第91章
第91章“wasanybodystirringbelowwhenyouwentdown,jane?”inquiredmr.rochesterpresently.
“no,sir;allwasverystill.”
“weshallgetyouoffcannily,dick:anditwillbebetter,bothforyoursake,andforthatofthepoorcreatureinyonder.ihavestrivenlongtoavoidexposure,andishouldnotlikeittocomeatlast.here,carter,helphimonwithhiswaist-coat.wheredidyouleaveyourfurredcloak?youcan’ttravelamilewithoutthat,iknow,inthisdamnedcoldclimate.inyourroom?—jane,rundowntomr.mason’sroom,—theonenextmine,—andfetchacloakyouwillseethere.”
againiran,andagainreturned,bearinganimmensemantlelinedandedgedwithfur.
“now,i’veanothererrandforyou,”saidmyuntiringmaster;“youmustawaytomyroomagain.whatamercyyouareshodwithvelvet,jane!—aclod-hoppingmessengerwouldneverdoatthisjuncture.youmustopenthemiddledrawerofmytoilet-tableandtakeoutalittlephialandalittleglassyouwillfindthere,—quick!”
iflewthitherandback,bringingthedesiredvessels.
“that’swell!now,doctor,ishalltakethelibertyofadministeringadosemyself,onmyownresponsibility.igotthiscordialatrome,ofanitaliancharlatan—afellowyouwouldhavekicked,carter.itisnotathingtobeusedindiscriminately,butitisgooduponoccasion:asnow,forinstance.jane,alittlewater.”
heheldoutthetinyglass,andihalffilleditfromthewater-bottleonthewashstand.
“thatwilldo;—nowwetthelipofthephial.”
ididso;hemeasuredtwelvedropsofacrimsonliquid,andpresentedittomason.
“drink,richard:itwillgiveyoutheheartyoulack,foranhourorso.”
“butwillithurtme?—isitinflammatory?”
“drink!drink!drink!”
mr.masonobeyed,becauseitwasevidentlyuselesstoresist.hewasdressednow:hestilllookedpale,buthewasnolongergoryandsullied.mr.rochesterlethimsitthreeminutesafterhehadswallowedtheliquid;hethentookhisarm—
“nowiamsureyoucangetonyourfeet,”hesaid—“try.”
thepatientrose.
“carter,takehimundertheothershoulder.beofgoodcheer,richard;stepout—that’sit!”
“idofeelbetter,”remarkedmr.mason.
“iamsureyoudo.now,jane,triponbeforeusawaytothebackstairs;unbolttheside-passagedoor,andtellthedriverofthepost-chaiseyouwillseeintheyard—orjustoutside,foritoldhimnottodrivehisrattlingwheelsoverthepavement—tobeready;wearecoming:and,jane,ifanyoneisabout,cometothefootofthestairsandhem.”
itwasbythistimehalf-pastfive,andthesunwasonthepointofrising;butifoundthekitchenstilldarkandsilent.theside-passagedoorwasfastened;iopeneditwithaslittlenoiseaspossible:alltheyardwasquiet;butthegatesstoodwideopen,andtherewasapost-chaise,withhorsesreadyharnessed,anddriverseatedonthebox,stationedoutside.iapproachedhim,andsaidthegentlemenwerecoming;henodded:thenilookedcarefullyroundandlistened.thestillnessofearlymorningslumberedeverywhere;thecurtainswereyetdrawnovertheservants’chamberwindows;littlebirdswerejusttwitteringintheblossom-blanchedorchardtrees,whoseboughsdroopedlikewhitegarlandsoverthewallenclosingonesideoftheyard;thecarriagehorsesstampedfromtimetotimeintheirclosedstables:allelsewasstill.
thegentlemennowappeared.mason,supportedbymr.rochesterandthesurgeon,seemedtowalkwithtolerableease:theyassistedhimintothechaise;carterfollowed.
“takecareofhim,”saidmr.rochestertothelatter,“andkeephimatyourhousetillheisquitewell:ishallrideoverinadayortwotoseehowhegetson.richard,howisitwithyou?”
“thefreshairrevivesme,fairfax.”
“leavethewindowopenonhisside,carter;thereisnowind—good-bye,dick.”
“fairfax—”
“wellwhatisit?”
“letherbetakencareof;letherbetreatedastenderlyasmaybe:lether—”hestoppedandburstintotears.
“idomybest;andhavedoneit,andwilldoit,”wastheanswer:heshutupthechaisedoor,andthevehicledroveaway.
“yetwouldtogodtherewasanendofallthis!”addedmr.rochester,asheclosedandbarredtheheavyyard-gates.
thisdone,hemovedwithslowstepandabstractedairtowardsadoorinthewallborderingtheorchard.i,supposinghehaddonewithme,preparedtoreturntothehouse;again,however,iheardhimcall“jane!”hehadopenedfeelportalandstoodatit,waitingforme.
“comewherethereissomefreshness,forafewmoments,”hesaid;“thathouseisameredungeon:don’tyoufeelitso?”
“itseemstomeasplendidmansion,sir.”
“theglamourofinexperienceisoveryoureyes,”heanswered;“andyouseeitthroughacharmedmedium:youcannotdiscernthatthegildingisslimeandthesilkdraperiescobwebs;thatthemarbleissordidslate,andthepolishedwoodsmererefusechipsandscalybark.nowhere”(hepointedtotheleafyenclosurewehadentered)“allisreal,sweet,andpure.”
hestrayeddownawalkedgedwithbox,withappletrees,peartrees,andcherrytreesononeside,andaborderontheotherfullofallsortsofold-fashionedflowers,stocks,sweet-williams,primroses,pansies,mingledwithsouthern-wood,sweet-briar,andvariousfragrantherbs.theywerefreshnowasaessionofaprilshowersandgleams,followedbyalovelyspringmorning,couldmakethem:thesunwasjustenteringthedappledeast,andhislightilluminedthewreathedanddewyorchardtreesandshonedownthequietwalksunderthem.
“jane,willyouhaveaflower?”
hegatheredahalf-blownrose,thefirstonthebush,andofferedittome.
“thankyou,sir.”
“doyoulikethissunrise,jane?thatskywithitshighandlightcloudswhicharesuretomeltawayasthedaywaxeswarm—thisplacidandbalmlyatmosphere?”
“ido,verymuch.”
“youhavepassedastrangenight,jane.”
无一错一首一发一内一容一在一6一9一书一吧一看！
“yes,sir.”
“andithasmadeyoulookpale—wereyouafraidwhenileftyoualonewithmason?”
“iwasafraidofsomeonecomingoutoftheinnerroom.”