第66章

第66章ibothwishedandfearedtoseemr.rochesteronthedaywhichfollowedthissleeplessnight：iwantedtohearhisvoiceagain，yetfearedtomeethiseye.duringtheearlypartofthemorning，imomentarilyexpectedhiscoming；hewasnotinthefrequenthabitofenteringtheschoolroom，buthedidstepinforafewminutessometimes，andihadtheimpressionthathewassuretovisititthatday.

butthemorningpassedjustasusual：nothinghappenedtointerruptthequietcourseofadèle’sstudies；onlysoonafterbreakfast，iheardsomebustleintheneighbourhoodofmr.rochester’schamber，mrs.fairfax’svoice，andleah’s，andthecook’s—thatis，john’swife—andevenjohn’sowngrufftones.therewereexclamationsof“whatamercymasterwasnotburntinhisbed！”“itisalwaysdangeroustokeepacandlelitatnight.”“howprovidentialthathehadpresenceofmindtothinkofthewater-jug！”“iwonderhewakednobody！”“itistobehopedhewillnottakecoldwithsleepingonthelibrarysofa，”&c.

tomuchconfabulationeededasoundofscrubbingandsettingtorights；andwhenipassedtheroom，ingoingdownstairstodinner，isawthroughtheopendoorthatallwasagainrestoredtocompleteorder；onlythebedwasstrippedofitshangings.leahstoodupinthewindow-seat，rubbingthepanesofglassdimmedwithsmoke.iwasabouttoaddressher，foriwishedtoknowwhataccounthadbeengivenoftheaffair：but，onadvancing，isawasecondpersoninthechamber—awomansittingonachairbythebedside，andsewingringstonewcurtains.thatwomanwasnootherthangracepoole.

thereshesat，staidandtaciturn-looking，asusual，inherbrownstuffgown，hercheckapron，whitehandkerchief，andcap.shewasintentonherwork，inwhichherwholethoughtsseemedabsorbed：onherhardforehead，andinhercommonplacefeatures，wasnothingeitherofthepalenessordesperationonewouldhaveexpectedtoseemarkingthecountenanceofawomanwhohadattemptedmurder，andwhoseintendedvictimhadfollowedherlastnighttoherlair，and(asibelieved)，chargedherwiththecrimeshewishedtoperpetrate.iwasamazed—confounded.shelookedup，whileistillgazedather：nostart，noincreaseorfailureofcolourbetrayedemotion，consciousnessofguilt，orfearofdetection.shesaid“goodmorning，miss，”inherusualphlegmaticandbriefmanner；andtakingupanotherringandmoretape，wentonwithhersewing.

“iwillputhertosometest，”thoughti：“suchabsoluteimpenetrabilityispastcomprehension.”

“goodmorning，grace，”isaid.“hasanythinghappenedhere？ithoughtiheardtheservantsalltalkingtogetherawhileago.”

“onlymasterhadbeenreadinginhisbedlastnight；hefellasleepwithhiscandlelit，andthecurtainsgotonfire；but，fortunately，heawokebeforethebed-clothesorthewood-workcaught，andcontrivedtoquenchtheflameswiththewaterintheewer.

“astrangeaffair！”isaid，inalowvoice：then，lookingatherfixedly—“didmr.rochesterwakenobody？didnoonehearhimmove？”

sheagainraisedhereyestome，andthistimetherewassomethingofconsciousnessintheirexpression.sheseemedtoexaminemewarily；thensheanswered—

“theservantssleepsofaroff，youknow，miss，theywouldnotbelikelytohear.mrs.fairfax’sroomandyoursarethenearesttomaster’s；butmrs.fairfaxsaidsheheardnothing：whenpeoplegetelderly，theyoftensleepheavy.”shepaused，andthenadded，withasortofassumedindifference，butstillinamarkedandsignificanttone—“butyouareyoung，miss；andishouldsayalightsleeper：perhapsyoumayhaveheardanoise？”

“idid，”saidi，droppingmyvoice，sothatleah，whowasstillpolishingthepanes，couldnothearme，“andatfirstithoughtitwaspilot：butpilotcannotlaugh；andiamcertainiheardalaugh，andastrangeone.”

shetookanewneedlefulofthread，waxeditcarefully，threadedherneedlewithasteadyhand，andthenobserved，withperfectcomposure—

“itishardlylikelymasterwouldlaugh，ishouldthink，miss，whenhewasinsuchdanger：youmusthavebeendreaming.”

“iwasnotdreaming，”isaid，withsomewarmth，forherbrazencoolnessprovokedme.againshelookedatme；andwiththesamescrutinisingandconsciouseye.

“haveyoutoldmasterthatyouheardalaugh？”sheinquired.

“ihavenothadtheopportunityofspeakingtohimthismorning.”

“youdidnotthinkofopeningyourdoorandlookingoutintothegallery？”shefurtherasked.

sheappearedtobecross-questioningme，attemptingtodrawfrommeinformationunawares.theideastruckmethatifshediscoveredikneworsuspectedherguilt，shewouldbeplayingofsomeofhermalignantpranksonme；ithoughtitadvisabletobeonmyguard.

“onthecontrary，”saidi，“iboltedmydoor.”

“thenyouarenotinthehabitofboltingyourdooreverynightbeforeyougetintobed？”

“fiend！shewantstoknowmyhabits，thatshemaylayherplansaccordingly！”indignationagainprevailedoverprudence：irepliedsharply，“hithertoihaveoftenomittedtofastenthebolt：ididnotthinkitnecessary.iwasnotawareanydangerorannoyancewastobedreadedatthornfieldhall：butinfuture”(andilaidmarkedstressonthewords)“ishalltakegoodcaretomakeallsecurebeforeiventuretoliedown.”