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简爱(英文版)-第章

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 a question; expecting John’s wife to answer me; and your voice spoke at my ear。”
“Because I had e in; in Mary’s stead; with the tray。”
“And there is enchantment in the very hour I am now spending with you。 Who can tell what a dark; dreary; hopeless life I have dragged on for months past? Doing nothing; expecting nothing; merging night in day; feeling but the sensation of cold when I let the fire go out; of hunger when I forgot to eat: and then a ceaseless sorrow; and; at times; a very delirium of desire to behold my Jane again。 Yes: for her restoration I longed; far more than for that of my lost sight。 How can it be that Jane is with me; and says she loves me? Will she not depart as suddenly as she came? To…morrow; I fear I shall find her no more。”
A monplace; practical reply; out of the train of his own disturbed ideas; was; I was sure; the best and most reassuring for him in this frame of mind。 I passed my finger over his eyebrows; and remarked that they were scorched; and that I would apply something which would make them grow as broad and black as ever。
“Where is the use of doing me good in any way; beneficent spirit; when; at some fatal moment; you will again desert me—passing like a shadow; whither and how to me unknown; and for me remaining afterwards undiscoverable?
“Have you a pocket…b about you; sir?”
“What for; Jane?”
“Just to b out this shaggy black mane。 I find you rather alarming; when I examine you close at hand: you talk of my being a fairy; but I am sure; you are more like a brownie。”
“Am I hideous; Jane?”
“Very; sir: you always were; you know。”
“Humph! The wickedness has not been taken out of you; wherever you have sojourned。”
“Yet I have been with good people; far better than you: a hundred times better people; possessed of ideas and views you never entertained in your life: quite more refined and exalted。”
“Who the deuce have you been with?”
“If you twist in that way you will make me pull the hair out of your head; and then I think you will cease to entertain doubts of my substantiality。”
“Who have you been with; Jane?”
“You shall not get it out of me to…night; sir; you must wait till to…morrow; to leave my tale half told; will; you know; be a sort of security that I shall appear at your breakfast table to finish it。 By the bye; I must mind not to rise on your hearth with only a glass of water then: I must bring an egg at the least; to say nothing of fried ham。”
“You mocking changeling—fairy…born and human…bred! You make me feel as I have not felt these twelve months。 If Saul could have had you for his David; the evil spirit would have been exorcised without the aid of the harp。”
“There; sir; you are redd up and made decent。 Now I’ll leave you: I have been travelling these last three days; and I believe I am tired。 Good night。”
“Just one word; Jane: were there only ladies in the house where you have been?”
I laughed and made my escape; still laughing as I ran upstairs。 “A good idea!” I thought with glee。 “I see I have the means of fretting him out of his melancholy for some time to e。”
Very early the next morning I heard him up and astir; wandering from one room to another。 As soon as Mary came doiss Eyre here?” Then: “Which room did you put her into? Was it dry? Is she up? Go and ask if she wants anything; and when she will e down。”
I came down as soon as I thought there was a prospect of breakfast。 Entering the room very softly; I had a view of him before he discovered my presence。 It was mournful; indeed; to witness the subjugation of that vigorous spirit to a corporeal infirmity。 He sat in his chair—still; but not at rest: expectant evidently; the lines of now habitual sadness marking his strong features。 His countenance reminded one of a lamp quenched; waiting to be re…lit— and alas! it was not himself that could now kindle the lustre of animated expression: he was dependent on another for that office! I had meant to be gay and careless; but the powerlessness of the strong man touched my heart to the quick: still I accosted him with what vivacity I could。
“It is a bright; sunny morning; sir;” I said。 “The rain is over and gone; and there is a tender shining after it: you shall have a walk soon。”
I had wakened the glow: his features beamed。
“Oh; you are indeed there; my skylark! e to me。 You are not gone: not vanished? I heard one of your kind an hour ago; singing high over the wood: but its song had no music for me; any more than the rising sun had rays。 All the melody on earth is concentrated in my Jane’s tongue to my ear (I am glad it is not naturally a silent one): all the sunshine I can feel is in her presence。”
The water stood in my eyes to hear this avowal of his dependence; just as if a royal eagle; chained to a perch; should be forced to entreat a sparrow to bee its purveyor。 But I would not be lachrymose: I dashed off the salt drops; and busied myself with preparing breakfast。
Most of the morning was spent in the open air。 I led him out of the wet and wild wood into some cheerful fields: I described to him how brilliantly green they were; how the flowers and hedges looked refreshed; how sparklingly blue was the sky。 I sought a seat for him in a hidden and lovely spot; a dry stump of a tree; nor did I refuse to let him; when seated; place me on his knee。 Why should I; when both he and I were happier near than apart? Pilot lay beside us: all was quiet。 He broke out suddenly while clasping me in his arms—
“Cruel; cruel deserter! Oh; Jane; what did I feel when I discovered you had fled from Thornfield; and when I could nowhere find you; and; after examining your apartment; ascertained that you had taken no money; nor anything which could serve as an equivalent! A pearl necklace I had given you lay untouched in its little casket; your trunks were left corded and locked as they had been prepared for the bridal tour。 What could my darling do; I asked; left destitute and penniless? And what did she do? Let me hear now。”
Thus urged; I began the narrative of my experience for the last year。 I softened considerably what related to the three days of wandering and starvation; because to have told him all would have been 
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