简爱(英文版)-第26部分

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d　with　thanks；　I　should　have　gone　on　my　way　and　not　felt　any　vocation　to　renew　inquiries：　but　the　frown；　the　roughness　of　the　traveller；　set　me　at　my　ease：　I　retained　my　station　when　he　waved　to　me　to　go；　and　announced—
“I　cannot　think　of　leaving　you；　sir；　at　so　late　an　hour；　in　this　solitary　lane；　till　I　see　you　are　fit　to　mount　your　horse。”
He　looked　at　me　when　I　said　this；　he　had　hardly　turned　his　eyes　in　my　direction　before。
“I　should　think　you　ought　to　be　at　home　yourself；”　said　he；　“if　you　have　a　home　in　this　neighbourhood：　where　do　you　e　from？”
“From　just　below；　and　I　am　not　at　all　afraid　of　being　out　late　when　it　is　moonlight：　I　will　run　over　to　Hay　for　you　with　pleasure；　if　you　wish　it：　indeed；　I　am　going　there　to　post　a　letter。”
“You　live　just　below—do　you　mean　at　that　house　with　the　battlements？”　pointing　to　Thornfield　Hall；　on　which　the　moon　cast　a　hoary　gleam；　bringing　it　out　distinct　and　pale　from　the　woods　that；　by　contrast　with　the　western　sky；　now　seemed　one　mass　of　shadow。
“Yes；　sir。”
“Whose　house　is　it？”
“Mr。　Rochester’s。”
“Do　you　know　Mr。　Rochester？”
“No；　I　have　never　seen　him。”
“He　is　not　resident；　then？”
“No。”
“Can　you　tell　me　where　he　is？”
“I　cannot。”
“You　are　not　a　servant　at　the　hall；　of　course。　You　are—”　He　stopped；　ran　his　eye　over　my　dress；　ple：　a　black　merino　cloak；　a　black　beaver　bon；　neither　of　them　half　fine　enough　for　a　lady’s…maid。　He　seemed　puzzled　to　decide　what　I　was；　I　helped　him。
“I　am　the　governess。”
“Ah；　the　governess！”　he　repeated；　“deuce　take　me；　if　I　had　not　forgotten！　The　governess！”　and　again　my　raiment　underwent　scrutiny。　In　two　minutes　he　rose　from　the　stile：　his　face　expressed　pain　when　he　tried　to　move。
“I　cannot　mission　you　to　fetch　help；”　he　said；　“but　you　may　help　me　a　little　yourself；　if　you　will　be　so　kind。”
“Yes；　sir。”
“You　have　not　an　umbrella　that　I　can　use　as　a　stick？”
“No。”
“Try　to　get　hold　of　my　horse’s　bridle　and　lead　him　to　me：　you　are　not　afraid？”
I　should　have　been　afraid　to　touch　a　horse　when　alone；　but　when　told　to　do　it；　I　was　disposed　to　obey。　I　put　down　my　muff　on　the　stile；　and　went　up　to　the　tall　steed；　I　endeavoured　to　catch　the　bridle；　but　it　was　a　spirited　thing；　and　would　not　let　me　e　near　its　head；　I　made　effort　on　effort；　though　in　vain：　meantime；　I　was　mortally　afraid　of　its　trampling　fore…feet。　The　traveller　waited　and　watched　for　some　time；　and　at　last　he　laughed。
“I　see；”　he　said；　“the　mountain　will　never　be　brought　to　Mahomet；　so　all　you　can　do　is　to　aid　Mahomet　to　go　to　the　mountain；　I　must　beg　of　you　to　e　here。”
I　came。　“Excuse　me；”　he　continued：　“necessity　pels　me　to　make　you　useful。”　He　laid　a　heavy　hand　on　my　shoulder；　and　leaning　on　me　with　some　stress；　limped　to　his　horse。　Having　once　caught　the　bridle；　he　mastered　it　directly　and　sprang　to　his　saddle；　grimacing　grimly　as　he　made　the　effort；　for　it　wrenched　his　sprain。
“Now；”　said　he；　releasing　his　under　lip　from　a　hard　bite；　“just　hand　me　my　whip；　it　lies　there　under　the　hedge。”
I　sought　it　and　found　it。
“Thank　you；　now　make　haste　with　the　letter　to　Hay；　and　return　as　fast　as　you　can。”
A　touch　of　a　spurred　heel　made　his　horse　first　start　and　rear；　and　then　bound　away；　the　dog　rushed　in　his　traces；　all　three　vanished；
“Like　heath　that；　in　the　wilderness；
The　wild　wind　whirls　away。”
I　took　up　my　muff　and　walked　on。　The　incident　had　occurred　and　was　gone　for　me：　it　was　an　incident　of　no　moment；　no　romance；　no　interest　in　a　sense；　yet　it　marked　with　change　one　single　hour　of　a　monotonous　life。　My　help　had　been　needed　and　claimed；　I　had　given　it：　I　was　pleased　to　have　done　something；　trivial；　transitory　though　the　deed　was；　it　was　yet　an　active　thing；　and　I　was　weary　of　an　existence　all　passive。　The　new　face；　too；　was　like　a　new　picture　introduced　to　the　gallery　of　memory；　and　it　was　dissimilar　to　all　the　others　hanging　there：　firstly；　because　it　was　masculine；　and；　secondly；　because　it　was　dark；　strong；　and　stern。　I　had　it　still　before　me　when　I　entered　Hay；　and　slipped　the　letter　into　the　post…　office；　I　saw　it　as　I　walked　fast　down…hill　all　the　way　home。　When　I　came　to　the　stile；　I　stopped　a　minute；　looked　round　and　listened；　with　an　idea　that　a　horse’s　hoofs　might　ring　on　the　causeway　again；　and　that　a　rider　in　a　cloak；　and　a　Gytrash…like　Newfoundland　dog；　might　be　again　apparent：　I　saw　only　the　hedge　and　a　pollard　willow　before　me；　rising　up　still　and　straight　to　meet　the　moonbeams；　I　heard　only　the　faintest　waft　of　wind　roaming　fitful　among　the　trees　round　Thornfield；　a　mile　distant；　and　when　I　glanced　down　in　the　direction　of　the　murmur；　my　eye；　traversing　the　hall…front；　caught　a　light　kindling　in　a　window：　it　reminded　me　that　I　was　late；　and　I　hurried　on。
I　did　not　like　re…entering　Thornfield。　To　pass　its　threshold　was　to　return　to　stagnation；　to　cross　the　silent　hall；　to　ascend　the　darksome　staircase；　to　seek　my　own　lonely　little　room；　and　then　to　meet　tranquil　Mrs。　Fairfax；　and　spend　the　long　winter　evening　with　her；　and　her　only；　was　to　quell　wholly　the　faint　excitement　wakened　by　my　walk；—to　slip　again　over　my　faculties　the　viewless　fetters　of　an　uniform　and　too　still　existence；　of　an　existence　whose　very　privileges　of　security　and　ease　I　was　being　incapable　of　appreciating。　What　good　it　would　have　done　me　at　that　time　to　have　been　tossed　in　the　storms　of　an　uncertain　struggling　life；　and　to　have　been　taught　by　rough　and　bitter　experience　to　long　for　the　calm　amidst　which　I　now　repined！　Yes；　just　as　much　good　as　it　would　do　a　man　tired　of　sitting　still　in　a　“too　easy　chair”　to　take　a　long　walk：　and　just　as　natural　was　the　wish　to　stir；　under　my　circumstances；　as　it　would　be　under　his。
I　lingered　at　the　gates；　I　lingered　on　the　lawn；　I　paced　backwards　and　forwards　on　the　pavement；　the　shutters　of　the　glass　door　were　closed；　I　could　not　see　into　the　interior；　and　both　my　eyes　and　spirit　seemed　drawn　from　the　gloomy　house—from　the　grey…hollow　filled　with　rayless　cells；　as　it　appeared　to　me—to　that　sky　expanded　before　me；—a　blue　sea　absolved　from　taint　of　cloud；　the　moon　ascending　it　in　solemn　march；　her　orb　seeming　to　look　up　as　she　left　the　hill…tops；　from　behind　which　she　had　e；　far　and　farther　below　her；　and　aspired　to　the　zenith；　midnight　dark　in　its　fathomless　depth　and　measureless　distance；　and　for　those　trembling　stars　that　followed　her　course；　they　made　my　heart　tremble；　my　veins　glow　when　I　viewed　them。　Little　things　recall　us　to　earth；　the　clock　struck　in　the　hall；　that　sufficed；　I　turned　from　moon　and　stars；　opened　a　side…door；　and　went　in。
The　hall　was　not　dark；　nor　yet　was　it　lit；　only　by　the　high…hung　bronze　lamp；　a　warm　glow　suffused　both　it　and　the　lower　steps　of　the　oak　staircase。　This　ruddy　shine　issued　from　the　great　dining…room；　whose　two…leaved　door　stood　open；　and　showed　a　genial　fire　in　the　grate；　glancing　on　marble　hearth　and　brass　fire…irons；　and　revealing　purple　draperies　and　polished　furniture；　in　the　most　pleasant　radiance。　It　revealed；　too；　a　group　near　the　mantelpiece：　I　had　scarcely　caught　it；　and　scarcely　bee　aware　of　a　cheerful　mingling　of　voices；　amongst　which　I　seemed　to　distinguish　the　tones　of　Adèle；　when　the　door　closed。
I　hastened　to　Mrs。　Fairfax’s　room；　there　was　a　fire　there　too；　but　no　candle；　and　no　Mrs。　Fairfax。　Instead；　all　alone；　sitting　upright　on　the　rug；　and　gazing　with　gravity　at　the　blaze；　I　beheld　a　great　black　and　white　long…haired　dog；　just　like　the　Gytrash　of　the　lane。　It　was　so　like　it　that　I　went　forward　and　said—“Pilot”　and　the　thing　got　up　and　came　to　me　and　snuffed　me。　I　caressed　him；　and　he　wagged　his　great　tail；　but　he　looked　an　eerie　creature　to　be　alone　with；　and　I　could　not　tell　whence　he　had　e。　I　rang　the　bell；　for　I　wanted　a　candle；　and　I　wanted；　too；　to　get　an　account　of　this　visitant。　Leah　entered。
“What　dog　is　this？”
“He　came　with　master。”
“With　whom？”
“With　master—Mr。　Rochester—he　is　just　arrived。”
“Indeed！　and　is　Mrs。　Fairfax　with　him？”
“Yes；　and　Miss　Adèle；　they　are　in　the　dining…room；　and　John　is　gone　for　a　surgeon；　for　master　has　had　an　accident；　his　horse　fell　and　his　ankle　is　sprained。”
“Did　the　horse　fall　in　Hay　Lane？”
“Yes；　ing　down…hill；　it　slipped　on　some　ice。”
“Ah！　Bring　me　a　candle　will　you　Leah？”
Leah　brought　it；　she　entered；　followed　by　Mrs。　Fairfax；　who　repeated　the　news；　adding　that　Mr。　Carter　the　surgeon　was　e；　and　was　now　with　Mr。　Rochester：　then　she　hurried　out　to　give　orders　about　tea；　and　I　went　upstairs　to　take　off　my　things。
Chapter　13
Mr。　Rochester；　it　seems；　by　the　surgeon’s　orders；　went　to　bed　early　that　night；　nor　did　he　rise　soon　next　morning。　When　he　did　e　down；　it　was　to　attend　to　business：　his　agent　and　some　of　his　tenants　were　arrived；　and　waiting　to　speak　with　him。
Adèle　and　I　had　now　to　vacate　the　library：　it　would　be　in　daily　requisition　as　a　reception…room　for　callers。　A　fire　was　lit　in　an　apartment　upstairs；　and　there　I　carried　our　books；　and　arranged　it　for　the　future　schoolroom。　I　discerned　in　the　course　of　the　morning　that　Thornfield　Hall　was　a　changed　place：　no　longer　silent　as　a　church；　it　echoed　every　hour　or　two　to　a　knock　at　the　door；　or　a　clang　of　the　bell；　steps；　too；　often　traversed　the　hall；　and　new　voices　spoke　in　different　keys　below；　a　rill　from　the　outer　world　was　flowing　through　it；　it　had　a　master：　for　my　part；　I　liked　it　better。
Adèle　was　not　easy　to　teach　that　day；　she　could　not　apply：　she　kept　running　to　the　door　and　looking　over　the　banisters　to　see　if　she　could　get　a　glimpse　of　Mr。　Rochester；　then　she　coined　pretexts　to　go　downstairs；　in　order；　as　I　shrewdly　suspected；　to　visit　the　library；　where　I　knew　she　was　not　wanted；　then；　when　I　got　a　little　angry；　and　made　her　sit　still；　she　continued　to　talk　incessantly　of　her　“ami；　Monsieur　Edouard　Fairfax　de　Rochester；”　as　she　dubbed　him　（I　had　not　before　heard　his　prenomens）；　and　to　conjecture　what　presents　he　had　brought　her：　for　it　appears　he　had　intimated　the　night　before；　that　when　his　luggage　came　from　Millcote；　there　would　be　found　amongst　it　a　little　box　in　whose　contents　she　had　an　interest。
“Et　cela　doit　signifier；”　said　she；　“qu’il　y　aura　le　dedans　un　cadeau　pour　moi；　et　peut…être　pour　vous　aussi；　mademoiselle。　Monsieur　a　parle　de　vous：　il　m’a　demande　l