第67章

第67章“itwillbewisesotodo，”washeranswer：“thisneighbourhoodisasquietasanyiknow，andineverheardofthehallbeingattemptedbyrobberssinceitwasahouse；thoughtherearehundredsofpounds’worthofplateintheplate-closet，asiswellknown.andyousee，forsuchalargehouse，thereareveryfewservants，becausemasterhasneverlivedheremuch；andwhenhedoescome，beingabachelor，heneedslittlewaitingon：butialwaysthinkitbesttoerronthesafeside；adoorissoonfastened，anditisaswelltohaveadrawnboltbetweenoneandanymischiefthatmaybeabout.adealofpeople，miss，arefortrustingalltoprovidence；butisayprovidencewillnotdispensewiththemeans，thoughheoftenblessesthemwhentheyareuseddiscreetly.”andheresheclosedherharangue：alongoneforher，andutteredwiththedemurenessofaquakeress.

istillstoodabsolutelydumfounderedatwhatappearedtomehermiraculousself-possessionandmostinscrutablehypocrisy，whenthecookentered.

“mrs.poole，”saidshe，addressinggrace，“theservants’dinnerwillsoonbeready：willyoucomedown？”

“no；justputmypintofporterandbitofpuddingonatray，andi’llcarryitupstairs.”

“you’llhavesomemeat？”

“justamorsel，andatasteofcheese，that’sall.”

“andthesago？”

“neverminditatpresent：ishallbecomingdownbeforeteatime：i’llmakeitmyself.”

thecookhereturnedtome，sayingthatmrs.fairfaxwaswaitingforme：soideparted.

ihardlyheardmrs.fairfax’saccountofthecurtainconflagrationduringdinner，somuchwasioccupiedinpuzzlingmybrainsovertheenigmaticalcharacterofgracepoole，andstillmoreinponderingtheproblemofherpositionatthornfieldandquestioningwhyshehadnotbeengivenintocustodythatmorning，or，attheveryleast，dismissedfromhermaster’sservice.hehadalmostasmuchasdeclaredhisconvictionofhercriminalitylastnight：whatmysteriouscausewithheldhimfromaccusingher？whyhadheenjoinedme，too，tosecrecy？itwasstrange：abold，vindictive，andhaughtygentlemanseemedsomehowinthepowerofoneofthemeanestofhisdependants；somuchinherpower，thatevenwhensheliftedherhandagainsthislife，hedarednotopenlychargeherwiththeattempt，muchlesspunishherforit.

hadgracebeenyoungandhandsome，ishouldhavebeentemptedtothinkthattendererfeelingsthanprudenceorfearinfluencedmr.rochesterinherbehalf；but，hard-favouredandmatronlyasshewas，theideacouldnotbeadmitted.“yet，”ireflected，“shehasbeenyoungonce；heryouthwouldbecontemporarywithhermaster’s：mrs.fairfaxtoldmeonce，shehadlivedheremanyyears.idon’tthinkshecaneverhavebeenpretty；but，foraughtiknow，shemaypossessoriginalityandstrengthofcharactertocompensateforthewantofpersonaladvantages.mr.rochesterisanamateurofthedecidedandeccentric：graceiseccentricatleast.whatifaformercaprice(afreakverypossibletoanaturesosuddenandheadstrongashis)hasdeliveredhimintoherpower，andshenowexercisesoverhisactionsasecretinfluence，theresultofhisownindiscretion，whichhecannotshakeoff，anddarenotdisregard？”but，havingreachedthispointofconjecture，mrs.poole’ssquare，flatfigure，anduncomely，dry，evencoarseface，recurredsodistinctlytomymind’seye，thatithought，“no；impossible！mysuppositioncannotbecorrect.yet，”estedthesecretvoicewhichtalkstousinourownhearts，“youarenotbeautifuleither，andperhapsmr.rochesterapprovesyou：atanyrate，youhaveoftenfeltasifhedid；andlastnight—rememberhiswords；rememberhislook；rememberhisvoice！”

iwellrememberedall；language，glance，andtoneseemedatthemomentvividlyrenewed.iwasnowintheschoolroom；adèlewasdrawing；ibentoverheranddirectedherpencil.shelookedupwithasortofstart.

“qu’avez-vous，mademoiselle？”saidshe.“vosdoigtstremblentcommelafeuille，etvosjouessontrouges：mais，rougescommedescerises！”

“iamhot，adèle，withstooping！”shewentonsketching；iwentonthinking.

ihastenedtodrivefrommymindthehatefulnotionihadbeenconceivingrespectinggracepoole；itdisgustedme.icomparedmyselfwithher，andfoundweweredifferent.bessieleavenhadsaidiwasquitealady；andshespoketruth—iwasalady.andnowilookedmuchbetterthanididwhenbessiesawme；ihadmorecolourandmoreflesh，morelife，morevivacity，becauseihadbrighterhopesandkeenerenjoyments.

“eveningapproaches，”saidi，asilookedtowardsthewindow.“ihaveneverheardmr.rochester’svoiceorstepinthehouseto-day；butsurelyishallseehimbeforenight：ifearedthemeetinginthemorning；nowidesireit，becauseexpectationhasbeensolongbaffledthatitisgrownimpatient.”