第89章

第89章ireturned,soughtthespongeonthewashstand,thesaltsinmydrawer,andoncemoreretracedmysteps.hestillwaited;heheldakeyinhishand:approachingoneofthesmall,blackdoors,heputitinthelock;hepaused,andaddressedmeagain.

“youdon’tturnsickatthesightofblood?”

“ithinkishallnot:ihaveneverbeentriedyet.”

ifeltathrillwhileiansweredhim;butnocoldness,andnofaintness.

“justgivemeyourhand,”hesaid:“itwillnotdotoriskafaintingfit.”

iputmyfingersintohis.“warmandsteady,”washisremark:heturnedthekeyandopenedthedoor.

isawaroomirememberedtohaveseenbefore,thedaymrs.fairfaxshowedmeoverthehouse:itwashungwithtapestry;butthetapestrywasnowloopedupinonepart,andtherewasadoorapparent,whichhadthenbeenconcealed.thisdoorwasopen;alightshoneoutoftheroomwithin:iheardthenceasnarling,snatchingsound,almostlikeadogquarrelling.mr.rochester,puttingdownhiscandle,saidtome,“waitaminute,”andhewentforwardtotheinnerapartment.ashoutoflaughtergreetedhisentrance;noisyatfirst,andterminatingingracepoole’sowngoblinha!ha!shethenwasthere.hemadesomesortofarrangementwithoutspeaking,thoughiheardalowvoiceaddresshim:hecameoutandclosedthedoorbehindhim.

“here,jane!”hesaid;andiwalkedroundtotheothersideofalargebed,whichwithitsdrawncurtainsconcealedaconsiderableportionofthechamber.aneasy-chairwasnearthebed-head:amansatinit,dressedwiththeexceptionofhiscoat;hewasstill;hisheadleantback;hiseyeswereclosed.mr.rochesterheldthecandleoverhim;irecognisedinhispaleandseeminglylifelessface—thestranger,mason:isawtoothathislinenononeside,andonearm,wasalmostsoakedinblood.

“holdthecandle,”saidmr.rochester,anditookit:hefetchedabasinofwaterfromthewashstand:“holdthat,”saidhe.iobeyed.hetookthesponge,dippeditin,andmoistenedthecorpse-likeface;heaskedformysmelling-bottle,andappliedittothenostrils.mr.masonshortlyunclosedhiseyes;hegroaned.mr.rochesteropenedtheshirtofthewoundedman,whosearmandshoulderwerebandaged:hespongedawayblood,tricklingfastdown.

“isthereimmediatedanger?”murmuredmr.mason.

“pooh!no—amerescratch.don’tbesoovercome,man:bearup!i’llfetchasurgeonforyounow,myself:you’llbeabletoberemovedbymorning,ihope.jane,”hecontinued.

“sir?”

“ishallhavetoleaveyouinthisroomwiththisgentleman,foranhour,orperhapstwohours:youwillspongethebloodasidowhenitreturns:ifhefeelsfaint,youwillputtheglassofwateronthatstandtohislips,andyoursaltstohisnose.youwillnotspeaktohimonanypretext—and—richard,itwillbeattheperilofyourlifeifyouspeaktoher:openyourlips—agitateyourself—andi’llnotanswerfortheconsequences.”

againthepoormangroaned;helookedasifhedarednotmove;fear,eitherofdeathorofsomethingelse,appearedalmosttoparalysehim.mr.rochesterputthenowbloodyspongeintomyhand,andiproceededtouseitashehaddone.hewatchedmeasecond,thensaying,“remember!—noconversation,”helefttheroom.iexperiencedastrangefeelingasthekeygratedinthelock,andthesoundofhisretreatingstepceasedtobeheard.

heretheniwasinthethirdstorey,fastenedintooneofitsmysticcells;nightaroundme;apaleandbloodyspectacleundermyeyesandhands;amurderesshardlyseparatedfrommebyasingledoor:yes—thatwasappalling—theresticouldbear;butishudderedatthethoughtofgracepooleburstingoutuponme.

imustkeeptomypost,however.imustwatchthisghastlycountenance—theseblue,stilllipsforbiddentounclose—theseeyesnowshut,nowopening,nowwanderingthroughtheroom,nowfixingonme,andeverglazedwiththedulnessofhorror.imustdipmyhandagainandagaininthebasinofbloodandwater,andwipeawaythetricklinggore.imustseethelightoftheunsnuffedcandlewaneonmyemployment;theshadowsdarkenonthewrought,antiquetapestryroundme,andgrowblackunderthehangingsofthevastoldbed,andquiverstrangelyoverthedoorsofagreatcabinetopposite—whosefront,dividedintotwelvepanels,bore,ingrimdesign,theheadsofthetwelveapostles,eachenclosedinitsseparatepanelasinaframe;whileabovethematthetoproseaneboncrucifixandadyingchrist.

accordingastheshiftingobscurityandflickeringgleamhoveredhereorglancedthere,itwasnowthebeardedphysician,luke,thatbenthisbrow;nowst.john’slonghairthatwaved;andanonthedevilishfaceofjudas,thatgrewoutofthepanel,andseemedgatheringlifeandthreateningarevelationofthearch-traitor—ofsatanhimself—inhissubordinate’sform.

amidstallthis,ihadtolistenaswellaswatch:tolistenforthemovementsofthewildbeastorthefiendinyondersideden.butsincemr.rochester’svisititseemedspellbound:allthenightiheardbutthreesoundsatthreelongintervals,—astepcreak,amomentaryrenewalofthesnarling,caninenoise,andadeephumangroan.

thenmyownthoughtsworriedme.whatcrimewasthisthatlivedincarnateinthissequesteredmansion,andcouldneitherbeexpellednorsubduedbytheowner?—whatmystery,thatbrokeoutnowinfireandnowinblood,atthedeadesthoursofnight?whatcreaturewasit,that,maskedinanordinarywoman’sfaceandshape,utteredthevoice,nowofamockingdemon,andanonofacarrion-seekingbirdofprey?