jane eyre(简·爱)-第34章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
repaired to my room； and； with Mrs。 Fairfax's aid； replaced my black
stuff dress by one of black silk； the best and the only additional one
I had； except one of light grey； which； in my Lowood notions of the
toilette； I thought too fine to be worn； except on first…rate
occasions。
'You want a brooch；' said Mrs。 Fairfax。 I had a single little pearl
ornament which Miss Temple gave me as a parting keepsake： I put it on；
and then we went downstairs。 Unused as I was to strangers； it was
rather a trial to appear thus formally summoned in Mr。 Rochester's
presence。 I let Mrs。 Fairfax precede me into the dining…room； and kept
in her shade as we crossed that apartment； and； passing the arch；
whose curtain was now dropped； entered the elegant recess beyond。
Two wax candles stood lighted on the table； and two on the
mantelpiece； basking in the light and heat of a superb fire； lay
Pilot… Adele knelt near him。 Half reclined on a couch appeared Mr。
Rochester； his foot supported by the cushion； he was looking at
Adele and the dog： the fire shone full on his face。 I knew my
traveller with his broad and jetty eyebrows； his square forehead； made
squarer by the horizontal sweep of his black hair。 I recognised his
decisive nose； more remarkable for character than beauty； his full
nostrils； denoting； I thought； choler； his grim mouth； chin； and
jaw… yes； all three were very grim； and no mistake。 His shape； now
divested of cloak； I perceived harmonised in squareness with his
physiognomy： I suppose it was a good figure in the athletic sense of
the term… broad chested and thin flanked； though neither tall nor
graceful。
Mr。 Rochester must have been aware of the entrance of Mrs。
Fairfax and myself； but it appeared he was not in the mood to notice
us； for he never lifted his head as we approached。
'Here is Miss Eyre； sir；' said Mrs。 Fairfax； in her quiet way。 He
bowed； still not taking his eyes from the group of the dog and child。
'Let Miss Eyre be seated；' said he： and there was something in
the forced stiff bow； in the impatient yet formal tone； which seemed
further to express； 'What the deuce is it to me whether Miss Eyre be
there or not？ At this moment I am not disposed to accost her。'
I sat down quite disembarrassed。 A reception of finished politeness
would probably have confused me： I could not have returned or repaid
it by answering grace and elegance on my part； but harsh caprice
laid me under no obligation； on the contrary； a decent quiescence；
under the freak of manner； gave me the advantage。 Besides； the
eccentricity of the proceeding was piquant： I felt interested to see
how he would go on。
He went on as a statue would； that is； he neither spoke nor
moved。 Mrs。 Fairfax seemed to think it necessary that some one
should be amiable； and she began to talk。 Kindly； as usual… and； as
usual； rather trite… she condoled with him on the pressure of business
he had had all day； on the annoyance it must have been to him with
that painful sprain： then she commended his patience and
perseverance in going through with it。
'Madam； I should like some tea；' was the sole rejoinder she got。
She hastened to ring the bell； and when the tray came； she proceeded
to arrange the cups； spoons； etc。； with assiduous celerity。 I and
Adele went to the table； but the master did not leave his couch。
'Will you hand Mr。 Rochester's cup？' said Mrs。 Fairfax to me；
'Adele might perhaps spill it。'
I did as requested。 As he took the cup from my hand； Adele；
thinking the moment propitious for making a request in my favour；
cried out…
'N'est…ce pas； monsieur； qu'il y a un cadeau pour Mademoiselle Eyre
dans votre petit coffre？'
'Who talks of cadeaux？' said he gruffly。 'Did you expect a present；
Miss Eyre？ Are you fond of presents？' and he searched my face with
eyes that I saw were dark； irate； and piercing。
'I hardly know； sir； I have little experience of them： they are
generally thought pleasant things。'
'Generally thought？ But what do you think？'
'I should be obliged to take time； sir； before I could give you
an answer worthy of your acceptance： a present has many faces to it；
has it not？ and one should consider all； before pronouncing an opinion
as to its nature。'
'Miss Eyre； you are not so unsophisticated as Adele： she demands
a 〃cadeau；〃 clamorously； the moment she sees me： you beat about the
bush。'
'Because I have less confidence in my deserts than Adele has： she
can prefer the claim of old acquaintance； and the right too of custom；
for she says you have always been in the habit of giving her
playthings； but if I had to make out a case I should be puzzled； since
I am a stranger； and have done nothing to entitle me to an
acknowledgment。'
'Oh； don't fall back on over…modesty！ I have examined Adele； and
find you have taken great pains with her： she is not bright； she has
no talents； yet in a short time she has made much improvement。'
'Sir； you have now given me my 〃cadeau〃； I am obliged to you： it is
the meed teachers most covet…praise of their pupils' progress。'
'Humph！' said Mr。 Rochester； and he took his tea in silence。
'Come to the fire；' said the master； when the tray was taken
away； and Mrs。 Fairfax had settled into a corner with her knitting；
while Adele was leading me by the hand round the room； showing me
the beautiful books and ornaments on the consoles and chiffonnieres。
We obeyed； as in duty bound； Adele wanted to take a seat on my knee；
but she was ordered to amuse herself with Pilot。
'You have been resident in my house three months？'
'Yes； sir。'
'And you came from…？'
'Ah！ a charitable concern。 How long were you there？'
'Eight years。'
'Eight years！ you must be tenacious of life。 I thought half the
time in such a place would have done up any constitution！ No wonder
you have rather the look of another world。 I marvelled where you had
got that sort of face。 When you came on me in Hay Lane last night； I
thought unaccountably of fairy tales； and had half a mind to demand
whether you had bewitched my horse： I am not sure yet。 Who are your
parents？'
'I have none。'
'Nor ever had； I suppose： do you remember them？'
'No。'
'I thought not。 And so you were waiting for your people when you
sat on that stile？'
'For whom； sir？'
'For the men in green： it was a proper moonlight evening for
them。 Did I break through one of your rings； that you spread that
damned ice on the causeway？'
I shook my head。 'The men in green all forsook England a hundred
years ago；' said I； speaking as seriously as he had done。 'And not
even in Hay Lane； or the fields about it； could you find a trace of
them。 I don't think either summer or harvest； or winter moon； will
ever shine on their revels more。'
Mrs。 Fairfax had dropped her knitting； and； with raised eyebrows；
seemed wondering what sort of talk this was。
'Well；' resumed Mr。 Rochester； 'if you disown parents； you must
have some sort of kinsfolk： uncles and aunts？'
'No； none that I ever saw。'
'And your home？'
'I have none。'
'Where do your brothers and sisters live？'
'I have no brothers or sisters。'
'Who recommended you to come here？'
'I advertised； and Mrs。 Fairfax answered my advertisement。'
'Yes；' said the good lady； who now knew what ground we were upon；
'and I am daily thankful for the choice Providence led me to make。
Miss Eyre has been an invaluable companion to me； and a kind and
careful teacher to Adele。'
'Don't trouble yourself to give her a character；' returned Mr。
Rochester： 'eulogiums will not bias me； I shall judge for myself。
She began by felling my horse。'
'Sir？' said Mrs。 Fairfax。
'I have to thank her for this sprain。'
The widow looked bewildered。
'Miss Eyre； have you ever lived in a town？'
'No； sir。'
'Have you seen much society？'
'None but the pupils and teachers of Lowood； and now the inmates of
Thornfield。'
'Have you read much？'
'Only such books as came in my way； and they have not been numerous
or very
