louisa laughs at his blunders.

With whom will Blanche Ingram pair? She is standing alone at the table, bending gracefully over an album. She seems waiting to be sought; but she will not wait too long: she herself selects a mate.

Mr. Rochester, having quitted the Eshtons, stands on the hearth as solitary as she stands by the table: she confronts him, taking her station on the opposite side of the mantelpiece.

'Mr. Rochester, I thought you were not fond of children?'

'Nor am I.'

'Then, what induced you to take charge of such a little doll as that?' (pointing to Adele). 'Where did you pick her up?'

'I did not pick her up; she was left on my hands.'

'You should have sent her to school.'

'I could not afford it: schools are so dear.'

'Why, I suppose you have a governess for her: I saw a person with her just now- is she gone? Oh, no! there she is still, behind the window-curtain. You pay her, of course; I should think it quite as expensive,- more so; for you have them both to keep in addition.'

I feared- or should I say, hoped?- the allusion to me would make Mr. Rochester glance my way; and I involuntarily shrank farther into the shade: but he never turned his eyes.

'I have not considered the subject,' said he indifferently, looking straight before him.

'No, you men never do consider economy and common sense. You should hear mama on the chapter of governesses: Mary and I have had, I should think, a dozen at least in our day; half of them detestable and the rest ridiculous, and all incubi- were they not, mama?'

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'Did you speak, my own?'

The young lady thus claimed as the dowager's special property, reiterated her question with an explanation.

'My dearest, don't mention governesses; the word makes me nervous. I have suffered a martyrdom from their incompetency and caprice. I thank Heaven I have now done with them!'

Mrs. Dent here bent over to the pious lady, and whispered something in her car; I suppose, from the answer elicited, it was a reminder that one of the anathematised race was present.

'Tant pis!' said her ladyship, 'I hope it may do her good!' Then, in a lower tone, but still loud enough for me to hear, 'I noticed her; I am a judge of physiognomy, and in hers I see all the faults of her class.'

'What are they, madam?' inquired Mr. Rochester aloud.

'I will tell you in your private ear,' replied she, wagging her turban three times with portentous significancy.

'But my curiosity will be past its appetite; it craves food now.'

'Ask Blanche; she is nearer you than I.'

'Oh, don't refer him to me, mama! I have just one word to say of the whole tribe; they are a nuisance. Not that I ever suffered much from them; I took care to turn the tables. What tricks Theodore and I used to play on our Miss Wilsons, and Mrs. Greys, and Madame Jouberts! Mary was always too sleepy to join in a plot with spirit.

The best fun was with Madame Joubert: Miss Wilson was a poor sickly thing, lachrymose and low-spirited, not worth the trouble of vanquishing, in short; and Mrs. Grey was coarse and insensible; no blow took effect on her. But poor Madame Joubert! I see her yet in her raging passions, when we had driven her to extremities- spilt our tea, crumbled our bread and butter, tossed our books up to the ceiling, and played a charivari with the ruler and desk, the fender and fire-irons.

Theodore, do you remember those merry days?'

'Yaas, to be sure I do,' drawled Lord Ingram; 'and the poor old stick used to cry out "Oh you villains childs!"- and then we sermonised her on the presumption of attempting to teach such clever blades as we were, when she was herself so ignorant.'

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'We did; and, Tedo, you know, I helped you in prosecuting (or persecuting) your tutor, whey-faced Mr. Vining- the parson in the pip, as we used to call him. He and Miss Wilson took the liberty of falling in love with each other- at least Tedo and I thought so; we surprised sundry tender glances and sighs which we interpreted as tokens of "la belle passion," and I promise you the public soon had the benefit of our discovery; we employed it as a sort of lever to hoist our dead-weights from the house. Dear mama, there, as soon as she got an inkling of the business, found out that it was of an immoral tendency. Did you not, my lady-mother?'

'Certainly, my best. And I was quite right: depend on that: there are a thousand reasons why liaisons between governesses and tutors should never be tolerated a moment in any well-regulated house; firstly-'

'Oh, gracious, mama! Spare us the enumeration! Au reste, we all know them: danger of bad example to innocence of childhood; distractions and consequent neglect of duty on the part of the attached- mutual alliance and reliance; confidence thence resulting- insolence accompanying- mutiny and general blowup. Am I right, Baroness Ingram, of Ingram Park?'

'My lily-flower, you are right now, as always.'

'Then no more need be said: change the subject.'

Amy Eshton, not hearing or not heeding this dictum, joined in with her soft, infantine tone: 'Louisa and I used to quiz our governess too; but she was such a good creature, she would bear anything: nothing put her out. She was never cross with us; was she, Louisa?'

'No, never: we might do what we pleased; ransack her desk and her workbox, and turn her drawers inside out; and she was so good-natured, she would give us anything we asked for.'

'I suppose, now,' said Miss Ingram, curling her lip sarcastically, 'we shall have an abstract of the memoirs of all the governesses extant: in order to avert such a visitation, I again move the introduction of a new topic. Mr. Rochester, do you second my motion?'

'Madam, I support you on this point, as on every other.'

'Then on me be the onus of bringing it forward. Signior Eduardo, are you in voice to-night?'

'Donna Bianca, if you command it, I will be.'

'Then, signior, I lay on you my sovereign behest to furbish up your lungs and other vocal organs, as they will be wanted on my royal service.'

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'Who would not be the Rizzio of so divine a Mary?'

'A fig for Rizzio!' cried she, tossing her head with all its curls, as she moved to the piano. 'It is my opinion the fiddler David must have been an insipid sort of fellow; I like black Bothwell better: to my mind a man is nothing without a spice of the devil in him; and history may say what it will of James Hepburn, but I have a notion, he was just the sort of wild, fierce, bandit hero whom I could have consented to gift with my hand.'

'Gentlemen, you hear! Now which of you most resembles Bothwell?' cried Mr. Rochester.

'I should say the preference lies with you,' responded Colonel Dent.

'On my honour, I am much obliged to you,' was the reply.

Miss Ingram, who had now seated herself with proud grace at the piano, spreading out her snowy robes in queenly amplitude, commenced a brilliant prelude; talking meantime. She appeared to be on her high horse to-night; both her words and her air seemed intended to excite not only the admiration, but the amazement of her auditors: she was evidently bent on striking them as something very dashing and daring indeed.

'Oh, I am so sick of the young men of the present day!' exclaimed she, rattling away at the instrument. 'Poor, puny things, not fit to stir a step beyond papa's park gates: nor to go even so far without mama's permission and guardianship! Creatures so absorbed in care about their pretty faces, and their white hands, and their small feet; as if a man had anything to do with beauty! As if loveliness were not the special prerogative of woman- her legitimate appanage and heritage! I grant an ugly woman is a blot on the fair face of creation; but as to the gentlemen, let them be solicitous to possess only strength and valour: let their motto be:- Hunt, shoot, and fight: the rest is not worth a fillip. Such should be my device, were I a man.'

'Whenever I marry,' she continued after a pause which none interrupted, 'I am resolved my husband shall not be a rival, but a foil to me. I will suffer no competitor near the throne; I shall exact an undivided homage: his devotions shall not be shared between me and the shape he sees in his mirror. Mr. Rochester, now sing, and I will play for you.'

'I am all obedience,' was the response.

'Here then is a Corsair-song. Know that I doat on Corsairs; and for that reason, sing it con spirito.'

'Commands from Miss Ingram's lips would put spirit into a mug of milk and water.'

'Take care, then: if you don't please me, I will shame you by showing how such things should be done.'

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'That is offering a premium on incapacity: I shall now endeavour to fail.'

'Gardez-vous en bien! If you err wilfully, I shall devise a proportionate punishment.'

'Miss Ingram ought to be clement, for she has it in her power to inflict a chastisement beyond mortal endurance.'

'Ha! explain!' commanded the lady.

'Pardon me, madam: no need of explanation; your own fine sense must inform you that one of your frowns would be a sufficient substitute for capital punishment.'

'Sing!' said she, and again touching the piano, she commenced an accompaniment in spirited style.

'Now is my time to slip away,' thought I: but the tones that then severed the air arrested me. Mrs. Fairfax had said Mr. Rochester possessed a fine voice: he did- a mellow, powerful bass, into which he threw his own feeling, his own force: finding a way through the ear to the heart, and there waking sensation strangely. I waited till the last deep and full vibration had expired- till the tide of talk, checked an instant, had resumed its flow; I then quitted my sheltered corner and made my exit by the side-door, which was fortunately near. Thence a narrow passage led into the hall: in crossing it, I perceived my sandal was loose; I stopped to tie it, kneeling down for that purpose on the mat at the foot of the staircase. I heard the dining-room door unclose; a gentleman came out; rising hastily, I stood face to face with him: it was Mr. Rochester.

'How do you do?' he asked.

'I am very well, sir.'

'Why did you not come and speak to me in the room?'

I thought I might have retorted the question on him who put it: but I would not take that freedom. I answered-

'I did not wish to disturb you, as you seemed engaged, sir.'

'What have you been doing during my absence?'

'Nothing particular; teaching Adele as usual.'

'And getting a good deal paler than you were- as I saw at first sight. What is the matter?'

'Nothing at all, sir.'

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'Did you take any cold that night you half drowned me?'

'Not the least.'

'Return to the drawing-room: you are deserting too early.'

'I am tired, sir.'

He looked at me for a minute.

'And a little depressed,' he said. 'What about? Tell me.'

'Nothing- nothing, sir. I am not depressed.'

'But I affirm that you are: so much depressed that a few more words would bring tears to your eyes- indeed, they are there now, shining and swimming; and a bead has slipped from the lash and fallen on to the flag. If I had time, and was not in mortal dread of some prating prig of a servant passing, I would know what all this means. Well, to-night I excuse you; but understand that so long as my visitors stay, I expect you to appear in the drawing-room every evening; it is my wish; don't neglect it. Now go, and send Sophie for Adele.

Good-night, my-' He stopped, bit his lip, and abruptly left me. 

一个星期过去了,却不见罗切斯特先生的消息,十天过去了,他仍旧没有来。费尔法克斯太太说,要是他直接从里斯去伦敦,并从那儿转道去欧洲大陆,一年内不再在桑菲尔德露面,她也不会感到惊奇,因为他常常出乎意料地说走就走,听她这么一说,我心里冷飕飕沉甸甸的,实际上我在任凭自己陷入一种令人厌恶的失落感,不过我调动了智慧,重建了原则,立刻使自己的感觉恢复了正常,说来也让人惊奇,我终于纠正了一时的过错,清除了认为有理由为罗切斯特先生的行动操心的错误想法。我并没有低声下气,怀着奴性十足的自卑感,相反,我只说:“你同桑菲尔德的主人无关,无非是拿了他给的工资,去教他的被保护人而已,你感激他体面友好的款待。不过你尽了职,得到这样的款待是理所应当的。这是你与他之间他唯一严肃承认的关系。所以不要把你的柔情、你的狂喜、你的痛苦等等系在他身上。他不属于你的阶层。记住你自己的社会地位吧,要充分自尊,免得把全身心的爱,徒然浪费在不需要甚至瞧不起这份礼物的地方。”我平静地干着一天的工作。不过脑海中时时隐约闪过我要离开桑菲尔德的理由,我不由自主地设计起广告,预测起新的工作来。这些想法,我没有必要去制止,它们也许会生根发芽,还可能结出果子来。

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罗切斯特先生离家已经两周多了,这时候邮差送来了一封给费尔法克斯太太的信。“是老爷写来的,”她后了看姓名地址说,“现在我想可以知道能不能盼他回来了。”她在拆开封口仔细看信时,我继续喝我的咖啡(我们在吃早饭)。咖啡很热,我把脸上突然泛起的红晕看作是它的缘故。不过,我的手为什么抖个不停,为什么我情不自禁地把半杯咖啡溢到了碟子上,我就不想去考虑了。“嗨,有时候我总认为太冷清,现在可有机会够我们忙了,至少得忙一会儿”费尔法克斯太太说,仍然把信纸举着放在眼镜前面。我没有立即提出要求解释,而是系好了阿黛勒碰巧松开的围涎,哄她又吃了个小面包,把她的杯子再倒满牛奶,随后淡然问道:“我猜想罗切斯特先生不会马上回来吧?”“说真的,他要回来了——他说三天以后到,也就是下星期四,而且不光是他一个人。我不知道在里斯的贵人们有多少位同他一起来。他吩咐准备好最好的卧室,图书室与客厅都要清扫干净。我还要从米尔科特的乔治旅店和能弄到人的随便什么地方,再叫些厨工来。而且女士们都带女仆,男士们都带随从。这样我们满屋子都是人了。”费尔法克斯太太匆匆咽下早饭,急急忙忙去做准备工作了。果然被她说中了,这三天确实够忙的。我本以为桑菲尔德的所有房子都纤尘不染,收拾得很好。但看来我错了,他们雇了三个女人来帮忙。擦呀,刷呀,冲洗漆具呀,敲打地毯呀,把画拿下又挂上呀,擦拭镜子和枝形挂灯呀,在卧室生火呀,把床单和羽绒褥垫晾在炉边呀,这种情景无论是从前还是以后,我都没有见过。在一片忙乱之中,阿黛勒发了疯。准备接客,盼着他们到来,似乎使她欣喜若狂。她会让索菲娅把她称之为外衣的所有“toiettes”都查看一下,把那些“passess”都翻新,把新的晾一晾放好。她自己呢,什么也不干,只不过在前房跳来奔去,在床架上窜上窜下,躺到床垫上和叠起的枕垫、枕头上,面对着熊熊炉火在烟窗里哗剥作响。她的功课已全给免掉,因为费尔法克斯太太拉我做了帮手。我整天呆在贮藏室,给她和厨师帮忙(或者说增添麻烦),学做牛奶蛋糊、乳酪饼和法国糕点,捆扎野味,装饰甜点心。这批客人预计星期四下午到达,赶上六点钟吃晚饭。在等待期间我没有工夫去胡思乱想了。我想我跟其他人一样卖力、一样高兴——阿黛勒除外。不过我时时会感到扫兴,情不自禁地回想起那些疑惑、凶兆和不祥的猜测。那就是当我偶尔看到三楼楼梯的门慢悠悠地打开(近来常常锁着),格雷斯.普尔戴着整洁的帽子,系着围裙,揣着手帕,从那里经过时。我瞧着她溜过走廊,穿着布拖鞋,脚步声减低到很轻很轻。我看见她往闹哄哄乱糟糟的卧房里瞧了一瞧,只不过说一两句话,也许是给打杂女工们交代恰当的清扫方法:如何擦炉栅,如何清理大理石壁炉架,要不如何从糊了墙纸的墙上把缎子取下。说完便又往前走了。她一天下楼到厨房里走一次,来吃饭,在炉边有节制地吸一烟斗烟,随后就返回,带上一罐黑啤酒,在楼上阴暗的巢穴里独自消遣。一天二十四小时中,她只有一小时同楼下别的佣人呆在一起,其余时间是在三层楼上某个橡木卧室低矮的天花板下度过的。她坐在那里做着针线活——也许还兀自凄楚地大笑起来——像监狱里的犯人一样无人作伴。

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最奇怪的是,除了我,房子里没有人注意到她的习惯,或者似乎为此感到诧异。没有人谈论过她的地位或工作,没有人可怜她的孤独冷清。说真的我一次偶尔听到了莉娅和一个打杂女工之间关于格雷斯的一段对话,莉娅先是说了什么话,我没听清楚,而打杂女工回答道:“估计她的薪金很高。”“是呀,”莉娅说,“但愿我的薪金也这么高。并不是说我的值得抱怨——在桑菲尔德谈不上吝啬,不过我拿的薪金才是普尔太太的五分之一。她还在存钱呢,一季度要去一次米尔科特的银行。我一点不怀疑她要是想走的话,积下的钱能够她自立了。不过我想她在这儿已经呆惯了,更何况她还不到四十岁,身强力壮,干什么都还行,放弃差事是太早些了。”“我猜想她是个干活的好手,”打杂女工说。“呵,——她明白自己该干什么——没有人比得过她”莉娅意味深长地回答说,“不是谁都干得了她活的,就是给了同她一样多的钱也干不了。”“的确干不了!”对方回答。“不知道老爷——”打杂女工还想往下说,但这时莉娅回过头来,看到了我,便立即用肘子顶了顶她伙伴。“她知道了吗?”我听见那女人悄悄说。莉娅摇了摇头,于是谈话嘎然而止。我从这里所能猜测到的就是这么回事:在桑菲尔德有一个秘密,而我被故意排除在这个秘密之外了。星期四到了,一切准备工作都已在前一个晚上完成。地毯铺开了,床幅挂上了彩条,白得眩目的床罩铺好了,梳妆台已经安排停当,家具都擦拭得干干净净,花瓶里插满了鲜花。卧室和客厅都已尽人工所能,拾掇得焕然一新;大厅也已经擦洗过,巨大的木雕钟,楼梯的台阶和栏杆都已擦得像玻璃一般闪闪发光。在餐室里,餐具柜里的盘子光亮夺目;在客厅和起居室内,一瓶瓶异国鲜花,在四周灿然开放。到了下午,费尔法克斯太太穿上了她最好的黑缎袍子,戴了手套和金表,因为要由她来接待客人——把女士们领到各自的房间里去等等。阿黛勒也要打扮一番,尽管至少在那天,我想不大会有机会让她见客。但为了使她高兴,我让索菲娅给她穿上了一件宽松的麻纱短上衣。至于我自己,是没有必要换装的,不会把我从作为我私室的读书室里叫出去,这私室现在已经属于我,成了“患难时愉快的避难所。”这是个温煦宁静的春日,三月末四月初的那种日子,骄阳当空,预示着夏天就要到来。这时已近日暮,但黄昏时更加暖和,我坐在读书室里工作,敞开着窗子。“时候不早了,”费尔法克斯太太浑身叮当作响,进了房间说,“幸亏我订的饭菜比罗切斯特先生说的时间晚一个小时,现在已经过了六点了。我已派约翰到大门口去,看看路上有没有动静。从那儿往米尔科特的方向望去,可以看得很远。”她朝窗子走去。“他来了!”她说。“嗨,约翰”(探出身子)“有消息吗?”

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“他们来了,夫人,”对方回答道。“十分钟后就到。”阿黛勒朝窗子飞奔过去。我跟在后面,小心地靠一边站立,让窗帘遮掩着,使我可以看得清清楚楚,却不被人看见。约翰所说的那十分钟似乎很长。不过终于听到了车轮声。四位骑手策马驰上了小道,两辆敞开的马车尾随其后。车内面纱飘拂,羽毛起伏。两位年轻骑手,精神抖擞,一付绅士派头;第三位是罗切斯特先生,骑着他的黑马梅斯罗,派洛特跳跃着奔跑在他前面。与他并驾齐驱的是一位女士,这批人中,他们俩一马当先。她那紫色的骑装差不多己扫到了地面,她的面纱长长地在微风中飘动,她那乌黑浓密的卷发,同它透明的折裥绕在一起,透过面纱闪动着光芒。“英格拉姆小姐,”费尔法克斯太太大叫一声,急冲冲下楼去履行她的职务了。这队人马顺着车道的弯势很快转过屋角,在我视线中消失了。这时阿黛勒要求下楼。我把她搂在膝头上,让她明白无论是此刻,还是以后什么时候,除非明确要她去,绝不可以随意闯到女士们跟前去,要不罗切斯特先生会生气的等等。听了这番话,“她淌下了自然的眼泪”不过见我神情严肃,她也终于同意把眼泪抹掉了。这时大厅里人声鼎沸,笑语纷纭。男士们深沉的语调,女士们银铃似的嗓音交融在一起。其中最清晰可辨的是桑菲尔德主人那洪亮而声音不大的嗓门,欢迎男女宾客来到府上。随后,这些人脚步轻盈地上了楼梯,轻快地穿过走廊。于是响起了柔和欢快的笑声和开门关门声。一会儿后,便寂然无声了。“Elles changent de toilettes,”阿黛勒说。她细听着,跟踪着每一个动静,并叹息着。 “Chez maman,”她说,“quand il y avait du monde, je le ssuivais partout au salon et a leurs chambres; souvent je regardais les femmes de chambre coiffer et habiller les dames, et c'etait si amusant: comme cela on apprend。”“你觉得饿了吗,阿黛勒?”“Mais oui, mademoiselle: voila cinq ou six heures que nous n'avons pas mange.”

“好吧,就穿戴好了。我立即穿上了自己最好的衣服(银灰色的那一件,专为参加坦普尔小姐的婚礼购置的,后来一直没有穿过),把头发梳得平平伏伏,并戴上了我仅有的饰品,那枚珍珠胸针。随后我们下了楼。幸亏还有另外一扇门通客厅,不必经过他们都坐着吃饭的餐厅。我们看到房间里空无一人,大理石砌成的壁炉中,一堆旺火静静地燃烧着;桌上装饰着精致的花朵,烛光在花朵中间孤寂地闪亮,平添了几分欢快。拱门前悬挂着大红门帘,虽然我们与毗连的餐室中的客人之间,仅一层之隔,但他们话说得那么轻,除份战利品急忙撤退,重新登上走廊,正要随手关上后门时,一阵越来越响的嗡嗡声提醒我,女士们要从房间里走出来了。要上读书室我非得经过几间房门口不可,非得要冒端着一大堆食品被她们撞见的危险。于是我一动不动地站在这一头。这里没有窗子,光线很暗。此刻天色已黑,因为太阳已经下山,暮色越来越浓了。

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一会儿工夫,房间里的女房客们一个接一个出来了,个个心情欢快,步履轻盈,身上的衣装在昏黄的暮色中闪闪发光。她们聚集在走廊的另一头,站了片刻,用压低了的轻快动听的语调交谈着。随后走下楼梯,几乎没有声响,仿佛一团明亮的雾从山上降落下来。她们的外表总体上给我留下了这样的印象:这些人具有一种我前所未见的名门望族的典雅。我看见阿黛勒扶着半掩的读书室门,往外偷看着。“多漂亮的小姐!”她用英语叫道。“哎呀我真想上她们那儿去!你认为晚饭后罗切斯特先生会派人来叫我们去吗?”“不,说实在,我不这样想。罗切斯特先生有别的事情要考虑。今天晚上就别去想那些小姐们了,也许明天你会见到她们的。这是你的晚饭。”她真的饿坏了,因此鸡和馅饼可以暂时分散一下她的注意力。幸亏我弄到了这份食品,不然她和我,还有同我们分享这顿晚餐的索菲娅,都很可能根本吃不上晚饭,楼下的人谁都快忙得顾不上我们了。九点以后才送上甜食。到了十点钟,男仆们还端着托盘和咖啡杯子,来回奔波。我允许阿黛勒呆得比往常晚得多才上床,因为她说楼下的门不断地开呀关呀,人来人往,忙忙碌碌,弄得她没法睡觉。此外,她还说也许她解衣时,罗切斯特先生会让人捎来口信,“etalorsqueldommage!”我给她讲故事,她愿意听多久就讲多久。随后我带她到走廊上解解闷。这时大厅的灯已经点上,阿黛勒觉得从栏杆上往下看,瞧着仆人们来往穿梭,十分有趣。夜深了,客厅里传来音乐之声,一架钢琴已经搬到了那里。阿黛勒和我坐在楼梯的顶端台阶上倾听着。刹那之间响起了一个声音,与钢琴低沉的调子相交融。那是一位小姐在唱,歌喉十分动听。独唱过后,二重唱跟上,随后是三重唱,歌唱间歇响起了一阵嗡嗡的谈话声。我久久地听着,突然发现自己的耳朵聚精会神地分析那混杂的声音,竭力要从混沌交融的音调中,分辨出罗切斯特先生的嗓音。我很快将它捕捉住以后,便进而从由于距离太远而变得模糊不清的音调中,猜想出歌词来。时钟敲了十一点。我瞧了一眼阿黛勒,她的头已倚在我肩上,眼皮己越来越沉重。我便把她抱在怀里,送她去睡觉。将近一点钟,男女宾客们才各自回房去。第二天跟第一天一样,是个晴朗的日子,客人们乘机到临近的某个地方去远足。他们上午很早就出发了,有的骑马,有的坐马车。我亲眼看着他们出发,看着他们归来。像以前一样,英格拉姆小姐是唯一一位女骑手。罗切斯特先生同她并驾齐驱。他们两人骑着马同其余的客人拉开了一段距离。费尔法克斯太太正与我一起站在窗前,我向她指出了这一点:“你说他们不可能想到结婚,”我说,“可是你瞧,比起其他女人来,罗切斯特先生明显更喜欢她。”“是呀,我猜想他毫无疑问爱慕她。”“而且她也爱慕他,”我补充说“瞧她的头凑近他,仿佛在说什么知心话呢!但愿能见到她的脸,我还从来没见过一眼呢!”

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“今天晚上你会见到她的,”费尔法克斯太太回答说;“我偶然向罗切斯特先生提起,阿黛勒多么希望能见一见小姐们。他说:‘呵,那就让她饭后上客厅里来吧,请爱小姐陪她来。’”“噢,他不过是出于礼貌才那么说的,我不必去了,肯定的。”我回答。“瞧,我对他说,你不习惯交往,所以我想你不会喜欢在一批轻松愉快而又都互不相识的宾客前露面,他还是那么急躁地回答说,‘胡说八道!要是她不愿来,就告诉她这是我个人的意愿。如果她拒绝,你就说,她这么倔强,我要亲自来叫了。’”“我不愿给他添那么多麻烦”,我回答。“要是没有更好的办法了,我就去。不过我并不喜欢。你去吗,费尔法克斯太太?”“不,我请求免了,他同意了。一本正经入场是最不好受的,我来告诉你怎样避免这种尴尬,你得在女士们离席之前,客厅里还没有人的时候就进去,找个僻静的角落坐下。男宾们进来之后,你不必呆得很久,除非你高兴这么做。你不过是让罗切斯特先生看到你在那里,随后你就溜走——没有人会注意到你。”“你认为这批客人会呆得很久吗?”“也许两三个星期,肯定不会再久了。过了复活节假期,乔治.林恩爵士由于新近当上了米尔科特市议员,得去城里就职。我猜想罗切斯特先生会同他一起去。我觉得很奇怪,这回他在桑菲尔德呆了那么长时间。”眼看我带着照管的孩子进客厅的时刻就要到来,我心里惴惴不安。阿黛勒听说晚上要去见女士们,便整天处于极度兴奋状态,直到索菲娅开始给她打扮,才安静下来。随后更衣的重要过程很快稳定了她的情绪。待到她卷发梳得溜光,一束束垂着,穿上了粉红色的缎子罩衣,系好长长的腰带,戴上了网眼无指手套,她看上去已是像任何一位法官那么严肃了。这时已没有必要提醒她别弄乱自己的服装,她穿戴停当后,便安静地坐在小椅子上,急忙小心地把缎子裙提起来,唯恐弄皱了。还向我保证,她会一动不动坐在那里,直到我准备好为止。我很快就穿戴好了。我立即穿上了自己最好的衣服(银灰色的那一件,专为参加坦普尔小姐的婚礼购置的,后来一直没有穿过),把头发梳得平平伏伏,并戴上了我仅有的饰品,那枚珍珠胸针。随后我们下了楼。幸亏还有另外一扇门通客厅,不必经过他们都坐着吃饭的餐厅。我们看到房间里空无一人,大理石砌成的壁炉中,一堆旺火静静地燃烧着;桌上装饰着精致的花朵,烛光在花朵中间孤寂地闪亮,平添了几分欢快。拱门前悬挂着大红门帘,虽然我们与毗连的餐室中的客人之间,仅一层之隔,但他们话说得那么轻,除了柔和的嗡嗡声,彼此之间的交谈一点都听不清楚。阿黛勒似乎仍受着严肃气氛的震慑,一声不吭地坐在我指给她的小凳上。我退缩在一个靠窗的位置上,随手从临近的台子上取了本书,竭力读下去。阿黛勒把她的小凳子搬到我脚边,不久便

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Chapter 18

MERRY days were these at Thornfield Hall; and busy days too: how different from the first three months of stillness, monotony, and solitude I had passed beneath its roof! All sad feelings seemed now driven from the house, all gloomy associations forgotten: there was life everywhere, movement all day long. You could not now traverse the gallery, once so hushed, nor enter the front chambers, once so tenantless, without encountering a smart lady's-maid or a dandy valet.The kitchen, the butler's pantry, the servants' hall, the entrance hall, were equally alive; and the saloons were only left void and still when the blue sky and halcyon sunshine of the genial spring weather called their occupants out into the grounds. Even when that weather was broken, and continuous rain set in for some days, no damp seemed cast over enjoyment: indoor amusements only became more lively and varied, in consequence of the stop put to outdoor gaiety.

I wondered what they were going to do the first evening a change of entertainment was proposed: they spoke of 'playing charades,' but in my ignorance I did not understand the term. The servants were called in, the dining-room tables wheeled away, the lights otherwise disposed, the chairs placed in a semicircle opposite the arch. While Mr. Rochester and the other gentlemen directed these alterations, the ladies were running up and down stairs ringing for their maids.

Mrs. Fairfax was summoned to give information respecting the resources of the house in shawls, dresses, draperies of any kind; and certain wardrobes of the third storey were ransacked, and their contents, in the shape of brocaded and hooped petticoats, satin sacques, black modes, lace lappets, etc., were brought down in armfuls by the abigails; then a selection was made, and such things as were chosen were carried to the boudoir within the drawing-room.

Meantime, Mr. Rochester had again summoned the ladies round him, and was selecting certain of their number to be of his party. 'Miss Ingram is mine, of course,' said he: afterwards he named the two Misses Eshton, and Mrs. Dent. He looked at me: I happened to be near him, as I had been fastening the clasp of Mrs. Dent's bracelet, which had got loose.

'Will you play?' he asked. I shook my head. He did not insist, which I rather feared he would have done; he allowed me to return quietly to my usual seat.

He and his aids now withdrew behind the curtain: the other party, which was headed by Colonel Dent, sat down on the crescent of chairs. One of the gentlemen, Mr. Eshton, observing me, seemed to propose that I should be asked to join them; but Lady Ingram instantly negatived the notion.

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'No,' I heard her say: 'she looks too stupid for any game of the sort.'

Ere long a bell tinkled, and the curtain drew up. Within the arch, the bulky figure of Sir George Lynn, whom Mr. Rochester had likewise chosen, was seen enveloped in a white sheet: before him, on a table, lay open a large book; and at his side stood Amy Eshton, draped in Mr. Rochester's cloak, and holding a book in her hand. Somebody, unseen, rang the bell merrily; then Adele (who had insisted on being one of her guardian's party), bounded forward, scattering round her the contents of a basket of flowers she carried on her arm. Then appeared the magnificent figure of Miss Ingram, clad in white, a long veil on her head, and a wreath of roses round her brow; by her side walked Mr. Rochester, and together they drew near the table. They knelt; while Mrs. Dent and Louisa Eshton, dressed also in white, took up their stations behind them. A ceremony followed, in dumb show, in which it was easy to recognise the pantomime of a marriage. At its termination, Colonel Dent, and his party consulted in whispers for two minutes, then the Colonel called out-

'Bride!' Mr. Rochester bowed, and the curtain fell.

A considerable interval elapsed before it again rose. Its second rising displayed a more elaborately prepared scene than the last.

The drawing-room, as I have before observed, was raised two steps above the dining-room, and on the top of the upper step, placed a yard or two back within the room, appeared a large marble basin, which I recognised as an ornament of the conservatory- where it usually stood, surrounded by exotics, and tenanted by gold fish- and whence it must have been transported with some trouble, on account of its size and weight.

Seated on the carpet, by the side of this basin, was seen Mr. Rochester, costumed in shawls, with a turban on his head. His dark eyes and swarthy skin and Paynim features suited the costume exactly: he looked the very model of an Eastern emir, an agent or a victim of the bowstring. Presently advanced into view Miss Ingram.

She, too, was attired in oriental fashion: a crimson scarf tied sash-like round the waist; an embroidered handkerchief knotted about her temples; her beautifully moulded arms bare, one of them upraised in the act of supporting a pitcher, poised gracefully on her head.

Both her cast of form and feature, her complexion and her general air, suggested the idea of some Israelitish princess of the patriarchal days; and such was doubtless the character she intended to represent.

She approached the basin, and bent over it as if to fill her pitcher; she again lifted it to her head. The personage on the well-brink now seemed to accost her; to make some request:- 'She hasted, let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him to drink.' From the bosom of his robe he then produced a casket, opened it and showed magnificent

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bracelets and earrings; she acted astonishment and admiration; kneeling, he laid the treasure at her feet; incredulity and delight were expressed by her looks and gestures; the stranger fastened the bracelets on her arms and the rings in her ears. It was Eliezer and Rebecca: the camels only were wanting.

The divining party again laid their heads together: apparently they could not agree about the word or syllable the scene illustrated.

Colonel Dent, their spokesman, demanded 'the tableau of the whole'; whereupon the curtain again descended.

On its third rising only a portion of the drawing-room was disclosed; the rest being concealed by a screen, hung with some sort of dark and coarse drapery. The marble basin was removed; in its place stood a deal table and a kitchen chair: these objects were visible by a very dim light proceeding from a horn lantern, the wax candles being all extinguished.

Amidst this sordid scene, sat a man with his clenched hands resting on his knees, and his eyes bent on the ground. I knew Mr. Rochester; though the begrimed face, the disordered dress (his coat hanging loose from one arm, as if it had been almost torn from his back in a scuffle), the desperate and scowling countenance the rough, bristling hair might well have disguised him. As he moved, a chain clanked; to his wrists were attached fetters.

'Bridewell!' exclaimed Colonel Dent, and the charade was solved.

A sufficient interval having elapsed for the performers to resume their ordinary costume, they re-entered the dining-room. Mr. Rochester led in Miss Ingram; she was complimenting him on his acting.

'Do you know,' said she, 'that, of the three characters, I liked you in the last best? Oh, had you but lived a few years earlier, what a gallant gentleman-highwayman you would have made!'

'Is all the soot washed from my face?' he asked, turning it towards her.

'Alas! yes: the more's the pity! Nothing could be more becoming to your complexion than that ruffian's rouge.'

'You would like a hero of the road then?'

'An English hero of the road would be the next best thing to an Italian bandit; and that could only be surpassed by a Levantine pirate.'

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'Well, whatever I am, remember you are my wife; we were married an hour since, in the presence of all these witnesses.' She giggled, and her colour rose.

'Now, Dent,' continued Mr. Rochester, 'it is your turn.' And as the other party withdrew, he and his band took the vacated seats. Miss Ingram placed herself at her leader's right hand; the other diviners filled the chairs on each side of him and her. I did not now watch the actors; I no longer waited with interest for the curtain to rise; my attention was absorbed by the spectators; my eyes, erewhile fixed on the arch, were now irresistibly attracted to the semicircle of chairs.

What charade Colonel Dent and his party played, what word they chose, how they acquitted themselves, I no longer remember; but I still see the consultation which followed each scene: I see Mr. Rochester turn to Miss Ingram, and Miss Ingram to him; I see her incline her head towards him, till the jetty curls almost touch his shoulder and wave against his cheek; I hear their mutual whisperings; I recall their interchanged glances; and something even of the feeling roused by the spectacle returns in memory at this moment.

I have told you, reader, that I had learnt to love Mr. Rochester: I could not unlove him now, merely because I found that he had ceased to notice me- because I might pass hours in his presence, and he would never once turn his eyes in my direction- because I saw all his attentions appropriated by a great lady, who scorned to touch me with the hem of her robes as she passed; who, if ever her dark and imperious eye fell on me by chance, would withdraw it instantly as from an object too mean to merit observation. I could not unlove him, because I felt sure he would soon marry this very lady- because I read daily in her a proud security in his intentions respecting her- because I witnessed hourly in him a style of courtship which, if careless and choosing rather to be sought than to seek, was yet, in its very carelessness, captivating, and in its very pride, irresistible.

There was nothing to cool or banish love in these circumstances, though much to create despair. Much too, you will think, reader, to engender jealousy: if a woman, in my position, could presume to be jealous of a woman in Miss Ingram's. But I was not jealous: or very rarely;- the nature of the pain I suffered could not be explained by that word. Miss Ingram was a mark beneath jealousy: she was too inferior to excite the feeling. Pardon the seeming paradox; I mean what I say. She was very showy, but she was not genuine: she had a fine person, many brilliant attainments; but her mind was poor, her heart barren by nature: nothing bloomed spontaneously on that soil; no unforced natural fruit delighted by its freshness. She was not good; she was not original: she used to repeat sounding phrases from books: she never offered, nor had, an opinion of her own. She advocated a high tone of sentiment; but she did not know the sensations of sympathy and pity; tenderness and truth were not in her.

Too often she betrayed this, by the undue vent she gave to a spiteful antipathy she had conceived against little Adele: pushing her away with some contumelious epithet if she

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happened to approach her; sometimes ordering her from the room, and always treating her with coldness and acrimony. Other eyes besides mine watched these manifestations of character- watched them closely, keenly, shrewdly.

Yes; the future bridegroom, Mr. Rochester himself, exercised over his intended a ceaseless surveillance; and it was from this sagacity- this guardedness of his- this perfect, clear consciousness of his fair one's defects- this obvious absence of passion in his sentiments towards her, that my ever-torturing pain arose.

I saw he was going to marry her, for family, perhaps political reasons, because her rank and connections suited him; I felt he had not given her his love, and that her qualifications were ill adapted to win from him that treasure. This was the point- this was where the nerve was touched and teased- this was where the fever was sustained and fed: she could not charm him.

If she had managed the victory at once, and he had yielded and sincerely laid his heart at her feet, I should have covered my face, turned to the wall, and (figuratively) have died to them. If Miss Ingram had been a good and noble woman, endowed with force, fervour, kindness, sense, I should have had one vital struggle with two tigers- jealousy and despair: then, my heart torn out and devoured, I should have admired her- acknowledged her excellence, and been quiet for the rest of my days: and the more absolute her superiority, the deeper would have been my admiration- the more truly tranquil my quiescence. But as matters really stood, to watch Miss Ingram's efforts at fascinating Mr. Rochester, to witness their repeated failure- herself unconscious that they did fail; vainly fancying that each shaft launched hit the mark, and infatuatedly pluming herself on success, when her pride and self-complacency repelled further and further what she wished to allure- to witness this, was to be at once under ceaseless excitation and ruthless restraint.

Because, when she failed, I saw how she might have succeeded.

Arrows that continually glanced off from Mr. Rochester's breast and fell harmless at his feet, might, I knew, if shot by a surer hand, have quivered keen in his proud heart- have called love into his stern eye, and softness into his sardonic face; or, better still, without weapons a silent conquest might have been won.

'Why can she not influence him more, when she is privileged to draw so near to him?' I asked myself. 'Surely she cannot truly like him, or not like him with true affection! If she did, she need not coin her smiles so lavishly, flash her glances so unremittingly, manufacture airs so elaborate, graces so multitudinous. It seems to me that she might, by merely sitting quietly at his side, saying little and looking less, get nigher his heart. I have seen in his face a far different expression from that which hardens it now while she is so vivaciously accosting him; but then it came of itself: it was not elicited by meretricious arts and calculated manoeuvres; and one had but to accept it- to answer

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what he asked without pretension, to address him when needful without grimace- and it increased and grew kinder and more genial, and warmed one like a fostering sunbeam. How will she manage to please him when they are married? I do not think she will manage it; and yet it might be managed; and his wife might, I verily believe, be the very happiest woman the sun shines on.'

I have not yet said anything condemnatory of Mr. Rochester's project of marrying for interest and connections. It surprised me when I first discovered that such was his intention: I had thought him a man unlikely to be influenced by motives so commonplace in his choice of a wife; but the longer I considered the position, education, etc., of the parties, the less I felt justified in judging and blaming either him or Miss Ingram for acting in conformity to ideas and principles instilled into them, doubtless, from their childhood. All their class held these principles: I supposed, then, they had reasons for holding them such as I could not fathom. It seemed to me that, were I a gentleman like him, I would take to my bosom only such a wife as I could love; but the very obviousness of the advantages to the husband's own happiness offered by this plan convinced me that there must be arguments against its general adoption of which I was quite ignorant: otherwise I felt sure all the world would act as I wished to act.

But in other points, as well as this, I was growing very lenient to my master: I was forgetting all his faults, for which I had once kept a sharp look-out. It had formerly been my endeavour to study all sides of his character: to take the bad with the good; and from the just weighing of both, to form an equitable judgment. Now I saw no bad. The sarcasm that had repelled, the harshness that had startled me once, were only like keen condiments in a choice dish: their presence was pungent, but their absence would be felt as comparatively insipid. And as for the vague something- was it a sinister or a sorrowful, a designing or a desponding expression?- that opened upon a careful observer, now and then, in his eye, and closed again before one could fathom the strange depth partially disclosed; that something which used to make me fear and shrink, as if I had been wandering amongst volcanic-looking hills, and had suddenly felt the ground quiver and seen it gape: that something, I, at intervals, beheld still; and with throbbing heart, but not with palsied nerves.

Instead of wishing to shun, I longed only to dare- to divine it; and I thought Miss Ingram happy, because one day she might look into the abyss at her leisure, explore its secrets and analyse their nature.

Meantime, while I thought only of my master and his future bride- saw only them, heard only their discourse, and considered only their movements of importance- the rest of the party were occupied with their own separate interests and pleasures. The Ladies Lynn and Ingram continued to consort in solemn conferences, where they nodded their two turbans at each other, and held up their four hands in confronting gestures of surprise, or mystery, or horror, according to the theme on which their gossip ran, like a pair of magnified puppets. Mild Mrs.

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Dent talked with good-natured Mrs. Eshton; and the two sometimes bestowed a courteous word or smile on me. Sir George Lynn, Colonel Dent, and Mr. Eshton discussed politics, or county affairs, or justice business. Lord Ingram flirted with Amy Eshton; Louisa played and sang to and with one of the Messrs. Lynn; and Mary Ingram listened languidly to the gallant speeches of the other. Sometimes all, as with one consent, suspended their by-play to observe and listen to the principal actors: for, after all, Mr. Rochester and-  because closely connected with him- Miss Ingram were the life and soul of the party.

If he was absent from the room an hour, a perceptible dulness seemed to steal over the spirits of his guests; and his re-entrance was sure to give a fresh impulse to the vivacity of conversation.

The want of his animating influence appeared to be peculiarly felt one day that he had been summoned to Millcote on business, and was not likely to return till late. The afternoon was wet: a walk the party had proposed to take to see a gipsy camp, lately pitched on a common beyond Hay, was consequently deferred. Some of the gentlemen were gone to the stables: the younger ones, together with the younger ladies, were playing billiards in the billiard-room. The dowagers Ingram and Lynn sought solace in a quiet game at cards.

Blanche Ingram, after having repelled, by supercilious taciturnity, some efforts of Mrs. Dent and Mrs. Eshton to draw her into conversation, had first murmured over some sentimental tunes and airs on the piano, and then, having fetched a novel from the library, had flung herself in haughty listlessness on a sofa, and prepared to beguile, by the spell of fiction, the tedious hours of absence. The room and the house were silent: only now and then the merriment of the billiard-players was heard from above.

It was verging on dusk, and the dock had already given warning of the hour to dress for dinner, when little Adele, who knelt by me in the drawing-room window-seat, suddenly exclaimed-

'Voila Monsieur Rochester, qui revient!'

I turned, and Miss Ingram darted forwards from her sofa: the others, too, looked up from their several occupations; for at the same time a crunching of wheels and a splashing tramp of horse-hoofs became audible on the wet gravel. A post-chaise was approaching.

'What can possess him to come home in that style?' said Miss Ingram. 'He rode Mesrour (the black horse), did he not, when he went out? and Pilot was with him:- what has he done with the animals?'

As she said this, she approached her tall person and ample garments so near the window, that I was obliged to bend back almost to the breaking of my spine: in her

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eagerness she did not observe me at first, but when she did, she curled her lip and moved to another casement. The post-chaise stopped; the driver rang the door-bell, and a gentleman alighted attired in travelling garb; but it was not Mr. Rochester; it was a tall, fashionable-looking man, a stranger.

'How provoking!' exclaimed Miss Ingram: 'you tiresome monkey!' (apostrophising Adele), 'who perched you up in the window to give false intelligence?' and she cast on me an angry glance, as if I were in fault.

Some parleying was audible in the hall, and soon the newcomer entered. He bowed to Lady Ingram, as deeming her the eldest lady present.

'It appears I come at an inopportune time, madam,' said he, 'when my friend, Mr. Rochester, is from home; but I arrive from a very long journey, and I think I may presume so far on old and intimate acquaintance as to instal myself here till he returns.'

His manner was polite; his accent, in speaking, struck me as being somewhat unusual,- not precisely foreign, but still not altogether English: his age might be about Mr. Rochester's,- between thirty and forty; his complexion was singularly sallow: otherwise he  was a fine-looking man, at first sight especially. On closer examination, you detected something in his face that displeased, or rather that failed to please. His features were regular, but too relaxed: his eye was large and well cut, but the life looking out of it was a tame, vacant life- at least so I thought.

The sound of the dressing-bell dispersed the party. It was not till after dinner that I saw him again: he then seemed quite at his ease.

But I liked his physiognomy even less than before: it struck me as being at the same time unsettled and inanimate. His eye wandered, and had no meaning in its wandering: this gave him an odd look, such as I never remembered to have seen. For a handsome and not an unamiable-looking man, he repelled me exceedingly: there was no power in that smooth-skinned face of a full oval shape: no firmness in that aquiline nose and small cherry mouth; there was no thought on the low, even forehead; no command in that blank, brown eye.

As I sat in my usual nook, and looked at him with the light of the girandoles on the mantelpiece beaming full over him- for he occupied an arm-chair drawn close to the fire and kept shrinking still nearer, as if he were cold- I compared him with Mr. Rochester. I  think (with deference be it spoken) the contrast could not be much greater between a sleek gander and a fierce falcon: between a meek sheep and the rough-coated keen-eyed dog, its guardian.

He had spoken of Mr. Rochester as an old friend. A curious friendship theirs must have been: a pointed illustration, indeed, of the old adage that 'extremes meet.'

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Two or three of the gentlemen sat near him, and I caught at times scraps of their conversation across the room. At first I could not make much sense of what I heard; for the discourse of Louisa Eshton and Mary Ingram, who sat nearer to me, confused the fragmentary sentences that reached me at intervals. These last were discussing the stranger; they both called him 'a beautiful man.' Louisa said he was 'a love of a creature,' and she 'adored him'; and Mary instanced his 'pretty little mouth, and nice nose,' as her ideal of the charming.

'And what a sweet-tempered forehead he hast' cried Louisa,- 'so smooth- none of those frowning irregularities I dislike so much; and such a placid eye and smile!'

And then, to my great relief, Mr. Henry Lynn summoned them to the other side of the room, to settle some point about the deferred excursion to Hay Common.

I was now able to concentrate my attention on the group by the fire, and I presently gathered that the newcomer was called Mr. Mason; then I learned that he was but just arrived in England, and that he came from some hot country: which was the reason, doubtless, his face was so sallow, and that he sat so near the hearth, and wore a surtout in the house. Presently the words Jamaica, Kingston, Spanish Town, indicated the West Indies as his residence; and it was with no little surprise I gathered, ere long, that he had there first seen and become acquainted with Mr. Rochester. He spoke of his friend's dislike of the burning heats, the hurricanes, and rainy seasons of that region. I knew Mr. Rochester had been a traveller: Mrs. Fairfax had said so; but I thought the continent of Europe had bounded his wanderings; till now I had never heard a hint given of visits to more distant shores.

I was pondering these things, when an incident, and a somewhat unexpected one, broke the thread of my musings. Mr. Mason, shivering as some one chanced to open the door, asked for more coal to be put on the fire, which had burnt out its flame, though its mass of cinder still shone hot and red. The footman who brought the coal, in going out, stopped near Mr. Eshton's chair, and said something to him in a low voice, of which I heard only the words, 'old woman,'- 'quite troublesome.'

'Tell her she shall be put in the stocks if she does not take herself off,' replied the magistrate.

'No- stop!' interrupted Colonel Dent. 'Don't send her away, Eshton; we might turn the thing to account; better consult the ladies.' And speaking aloud, he continued- 'Ladies, you talked of going to Hay Common to visit the gipsy camp; Sam here says that one of the old Mother Bunches is in the servants' hall at this moment, and insists upon being brought in before "the quality," to tell them their fortunes. Would you like to see her?'

'Surely, colonel,' cried Lady Ingram, 'you would not encourage such a low impostor? Dismiss her, by all means, at once!'

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'But I cannot persuade her to go away, my lady,' said the footman; 'nor can any of the servants: Mrs. Fairfax is with her just  now, entreating her to be gone; but she has taken a chair in the chimney-corner, and says nothing shall stir her from it till she gets leave to come in here.'

'What does she want?' asked Mrs. Eshton.

'"To tell the gentry their fortunes," she says, ma'am; and she swears she must and will do it.'

'What is she like?' inquired the Misses Eshton, in a breath.

'A shockingly ugly old creature, miss; almost as black as a crock.'

'Why, she's a real sorceress!' cried Frederick Lynn. 'Let us have her in, of course.'

'To be sure,' rejoined his brother; 'it would be a thousand pities to throw away such a chance of fun.'

'My dear boys, what are you thinking about?' exclaimed Mrs. Lynn.

'I cannot possibly countenance any such inconsistent proceeding,' chimed in the Dowager Ingram.

'Indeed, mama, but you can- and will,' pronounced the haughty voice of Blanche, as she turned round on the piano-stool; where till now she had sat silent, apparently examining sundry sheets of music. 'I have a curiosity to hear my fortune told: therefore, Sam, order the beldame forward.'

'My darling Blanche! recollect-'

'I do- I recollect all you can suggest; and I must have my will- quick, Sam!'

'Yes- yes- yes!' cried all the juveniles, both ladies and gentlemen. 'Let her come- it will be excellent sport!'

The footman still lingered. 'She looks such a rough one,' said he.

'Go!' ejaculated Miss Ingram, and the man went.

Excitement instantly seized the whole party: a running fire of raillery and jests was proceeding when Sam returned.

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'She won't come now,' said he. 'She says it's not her mission to appear before the "vulgar herd" (them's her words). I must show her into a room by herself, and then those who wish to consult her must go to her one by one.'

'You see now, my queenly Blanche,' began Lady Ingram, 'she encroaches. Be advised, my angel girl- and-'

'Show her into the library, of course,' cut in the 'angel girl,'

'It is not my mission to listen to her before the vulgar herd either: I mean to have her all to myself. Is there a fire in the library?'

'Yes, ma'am- but she looks such a tinkler.'

'Cease that chatter, blockhead! and do my bidding.'

Again Sam vanished; and mystery, animation, expectation rose to full flow once more.

'She's ready now,' said the footman, as he reappeared. 'She wishes to know who will be her first visitor.'

'I think I had better just look in upon her before any of the ladies go,' said Colonel Dent.

'Tell her, Sam, a gentleman is coming.'

Sam went and returned.

'She says, sir, that she'll have no gentlemen; they need not trouble themselves to come near her; nor,' he added, with difficulty suppressing a titter, 'any ladies either, except the young and single.'

'By Jove, she has taste!' exclaimed Henry Lynn.

Miss Ingram rose solemnly: 'I go first,' she said, in a tone which might have befitted the leader of a forlorn hope, mounting a breach in the van of his men.

'Oh, my best! oh, my dearest! pause- reflect!' was her mama's cry; but she swept past her in stately silence, passed through the door which Colonel Dent held open, and we heard her enter the library.

A comparative silence ensued. Lady Ingram thought it 'le cas' to wring her hands: which she did accordingly. Miss Mary declared she felt, for her part, she never dared venture. Amy and Louisa Eshton tittered under their breath, and looked a little frightened.

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The minutes passed very slowly: fifteen were counted before the library-door again opened. Miss Ingram returned to us through the arch.

Would she laugh? Would she take it as a joke? All eyes met her with a glance of eager curiosity, and she met all eyes with one of rebuff and coldness; she looked neither flurried nor merry: she walked stiffly to her seat, and took it in silence.

'Well, Blanche?' said Lord Ingram.

'What did she say, sister?' asked Mary.

'What did you think? How do you feel? Is she a real fortune-teller?' demanded the Misses Eshton.

'Now, now, good people,' returned Miss Ingram, 'don't press upon me. Really your organs of wonder and credulity are easily excited: you seem, by the importance you all- my good mama included- ascribe to this matter, absolutely to believe we have a genuine witch in the house, who is in close alliance with the old gentleman. I have seen a gipsy vagabond; she has practised in hackneyed fashion the science of palmistry and told me what such people usually tell. My whim is gratified; and now I think Mr. Eshton will do well to put the hag in the stocks to-morrow morning, as he threatened.'

Miss Ingram took a book, leant back in her chair, and so declined further conversation. I watched her for nearly half an hour: during all that time she never turned a page, and her face grew momently darker, more dissatisfied, and more sourly expressive of disappointment. She had obviously not heard anything to her advantage: and it seemed to me, from her prolonged fit of gloom and taciturnity, that she herself, notwithstanding her professed indifference, attached undue importance to whatever revelations had been made her.

Meantime, Mary Ingram, Amy and Louisa Eshton, declared they dared not go alone; and yet they all wished to go. A negotiation was opened through the medium of the ambassador, Sam; and after much pacing to and fro, till, I think, the said Sam's calves must have ached with the exercise, permission was at last, with great difficulty, extorted from the rigorous Sibyl, for the three to wait upon her in a body.

Their visit was not so still as Miss Ingram's had been: we heard hysterical giggling and little shrieks proceeding from the library;   and at the end of about twenty minutes they burst the door open, and came running across the hall, as if they were half-scared out of their wits.

'I am sure she is something not right!' they cried, one and all.

'She told us such things! She knows all about us!' and they sank breathless into the various seats the gentlemen hastened to bring them.

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Pressed for further explanation, they declared she had told them of things they had said and done when they were mere children; described books and ornaments they had in their boudoirs at home: keepsakes that different relations had presented to them. They affirmed that she had even divined their thoughts, and had whispered in the ear of each the name of the person she liked best in the world, and informed them of what they most wished for.

Here the gentlemen interposed with earnest petitions to be further enlightened on these two last-named points; but they got only blushes, ejaculations, tremors, and titters, in return for their importunity. The matrons, meantime, offered vinaigrettes and wielded fans; and again and again reiterated the expression of their concern that their warning had not been taken in time; and the elder gentlemen laughed, and the younger urged their services on the agitated fair ones.

In the midst of the tumult, and while my eyes and ears were fully engaged in the scene before me, I heard a hem close at my elbow: I turned, and saw Sam.

'If you please, miss, the gipsy declares that there is another young single lady in the room who has not been to her yet, and she swears she will not go till she has seen all. I thought it must be you: there is no one else for it. What shall I tell her?'

'Oh, I will go by all means,' I answered: and I was glad of the unexpected opportunity to gratify my much-excited curiosity. I slipped out of the room, unobserved by any eye- for the company were gathered in one mass about the trembling trio just returned- and I closed the door quietly behind me.

'If you like, miss,' said Sam, 'I'll wait in the hall for you; and if she frightens you, just call and I'll come in.'

'No, Sam, return to the kitchen: I am not in the least afraid.' Nor was I; but I was a good deal interested and excited.  那些是桑菲尔德府欢乐的日子,也是忙碌的日子。同最初三个月我在这儿度过的平静、单调和孤寂的日子相比,真是天差地别!如今一切哀伤情调已经烟消云散,一切阴郁的联想已忘得一干二净,到处热热闹闹,整天人来客往。过去静悄悄的门廓,空无住客的前房,现在一走进去就会撞见漂亮的侍女,或者衣饰华丽的男仆。无论是厨房,还是管家的食品室,佣人的厅堂和门厅,都一样热闹非凡。只有在和煦的春日里,蔚蓝的天空和明媚的阳光,把人们吸引到庭园里去的时候,几间大客厅才显得空荡沉寂。即使天气转坏,几日里阴雨连绵,也似乎不曾使他们扫兴,室外的娱乐一停止,室内的倒反而更加活泼多样了。

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第一个晚上有人建议改变一下娱乐方式的时候,我心里纳闷他们会干什么。他们说起要玩“字谜游戏”,但我一无所知,一时不明白这个名称。仆人们被叫了进来,餐桌给搬走了,灯光己另作处理,椅子正对着拱门排成了半圆形。罗切斯特先生和其他男宾们指挥着作些变动时,女士们在楼梯上跑上跑下,按铃使唤仆人。费尔法克斯太太应召进房,报告各类披肩、服装和帐幔等家藏物资情况。三楼的有些大橱也来个兜底翻寻,里面的一应物件,如带裙环的织锦裙子、缎子宽身女裙、黑色丝织品、花边垂带等,都由使女们成包捧下楼来,经过挑选,又把选中的东西送进客厅内的小厅里。与此同时,罗切斯特先生把女士们再次叫到他周围,选中了几位加入他一组。“当然英格拉姆小姐是属于我的,”他说,随后他又点了两位埃希顿小姐和登特夫人的名。他瞧了瞧我,我恰巧在他身边,替登特太太把松开的手镯扣好。“你来玩吗?”他问。我摇了摇头。他没有坚持,我真怕他会呢。他允许我安静地回到平时的座位上去。他和搭档们退到了帐幔后头,而由登特上校领头的一组人,在排成半圆形的椅子上坐了下来。其中一位叫埃希顿先生的男士,注意到了我,好像提议我应当加入他们,但英格拉姆夫人立即否决了他的建议。“不行,”我听见她说,“她看上去一付蠢相,玩不来这类游戏。”没过多久,铃声响了,幕拉开了。在半圆形之内,出现了乔治.林恩爵士用白布裹着的巨大身影,他也是由罗切斯特先生选中的。他前面的一张桌子上,放着一本大书,他一侧站着艾米.埃希顿,身上披着罗切斯特先生的斗篷,手里拿着一本书。有人在看不见的地方摇响了欢快的铃声。随后阿黛勒(她坚持参加监护人的一组)跳跳蹦蹦来到前面,把挽在胳膊上的一篮子花,朝她周围撒去。接着雍容华贵的英格拉姆小姐露面了,一身素装,头披长纱,额上戴着圈玫瑰花。她身边走着罗切斯特先生,两人一起跪向桌子。他们跪了下来,与此同时,一样浑身著白的登特太太和路易莎.埃希顿,在他们身后站定。接着一个用哑剧来表现的仪式开始了,不难看出,这是场哑剧婚礼。结束时登特上校和他的一伙人悄悄地商量了两分钟,随后上校嚷道:“新娘!”罗切斯特先生行了鞠躬礼,随后幕落。过了好一会儿,帐幕才再次拉开。第二幕表演比第一幕显得更加精心准备。如我以前所观察的那样,客厅已垫得比餐室高出两个台阶,在客厅内靠后一两码的顶端台阶上,放置着一个硕大的大理石盆,我认出来那是温室里的一个装饰品——平时里面养着金鱼,周围布满了异国花草——它体积大,份量重,搬到这儿来一定是花了一番周折的。在这个大盆子旁边的地毯上,坐着罗切斯特先生,身裹披巾,额缠头巾。他乌黑的眼睛、黝黑的皮肤和穆斯林式的五官,与这身打扮十分般配。他看上去活象一个东方的酋长,一个绞死人和被人绞死的角色。不久,英格拉姆小姐登场了。她也是一身东方式装束。一条大红围巾象腰带似地缠在腰间;一块绣花手帕围住额头;她那形态美丽的双臂赤裸着,其中的一条高高举起,优美地托着顶在头上的一个坛子。她的体态和容貌,她的肤色和神韵,使人想起了宗法时代的以色列公主,无疑那正是她想要扮演的角色。

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她走近大盆子,俯身似乎要把水坛灌满。随后再次把坛子举起来放在头上。那个在井边的人好像在同他打招呼,提出了某种要求:她“就急忙拿下瓶来,托在手上给他喝。”随后他从胸口的长袍里,取出一个盒子,打了开来,露出金灿灿的镯子和耳环;她做出惊叹的表情,跪了下来。他把珠宝搁在她脚边,她的神态和动作中流露出疑惑与喜悦,陌生人替她戴好了手镯,挂好了耳环。这就是以利以泽和利百加了,只不过没有骆驼。猜谜的一方再次交头接耳起来,显然他们对这场戏所表现的字或只言片语,无法取得一致意见。他们的发言人登特上校要来表现“完整的场面”,于是帷幕又一次落下。第三幕里客厅只露出了部份,其余部分由一块粗糙的黑色布幔遮挡着,大理石盆子已被搬走,代之以一张松木桌和一把厨房椅子,借着一盏号角式灯笼的幽暗灯光,这些物品隐约可见,因为蜡烛全都灭了。在这暗淡的场景中,坐着一个人,双手攒紧放在膝头,双目紧盯着地上。我知道这是罗切斯特先生,尽管污秽的脸,散乱的服饰(在一条胳膊上他的外衣垂挂着,好象在一场搏斗中几乎是从背上撕了下来似的),绝望阴沉的脸容、粗糙直竖的头发,完全可以叫人无法辨认。他走动时,铁链叮当作响,他的手腕上戴着手铐。“监狱!”登特上校冲口叫道,字谜也就被猜中了。随后是一段充分的休息时间,让表演者恢复原来的服装,他们再次走进餐室。罗切斯特先生领着英格拉姆小姐,她正夸奖着他的演技。“你可知道,”她说,“在你饰演的三个人物中,我最喜欢最后一个。啊,要是你早生几年,你很可能会成为一个英勇高贵的拦路强盗!”“我脸上的煤烟都洗干净了吗?”他向她转过脸问道。“哎呀呀!全洗掉了,洗得越干净就越可惜!那个歹徒的紫红脸色同你的肤色再般配没有了。”“那你喜欢剪径的强盗了?”“就我喜好而言,一个英国的路盗仅次于一个意大利的土匪,而意大利的土匪稍逊于地中海的海盗。”“好吧,不管我是谁,记住你是我的妻子,一小时之前我们已结婚,当着所有的目击者。”她吃吃一笑,脸上泛起了红晕。“嗨,登特,”罗切斯特先生继续说道,“该轮到你们了。”另一组人退下去后,他和他的伙伴们在腾出来的位置上坐了下来。英格拉姆小姐坐在首领的右侧,其余的猜谜人坐在他们两旁的椅子上。这时我不去观看演员了,不再兴趣十足地等候幕启,我的注重力己被观众所吸引。我的目光刚才还盯着拱门,此时已不可抗拒地转向了排成半圆形的椅子。登特上校和他的搭当们玩的是什么字谜游戏,选择了什么字,如何圆满地完成自己扮演的角色,我已无从记得,但每场演出后互相商量的情景,却历历如在目前。我看到罗切斯特先生转

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向英格拉姆小姐,英格拉姆小姐又转向罗切斯特先生,我看见她向他侧过头去,直到她乌油油的卷发几乎触到了他的肩膀,拂着了他的脸颊。我听到了他们相互间的耳语,我回想起他们彼此交换的眼色,甚至这一情景在我心里所激起的某种情感,此刻也在我记忆中复活了。我曾告诉过你,读者,我意识到自己爱上了罗切斯特先生。如今我不可能不管他,仅仅因为发现他不再注意我了——仅仅因为我在他面前度过几小时,而他朝我瞟都不瞟一眼——仅仅因为我看到他的全部注意力被一位贵妇人所吸引,而这位贵妇路过我身边时连长袍的边都不屑碰我一下,阴沉专横的目光碰巧落在我身上时、会立即转移,仿佛我太卑微而不值一顾。我不可能不爱他,仅仅因为断定他很快会娶这位小姐——仅仅因为我每天觉察到,她高傲地觉得自己在他心目中的地位己经非常稳固;仅仅因为我时时刻刻看着他的求婚方式尽管漫不经心,且又表现出宁愿被人追求而不追求别人,却由于随意而显得富有魅力,由于傲慢而愈是不可抗拒。这种情况虽然很可能造成灰心失望,但丝毫不会使爱情冷却或消失。读者呀,要是处于我这样地位的女人,敢于妒嫉象英格拉姆小姐这样地位的女人的话,你会认为这件事很可以引起妒嫉。——我所经受的痛苦是无法用那两个字来解释的。英格拉姆小姐不值得妒嫉;她太低下了,激不起我那种感情。请原谅这表面的评论:我是表里一致的。她好卖弄、但并不真诚。她风度很好,而又多才多艺,但头脑浮浅,心灵天生贫瘠;在那片土地上没有花朵会自动开放,没有哪种不需外力而自然结出的果实会喜欢这种新土。她缺乏教养,没有独创性,而惯于重复书本中的大话,从不提出,也从来没有自己的见解。她鼓吹高尚的情操,但并不知道同情和怜悯,身上丝毫没有温柔和真诚。她对小阿黛勒的心怀恶意,并无端发泄,常常使她在这点上暴露无遗,要是小阿黛勒恰巧走近她,她会用恶言毒语把她撵走,有时命令她离开房间,常常冷淡刻毒地对待她。除了我,还有别人也注视着这些个性的流露——密切急迫而敏锐地注视着。是的,就是罗切斯特先生这位准新郎自己,也无时无刻不在监视着他的意中人。正是这种洞察力——他所存的戒心——这种对自己美人缺陷的清醒全面的认识——正是他在感情上对她明显缺乏热情这一点,引起了我无休止的痛苦。我看到他要娶她是出于门第观念,也许还有政治上的原因,因为她的地位与家庭关系同他很相配。我觉得他并没有把自己的爱给她,她也没有资格从他那儿得到这个宝物。这就是问题的症结——就是触及痛处的地方——就是我热情有增无减的原因:因为她不可能把他迷住。要是她立即获胜,他也让了步,虔诚地拜倒在她脚下,我倒会捂住脸,转向墙壁,在他们面前死去(比喻意义上说)。要是英格拉姆小姐是一位高尚出色的女人,富有力量、热情、善心和识见,我倒会与两头猛虎——嫉妒与绝望,作一誓死的搏斗。纵然我的心被掏出来吞噬掉,我也会钦佩她——承认她的出众,默默地度过余生。她愈是优越绝伦,我会愈加钦慕——我的沉默也会愈加深沉。但实际情况并非加此,目睹英格拉姆小姐想方设法遮住罗切斯特先生,看着她连连败绩——她自己却并没有意识到,反而徒劳地幻想,每一支射出的箭都击中了目标,昏头昏脑地为自己的成功而洋洋得意,而她的傲气与自负却越来越把她希望诱捕的目的物拒之于门外——看着这—切使我同时陷入了无尽的激动和无情的自制之中。

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她失败时,我知道她本可以取胜。我知道,那些不断擦过罗切斯特先生的胸膛,没有射中落在脚下的箭,要是由一个更为稳健的射手来射,满可以在他高傲的心坎上剧烈颤动——会在他严厉的目光中注入爱,在嘲弄的面部表情中注入柔情,或者更好,不需要武器便可无声把他征服。“为什么她有幸如此接近他,却无法给予他更大的影响呢?”我问自己。“当然她不可能真正喜欢他,或者真心实意爱他!要是那样,她就不必那么慷慨卖笑,频送秋波,不必如此装腔作势,卖弄风情了。我似乎觉得,她只要安安静静地坐在他身边,不必张口抬眼,就可以贴近他的心坎。我曾见到过他一种全然不同的表情,不象她此刻轻佻地同他搭讪时露出的冷漠态度。但那时这种表情是自然产生的,不是靠低俗的计谋和利己的手腕来索讨的。你只要接受它就是——他发问时你回答,不用弄虚作假;需要时同他说话,不必挤眉弄眼——而这种表情会越来越浓,越来越温和,越来越亲切,象滋养人的阳光那样使你感到温暖。他们结合以后,她怎样来使他高兴呢?我想她不会去想办法。不过该是可以做到使他高兴的。我真的相信,他的妻子会成为天底下最快乐的女人。”对罗切斯特先生从个人利益和亲属关系考虑的婚姻计划,我至今没有任何微词。我初次发觉他的这一打算时,很有些诧异。我曾认为像他这样的人,在择偶时不会为这么陈腐的动机所左右。但是我对男女双方的地位、教养等等考虑得越久,我越感到自己没有理由因为罗切斯特先生和英格拉姆小姐无疑在童年时就灌输进去的思想和原则行事,就责备他们。他们整个阶级的人都奉行这样的原则,我猜想他们也有我无法揣测的理由去恪守这些原则。我似乎觉得,如果我是一个像他这样的绅士,我也只会把自己所爱的妻子搂入怀中。然而这种打算显然对丈夫自身的幸福有利,所以未被普遍采纳,必定有我全然不知的争议,否则整个世界肯定会象我所想的那样去做了。但是在其他方面,如同在这方面一样,我对我主人渐渐地变得宽容了。我正在忘却他所有的缺点,而过去我是紧盯不放的。以前我研究他性格的各个方面,好坏都看,权衡两者,以作出公正的评价。现在我看不到坏的方面了。令人厌恶的嘲弄,一度使我吃惊的严厉,已不过像是一盘佳肴中浓重的调料,有了它,热辣辣好吃,没有它,便淡而无味。至于那种令人难以捉摸的东西——那种表情是阴险还是忧伤,是工于心计还是颓唐沮丧,——一个细心的旁观者会看到这种表情不时从他目光中流露出来,但是没等你探测暴露部分的神秘深渊,它又再次掩盖起来了。那种神态过去曾使我畏惧和退缩,仿佛徘徊在火山似的群山之中,突然感到大地颤抖,看到地面裂开了,间或我还能见到这样的表情,我依旧怦然心动,却并未神经麻木。我不想躲避,只渴望迎头而上,去探知它的底细。我认为英搭拉姆小姐很幸福,因为有一天她可以在闲暇时窥深这个深渊,考察它的秘密,分析这些秘密的性质。与此同时,在我只考虑我的主人和他未来的新娘时——眼睛只看见他们,耳朵只听见他们的谈话,心里只想着他们举足轻重的动作——其他宾客都沉浸于各自的兴趣与欢乐。林恩太太和英格拉姆太太依旧相伴,在严肃交谈。彼此点着戴了头巾帽的头,根据谈及的话题,各自举起双手,作着表示惊愕、迷惑或恐俱的手势,活象一对放大了的木偶。温存的登特太太同敦厚的埃希顿夫人在聊天,两位太太有时还同我说句把客套活,或者朝我笑笑。乔治.林恩爵士、登特上校和埃希顿先生在谈论政治、郡里的事或司法事务。英格拉姆勋爵和艾米.埃希顿在调情。路易莎弹琴唱歌给一位林恩先生听,也跟他一起弹唱。玛丽.英格拉姆懒洋洋地听着另一位林恩先生献殷勤的话。有时候,所有的人都不约而同地停止了自己的插曲,

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来观看和倾听主角们的表演,因为罗切斯特先生和——由于与他密切有关——英格拉姆小姐,毕竟是全场人的生命的灵魂。要是他离开房间一个小时,一种可以觉察到的沉闷情绪便悄悄地漫上客人们的心头,而他再一次进屋必定会给活跃的谈话注入新的激情。一天,他有事上米尔科特去了,要很晚才能回来,大家便特别感觉到缺少了他生气勃勃的感染力。那天下午下了雨,结果原来计划好的,徒步去看新近扎在海村工地上的吉卜赛人营房的事,也就推迟了。一些男士们去了马厩,年青一点的与小姐们一起在台球房里打台球。遗孀英格拉姆和林恩,安静地玩纸牌解闷。登特太太和埃希顿太太拉布兰奇.英格拉姆小姐一起聊天,她爱理不理地拒绝了,自己先是伴着钢琴哼了一些感伤的曲调,随后从图书室里拿了本小说,傲气十足却无精打彩地往沙发上一坐,准备用小说的魅力,来消磨几个钟头无人作伴的乏味时光。除了不时传来楼上玩台球人的欢叫,整个房间和整所房子都寂静无声。时候已近黄昏,教堂的钟声提醒人们已到了换装用饭的时刻。这当儿,在客厅里跪在我身边窗台上的阿黛勒突然大叫起来:“Voila Monsieur Rochester, qui revient!”我转过身,英格拉姆小姐从沙发上一跃而起,其余的人也停下自己的活动抬起头来。与此同时,车轮的吱嘎声和马蹄涉水的泼喇声,在湿漉漉的沙土路上隐约传来,一辆驿站马车驶近了。“他中了什么邪啦,这等模样回家来?”英格拉姆小姐说道。“他出门时骑的是梅斯罗(那匹黑马),不是吗?而派洛特也跟着他的,他把这两头动物怎么啦?”她说这话时,高高的身子和宽大的衣服紧挨着窗子,弄得我不得不往后仰,差一点绷断了脊骨。焦急之中,她起初没有看见我,但一见我便噘起嘴,走到另外一扇窗去了。马车停了下来,驾车人按了按门铃,一位穿着旅行装的绅士跳下车来。不过不是罗切斯特先生,是位看上去很时髦的大个子男人,一个陌生人。“真恼人!”英格拉姆小姐嚷道:“你这个讨厌的猴子!”(称呼阿黛勒)“谁将你弄上窗子谎报消息的?”她怒悻悻地瞥了我一眼,仿佛这是我的过错。大厅里隐隐约约响起了交谈声,来人很快便进了屋。他向英格拉姆太太行了个礼,认为她是在场的人中最年长的妇人。“看来我来得不是时候,夫人,”他说,“正巧我的朋友罗切斯特先生出门去了,可是我远道而来,我想可以作为关系密切的老相识,冒昧在这儿呆一下,等到他回来。”他的举止很客气,但说话的腔调听来有些异样——不是十足的外国腔,但也不完全是英国调。他的年龄与罗切斯特先生相仿——在三十与四十之间。他的肤色特别灰黄,要不然他倒是个英俊的男人,乍看之下尤其如此。仔细一打量,你会发现他脸上有种不讨人喜欢,或是无法让人喜欢的东西。他的五官很标准,但太松弛。他的眼睛大而悦目,但是从中透出的生气,却空洞乏味——至少我是这样想的。

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通知换装的铃声驱散了宾客。直到吃晚饭时我才再次见到他。那时他似乎已十分自在。但是我对他的面相却比初见面时更不喜欢了。我觉得它既不安稳又毫无生气。他的目光游移不定,漫无目的。这使他露出一付我从未见过的怪相。这样一个漂亮而且看来也并非不和蔼的男人,却使我极为讨厌。在那光滑的鹅蛋形脸蛋上没有魄力;在那个鹰钩鼻和那张樱桃小口上缺少坚毅;在那低平的额头上没有思想;在那空洞的褐色眼睛里没有控制力。我坐在往常的角落里,打量着他,借着壁炉上把他浑身照得透亮的枝形烛架上的光——因为他坐在靠近火炉的一把安乐椅上,还不住地挨近炉火,仿佛怕冷似的——我把他同罗切斯特先生作了比较。我想(但愿我这么说并无不敬)一只光滑的雄鹅和一只凶猛的猎鹰,一头驯服的绵羊和看守着它毛粗眼尖的猎狗之间的反差,也不见得比他们两者之间大。他说罗切斯特先生是他的故友,那必定是种奇怪的友谊,是古训“相反相成”的一个极好说明。两三位男士坐在他旁边,我听到了他们在房间另一头谈话的片断。起初我听不大懂,因为路易莎.埃希顿和玛丽.英格拉姆离我更近,她们的谈话使断断续续到我耳边的片言只语模糊不清。路易莎和玛丽两人在谈论着陌生人,都称他为“美男子”。路易莎说他是位“可爱的家伙”而且“喜欢他”,玛丽列举了“他的小嘴巴和漂亮鼻子”,认为是她心目中理想的魅力所在。“塑造得多好的额角!”路易莎叫道——“那么光滑——没有那种我讨厌透了的皱眉蹙额的怪样子,而且眼神和笑容多么恬静!”随后,我总算松了口气,因为亨利.林恩先生把她们叫到房间的另一头,去解决关于推迟去海村工地远足的某个问题了。此刻我可以把注意力集中到火炉边的一群人上了。我很快就明白来人叫梅森先生。接着我知道他刚到英国,来自某个气候炎热的国家,无疑那就是为什么他脸色那么灰黄,坐得那么靠近火炉,在室内穿着紧身长外衣的原因了。不久,诸如牙买加、金斯敦、西班牙城一类字眼,表明了他在西印度群岛居住过。没过一会儿,我颇为吃惊地了解到,他在那儿初次见到并结交了罗切斯特先生。他谈起他朋友不喜欢那个地区烤人的炎热,不喜欢飓风和雨季。我知道罗切斯特先生曾是位旅行家,费尔法克斯太太这么说过他。不过我想他游荡的足迹只限于欧洲大陆,在这之前我从未听人提起他到过更遥远的海岸。我正在细想这些事儿的时候,一件事情,一件颇为意外的事情,打断了我的思路。有人碰巧把门打开时,梅森先生哆嗦着要求在炉子上再加些煤,因为尽管大块煤渣依然通红发亮,但火焰已经燃尽。送煤进来的仆人走出去时凑近埃希顿先生低声对他说了什么,我只听清了“老太婆”——“挺讨厌”几个字。“要是她不走就把她铐起来,”法官回答说。“不——慢着!”登特上校打断了他。“别把她打发走,埃希顿。我们也许可以利用这件事,还是同女士们商量一下吧。”随后大着嗓门继续说道:“女士们,你们不是说起要去海村

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工地看一下吉卜赛人营地吗,这会儿萨姆说,现在有位本奇妈妈在仆人的饭厅里,硬要让人带到“有身份”的人面前,替他们算算命。你们愿意见她吗?’”“上校,”英格拉姆太太叫道,“当然你是不会怂恿这样一个低级骗子的吧?一定要立即把她撵走!”“不过我没法说服她走,夫人,”仆人说,“别的佣人也不行,现在费尔法克斯太太求她快走,可是她索性在烟囱角落坐了下来,说是不准许她进来她就不走。”“她要干什么?”埃希顿夫人间。“她说是‘给老爷们算命’,夫人,她发誓一定得给算一算,说到做到。”“她长相怎么样?”两位埃希顿小姐异口同声地问道。“一个丑得吓人的老东西,小姐,差不多跟煤烟一般黑。”“嗨,她是个道地的女巫了!”弗雷德里克.林恩嚷道,“当然,我们得让她进来。”“那还用说,”他兄弟回答说,“丢掉这样一个有趣的机会实在太可惜了。”“亲爱的孩子们,你们认为怎么样?”林恩太太嚷嚷道。“我可不能支持这种前后矛盾的做法,”英格拉姆夫人插话了。“说真的,妈妈,可是你能支持——你会的,”响起了布兰奇傲气十足的嗓音,这时她从琴凳上转过身来。刚才她还默默地坐着,显然在仔细翻阅各种乐谱。“我倒有兴趣听听人家算我的命,所以萨姆,把那个丑老太婆给叫进来。”“布兰奇我的宝贝!再想一想一—”“我是想了——你建议的,我都细想过了,我得按我的意愿办——快点,萨姆!”“好——好——好!”年轻人都齐声叫了起来,小姐们和先生们都不例外。“让她进来吧——这会是一场绝妙的游戏:”仆人依然犹豫不前。“她样子那么粗野,”他说。“去!”英格拉姆小姐喝道,于是这仆人便走了。众人便立即激动起来。萨姆返回时,相互正戏谑嘲弄,玩笑开得火热。“她现在不来了,”他说。“她说了她的使命不是到‘一群庸人(她的话)面前来的。我得带她独个儿进一个房间,然后,想要请教她的人得一个一个去。’”

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“现在你明白了吧,我的布兰奇女王”英格拉姆夫人开腔了,“她得寸进尺了。听说,我的天使姑娘——还有——”“带她进图书室,当然,‘天使姑娘’把话打断了。“在一群庸人面前听她说话也不是我的使命。我要让她单独跟我谈。图书室里生火了吗?”“生了,小姐——可她完全像个吉卜赛人。”“别多嘴了,笨蛋!照我吩咐的办。”萨姆再次消失,神秘、激动、期待的心情再次在人们心头翻腾。“她现在准备好了,”仆人再次进来说。“她想知道谁先去见她。”“我想女士们进去之前还是让我先去瞧一瞧她吧,”登特上校说。“告诉她,萨姆,一位绅士来了。”萨姆去了又回来了。“她说,先生,她不见男士,他们不必费心去接近她了,还有,”他好不容易忍住不笑出声来,补充道“女士们除了年轻单身的也不必见了。”“天哪!,她倒还挺有眼力呢!”亨利.林恩嚷道。英格拉姆小姐一本正经地站了起来:“我先去,”她说,那口气好像她是一位带领部下突围的敢死队队长。“呵,我的好人儿!呵,我最亲爱的!等一等——三思而行!”她妈妈喊道。但是她堂而皇之一声不吭地从她身边走过,进了登特上校为她开着的门,我们听见她进了图书室。接着是一阵相对的沉寂。英格拉姆太太认为该是搓手的‘lecas’了,于是便搓起手来,玛丽小姐宣布,她觉得换了她是不敢冒险的。艾米和路易莎.埃希顿在低声窃笑,面有惧色。分分秒秒过得很慢,图书室的门再次打开时,才数到十五分钟。英格拉姆小姐走过拱门回到了我们这里。她会嗤之以鼻吗?她会一笑了之?——众人都带着急切好奇的目光迎着她,她报之以冷漠的眼神,看上去既不慌张也不愉快,扳着面孔走向自己的座位,默默地坐了下来。“嗨,布兰奇?”英格拉姆勋爵叫道。“她说了什么啦,姐姐?”玛丽问。

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“你认为怎样?感觉如何?她是个地道算命的吗?”埃希顿姐妹问。“好了,好了,你们这些好人,”英格拉姆小姐回答道“别硬逼我了,你们的那些主管惊讶和轻信的器官,也实在太容易给激发起来了。你们大家——也包括我的好姐姐——都那么重视这件事——似乎绝对相信这屋子里真有一个与恶魔勾结的巫婆。我见过一个吉卜赛流浪者,她用陈腐的方法操弄着手相术,告诉我她们那些人往往会怎样给人算命。我已经过了解,现在我想埃希顿先生会像他恫吓过的那样,行个好,明天一早把这个丑老婆子铐起来。”英格拉姆小姐拿了本书,身子往椅背上一靠,不愿再和别人交谈了。我观察了她近半个小时,这半个小时内她没有翻过一页书。她的脸色一瞬间变得更阴沉、更不满,更加愤怒地流露出失望的心情来。显而易见她没有听到过对她有利的话,她那么久久地郁郁不欢、沉默无语,倒似乎使我觉得,尽管她表白自己不在乎,其实对女巫所昭示的,过份重视了。同时,玛丽.英格拉姆、艾米和路易莎.埃希顿表示不敢单独前往,却又都希望去试试。通过萨姆这位使者的斡旋,她们开始了一场谈判。萨姆多次往返奔波,小腿也想必累疼了。经过一番波折,终于从这位寸步不让的女巫嘴里,讨得许可,让她们三人一起去见她。她们的拜访可不像英格拉姆小姐的那么安静。我们听见图书室里传来歇斯底里的嬉笑声和轻轻的尖叫声。大约二十分钟后,她们砰地推开了门,奔跑着穿过大厅,仿佛吓得没命儿似的。“我敢肯定她有些不对头!”她们一齐叫喊起来。“她竟然同我们说这些话!我们的事儿她全知道!”她们各自气喘吁吁地往男士们急着端过来的椅子上砰地坐了下来。众人缠住她们,要求细说。她们便说,这算命的讲了些她们小时候说过的话,做过的事;描绘了她们家中闺房里所拥有的书和装饰品,不同亲戚分赠给她们的纪念品。她们断定她甚至摸透了她们的想法,在每个人的耳边悄声说出她最喜欢的人的名字,告诉她们各人的夙愿。说到这里,男客们插嘴了,急急乎请求她们对最后谈到的两点,进一步透露一下。然而面对这些人的纠缠,她们颤栗着脸涨得通红,又是叫呀又是笑。同时太太们递上了香嗅瓶,摇起扇来,还因为没有及时接受她们的劝告,而一再露出不安的表情。年长的男士们大笑不止,年青的赶紧

Chapter 19

THE library looked tranquil enough as I entered it, and the Sibyl- if Sibyl she were- was seated snugly enough in an easy-chair at the chimney-corner. She had on a red cloak and a black bonnet: or rather, a broad-brimmed gipsy hat, tied down with a striped handkerchief under her chin. An extinguished candle stood on the table; she was bending over the fire, and seemed reading in a little black book, like a prayer-book, by the light of the blaze: she muttered the words to herself, as most old women do, while

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she read; she did not desist immediately on my entrance: it appeared she wished to finish a paragraph.I stood on the rug and warmed my hands, which were rather cold with sitting at a distance from the drawing-room fire. I felt now as composed as ever I did in my life: there was nothing indeed in the gipsy's appearance to trouble one's calm. She shut her book and slowly looked up; her hat-brim partially shaded her face, yet I could see, as she raised it, that it was a strange one. It looked all brown and black: elf-locks bristled out from beneath a white band which passed under her chin, and came half over her cheeks, or rather jaws: her eye confronted me at once, with a bold and direct gaze.

'Well, and you want your fortune told?' she said, in a voice as decided as her glance, as harsh as her features.

'I don't care about it, mother; you may please yourself: but I ought to warn you, I have no faith.'

'It's like your impudence to say so: I expected it of you; I heard it in your step as you crossed the threshold.'

'Did you? You've a quick ear.'

'I have; and a quick eye and a quick brain.'

'You need them all in your trade.'

'I do; especially when I've customers like you to deal with. Why don't you tremble?'

'I'm not cold.'

'Why don't you turn pale?'

'I am not sick.'

'Why don't you consult my art?'

'I'm not silly.'

The old crone 'nichered' a laugh under her bonnet and bandage; she then drew out a short black pipe, and lighting it began to smoke. Having indulged a while in this sedative, she raised her bent body, took the pipe from her lips, and while gazing steadily at the fire, said very deliberately- 'You are cold; you are sick; and you are silly.'

'Prove it,' I rejoined.

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'I will, in few words. You are cold, because you are alone: no contact strikes the fire from you that is in you. You are sick; because the best of feelings, the highest and the sweetest given to man, keeps far away from you. You are silly, because, suffer as you may, you will not beckon it to approach, nor will you stir one step to meet it where it waits you.'

She again put her short black pipe to her lips, and renewed her smoking with vigour.

'You might say all that to almost any one who you knew lived as a solitary dependant in a great house.'

'I might say it to almost any one: but would it be true of almost any one?'

'In my circumstances.'

'Yes; just so, in your circumstances: but find me another precisely placed as you are.'

'It would be easy to find you thousands.'

'You could scarcely find me one. If you knew it, you are peculiarly situated: very near happiness; yes, within reach of it. The materials are all prepared; there only wants a movement to combine them. Chance laid them somewhat apart; let them be once approached and bliss results.'

'I don't understand enigmas. I never could guess a riddle in my life.'

'If you wish me to speak more plainly, show me your palm.'

'And I must cross it with silver, I suppose?'

'To be sure.'

I gave her a shilling: she put it into an old stocking-foot which she took out of her pocket, and having tied it round and returned it, she told me to hold out my hand. I did. She approached her face to the palm, and pored over it without touching it.

'It is too fine,' said she. 'I can make nothing of such a hand as that; almost without lines: besides, what is in a palm? Destiny is not written there.'

'I believe you,' said I.

'No,' she continued, 'it is in the face: on the forehead, about the eyes, in the eyes themselves, in the lines of the mouth. Kneel, and lift up your head.'

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'Ah! now you are coming to reality,' I said, as I obeyed her. 'I shall begin to put some faith in you presently.'

I knelt within half a yard of her. She stirred the fire, so that a ripple of light broke from the disturbed coal: the glare, however, as she sat, only threw her face into deeper shadow: mine, it illumined.

'I wonder with what feelings you came to me to-night,' she said, when she had examined me a while. 'I wonder what thoughts are busy in your heart during all the hours you sit in yonder room with the fine people flitting before you like shapes in a magic-lantern: just as little sympathetic communion passing between you and them as if they were really mere shadows of human forms, and not the actual substance.'

'I feel tired often, sleepy sometimes, but seldom sad.'

'Then you have some secret hope to buoy you up and please you with whispers of the future?'

'Not I. The utmost I hope is, to save money enough out of my earnings to set up a school some day in a little house rented by myself.'

'A mean nutriment for the spirit to exist on: and sitting in that window-seat (you see I know your habits)-'

'You have learned them from the servants.'

'Ah! you think yourself sharp. Well, perhaps I have: to speak truth, I have an acquaintance with one of them, Mrs. Poole-'  I started to my feet when I heard the name.

'You have- have you?' thought I; 'there is diablerie in the business after all, then!'

'Don't be alarmed,' continued the strange being; 'she's a safe hand is Mrs. Poole: close and quiet; any one may repose confidence in her.

But, as I was saying: sitting in that window-seat, do you think of nothing but your future school? Have you no present interest in any of the company who occupy the sofas and chairs before you? Is there not one face you study? one figure whose movements you follow with at least curiosity?'

'I like to observe all the faces and all the figures.'

'But do you never single one from the rest-or it may be, two?'

'I do frequently; when the gestures or looks of a pair seem telling a tale: it amuses me to watch them.'

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'What tale do you like best to hear?'

'Oh, I have not much choice! They generally run on the same theme- courtship; and promise to end in the same catastrophe- marriage.'

'And do you like that monotonous theme?'

'Positively, I don't care about it: it is nothing to me.'

'Nothing to you? When a lady, young and full of life and health, charming with beauty and endowed with the gifts of rank and fortune, sits and smiles in the eyes of a gentleman you-'

'I what?'

'You know- and perhaps think well of.'

'I don't know the gentlemen here. I have scarcely interchanged a syllable with one of them; and as to thinking well of them, I consider some respectable, and stately, and middle-aged, and others young, dashing, handsome, and lively: but certainly they are all at liberty to be the recipients of whose smiles they please, without my feeling disposed to consider the transaction of any moment to me.'

'You don't know the gentlemen here? You have not exchanged a syllable with one of them? Will you say that of the master of the house!'

'He is not at home.'

'A profound remark! A most ingenious quibble! He went to Millcote this morning, and will be back here to-night or to-morrow: does that circumstance exclude him from the list of your acquaintance- blot him, as it were, out of existence?'

'No; but I can scarcely see what Mr. Rochester has to do with the theme you had introduced.'

'I was talking of ladies smiling in the eyes of gentlemen; and of late so many smiles have been shed into Mr. Rochester's eyes that they overflow like two cups filled above the brim: have you never remarked that?'

'Mr. Rochester has a right to enjoy the society of his guests.'

'No question about his right: but have you never observed that, of all the tales told here about matrimony, Mr. Rochester has been favoured with the most lively and the most continuous?'

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'The eagerness of a listener quickens the tongue of a narrator.'

I said this rather to myself than to the gipsy, whose strange talk, voice, manner, had by this time wrapped me in a kind of dream. One unexpected sentence came from her lips after another, till I got involved in a web of mystification; and wondered what unseen spirit had been sitting for weeks by my heart watching its workings and taking record of every pulse.

'Eagerness of a listener!' repeated she: 'yes; Mr. Rochester has sat by the hour, his ear inclined to the fascinating lips that took such delight in their task of communicating; and Mr. Rochester was so willing to receive and looked so grateful for the pastime given him; you have noticed this?'

'Grateful! I cannot remember detecting gratitude in his face.'

'Detecting! You have analysed, then. And what did you detect, if not gratitude?'

I said nothing.

'You have seen love: have you not?- and, looking forward, you have seen him married, and beheld his bride happy?'

'Humph! Not exactly. Your witch's skill is rather at fault sometimes.'

'What the devil have you seen, then?'

'Never mind: I came here to inquire, not to confess. Is it known that Mr. Rochester is to be married?'

'Yes; and to the beautiful Miss Ingram.'

'Shortly?'

'Appearances would warrant that conclusion: and, no doubt (though, with an audacity that wants chastising out of you, you seem to question it), they will be a superlatively happy pair. He must love such a handsome, noble, witty, accomplished lady; and probably she loves him, or, if not his person, at least his purse. I know she considers the Rochester estate eligible to the last degree; though (God pardon me!) I told her something on that point about an hour ago which made her look wondrous grave: the corners of her mouth fell half an inch. I would advise her black-aviced suitor to look out: if another comes, with a longer or clearer rent-roll,- he's dished-'

'But, mother, I did not come to hear Mr. Rochester's fortune: I came to hear my own; and you have told me nothing of it.'

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'Your fortune is yet doubtful: when I examined your face, one trait contradicted another. Chance has meted you a measure of happiness: that I know. I knew it before I came here this evening. She has laid it carefully on one side for you. I saw her do it. It depends on yourself to stretch out your hand, and take it up: but whether you will do so, is the problem I study. Kneel again on the rug.'

'Don't keep me long; the fire scorches me.'

I knelt. She did not stoop towards me, but only gazed, leaning back in her chair. She began muttering,-

'The flame flickers in the eye; the eye shines like dew; it looks soft and full of feeling; it smiles at my jargon; it is susceptible; impression follows impression through its clear sphere; where it ceases to smile, it is sad; an unconscious lassitude weighs on the lid: that signifies melancholy resulting from loneliness. It turns from me; it will not suffer further scrutiny; it seems to deny, by a mocking glance, the truth of the discoveries I have already made,- to disown the charge both of sensibility and chagrin: its pride and reserve only confirm me in my opinion. The eye is favourable.

'As to the mouth, it delights at times in laughter; it is disposed to impart all that the brain conceives; though I daresay it would be silent on much the heart experiences. Mobile and flexible, it was never intended to be compressed in the eternal silence of solitude; it is a mouth which should speak much and smile often, and have human affection for its interlocutor. That feature too is propitious.

'I see no enemy to a fortunate issue but in the brow; and that brow professes to say,- "I can live alone, if self-respect and circumstances require me so to do. I need not sell my soul to buy bliss. I have an inward treasure born with me, which can keep me alive if all extraneous delights should be withheld, or offered only at a price I cannot afford to give." The forehead declares, "Reason sits firm and holds the reins, and she will not let the feelings burst away and hurry her to wild chasms. The passions may rage furiously, like true heathens, as they are; and the desires may imagine all sorts of vain things: but judgment shall still have the last word in every argument, and the casting vote in every decision. Strong wind, earthquake-shock, and fire may pass by: but I shall follow the guiding of that still small voice which interprets the dictates of conscience."

'Well said, forehead; your declaration shall be respected. I have formed my plans- right plans I deem them- and in them I have attended to the claims of conscience, the counsels of reason. I know how soon youth would fade and bloom perish, if, in the cup of bliss offered, but one dreg of shame, or one flavour of remorse were detected; and I do not want sacrifice, sorrow, dissolution- such is not my taste. I wish to foster, not to blight- to earn gratitude, not to wring tears of blood- no, nor of brine: my harvest must be in smiles, in endearments, in sweet- That will do. I think I rave in a kind of exquisite delirium. I should wish now to protract this moment ad infinitum; but I dare not. So far I

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have governed myself thoroughly. I have acted as I inwardly swore I would act; but further might try me beyond my strength. Rise, Miss Eyre: leave me;

"the play is played out."'

Where was I? Did I wake or sleep? Had I been dreaming? Did I dream still? The old woman's voice had changed: her accent, her gesture, and all were familiar to me as my own face in a glass- as the speech of my own tongue. I got up, but did not go. I looked; I stirred the fire, and I looked again: but she drew her bonnet and her bandage closer about her face, and again beckoned me to depart. The flame illuminated her hand stretched out: roused now, and on the alert for discoveries, I at once noticed that hand. It was no more the withered limb of eld than my own; it was a rounded supple member, with smooth fingers, symmetrically turned; a broad ring flashed on the little finger, and stooping forward, I looked at it, and saw a gem I had seen a hundred times before. Again I looked at the face; which was no longer turned from me- on the contrary, the bonnet was doffed, the bandage displaced, the head advanced.

'Well, Jane, do you know me?' asked the familiar voice.

'Only take off the red cloak, sir, and then-'

'But the string is in a knot- help me.'

'Break it, sir.'

'There, then- "Off, ye lendings!"' And Mr. Rochester stepped out of his disguise.

'Now, sir, what a strange idea!'

'But well carried out, eh? Don't you think so?'

'With the ladies you must have managed well.'

'But not with you?'

'You did not act the character of a gipsy with me.'

'What character did I act? My own?'

'No; some unaccountable one. In short, I believe you have been trying to draw me out- or in; you have been talking nonsense to make me talk nonsense. It is scarcely fair, sir.'

'Do you forgive me, Jane?'

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'I cannot tell till I have thought it all over. If, on reflection, I find I have fallen into no great absurdity, I shall try to forgive you; but it was not right.'

'Oh, you have been very correct- very careful, very sensible.'

I reflected, and thought, on the whole, I had. It was a comfort; but, indeed, I had been on my guard almost from the beginning of the interview. Something of masquerade I suspected. I knew gipsies and fortune-tellers did not express themselves as this seeming old woman had expressed herself; besides I had noted her feigned voice, her anxiety to conceal her features. But my mind had been running on Grace Poole- that living enigma, that mystery of mysteries, as I considered her. I had never thought of Mr. Rochester.

'Well,' said he, 'what are you musing about? What does that grave smile signify?'

'Wonder and self-congratulation, sir. I have your permission to retire now, I suppose?'

'No; stay a moment; and tell me what the people in the drawing-room yonder are doing.'

'Discussing the gipsy, I daresay.'

'Sit down!- Let me hear what they said about me.'

'I had better not stay long, sir; it must be near eleven o'clock.

Oh, are you aware, Mr. Rochester, that a stranger has arrived here since you left this morning?'

'A stranger!- no; who can it be? I expected no one; is he gone?'

'No; he said he had known you long, and that he could take the liberty of installing himself here till you returned.'

'The devil he did! Did he give his name?'

'His name is Mason, sir; and he comes from the West Indies; from Spanish Town, in Jamaica, I think.'

Mr. Rochester was standing near me; he had taken my hand, as if to lead me to a chair. As I spoke he gave my wrist a convulsive grip; the smile on his lips froze: apparently a spasm caught his breath.

'Mason!- the West Indies!' he said, in the tone one might fancy a speaking automaton to enounce its single words; 'Mason!- the West Indies!' he reiterated; and he went over the syllables three times, growing, in the intervals of speaking, whiter than ashes: he hardly seemed to know what he was doing.

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'Do you feel ill, sir?' I inquired.

'Jane, I've got a blow; I've got a blow, Jane!' He staggered.

'Oh, lean on me, sir.'

'Jane, you offered me your shoulder once before; let me have it now.'

'Yes, sir, yes; and my arm.'

He sat down, and made me sit beside him. Holding my hand in both his own, he chafed it; gazing on me, at the same time, with the most troubled and dreary look.

'My little friend!' said he, 'I wish I were in a quiet island with only you; and trouble, and danger, and hideous recollections removed from me.'

'Can I help you, sir?- I'd give my life to serve you.'

'Jane, if aid is wanted, I'll seek it at your hands; I promise you that.'

'Thank you, sir. Tell me what to do,- I'll try, at least, to do it.'

'Fetch me now, Jane, a glass of wine from the dining-room: they will be at supper there; and tell me if Mason is with them, and what he is doing.'

I went. I found all the party in the dining-room at supper, as Mr. Rochester had said; they were not seated at table,- the supper was arranged on the sideboard; each had taken what he chose, and they stood about here and there in groups, their plates and glasses in their hands. Every one seemed in high glee; laughter and conversation were general and animated. Mr. Mason stood near the fire, talking to Colonel and Mrs. Dent, and appeared as merry as any of them. I filled a wine-glass (I saw Miss Ingram watch me frowningly as I did so: she thought I was taking a liberty, I daresay), and I returned to the library.

Mr. Rochester's extreme pallor had disappeared, and he looked once more firm and stern. He took the glass from my hand.

'Here is to your health, ministrant spirit!' he said. He swallowed the contents and returned it to me. 'What are they doing, Jane?'

'Laughing and talking, sir.'

'They don't look grave and mysterious, as if they had heard something strange?'

'Not at all: they are full of jests and gaiety.'

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'And Mason?'

'He was laughing too.'

'If all these people came in a body and spat at me, what would you do, Jane?'

'Turn them out of the room, sir, if I could.'

He half smiled. 'But if I were to go to them, and they only looked at me coldly, and whispered sneeringly amongst each other, and then dropped off and left me one by one, what then? Would you go with them?'

'I rather think not, sir: I should have more pleasure in staying with you.'

'To comfort me?'

'Yes, sir, to comfort you, as well as I could.'

'And if they laid you under a ban for adhering to me?'

'I, probably, should know nothing about their ban; and if I did, I should care nothing about it.'

'Then, you could dare censure for my sake?'

'I could dare it for the sake of any friend who deserved my adherence; as you, I am sure, do.'

'Go back now into the room; step quietly up to Mason, and whisper in his ear that Mr. Rochester is come and wishes to see him: show him in here and then leave me.'

'Yes, sir.'

I did his behest. The company all stared at me as I passed straight among them. I sought Mr. Mason, delivered the message, and preceded him from the room: I ushered him into the library, and then I went upstairs.

At a late hour, after I had been in bed some time, I heard the visitors repair to their chambers: I distinguished Mr. Rochester's voice, and heard him say, 'This way, Mason; this is your room.'

He spoke cheerfully: the gay tones set my heart at ease. I was soon asleep. 

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我进门的时候,图书室显得很安静,那女巫——如果她确实是的话,舒适地坐在烟囱角落的安乐椅上。她身披红色斗篷,头戴一顶黑色女帽,或者不如说宽边吉卜赛帽,用一块条子手帕系到了下巴上。桌子上立着一根熄灭了的蜡烛。她俯身向着火炉,借着火光,似乎在读一本祈祷书般的黑色小书,一面读,一面象大多数老妇人那样,口中念念有词。我进门时她并没有立即放下书来,似乎想把一段读完。我站在地毯上,暖了暖冰冷的手,因为在客厅时我坐得离火炉较远。这时我像往常那么平静,说实在吉卜赛人的外表没有什么会使我感到不安。她合上书,慢慢抬起头来,帽沿遮住了脸的一部份。但是她扬起头来时,我们能看清楚她的面容很古怪。乱发从绕过下巴的白色带子下钻了出来,漫过半个脸颊,或者不如说下颚。她的目光立即与我的相遇,大胆地直视着我。“噢,你想要算命吗?”她说,那口气像她的目光那样坚定,像她的五官那样严厉。“我并不在乎,大妈,随你便吧,不过我得提醒你,我并不相信。”“说话这么无礼倒是你的脾性,我料定你会这样,你跨过门槛的时候,我从你的脚步声里就听出来了。”“是吗?你的耳朵真尖。”“不错,而且眼睛亮,脑子快。”“干你这一行倒是都需要的。”“我是需要的,尤其是对付像你这样的顾客的时候。你干嘛不发抖?”“我并不冷。”“你为什么脸不发白?”“我没有病。”“你为什么不来请教我的技艺?”“我不傻。”这老太婆在帽子和带子底下爆发出了一阵笑声。随后取出一个短短的烟筒,点上烟,开始抽了起来。她在这份镇静剂里沉迷了一会儿后,便直起了弯着的腰,从嘴里取下烟筒,一面呆呆地盯着炉火,一面不慌不忙地说:“你很冷;你有病;你很傻。”“拿出证据来,”我回答,

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“一定,三言两语就行。你很冷,因为你孤身一人,没有交往,激发不了内心的火花。你病了,因为给予男人的最好、最高尚、最甜蜜的感情,与你无缘。你很傻,因为尽管你很痛苦,你却既不会主动去召唤它靠近你,也不会跨出一步,上它等候你的地方去迎接它。”她再次把那杆黑色的短烟筒放进嘴里,使劲吸了起来。“凡是你所知道寄居在大房子里的孤独者,你几乎都可以说这样的话。”“是几乎对谁都可以这么说,但几乎对谁都适用吗?”“适合处于我这种情况的人。”“是的,一点也不错,适合你的情况。不过你倒给我找个处境跟你一模一样的人看看。”“我猜还得在上面放上银币吧?”“当然。”我给了她一个先令。她从口袋里掏出一只旧长袜,把钱币放进去,用袜子系好,放回原处。她让我伸出手去,我照办了。她把脸贴近我手掌,细细看了起来,但没有触碰它。“太细嫩了,”她说。“这样的手我什么也看不出来,几乎没有皱纹。况且,手掌里会有什么呢?命运又不刻在那儿。”“我相信你,”我说。“不,”她继续说,“它刻在脸上,在额头,在眼睛周围,在眸子里面,在嘴巴的线条上。跪下来,抬起你的头来。”“哦!你现在可回到现实中来了,”我一面按她的话做,一面说。“我马上开始有些相信你了。”我跪在离她半码远的地方。她拨着炉火,在翻动过的煤块中,射出了一轮光圈。因为她坐着,那光焰只会使她的脸蒙上更深的阴影,而我的面容却被照亮了。“我不知道你是带着什么样的心情上我这儿来的,”她仔细打量了我一会儿后说。“你在那边房间里,几小时几小时枯坐着,面对一群贵人,象幻灯中的影子那么晃动着,这时你心里会有什么想法呢,这些人与你没有什么情感的交流,好像不过是外表似人的影子,而不是实实在在的人。”“我常觉得疲倦,有时很困,但很少悲伤。”“那你有某种秘密的愿望支撑着你,预告着你的将来,使你感到高兴。”

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“我才不这样呢。我的最大愿望,是积攒下足够的钱,将来自己租一间小小的房子,办起学校来。”“养料不足,精神无法依存,况且坐在窗台上(你明白了她知道我的习惯)——”“你是从仆人那儿打听来的。”“呵,你自以为灵敏。好吧——也许我是这样。跟你说实话,我同其中一位——普尔太太——相识。”一听到这个名字,我立刻惊跳起来。“你认识她——是吗?”我思忖道,“那么,这里头看来是有魔法了。”“别惊慌,”这个怪人继续说,“普尔太太很可靠,嘴巴紧,话不多。谁都可以信赖。不过像我说的,坐在窗台上,你就光想将来办学校,别的什么也不想?那些坐在你面前沙发上和椅子上的人,眼下你对其中哪一位感兴趣吗?你一张面孔都没有仔细端详过吗?至少出于好奇,你连一个人的举动都没有去注意过?”“我喜欢观察所有的面孔和所有的身影。”“可是你没有撇开其余,光盯住一个人——或者,也许两个?”“我经常这么做,那是在两个人的手势和神色似乎在叙述一个故事的时候,注视他们对我来说是一种乐趣。”“你最喜欢听什么故事?”“呵,我没有多大选择的余地:它们一般奏的都是同一主题——求婚,而且都预示着同一灾难性的结局——结婚。”“你喜欢这单调的主题吗?”“我一点也不在乎,这与我无关。”“与你无关?有这样一位小姐,她既年轻活泼健康,又美丽动人,而且财富和地位与生俱来,坐在一位绅士的面前,笑容可掬,而你——”“我怎么样?”“你认识——而且也许还有好感。”“我并不了解这儿的先生们。我几乎同谁都没有说过一句话。至于对他们有没有好感,我认为有几位高雅庄重,已到中年;其余几位年青、潇洒、漂亮、活跃。当然他们有充分自由,爱接受谁的笑就接受谁的笑,我不必把感情介入进去,考虑这件事对我是否至关重要。”

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“你不了解这儿的先生们吗?你没有同谁说过一句话?你对屋里的主人也这么说吗?”“他不在家。”“讲得多玄妙!多么高明的诡辩:今天早上他上米尔科特去了,要到夜里或者明天早上才回来,难道因为这临时的情况,你就把他排除在熟人之外——仿佛完全抹煞他的存在?”“不,但我几乎不明白罗切斯特先生与你提出的主题有什么关系。”“我刚才谈到女士们在先生们眼前笑容满面,最近那么多笑容注进了罗切斯特先生的眼里,他的双眼就像两只满得快要溢出来的杯子,你对此从来没有想法吗?”“罗切斯特先生有权享受同宾客们交往的乐趣。”“毫无问题他有这权利,可是你没有觉察到吗,这里所议论到的婚姻传闻中,罗切斯特先生有幸被人谈得最起劲,而且人们一直兴趣不减吗?”“听的人越焦急,说的人越起劲。”我与其说是讲给吉卜赛人听,还不如说在自言自语。这时吉卜赛人奇怪的谈话、噪音和举动己使我进入了一种梦境,意外的话从她嘴里一句接一句吐出来,直至我陷进了一张神秘的网络,怀疑有什么看不见的精灵,几周来一直守在我心坎里,观察着心的运转,记录下了每次搏动。“听的人越焦急?”她重复了一遍。“不错,此刻罗切斯特先生是坐在那儿,侧耳倾听着那迷人的嘴巴在兴高彩烈地交谈。罗切斯特先生十分愿意接受,并且后来十分感激提供给他的消遣,你注意到这点了吗?”“感激!我并不记得在他脸上察觉到过感激之情。”“察觉!你还分析过呢。如果不是感激之情,那你察觉到了什么?”我什么也没有说。“你看到了爱,不是吗,而且往前一看,你看到他们结了婚,看到了他的新娘快乐吗?”“哼!不完全如此。有时候你的巫技也会出差错。”“那么你到底看到了什么?”“你别管了,我是来询问,不是来表白的,不是谁都知道罗切斯特先生要结婚了吗?”“是的,同漂亮的英格拉姆小姐。”“马上?”

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“种种迹象将证实这一结论(虽然你真该挨揍,竟敢大胆提出疑问),毫无疑问,他们会是无比快乐的一对。他一定会喜爱这样一位美丽、高贵、风趣、多才多艺的小姐,而很可能她也爱他,要不如果不是爱他本人,至少爱他的钱包。我知道她认为罗切斯特家的财产是十分合意的(上帝宽恕我),虽然一小时之前我在这事儿上给她透了点风,她听了便沉下了脸,嘴角挂下了半英寸。我会劝她的黑脸求婚者小心为是,要是又来个求婚的人,房租地租的收入更丰,——那他就完蛋——”“可是,大妈,我不是来听你替罗切斯特先生算命的,我来听你算我的命,你却一点也没有谈过呢。”,“你的命运还很难确定。我看了你的脸相,各个特征都相互矛盾。命运赐给了你一份幸福,这我知道,是我今晚来这里之前晓得的。她已经小心翼翼地替你把幸福放在一边,我看见她这么干的。现在就看你自己伸手去把它抢起来了,不过你是否愿意这么做,是我要琢磨的问题。?饔《热旱海 彼?钅钣写剩?涯羌父鲎种馗戳巳?椋?祷暗募湎叮?成?准铀阑遥?负醪恢?雷约涸诟墒裁础?br> “你不舒服,先生?”我问。“简,我受了打击,——我受了打击,简!”他身子摇摇晃晃。“呵!——靠在我身上,先生。”“简,你的肩膀曾支撑过我,现在再支撑一回吧。”“好的,先生,好的,还有我的胳膊。”他坐了下来,让我坐在他旁边,用双手握住我的手,搓了起来,同时黯然神伤地凝视着我。“我的小朋友,”他说,“我真希望呆在一个平静的小岛上,只有你我在一起,烦恼、危险、讨厌的往事都离我们远远的。”“我能帮助你吗,先生?——我愿献出生命,为你效劳。”“简,要是我需要援手,我会找你帮忙,我答应你。”“谢谢你,先生。告诉我该干什么——至少我会尽力的。”“简,替我从餐室里拿杯酒来,他们会都在那里吃晚饭,告诉我梅森是不是同他们在一起,他在干什么?µ 赤绲幕独侄急话?幔?蛘呋独值拇?鄹哂谖业某ジ赌芰 κ保??苁刮一钕氯ァ!?钔反笊?档溃??碇俏茸?欢??粑甄稚??蝗们楦姓跬眩??约捍?牖奈叩纳钤 ā<で榛嵯蟮赖氐囊旖掏侥茄?衽?厍阈海???岬⒂谛槲掮蚊斓幕孟耄??桥卸显诿看握?粗腥猿钟芯龆ㄈ ǎ?诿恳痪霾咧姓莆兆派?镭?氐囊黄薄?穹纭⒌卣鸷退?炙淙欢蓟峤盗伲??医??幽且廊幌肝⒌纳?舻闹敢??蛭?撬?馐土肆夹牡拿?睢!?br> 说得好,前额,你的宣言将得到尊重。我已经订好了计划——我认为是正确的计划——内中我照应到良心的要求,理智的忠告。我明白在端上来的幸福之杯中,只要发现一块耻辱的沉渣,一丝悔恨之情,青春就会很快逝去,花朵就会立即凋零。而我不要牺牲、悲伤和死

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亡——这些不合我的口味。我希望培植,不希望摧残——希望赢得感激,而不是拧出血泪来——不,不是泪水;我的收获必须是微笑、抚慰和甜蜜——这样才行。我想我是在美梦中呓语,我真想把眼前这一刻 adinfinitum延长,但我不敢。到现在为止,我自我控制得很好,像心里暗暗发誓的那样行动,但是再演下去也许要经受一场非我力所能及的考验。起来,爱小姐,离开我吧,‘戏已经演完了’。”我在哪儿呢?是醒着还是睡着了?我一直在做梦吗?此刻还在做?这老太婆已换了嗓门。她的口音、她的手势、她的一切,就象镜中我自己的面孔,也象我口中说的话,我都非常熟悉。我立起身来,但并没有走,我瞧了瞧,拨了拨火,再瞧了她一下,但是她把帽子和绷带拉得紧贴在脸上,而且再次摆手让我走。火焰照亮了她伸出的手。这时我已清醒,一心想发现什么,立即注意到了这只手。跟我的手一样,这不是只老年人干枯的手,它丰满柔软,手指光滑而匀称,一个粗大的戒指在小手指上闪闪发光。我弯腰凑过去细瞧了一下,看到了一块我以前见过上百次的宝石。我再次打量了那张脸,这回可没有避开我——相反,帽子脱了,绷带也扯了,脑袋伸向了我。“嗨,简,你认识我吗?”那熟悉的口音问。“你只要脱下红色的斗篷,先生,那就——”“可是这绳子打了结——帮我一下。”“扯断它,先生。”“好吧,那么——”“脱下来,你们这些身外之物!”罗切斯特先生脱去了伪装。“哦,先生,这是个多奇怪的主意!”“不过干得很好,嗯?你不这样想吗?”“对付女士们,你也许应付得很好。”“但对你不行?”“你并没对我扮演吉卜赛人的角色。”“我演了什么角色啦?我自己吗?”“不,某个无法理解的人物。总之,我相信你一直要把我的话套出来,——或者把我也扯进去。你一直在胡说八道为的是让我也这样,这很难说是公平的,先生。”“你宽恕我吗,简?”“我要仔细想想后才能回答。如果经过考虑我觉得自己并没有干出荒唐的事来,那我会努力宽恕你的,不过这样做不对。”

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“呵,你刚才一直做得很对——非常谨慎,非常明智。”我沉思了一下,大体认为自己是这样。那是一种愉快。不过说实在一与他见面我便已存戒心,怀疑是一种假面游戏,我知道吉卜赛人和算命的人的谈吐,不像那个假老太婆。此外,我还注意到了她的假嗓子,注意到了她要遮掩自己面容的焦急心情。可是我脑子里一直想着格雷斯.普尔——那个活着的谜,因此压根儿没有想到罗切斯特先生。“好吧,”他说,“你呆呆地在想什么呀?那严肃的笑容是什么意思?”“惊讶和庆幸,先生。我想,现在你可以允许我离开了吧?”“不,再呆一会儿。告诉我那边会客室里的人在干什么?”“我想是在议论那个吉卜赛人。”“坐下,坐下!——讲给我听听他们说我什么啦?”“我还是不要久待好,先生。准己快十一点了。呵!你可知道,罗切斯特先生,你早晨走后,有位陌生人到了。”“陌生人!——不,会是谁呢?我并没有盼谁来,他走了吗?”“没有呢,他说他与你相识很久,可以冒昧地住下等到你回来。”“见鬼!他可说了姓名?”“他的名字叫梅森,先生,他是从西印度群岛来的,我想是牙买加的西班牙城。”罗切斯特先生正站在我身旁。他拉住了我的手,仿佛要领我坐到一条椅子上。我一说出口,他便一阵痉挛,紧紧抓住我的手,嘴上的笑容冻结了,显然一阵抽搐使他透不过气来。“梅森!——西印度群岛!”他说,那口气使人想起一架自动说话机,吐着单个词汇:“梅森!——西印度群岛!”他念念有词,把那几个字重复了三遍,说话的间隙,脸色白加死灰,几乎不知道自己在干什么。“你不舒服,先生?”我问。“简,我受了打击,——我受了打击,简!”他身子摇摇晃晃。“呵!——靠在我身上,先生。”“简,你的肩膀曾支撑过我,现在再支撑一回吧。”“好的,先生,好的,还有我的胳膊。”

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他坐了下来,让我坐在他旁边,用双手握住我的手,搓了起来,同时黯然神伤地凝视着我。“我的小朋友,”他说,“我真希望呆在一个平静的小岛上,只有你我在一起,烦恼、危险、讨厌的往事都离我们远远的。”“我能帮助你吗,先生?——我愿献出生命,为你效劳。”“简,要是我需要援手,我会找你帮忙,我答应你。”“谢谢你,先生。告诉我该干什么——至少我会尽力的。”“简,替我从餐室里拿杯酒来,他们会都在那里吃晚饭,告诉我梅森是不是同他们在一起,他在干什么?”我去了。如罗切斯特先生所说,众人都在餐室用晚饭。他们没有围桌而坐,晚餐摆在餐具柜上,各人取了自已爱吃的东西,零零落落地成群站着,手里端了盘子和杯子。大家似乎都兴致勃勃,谈笑风生,气氛十分活跃。梅森先生站在火炉旁,同登特上校和登特太太在交谈,显得和其余的人一样愉快。我斟满酒(我看见英格拉姆小姐皱眉蹙额地看着我,我猜想她认为我太放肆了),回到了图书室。罗切斯特先生极度苍白的脸已经恢复神色,再次显得镇定自若了。他从我手里接过酒杯。“祝你健康,助人的精灵!”他说着,一口气喝下了酒,把杯子还给我。“他们在干什么呀,简?”“谈天说笑,先生。”“他们看上去不像是听到过什么奇闻那般显得严肃和神秘吗!”“一点也没有——大家都开开玩笑,快快乐乐。”“梅森呢?”“也在一起说笑。”“要是这些人抱成一团唾弃我,你会怎么办呢?”“把他们赶出去,先生,要是我能够。”他欲笑又止。“如果我上他们那儿去,他们只是冷冷地看着我,彼此还讥嘲地窃窃私语,随后便一个个离去,那怎么办呢?你会同他们一起走吗?”“我想我不会走,先生。同你在一起我会更愉快。”“为了安慰我?”

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“是的,先生,尽我的力量安慰你。”“要是他们禁止你跟着我呢?”“很可能我对他们的禁令一无所知,就是知道我也根本不在乎。”“那你为了我就不顾别人责难了?”“任何一位朋友,如值得我相守,我会全然不顾责难。我深信你就是这样一位朋友。”“回到客厅去吧,轻轻走到梅森身边,悄悄地告诉他罗切斯特先生已经到了,希望见他。把他领到这里来,随后你就走。”“好的,先生。”我按他的吩咐办了。宾客们都瞪着眼睛看我从他们中间直穿而过。我找到了梅森先生,传递了信息,走在他前面离开了房间。领他进了图书室后,我便上楼去了。深夜时分,我上床后过了好些时候,我听见客人们才各自回房,也听得出罗切斯特先生的嗓音,只听见他说:“这儿走,梅森,这是你的房间。”他高兴地说着话,那欢快的调门儿使我放下心来,我很快就睡着了。

Chapter 20

I HAD forgotten to draw my curtain, which I usually did, and also to let down my window-blind. The consequence was, that when the moon, which was full and bright (for the night was fine), came in her course to that space in the sky opposite my casement, and looked in at me through the unveiled panes, her glorious gaze roused me.Awaking in the dead of night, I opened my eyes on her disk- silver-white and crystal clear. It was beautiful, but too solemn: I half rose, and stretched my arm to draw the curtain.

Good God! What a cry!

The night- its silence- its rest, was rent in twain by a savage, a sharp, a shrilly sound that ran from end to end of Thornfield Hall.

My pulse stopped: my heart stood still; my stretched arm was paralysed. The cry died, and was not renewed. Indeed, whatever being uttered that fearful shriek could not soon repeat it: not the widest-winged condor on the Andes could, twice in succession, send out such a yell from the cloud shrouding his eyrie. The thing delivering  such utterance must rest ere it could repeat the effort.

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It came out of the third storey; for it passed overhead. And overhead- yes, in the room just above my chamber-ceiling- I now heard a struggle: a deadly one it seemed from the noise; and a half-smothered voice shouted-

'Help! help! help!' three times rapidly.

'Will no one come?' it cried; and then, while the staggering and stamping went on wildly, I distinguished through plank and plaster:-

'Rochester! Rochester! for God's sake, come!'

A chamber-door opened: some one ran, or rushed, along the gallery. Another step stamped on the flooring above and something fell; and there was silence.

I had put on some clothes, though horror shook all my limbs; I issued from my apartment. The sleepers were all aroused: ejaculations, terrified murmurs sounded in every room; door after door unclosed; one looked out and another looked out; the gallery filled. Gentlemen and ladies alike had quitted their beds; and 'Oh! what is it?'- 'Who is hurt?'- 'What has happened?'- 'Fetch a light!'- 'Is it fire?'- 'Are there robbers?'- 'Where shall we run?' was demanded confusedly on all hands. But for the moon-light they would have been in complete darkness. They ran to and fro; they crowded together: some sobbed, some stumbled: the confusion was inextricable.

'Where the devil is Rochester?' cried Colonel Dent. 'I cannot find him in his bed.'

'Here! here!' was shouted in return. 'Be composed, all of you:

I'm coming.'

And the door at the end of the gallery opened, and Mr. Rochester advanced with a candle: he had just descended from the upper storey.

One of the ladies ran to him directly; she seized his arm: it was Miss Ingram.

'What awful event has taken place?' said she. 'Speak! let us know the worst at once!'

'But don't pull me down or strangle me,' he replied: for the Misses  Eshton were clinging about him now; and the two dowagers, in vast white wrappers, were bearing down on him like ships in full sail.

'All's right!- all's right!' he cried. 'It's a mere rehearsal of Much Ado about Nothing. Ladies, keep off, or I shall wax dangerous.'

And dangerous he looked: his black eyes darted sparks. Calming himself by an effort, he added-

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'A servant has had the nightmare; that is all. She's an excitable, nervous person: she construed her dream into an apparition, or something of that sort, no doubt; and has taken a fit with fright. Now, then, I must see you all back into your rooms; for, till the house is settled, she cannot be looked after. Gentlemen, have the goodness to set the ladies the example. Miss Ingram, I am sure you will not fail in evincing superiority to idle terrors. Amy and Louisa, return to your nests like a pair of doves, as you are. Mesdames' (to the dowagers), 'you will take cold to a dead certainty, if you stay in this chill gallery any longer.'

And so, by dint of alternate coaxing and commanding, he contrived to get them all once more enclosed in their separate dormitories. I did not wait to be ordered back to mine, but retreated unnoticed, as unnoticed I had left it.

Not, however, to go to bed: on the contrary, I began and dressed myself carefully. The sounds I had heard after the scream, and the words that had been uttered, had probably been heard only by me; for they had proceeded from the room above mine: but they assured me that it was not a servant's dream which had thus struck horror through the house; and that the explanation Mr. Rochester had given was merely an invention framed to pacify his guests. I dressed, then, to be ready for emergencies. When dressed, I sat a long time by the window looking out over the silent grounds and silvered fields and waiting for I knew not what. It seemed to me that some event must follow the strange cry, struggle, and call.

No: stillness returned: each murmur and movement ceased gradually, and in about an hour Thornfield Hall was again as hushed as a desert. It seemed that sleep and night had resumed their empire.

Meantime the moon declined: she was about to set. Not liking to sit in the cold and darkness, I thought I would lie down on my bed, dressed as I was. I left the window, and moved with little noise across the carpet; as I stooped to take off my shoes, a cautious hand tapped low at the door.

'Am I wanted?' I asked.

'Are you up?' asked the voice I expected to hear, viz., my master's.

'Yes, sir.'

'And dressed?'

'Yes.'

'Come out, then, quietly.'

I obeyed. Mr. Rochester stood in the gallery holding a light.

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'I want you,' he said: 'come this way: take your time, and make no noise.'

My slippers were thin: I could walk the matted floor as softly as a cat. He glided up the gallery and up the stairs, and stopped in the dark, low corridor of the fateful third storey: I had followed and stood at his side.

'Have you a sponge in your room?' he asked in a whisper.

'Yes, sir.'

'Have you any salts- volatile salts?'

'Yes.'

'Go back and fetch both.'

I returned, sought the sponge on the washstand, the salts in my drawer, and once more retraced my steps. He still waited; he held a key in his hand: approaching one of the small, black doors, he put it in the lock; he paused, and addressed me again.

'You don't turn sick at the sight of blood?'

'I think I shall not: I have never been tried yet.'

I felt a thrill while I answered him; but no coldness, and no faintness.

'Just give me your hand,' he said: 'it will not do to risk a fainting fit.'

I put my fingers into his. 'Warm and steady,' was his remark: he turned the key and opened the door.

I saw a room I remembered to have seen before, the day Mrs. Fairfax showed me over the house: it was hung with tapestry; but the tapestry was now looped up in one part, and there was a door apparent, which had then been concealed. This door was open; a light shone out of the room within: I heard thence a snarling, snatching sound, almost like a dog quarrelling. Mr. Rochester, putting down his candle, said to me, 'Wait a minute,' and he went forward to the inner apartment.

A shout of laughter greeted his entrance; noisy at first, and terminating in Grace Poole's own goblin ha! ha! She then was there. He made some sort of arrangement without speaking, though I heard a low voice address him: he came out and closed the door behind him.

'Here, Jane!' he said; and I walked round to the other side of a large bed, which with its drawn curtains concealed a considerable portion of the chamber. An easy-chair was near

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the bed-head: a man sat in it, dressed with the exception of his coat; he was still; his head leant back; his eyes were closed. Mr. Rochester held the candle over him; I recognised in his pale and seemingly lifeless face- the stranger, Mason: I saw too that his linen on one side and one arm, was almost soaked in blood.

'Hold the candle,' said Mr. Rochester, and I took it: he fetched a basin of water from the washstand: 'Hold that,' said he. I obeyed.

He took the sponge, dipped it in, and moistened the corpse-like face; he asked for my smelling-bottle, and applied it to the nostrils.

Mr. Mason shortly unclosed his eyes; he groaned. Mr. Rochester opened the shirt of the wounded man, whose arm and shoulder were bandaged: he sponged away blood, trickling fast down.

'Is there immediate danger?' murmured Mr. Mason.

'Pooh! No- a mere scratch. Don't be so overcome, man: bear up! I'll fetch a surgeon for you now, myself: you'll be able to be removed by morning, I hope. Jane,' he continued.

'Sir?'

'I shall have to leave you in this room with this gentleman, for an hour, or perhaps two hours: you will sponge the blood as I do when it returns: if he feels faint, you will put the glass of water on that stand to his lips, and your salts to his nose. You will not speak to him on any pretext- and- Richard, it will be at the peril of your life if you speak to her: open your lips- agitate yourself- and I'll not answer for the consequences.'

Again the poor man groaned; he looked as if he dared not move; fear, either of death or of something else, appeared almost to paralyse him. Mr. Rochester put the now bloody sponge into my hand, and I proceeded to use it as he had done. He watched me a second, then saying, 'Remember!- No conversation,' he left the room. I experienced a strange feeling as the key grated in the lock, and the sound of his retreating step ceased to be heard.

Here then I was in the third storey, fastened into one of its mystic cells; night around me; a pale and bloody spectacle under my eyes and hands; a murderess hardly separated from me by a single door: yes- that was appalling- the rest I could bear; but I shuddered at the thought of Grace Poole bursting out upon me.

I must keep to my post, however. I must watch this ghastly countenance- these blue, still lips forbidden to unclose- these eyes now shut, now opening, now wandering through the room, now fixing on me, and ever glazed with the dulness of horror. I must dip my hand again and again in the basin of blood and water, and wipe away the trickling gore. I must see the light of the unsnuffed candle wane on my employment; the shadows darken on

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the wrought, antique tapestry round me, and grow black under the hangings of the vast old bed, and quiver strangely over the doors of a great cabinet opposite- whose front, divided into twelve panels, bore, in grim design, the heads of the twelve apostles, each enclosed in its separate panel as in a frame; while above them at the top rose an ebon crucifix and a dying Christ.

According as the shifting obscurity and flickering gleam hovered here or glanced there, it was now the bearded physician, Luke, that bent his brow; now St. John's long hair that waved; and anon the devilish face of Judas, that grew out of the panel, and seemed gathering life and threatening a revelation of the arch-traitor- ofSatan himself- in his subordinate's form.

Amidst all this, I had to listen as well as watch: to listen for the movements of the wild beast or the fiend in yonder side den. But since Mr. Rochester's visit it seemed spellbound: all the night I heard but three sounds at three long intervals,- a step creak, a momentary renewal of the snarling, canine noise, and a deep human groan.

Then my own thoughts worried me. What crime was this, that lived incarnate in this sequestered mansion, and could neither be expelled nor subdued by the owner?- what mystery, that broke out now in fire and now in blood, at the deadest hours of night? What creature was it, that, masked in an ordinary woman's face and shape, uttered the voice, now of a mocking demon, and anon of a carrion-seeking bird of prey?

And this man I bent over- this commonplace, quiet stranger- how had he become involved in the web of horror? and why had the Fury flown at him? What made him seek this quarter of the house at an untimely season, when he should have been asleep in bed? I had heard Mr. Rochester assign him an apartment below- what brought him here? And why, now, was he so tame under the violence or treachery done him? Why did he so quietly submit to the concealment Mr. Rochester enforced?

Why did Mr. Rochester enforce this concealment? His guest had been outraged, his own life on a former occasion had been hideously plotted against; and both attempts he smothered in secrecy and sank in oblivion! Lastly, I saw Mr. Mason was submissive to Mr. Rochester; that the impetuous will of the latter held complete sway over the inertness of the former: the few words which had passed between them assured me of this. It was evident that in their former intercourse, the passive disposition of the one had been habitually influenced by the active energy of the other: whence then had arisen Mr. Rochester's dismay when he heard of Mr. Mason's arrival? Why had the mere name of this unresisting individual- whom his word now sufficed to control like a child- fallen on him, a few hours since, as a thunderbolt might fall on an oak?

Oh! I could not forget his look and his paleness when he whispered: 'Jane, I have got a blow- I have got a blow, Jane.' I could not forget how the arm had trembled which he

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rested on my shoulder: and it was no light matter which could thus bow the resolute spirit and thrill the vigorous frame of Fairfax Rochester.

'When will he come? When will he come?' I cried inwardly, as the night lingered and lingered- as my bleeding patient drooped, moaned, sickened: and neither day nor aid arrived. I had, again and again, held the water to Mason's white lips; again and again offered him the stimulating salts: my efforts seemed ineffectual: either bodily or mental suffering, or loss of blood, or all three combined, were fast prostrating his strength. He moaned so, and looked so weak, wild, and lost, I feared he was dying; and I might not even speak to him.

The candle, wasted at last, went out; as it expired, I perceived streaks of grey light edging the window curtains: dawn was then approaching. Presently I heard Pilot bark far below, out of his distant kennel in the courtyard: hope revived. Nor was it unwarranted: in five minutes more the grating key, the yielding lock, warned me my watch was relieved. It could not have lasted more than two hours: many a week has seemed shorter.

Mr. Rochester entered, and with him the surgeon he had been to fetch.

'Now, Carter, be on the alert,' he said to this last: 'I give you but half an hour for dressing the wound, fastening the bandages, getting the patient downstairs and all.'

'But is he fit to move, sir?'

'No doubt of it; it is nothing serious; he is nervous, his spirits must be kept up. Come, set to work.'

Mr. Rochester drew back the thick curtain, drew up the holland blind, let in all the daylight he could; and I was surprised and cheered to see how far dawn was advanced: what rosy streaks were beginning to brighten the east. Then he approached Mason, whom the surgeon was already handling.

'Now, my good fellow, how are you?' he asked.

'She's done for me, I fear,' was the faint reply.

'Not a whit!- courage! This day fortnight you'll hardly be a pin the worse of it: you've lost a little blood; that's all. Carter, assure him there's no danger.'

'I can do that conscientiously,' said Carter, who had now undone the bandages; 'only I wish I could have got here sooner: he would not have bled so much- but how is this? The flesh on the shoulder is torn as well as cut. This wound was not done with a knife: there have been teeth here!'

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'She bit me,' he murmured. 'She worried me like a tigress, when Rochester got the knife from her.'

'You should not have yielded: you should have grappled with her at once,' said Mr. Rochester.

'But under such circumstances, what could one do?' returned Mason. 'Oh, it was frightful!' he added, shuddering. 'And I did not expect it: she looked so quiet at first.'

'I warned you,' was his friend's answer; 'I said- be on your guard when you go near her. Besides, you might have waited till to-morrow, and had me with you: it was mere folly to attempt the interview to-night, and alone.'

'I thought I could have done some good.'

'You thought! you thought! Yes, it makes me impatient to hear you: but, however, you have suffered, and are likely to suffer enough for not taking my advice; so I'll say no more. Carter- hurry!- hurry! The sun will soon rise, and I must have him off.'

'Directly, sir; the shoulder is just bandaged. I must look to this other wound in the arm: she has had her teeth here too, I think.'

'She sucked the blood: she said she'd drain my heart,' said Mason.

I saw Mr. Rochester shudder: a singularly marked expression of disgust, horror, hatred, warped his countenance almost to distortion, but he only said-

'Come, be silent, Richard, and never mind her gibberish: don't repeat it.'

'I wish I could forget it,' was the answer.

'You will when you are out of the country: when you get back to Spanish Town, you may think of her as dead and buried- or rather, you need not think of her at all.'

'Impossible to forget this night!'

'It is not impossible: have some energy, man. You thought you were as dead as a herring two hours since, and you are all alive and talking now. There!- Carter has done with you or nearly so; I'll make you decent in a trice. Jane' (he turned to me for the first time since his re-entrance), 'take this key: go down into my bedroom, and walk straight forward into my dressing-room: open the top drawer of the wardrobe and take out a clean shirt and neck-handkerchief: bring them here; and be nimble.'

I went; sought the repository he had mentioned, found the articles named, and returned with them.

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'Now,' said he, 'go to the other side of the bed while I order his toilet; but don't leave the room: you may be wanted again.'

I retired as directed.

'Was anybody stirring below when you went down, Jane?' inquired Mr. Rochester presently.

'No, sir; all was very still.'

'We shall get you off cannily, Dick: and it will be better, both for your sake, and for that of the poor creature in yonder. I have striven long to avoid exposure, and I should not like it to come at last. Here, Carter, help him on with his waistcoat. Where did you leave your furred cloak? You can't travel a mile without that, I know, in this damned cold climate. In your room?- Jane, run down to Mr. Mason's room,- the one next mine,- and fetch a cloak you will see there.'

Again I ran, and again returned, bearing an immense mantle lined and edged with fur.

'Now, I've another errand for you,' said my untiring master; you must away to my room again. What a mercy you are shod with velvet, Jane!- a clod-hopping messenger would never do at this juncture. You must open the middle drawer of my toilet-table and take out a little phial and a little glass you will find there,- quick!'

I flew thither and back, bringing the desired vessels.

'That's well! Now, doctor, I shall take the liberty of administering a dose myself, on my own responsibility. I got this cordial at Rome, of an Italian charlatan- a fellow you would have kicked, Carter. It is not a thing to be used indiscriminately, but it is good upon occasion: as now, for instance. Jane, a little water.'

He held out the tiny glass, and I half-filled it from the water-bottle on the washstand.

'That will do;- now wet the lip of the phial.'

I did so; he measured twelve drops of a crimson liquid, and presented it to Mason.

'Drink, Richard: it will give you the heart you lack, for an hour or so.'

'But will it hurt me?- is it inflammatory?'

'Drink! drink! drink!'

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Mr. Mason obeyed, because it was evidently useless to resist. He was dressed now: he still looked pale, but he was no longer gory and sullied. Mr. Rochester let him sit three minutes after he had swallowed the liquid; he then took his arm-

'Now I am sure you can get on your feet,' he said- 'try.' The patient rose.

'Carter, take him under the other shoulder. Be of good cheer, Richard; step out- that's it!'

'I do feel better,' remarked Mr. Mason.

'I am sure you do. Now, Jane, trip on before us away to the backstairs; unbolt the side-passage door, and tell the driver of the post-chaise you will see in the yard- or just outside, for I told him not to drive his rattling wheels over the pavement- to be ready; we are coming: and, Jane, if any one is about, come to the foot of the stairs and hem.'

It was by this time half-past five, and the sun was on the point of rising; but I found the kitchen still dark and silent. The side-passage door was fastened; I opened it with as little noise as possible: all the yard was quiet; but the gates stood wide open, and there was a post-chaise, with horses ready harnessed, and driver seated on the box, stationed outside. I approached him, and said the gentlemen were coming; he nodded: then I looked carefully round and listened. The stillness of early morning slumbered everywhere; the curtains were yet drawn over the servants' chamber windows; little birds were just twittering in the blossom-blanched orchard trees, whose boughs drooped like white garlands over the wall enclosing one side of the yard; the carriage horses stamped from time to time in their closed stables: all else was still.

The gentlemen now appeared. Mason, supported by Mr. Rochester and the surgeon, seemed to walk with tolerable ease: they assisted him into the chaise; Carter followed.

'Take care of him,' said Mr. Rochester to the latter, 'and keep him at your house till he is quite well: I shall ride over in a day or two to see how he gets on. Richard, how is it with you?'

'The fresh air revives me, Fairfax.'

'Leave the window open on his side, Carter; there is no wind- good-bye, Dick.'

'Fairfax-'

'Well, what is it?'

'Let her be taken care of; let her be treated as tenderly as may be: let her- ' he stopped and burst into tears.

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'I do my best; and have done it, and will do it,' was the answer: he shut up the chaise door, and the vehicle drove away.

'Yet would to God there was an end of all this!' added Mr. Rochester, as he closed and barred the heavy yard-gates.

This done, he moved with slow step and abstracted air towards a door in the wall bordering the orchard. I, supposing he had done with me, prepared to return to the house; again, however, I heard him call 'Jane!' He had opened the portal and stood at it, waiting for me.

'Come where there is some freshness, for a few moments,' he said;

'that house is a mere dungeon: don't you feel it so?'

'It seems to me a splendid mansion, sir.'

'The glamour of inexperience is over your eyes,' he answered;

'and you see it through a charmed medium: you cannot discern that the gilding is slime and the silk draperies cobwebs; that the marble is sordid slate, and the polished woods mere refuse chips and scaly bark. Now here' (he pointed to the leafy enclosure we had entered) 'all is real, sweet, and pure.'

He strayed down a walk edged with box, with apple trees, pear trees, and cherry trees on one side, and a border on the other full of all sorts of old-fashioned flowers, stocks, sweet-williams, primroses, pansies, mingled with southernwood, sweet-briar, and various fragrant herbs. They were  fresh now as a succession of April showers and gleams, followed by a lovely spring morning, could make them: the sun was just entering the dappled east, and his light illumined the wreathed and dewy orchard trees and shone down the quiet walks under them.

'Jane, will you have a flower?'

He gathered a half-blown rose, the first on the bush, and offered

it to me.

'Thank you, sir.'

'Do you like this sunrise, Jane? That sky with its high and light

clouds which are sure to melt away as the day waxes warm- this

placid and balmy atmosphere?'

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'I do, very much.'

'You have passed a strange night, Jane.'

'Yes, sir.'

'And it has made you look pale- were you afraid when I left you alone with Mason?'

'I was afraid of some one coming out of the inner room.'

'But I had fastened the door- I had the key in my pocket: I should have been a careless shepherd if I had left a lamb- my pet lamb- so near a wolf's den, unguarded: you were safe.'

'Will Grace Poole live here still, sir?'

'Oh yes! don't trouble your head about her- put the thing out of your thoughts.'

'Yet it seems to me your life is hardly secure while she stays.'

'Never fear- I will take care of myself.'

'Is the danger you apprehended last night gone by now, sir?'

'I cannot vouch for that till Mason is out of England: nor even then. To live, for me, Jane, is to stand on a crater-crust which may crack and spue fire any day.'

'But Mr. Mason seems a man easily led. Your influence, sir, is evidently potent with him: he will never set you at defiance or wilfully injure you.'

'Oh no! Mason will not defy me; nor, knowing it, will he hurt me- but, unintentionally, he might in a moment, by one careless word, deprive me, if not of life, yet for ever of happiness.'

'Tell him to be cautious, sir: let him know what you fear, and show him how to avert the danger.'

He laughed sardonically, hastily took my hand, and as hastily threw it from him.

'If I could do that, simpleton, where would the danger be?

Annihilated in a moment. Ever since I have known Mason, I have only had to say to him "Do that," and the thing has been done. But I cannot give him orders in this case: I cannot say "Beware of harming me, Richard"; for it is imperative that I should keep him

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ignorant  that harm to me is possible. Now you look puzzled; and I will puzzle you further. You are my little friend, are you not?'

'I like to serve you, sir, and to obey you in all that is right.'

'Precisely: I see you do. I see genuine contentment in your gait and mien, your eye and face, when you are helping me and pleasing me- working for me, and with me, in, as you characteristically say, "all that is right": for if I bid you do what you thought wrong, there would be no light-footed running, no neat-handed alacrity, no lively glance and animated complexion. My friend would then turn to me, quiet and pale, and would say, "No, sir; that is impossible: I cannot do it, because it is wrong"; and would become immutable as a fixed star.

Well, you too have power over me, and may injure me: yet I dare not show you where I am vulnerable, lest, faithful and friendly as you are, you should transfix me at once.'

'If you have no more to fear from Mr. Mason than you have from me, sir, you are very safe.'

'God grant it may be so! Here, Jane, is an arbour; sit down.'

The arbour was an arch in the wall, lined with ivy; it contained a rustic seat. Mr. Rochester took it, leaving room, however, for me: but I stood before him.

'Sit,' he said; 'the bench is long enough for two. You don't hesitate to take a place at my side, do you? Is that wrong, Jane?'

I answered him by assuming it: to refuse would, I felt, have been unwise.

'Now, my little friend, while the sun drinks the dew- while all the flowers in this old garden awake and expand, and the birds fetch their young ones' breakfast out of the Thornfield, and the early bees do their first spell of work- I'll put a case to you, which you must endeavour to suppose your own: but first, look at me, and tell me you are at ease, and not fearing that I err in detaining you, or that you err in staying.'

'No, sir; I am content.'

'Well then, Jane, call to aid your fancy:- suppose you were no longer a girl well reared and disciplined, but a wild boy indulged from childhood upwards; imagine yourself in a remote foreign land; conceive that you there commit a capital error, no matter of what nature or from what motives, but one whose consequences must follow you through life and taint all your existence. Mind, I don't say a crime; I am not speaking of shedding of blood or any other guilty act, which might make the perpetrator amenable to the law: my word is error. The results of what you have done become in time to you utterly insupportable; you take measures to obtain relief: unusual measures, but neither unlawful

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nor culpable. Still you are miserable; for hope has quitted you on the very confines of life: your sun at noon darkens in an eclipse, which you feel will not leave it till the time of setting. Bitter and base associations have become the sole food of your memory: you wander here and there, seeking rest in exile: happiness in pleasure- I mean in heartless, sensual pleasure- such as dulls intellect and blights feeling. Heart-weary and soul-withered, you come home after years of voluntary banishment: you make a new acquaintance- how or where no matter: you find in this stranger much of the good and bright qualities which you have sought for twenty years, and never before encountered; and they are all fresh, healthy, without soil and without taint. Such society revives, regenerates: you feel better days come back-higher wishes, purer feelings; you desire to recommence your life, and to spend what remains to you of days in a way more worthy of an immortal being. To attain this end, are you justified in overleaping an obstacle of custom-a mere conventional impediment which neither your conscience sanctifies nor your judgment approves?'

He paused for an answer: and what was I to say? Oh, for some good spirit to suggest a judicious and satisfactory response! Vain aspiration! The west wind whispered in the ivy round me; but no gentle Ariel borrowed its breath as a medium of speech: the birds sang in the tree-tops; but their song, however sweet, was inarticulate.

Again Mr. Rochester propounded his query: 'Is the wandering and sinful, but now rest-seeking and repentant, man justified in daring the world's opinion, in order to attach to him for ever this gentle, gracious, genial stranger, thereby securing his own peace of mind and regeneration of life?'

'Sir,' I answered, 'a wanderer's repose or a sinner's reformation should never depend on a fellow-creature. Men and women die; philosophers falter in wisdom, and Christians in goodness: if any one you know has suffered and erred, let him look higher than his equals for strength to amend and solace to heal.'

'But the instrument- the instrument! God, who does the work, ordains the instrument. I have myself- I tell it you without parable- been a worldly, dissipated, restless man; and I believe I have found the instrument for my cure in-'

He paused: the birds went on carolling, the leaves lightly rustling. I almost wondered they did not check their songs and whispers to catch the suspended revelation; but they would have had to wait many minutes- so long was the silence protracted. At last I looked up at the tardy speaker: he was looking eagerly at me.

'Little friend,' said he, in quite a changed tone- while his face changed too, losing all its softness and gravity, and becoming harsh and sarcastic- 'you have noticed my tender penchant for Miss Ingram: don't you think if I married her she would regenerate me with a vengeance?'

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He got up instantly, went quite to the other end of the walk, and when he came back he was humming a tune.

'Jane, Jane,' said he, stopping before me, 'you are quite pale with your vigils: don't you curse me for disturbing your rest?'

'Curse you? No, sir.'

'Shake hands in confirmation of the word. What cold fingers! They were warmer last night when I touched them at the door of the mysterious chamber. Jane, when will you watch with me again?'

'Whenever I can be useful, sir.'

'For instance, the night before I am married! I am sure I shall not be able to sleep. Will you promise to sit up with me to bear me company? To you I can talk of my lovely one: for now you have seen her and know her.'

'Yes, sir.'

'She's a rare one, is she not, Jane?'

'Yes, sir.'

'A strapper- a real strapper, Jane: big, brown, and buxom; with hair just such as the ladies of Carthage must have had. Bless me! there's Dent and Lynn in the stables! Go in by the shrubbery, through that wicket.'

As I went one way, he went another, and I heard him in the yard, saying cheerfully-

'Mason got the start of you all this morning; he was gone before sunrise: I rose at four to see him off.' 

平常我是拉好帐幔睡觉的,而那回却忘了,也忘了把百叶窗放下来。结果,一轮皎洁的满月(因为那天夜色很好),沿着自己的轨道,来到我窗户对面的天空,透过一无遮拦的窗玻璃窥视着我,用她那清丽的目光把我唤醒。夜深人静,我张开眼睛,看到了月亮澄净的银白色圆脸。它美丽却过于肃穆。我半欠着身子,伸手去拉帐幔。天哪!多可怕的叫声!夜晚的宁静和安逸,被响彻桑菲尔德府的一声狂野、刺耳的尖叫打破了。我的脉搏停止了,我的心脏不再跳动,我伸出的胳膊僵住了。叫声消失,没有再起。说实在,无论谁发出这样的喊声,那可怕的尖叫无法立即重复一遍,就是安第斯山上长着巨翅的秃

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鹰,也难以在白云缭绕的高处,这样连叫两声。那发出叫声的东西得缓过气来才有力气再次喊叫。这叫声来自三楼,因为正是我头顶上响起来的。在我的头顶——不错,就在我天花板上头的房间里——此刻我听到了一阵挣扎,从响声看似乎是一场你死我活的搏斗,一个几乎透不过气来的声音喊道:“救命呀!救命呀!救命呀!”连叫了三声。“怎么没有人来呀?”这声音喊道。随后,是一阵发疯似的踉跄和跺脚,透过木板和灰泥我听得出来!“罗切斯特!罗切斯特,看在上帝面上,快来呀?”一扇房门开了。有人跑过,或者说冲过了走廊。另一个人的脚步踩在头顶的地板上,什么东西跌倒了,随之便是一片沉寂。尽管我吓得四肢发抖,但还是穿上了几件衣服,走出房间。所有熟睡的人都被惊醒了,每个房间都响起了喊叫声和恐俱的喃喃声。门一扇扇打开了,人一个个探出头来。走廊上站满了人。男宾和女客们都从床上爬起来。“呵,怎么回事?”——“谁伤着了,”——“出了什么事呀?”——“掌灯呀!”——“起火了吗?”——“是不是有窃贼?”—一“我们得往哪儿逃呀?”四面八方响起了七嘴八舌的询问。要不是那月光,众人眼前会一片漆黑。他们来回乱跑,挤成一堆。有人哭泣,有人跌交,顿时乱作一团。“见鬼,罗切斯特在哪儿?”登特上校叫道。“他床上没有人。”“在这儿!在这儿:”一个声音喊着回答。“大家镇静些,我来了。”走廊尽头的门开了,罗切斯特先生拿着蜡烛走过来。他刚从搂上下来,一位女士便径直朝他奔去,一把抓住他胳膊。那是英格拉姆小姐。,“出了什么可怕的事了?”她说。“说呵!快让我们知道最坏的情况!”“可别把我拉倒或者勒死呀,”他回答,因为此刻两位埃希顿小姐紧紧抓住他不放,两位遗孀穿着宽大的白色晨衣,像鼓足了风帆的船,向他直冲过来。“什么事儿也没有!——什么事儿也没有?”他喊道。“不过是《无事生非》的一场彩排。女士们,让开,不然我要凶相毕露了。”而他确实目露凶光,乌黑的眼睛直冒火星。他竭力使自己镇定下来,补充道:“一个仆人做了一场恶梦,就是这么回事。她好激动,神经质,她把梦里见到的当成了鬼魂,或是这一类东西,而且吓得昏了过去。好吧,现在我得关照大家回自己房间里去。因为只有整座房子安静下来了,我们才好照应她。先生们,请你们给女士们做个榜样。英格拉姆小姐,我敢肯定,你会证实自己不会被无端的恐惧所压倒。艾米和路易莎,就像一对真正的鸽子

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那样回到自己的窝里去。夫人们(向着两位遗孀),要是你们在冷嗖嗖的走廊上再呆下去,那肯定要得感冒。”他就这样连哄带叫,好不容易让所有的人再次进了各自的房间,关上了门。我没有等他命令我回到自己房间,便像来的时候一样悄悄地走了。不过我没有上床,反倒小心地穿好了衣服。那声尖叫以后传来的响动和大声喊出来的话,很可能只有我听到,因为是从我头顶的房间传来的。但我很有把握,闹得整所房子惊惶失措的,不是仆人的恶梦。罗切斯特先生的解释不过是一时的编造,用来稳住客人的情绪而已。于是我穿上衣服以防不测。穿戴停当后,我久久地坐在窗边,眺望着静谧的庭园和银色的田野,连自己也不知道在等待着什么。我似乎感到,在奇怪的喊叫、搏斗和呼救之后,必定要发生什么事情。但没有。一切又复归平静。每个细微的响动都渐渐停止,一小时后整座桑菲尔德府便像沙漠一般沉寂了。暗夜与沉睡似乎又恢复了自己的王国。与此同时,月亮下沉,快要隐去。我不喜欢那么冷丝丝黑咕隆咚地坐着,心想虽然穿好了衣服,倒还是躺在床上的好。我离开了窗子,轻手轻脚地穿过地毯,正想弯腰去脱鞋,一只谨慎的手轻轻地敲响了我的门。“要我帮忙吗?”我问。“你没有睡?”我意料中的那个声音问道,那是我主人的嗓音。“是的,先生。”“而且穿了衣服?”“不错。”“那就出来吧,轻一点。”我照他说的做了。罗切斯特先生端着灯,站在走廊上。“我需要你帮忙,”他说,“这边走,慢一点,别出声。”我穿的是一双很薄的拖鞋,走在铺好席子的地板上,轻得像只猫。他溜过走廊,上了楼梯,在多事的三楼幽暗低矮的走廊上,停住了脚步,我尾随着,站在他旁边。“你房间里有没有海绵?”他低声耳语道。“有,先生。”“有没有盐——易挥发的盐?”“有的。”

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“回去把这两样都拿来。”我回到房间,从脸盆架上找到了海绵,从抽屉里找到了食盐,并顺原路返回。他依旧等待着,手里拿了把钥匙。他走近其中一扇黑色的小门,把钥匙插进锁孔,却又停下来同我说起话来。“见到血你不会恶心吧?”“我想不会吧,我从来没有经历过。”我回答时不觉毛骨愧然,不过没有打寒颤,也没有头晕。“把手伸给我,”他说,“可不能冒让你昏倒的危险。”我把手指放在他手里。“温暖而沉着”便是他的评价。他转动了一下钥匙,开了门。我看见了一个似曾见过的房间,记得就在费尔法克斯太太带我流览整幢房子的那一天。房间里悬着挂毯,但此刻一部份已经卷了起来,露出了一扇门,以前是遮蔽着的。门敞开着,里面的灯光射向门外。我从那里听到了一阵断断续续的咆哮声,同狗叫差不多。罗切斯特先生放下蜡烛,对我说了声“等一下,”便往前向内间走去。他一进去便响起了一阵笑声,先是闹闹嚷嚷,后来以格雷斯.普尔妖怪般的哈哈声而告终。她当时就在那儿。他一声不吭地作了安排,不过我还听到有人低声地同他说了话。他走了出来,随手关了门。“这儿来,简!”他说,我绕到了一张大床的另外一头,这张帷幔紧锁的床遮去了大半个房间。床头边有把安乐椅,椅子上坐了个人,除了外套什么都穿上了。他一动不动,脑袋往后靠着,双眼紧闭。罗切斯特先生把蜡烛端过他头顶。从苍白没有血色的脸上,我认出了那个陌生人梅森。我还看到,他内衣的一边和一只胳膊几乎都浸透了血。“拿着蜡烛,”罗切斯特先生说。我取过蜡烛,而他从脸盆架上端来了一盆水。“端着它,”他说。我听从了。他拿了海绵,在脸盆里浸了一下,润了润死尸般的脸。他向我要了嗅盐瓶,把它放在梅森的鼻子底下。不久梅森先生张开眼睛,呻吟起来。罗切斯特先生解开了伤者的衬衫,那人的胳膊和肩膀都包扎了绷带。他把很快滴下来的血用海绵吸去。“有生命危险吗?”梅森先生喃喃地说。“去去!没有——不过划破了一点皮。别那么消沉,伙计。鼓起劲儿来!现在我亲自给你去请医生,希望到了早上就可以把你送走。简——”他继续说。,“什么,先生?”“我得撇下你在这间房子里,同这位先生呆上一小时,也许两小时。要是血又流出来,你就象我那样用海绵把它吸掉。要是他感到头昏,你就把架子上的那杯水端到他嘴边,把盐放在他鼻子底下。无论如何不要同他说话——而——理查德——如果你同她说话,你就会有生命危险,譬如说张开嘴——让自己激动起来——那我就概不负责了。”

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这个可怜的男人哼了起来。他看上去好像不敢轻举妄动,怕死,或者害怕别的什么东西,似乎差不多使他僵硬了。罗切斯特先生这这时已浸染了血的海绵放进我手里,我就照他那样使用起来。他看了我一会儿,随后说,“记住!——别说话!”便离开了房间。钥匙在锁孔喀喀响起,他远去的脚步声听不到时,我体会到了一种奇怪的感觉。结果我就在这里三层楼上了,被锁进了一个神秘的小房间。我的周围是暗夜,我的眼皮底下和手下,是白煞煞血淋淋的景象;一个女谋杀犯与我几乎只有一门之隔。是的——那令人胆颤心惊——其余的倒还可以忍受。但是我一想到格雷斯.普尔会向我扑来,便浑身直打哆嗦了。然而我得坚守岗位。我得看着这鬼一样的面孔——看着这色如死灰、一动不动,不许张开的嘴唇——看着这双时闭时开,时而在房间里转来转去,时而盯着我,吓得总是呆滞无光的眼睛。我得把手一次次浸入那盆血水里,擦去淌下的鲜血,我得在忙碌中眼看着没有剪过烛蕊的烛光渐渐暗淡下去,阴影落到了我周围精致古老的挂毯上,在陈旧的大床的帷幔下变得越来越浓重,而且在对面一个大柜的门上奇异地抖动起来——柜子的正面分成十二块嵌板,嵌板上画着十二使徒的头,面目狰狞,每个头单独占一块嵌板,就像在一个框框之中。在这些头颅的上端高悬着一个乌木十字架和殉难的基督。游移的暗影和闪烁的光芒在四处浮动和跳跃,我一会儿看到了胡子医生路加垂着头;一会儿看到了圣约翰飘动的长发;不久又看到了犹大魔鬼似的面孔,在嵌板上突现出来,似乎渐渐地有了生命,眼看就要以最大的背叛者撒旦的化身出现。在这种情形下,我既得细听又得静观,细听有没有野兽或者那边窠穴中魔鬼的动静。可是自从罗切斯特先生来过之后,它似乎已被镇住了。整整一夜我只听见过三声响动,三次之间的间隔很长——一次吱吱的脚步声,一次重又响起短暂的狗叫似的声音,一次人的深沉的呻吟声。此外,我自己也心烦意乱。究竟是一种什么罪行,以人的化身出现,蛰居在这座与世隔绝的大厦里,房主人既无法驱赶也难以制服?究竟是什么不可思议的东西,在夜深人静之时冲将出来,弄得一会儿起火,一会儿流血?究竟是什么畜生,以普通女人的面貌和体态伪装自己,发出的声音一会儿象假冒的魔鬼,一会儿像觅腐尸而食的猛禽?我俯身面对着的这个人——这个普普通通言语不多的陌生人——他是怎么陷入这个恐怖之网呢?为什么复仇之神要扑向他呢?是什么原因使他在应当卧床安睡的时刻,不适时宜地来这里投宿?我曾听罗切斯特先生在楼下指定了一个房间给他——是什么东西把他带到这儿来的呢?为什么别人对他施暴或者背弃,他此刻却那么俯首贴耳?为什么罗切斯特先生强迫他遮遮掩掩,他竟默默地顺从?这回,罗切斯特先生的一位宾客受到了伤害,上次他自己的性命遭到了恶毒的暗算,而这两件事他竟都秘密掩盖,故意忘却!最后,我看到梅森先生对罗切斯特先生服服贴贴,罗切斯特先生的火暴性子左右着梅森先生半死不活的个性。听了他们之间寥寥几句对话,我便对这个看法很有把握。显然在他们以往的交谈中,一位的消极脾性惯于受另一位的主动精神的影响,既然如此,那么罗切斯特先生一听梅森先生到了,怎么会顿生失望之情呢?为什么仅仅这个不速之客的名字——罗切斯特先生的话

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足以使他像孩子一样乖乖的——几小时之前,在罗切斯特先生听来,犹如雷电击中了一棵橡树?呵,当他向我低声耳语:“简,我遭到了打击——我遭到了打击,简,”时,我决不会忘记他的表情和苍白的脸色,我也不会忘记他的胳膊靠在我肩上时,是怎样地颤抖的。使费尔法克斯.罗切斯特坚毅的精神折服,使他强健的体魄哆嗦的,决不是一件小事。“他什么时候来呢?他什么时候来呢?”我内心呼喊着,夜迟迟不去——我这位流着血的病人精神萎顿,又是呻吟,又想呕吐。而白昼和支援都没有来临,我已经一次次把水端到梅森苍白的嘴边,一次次把刺激性的嗅盐递给他。我的努力似乎并没有奏效,肉体的痛苦,抑或精神的痛楚,抑或失血,抑或三者兼而有之,使他的精力衰竭了。他如此呜咽着,看上去那么衰弱、狂乱和绝望,我担心他要死了,而我也许甚至同他连话都没有说过。蜡烛终于耗尽,熄灭了。灯灭之后,我看到窗帘边缘一缕缕灰色的微光,黎明正渐渐到来。不久我听到派洛特在底下院子里远远的狗窝外吠叫着。希望复活了,而且有了保证。五分钟后,钥匙喀喀一响,锁一开动便预示着我的守护工作解除了。前后没有超过两小时,但似乎比几个星期还长。罗切斯特先生进来了,同来的还有他去请的外科医生。“嗨,卡特,千万当心,”他对来人说,“我只给你半小时,包扎伤口、捆绑绷带,把病人送到楼下,全都在内。”“可是他能走动吗,先生?”“毫无疑问。伤势并不严重,就是神经紧张,得使他打起精神来。来,动手吧。”罗切斯特先生拉开厚厚的窗幅,掀起亚麻布窗帘,尽量让月光射进屋来。看到黎明即将来临,我既惊讶又愉快。多漂亮的玫瑰色光束正开始照亮东方的天际!随后,罗切斯特先生走近梅森,这时外科医生已经在给他治疗了。“喂,我的好家伙,怎么样?”他问道。“我怕她已送了我的命了,”那是对方微弱的回答。“那里会呢!——拿出勇气来!再过两周你会什么事儿也没有,只不过出了点血。卡特,让他放心,不会有危险的。”“我可尽心去做,”卡特说,这会儿他已经打开了绷带。“要是早点赶到这儿该多好。他就不会流那么多血了——这是怎么回事?怎么肩膀上的肉撕掉了,而且还割开了?这不是刀伤,是牙齿咬的。”“她咬了我,”他咕哝着。“罗切斯特从她手里把刀夺下来以后,她就象一头雌老虎那样撕咬着我。”

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“你不该退让,应当立即抓住她。”罗切斯特先生说。“可是在那种情况下,你还能怎么样呢?”梅森回答道。“啊,太可怕了!”他颤抖着补充道。“而我没有料到,起初她看上去那么平静。”“我警告过你,”他的朋友回答,“我说——你走近她时要当心。此外,你满可以等到明天,让我同你一起去。今天晚上就想去见她,而且单独去,实在是够傻的。”“我想我可以做些好事。”“你想!你想!不错,听你这么说真让我感到不耐烦。不过你毕竟还是吃了苦头,不听我劝告你会吃够苦头,所以我以后不说了。卡特,快点!快点!太阳马上要出来了,我得把他弄走。”“马上好,先生。肩膀已经包扎好了。我得治疗一下胳膊上的另一个伤口。我想她的牙齿在这里咬了一下。”“她吸了血,她说要把我的心吸干,”梅森说。我看见罗切斯特先生打了个哆嗦,那种极其明显的厌恶、恐惧和痛恨的表情,使他的脸扭曲得变了形。不过他只说:“来吧,不要作声,理查德,别在乎她的废话。不要唠叨了。”“但愿我能忘掉它,”对方回答。“你一出这个国家就会忘掉。等你回到了西班牙城你就算她已经死了,给埋了——或者你压根儿就不必去想她了。”“怎么也忘不了今天晚上!”“不会忘不了,老兄,振作起来吧。两小时之前你还说你像条死鱼那样没命了,而你却仍旧活得好好的,现在还在说话。行啦:——卡特已经包扎好啦,或者差不多了。一会儿我就让你打扮得整整齐齐。简(他再次进门后还是第一回同我说话),把这把钥匙拿着,下楼到我的卧室去,一直走进梳妆室,打开衣柜顶端的抽屉,取件干净的衬衫和一条围巾,拿到这里来,动作利索些。”我去了,找到了他说的衣柜,翻出了他指名要的东西,带着它们回来了。“行啦,”他说,“我要替他梳装打扮了,你到床那边去,不过别离开房间,也许还需要你。”我按他的吩咐退避了。“你下楼的时候别人有动静吗,简?”罗切斯特先生立刻问。“没有,先生,一点声息也没有。”

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“我们会小心地让你走掉,迪克。这对你自己,对那边的可怜虫都比较好。我一直竭力避免曝光,也不想到头来泄露出去。来,卡特,帮他穿上背心。你的毛皮斗篷放在哪儿了?我知道,在这种见鬼的冷天气里,没有斗篷,连一英里都走不了。在你房间里吗?——简,跑下楼到梅森先生的房间去——在我的隔壁——把你看到的斗篷拿来。”我又跑下去,跑回来,捧回一件皮夹里皮镶边大斗篷。“现在我还要差你做另一件事,”我那不知疲倦的主人说。“你得再去我房间一趟。幸亏你穿的是丝绒鞋,简!——在这种时候,粗手笨脚的听差绝对不行。你得打开我梳妆台的中间抽屉,把你看到的一个小瓶子和一个小杯拿来,——快!”我飞也似地去了又来,揣着他要的瓶子。“干得好!行啦,医生,我要擅自用药了,我自己负责,这瓶兴奋剂,我是从罗马一位意大利庸医那儿搞来的——这家伙,你准会踹他一脚,卡特,这东西不能包治百病,但有时还灵,譬如说现在。简,拿点水来。”他递过那小玻璃杯,我从脸盆架上的水瓶里倒了半杯水。“够了——现在用水把瓶口抹一下。”我这么做了。他滴了十二滴深红色液体,把它递给梅森。“喝吧,理查德,它会把你所缺乏的勇气鼓起来,保持一小时左右。”“可是对身体有害吗?——有没有刺激性?”“喝呀!喝呀!喝呀!”梅森先生服从了,显然抗拒也无济于事。这时他已穿戴停当,看上去仍很苍白,但已不再血淋淋,脏兮兮。罗切斯特先生让他在喝了那液体后,又坐了三分钟,随后握住他胳膊:“现在,你肯定站得起来了,”他说,“试试看。”病人站了起来。“卡特,扶住他另一个肩膀。理查德,振作起来,往前跨——对啦!”“我确实感觉好多了”梅森先生说。“我相信你是这样。嗨,简,你先走,跑在我们前头,到后楼梯去把边门的门栓拉开,告诉在院子里能看到的驿车车夫——也许车子就在院子外头,因为我告诉他别在人行道上驾车,弄得轮子扎扎响——让他准备好。我们就来了。还有,简,要是附近有人,你就走到楼梯下呼一声。”

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这时已是五点半,太阳就要升起。不过我发觉厨房里依然黑洞洞静悄悄的。边门上了栓,我把它打开,尽量不发出声来。院子里一片沉寂。但院门敞开着,有辆驿车停在外面,马匹都套了马具,车夫坐在车座上。我走上前去,告诉他先生们就要来了。他点了点头。随后我小心四顾,凝神静听。清晨一切都在沉睡,处处一片宁静。仆人房间里的门窗都还遮着窗帘,小鸟在白花满枝的果树上啁啾,树枝像白色的花环那样低垂着,从院子一边的围墙探出头来。在紧闭的马厩里,拉车用的马不时蹬几下蹄子,此外便一切都静谧无声了。这时先生们到了。梅森由罗切斯特先生和医生扶着,步态似乎还算自如,他们搀着他上了车,卡特也跟着上去了。“照料他一下,”罗切斯特先生对卡特说,“让他呆在你家里,一直到好为止。过一两天我会骑马过来探望他的。理查德,你怎么样了?”“新鲜空气使我恢复了精神,费尔法克斯。”“让他那边的窗子开着,卡特,反正没风——再见,迪克。”“费尔法克斯——”“噢,什么事?”“照顾照顾她吧,待她尽量温柔些,让她——”他哭了起来,说不下去了。“尽我的力量。我已经这么做了,将来也会这么做的,”他答道,关上了驿车的门,车子开走了。“上帝保佑,统统都了结了!”罗切斯特先生一面说,一面把沉重的院门关上,并拴好。之后,他步履迟缓、心不在焉地踱向同果园接界的墙门。我想他已经用不着我了,准备回房去。却又听见他叫了声“简!”他已经开了门,站在门旁等我。“来,这里空气新鲜,呆一会儿吧,”他说,“这所房子不过是座监狱,你不这样觉得吗?”“我觉得是座豪华的大厦,先生。”“天真烂漫所造成的魔力蒙住了你的眼睛,”他回答说。“你是用着了魔的眼光来看它的,你看不出镀的金是粘土;丝绸帐幔是蛛网;大理石是污秽的石板;上光的木器不过是废木屑和烂树皮。而这里(他指着我们踏进的树叶繁茂的院落)一切都那么纯真香甜。”他沿着一条小径信步走去,小径一边种着黄杨木、苹果树、梨树和樱桃树;另一边是花坛,长满了各类老式花:有紫罗兰、美洲石竹、报春花、三色瑾,混杂着老人蒿,多花蔷薇和各色香草。四月里持续不断晴雨交替的天气,以及紧随的春光明媚的早晨,使这些花草鲜艳无比。太阳正进入光影斑驳的东方,阳光照耀着花满枝头露水晶莹的果树,照亮了树底下幽静的小径。

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“简,给你一朵花好吗?”他采摘了枝头上第一朵初开的玫瑰,把它给了我。“谢谢,先生。”“你喜欢日出吗,简?喜欢天空,以及天气一暖和就消失的高高的轻云吗?——喜欢这宁静而温馨的气氛吗?”“喜欢,很喜欢。”“你度过了一个奇怪的夜晚,简。”“是呀,先生。”“弄得你脸无神色了——让你一个人与梅森呆着,你怕吗?”“我怕有人会从内间走出来。”“可是我拴了门——钥匙在我口袋里。要是我把一只羊羔——我心爱的小羊——毫无保护地留在狼窝边,那我岂不是一个粗心大意的牧羊人了?你很安全。”“格雷斯.普尔还会住在这儿吗,先生?”“呵,是的,别为她去烦神了——忘掉这事儿吧。”“我总觉得只要她在,你就不得安宁。”“别怕——我会照顾好自己的。”“你昨晚担心的危险现在没有了吗,先生?”“梅森不离开英格兰,我就无法担保。甚至他走了也不行。活着对我来说,简,好象是站在火山表面,哪一天地壳都可能裂开,喷出火来。”“可是梅森先生好像是容易摆布的,你的影响,先生,对他明显起着作用,他决不会同你作对,或者有意伤害你。”“呵,不错!梅森是不会跟我作对,也不会明明知道而来伤害我——不过,无意之中他可能因为一时失言,即使不会使我送命,也会断送我一生的幸福。”“告诉他小心从事,先生,让他知道你的忧虑,指点他怎样来避开危险。”他嘲弄地哈哈大笑起来,一下子抓住我的手,一下子又把它甩掉了。

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“要是我能那样做,傻瓜,那还有什么危险可言,顷刻之间就可排除。自我认得梅森以来,我只要对他说‘那么干’,他就会那么办。不过在这件事情上我可不能对他发号施令,不能同他说‘当心伤着我,理查德,’因为我必须将他蒙在鼓里,使他不知道可能会伤着我,现在你似乎大惑不解,我还会让你更莫名其妙呢。你是我的小朋友,对吗?”“我愿意为你效劳,先生,只要是对的,我都服从你。”“确实如此,我看你是这么做的。你帮助我,使我愉快——为我忙碌,也与我一起忙碌,干你惯于说的‘只要是对的’事情时,我从你的步履和神采,你的目光和表情上,看到了一种真诚的满足。因为要是我吩咐你去干你心目中的错事,那就不会有步态轻盈的奔忙,干脆利落的敏捷,没有活泼的眼神,兴奋的脸色了。我的朋友会神态恬静面容苍白地转向我说:‘不,先生,那不可能,我不能干,因为那不对。’你会象一颗定了位的星星那样不可改变。噢,你也能左右我,还可以伤害我,不过我不敢把我的弱点告诉你,因为尽管你既老实又友好,你会立刻弄得我目瞪口呆的。”“要是梅森也像我一样没有什么使你害怕的话,你就安全了。”“上帝保佑,但愿如此!来,简,这里有个凉棚,坐下吧。”这凉棚是搭在墙上的一个拱顶,爬满了藤蔓。棚下有一把粗木椅子,罗切斯特先生坐了下来,还给我留出了地方。不过我站在他跟前。“坐下吧,”他说“这条长凳够两个人坐的,你不会是为要不要坐在我旁边而犹豫不决吧?难道那错了吗,简?”我坐了下来,等于是对他的回答。我觉得谢绝是不明智的。“好吧,我的小朋友,当太阳吸吮着雨露——当老园子里的花统统苏醒并开放,鸟儿飞越桑菲尔德为雏鸟送来早餐,早起的蜜蜂开始了它们第一阵劳作时——我要把这件事诉说给你听,你务必要努力把它设想成自己的。不过先看着我,告诉我你很平静,并不担心我把你留着是错的,或者你呆着是不对的。”“不,先生,我很情愿。”“那么好吧,简,发挥你的想象力吧——设想你不再是受过精心培养和教导的姑娘,而是从幼年时代起就是一个放纵任性的男孩。想象你身处遥远的异国,假设你在那里铸成了大错,不管其性质如何,出于什么动机,它的后果殃及你一生,玷污你的生活。注意,我没有说‘犯罪’,不是说流血或是其他犯罪行为,那样的话肇事者会被绳之以法,我用的字是‘错误’。你行为的恶果,到头来使你绝对无法忍受。你采取措施以求获得解脱,非正常的措施,但既不是非法,也并非有罪。而你仍然感到不幸,因为希望在生活的边缘离你而去,你的太阳遇上日蚀,在正午就开始暗淡,你觉得不到日落不会有所改变,痛苦和卑贱的联想,成了你记忆的唯一食品。你到处游荡,在放逐中寻求安逸,在亨乐中寻觅幸福一—我的意思是沉缅于无情的肉欲——它消蚀才智,摧残情感。在几年的自愿放逐以后,你心力交瘁地回到了家里,结识了一位新知——何时结识,如何结识,都无关紧要。在这位陌生人身上,你看到了很多出类拔率的品质,为它们你已经寻寻觅觅二十来年,却终不可得。

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这些品质新鲜健康,没有污渍,没有斑点,这种交往使人复活,催人新生。你觉得好日子又回来了——志更高,情更真。你渴望重新开始生活,以一种更配得上不朽的灵魂的方式度过余生。为了达到这个目的,你是不是有理由越过习俗的藩篱——那种既没有得到你良心的认可,也不为你的识见所赞同的、纯粹因袭的障碍?”他停了一下等我回答,而我该说什么呢?呵!但愿有一位善良的精灵能给我提示一个明智而满意的答复!空想而已!西风在我周围的藤蔓中耳语,可就是没有一位温存的埃里厄尔①把它的呼息借我一用,充当说话的媒介。鸟儿在树梢歌唱,它们的歌声虽然甜蜜,却无法让人理解。罗切斯特先生再次提出了他的问题:“这个一度浪迹天涯罪孽深重,现在思安悔过的人,是不是有理由无视世俗的偏见,使这位和蔼可亲、通情达理的陌生人,与他永远相依,以获得内心的宁静和生命的复苏?”“先生,”我回答,“一个流浪者要安顿下来,或者一个罪人要悔改,不应当依赖他的同类。男人和女人都难免一死;哲学家们会在智慧面前踌躇,基督教徒会在德行面前犹豫。要是你认识的人曾经吃过苦头,犯过错误,就让他从高于他的同类那儿,企求改过自新的力量,获得治疗创伤的抚慰。”“可是途径呢——途径:实施者上帝指定途径。我自己——直截了当地告诉你吧——曾经是个老于世故、放荡不羁、焦躁不安的汉子,现在我相信自己找到了救治的途径,它在于——”他打住了。鸟儿唱个不停,树叶飒飒有声。我几乎惊异于它们不刹住歌声和耳语,倾听中止的袒露。不过它们得等上好几分钟——这沉默延续了好久。我终于抬头去看这位吞吞吐吐的说话人,他也急切地看着我。”“小朋友,”他说,完全改了口气——脸色也变了,失去了一切温柔和庄重,变得苛刻和嘲弄—一“你注意到了我对英格拉姆小姐的柔情吧,要是我娶了她,你不认为她会使我彻底新生吗?”他猛地站了起来,几乎走到了小径的另一头,走回来时嘴里哼着小调。”

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