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简爱(英文版)-第章

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rt; 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 mended 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; &c。; with assiduous celerity。 I and Adèle went to the table; but the master did not leave his couch。
“Will you hand Mr。 Rochester’s cup?” said Mrs。 Fairfax to me; “Adèle might perhaps spill it。”
I did as requested。 As he took the cup from my hand; Adèle; 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 Adèle: she demands a ‘cadeau;’ clamorously; the moment she sees me: you beat about the bush。”
“Because I have less confidence in my deserts than Adèle 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 Adèle; 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。
“e to the fire;” said the master; when the tray was taken away; and Mrs。 Fairfax had settled into a corner with her knitting; while Adèle 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; Adèle 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—?”
“From Lowood school; in—shire。”
“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 remended you to e 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 panion to me; and a kind and careful teacher to Adèle。”
“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 learned。”
“You have lived the life of a nun: no doubt you are well drilled in religious forms;—Brocklehurst; who I understand directs Lowood; is a parson; is he not?”
“Yes; sir。”
“And you girls probably worshipped him; as a convent full of religieuses would worship their director。”
“Oh; no。”
“You are very cool! No! What! a novice not worship her priest! That sounds blasphemous。”
“I disliked Mr。 Brocklehurst; and I was not alone in the feeling。 He is a harsh man; at once pompous and meddling; he cut off our hair; and for economy’s sake bought us bad needles and thread;
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