第185章

第185章“whenyougoin,”saidi,“tellyourmasterthatapersonwishestospeaktohim,butdonotgivemyname.”

“idon’tthinkhewillseeyou,”sheanswered;“herefuseseverybody.”

whenshereturned,iinquiredwhathehadsaid.“youaretosendinyournameandyourbusiness,”shereplied.shethenproceededtofillaglasswithwater,andplaceitonatray,togetherwithcandles.

“isthatwhatherangfor?”iasked.

“yes:healwayshascandlesbroughtinatdark,thoughheisblind.”

“givethetraytome;iwillcarryitin.”

itookitfromherhand:shepointedmeouttheparlourdoor.thetrayshookasiheldit;thewaterspiltfromtheglass;myheartstruckmyribsloudandfast.maryopenedthedoorforme,andshutitbehindme.

thisparlourlookedgloomy:aneglectedhandfuloffireburntlowinthegrate;and,leaningoverit,withhisheadsupportedagainstthehigh,old-fashionedmantelpiece,appearedtheblindtenantoftheroom.hisolddog,pilot,layononeside,removedoutoftheway,andcoiledupasifafraidofbeinginadvertentlytroddenupon.pilotprickeduphisearswhenicamein:thenhejumpedupwithayelpandawhine,andboundedtowardsme:healmostknockedthetrayfrommyhands.isetitonthetable;thenpattedhim,andsaidsoftly,“liedown!”mr.rochesterturnedmechanicallytoseewhatthecommotionwas:butashesawnothing,hereturnedandsighed.

“givemethewater,mary,”hesaid.

iapproachedhimwiththenowonlyhalf-filledglass;pilotfollowedme,stillexcited.

“whatisthematter?”heinquired.

“down,pilot!”iagainsaid.hecheckedthewateronitswaytohislips,andseemedtolisten:hedrank,andputtheglassdown.“thisisyou,mary,isitnot?”

“maryisinthekitchen,”ianswered.

heputouthishandwithaquickgesture,butnotseeingwhereistood,hedidnottouchme.“whoisthis?whoisthis?”hedemanded,trying,asitseemed,toseewiththosesightlesseyes—unavailinganddistressingattempt!“answerme—speakagain!”heordered,imperiouslyandaloud.

“willyouhavealittlemorewater,sir?ispilthalfofwhatwasintheglass,”isaid.

“whoisit?whatisit?whospeaks?”

“pilotknowsme,andjohnandmaryknowiamhere.icameonlythisevening,”ianswered.

“greatgod!—whatdelusionhascomeoverme?whatsweetmadnesshasseizedme?”

“nodelusion—nomadness:yourmind,sir,istoostrongfordelusion,yourhealthtoosoundforfrenzy.”

“andwhereisthespeaker?isitonlyavoice?oh!icannotsee,butimustfeel,ormyheartwillstopandmybrainburst.whatever—whoeveryouare—beperceptibletothetouchoricannotlive!”

hegroped;iarrestedhiswanderinghand,andprisoneditinbothmine.

“herveryfingers!”hecried;“hersmall,slightfingers!ifsotheremustbemoreofher.”

themuscularhandbrokefrommycustody;myarmwasseized,myshoulder—neck—waist—iwasentwinedandgatheredtohim.

“isitjane?whatisit?thisishershape—thisishersize—”

“andthishervoice,”iadded.“sheisallhere:herheart,too.godblessyou,sir!iamgladtobesonearyouagain.”

“janeeyre!—janeeyre,”wasallhesaid.

“mydearmaster,”ianswered,“iamjaneeyre:ihavefoundyouout—iamcomebacktoyou.”

“intruth?—intheflesh?mylivingjane?”

“youtouchme,sir,—youholdme,andfastenough:iamnotcoldlikeacorpse,norvacantlikeair,ami?”

“mylivingdarling!thesearecertainlyherlimbs,andtheseherfeatures;buticannotbesoblest,afterallmymisery.itisadream;suchdreamsasihavehadatnightwhenihaveclaspedheroncemoretomyheart,asidonow;andkissedher,asthus—andfeltthatshelovedme,andtrustedthatshewouldnotleaveme.”

“whichineverwill,sir,fromthisday.”

“neverwill,saysthevision?butialwayswokeandfounditanemptymockery;andiwasdesolateandabandoned—mylifedark,lonely,hopeless—mysoulathirstandforbiddentodrink—myheartfamishedandnevertobefed.gentle,softdream,nestlinginmyarmsnow,youwillfly,too,asyoursistershaveallfledbeforeyou:butkissmebeforeyougo—embraceme,jane.”

“there,sir—andthere!”’

ipressedmylipstohisoncebrilliantandnowraylesseyes—iswepthishairfromhisbrow,andkissedthattoo.hesuddenlyseemedtoarousehimself:theconvictionoftherealityofallthisseizedhim.

“itisyou—isit,jane?youarecomebacktomethen?”

“iam.”

“andyoudonotliedeadinsomeditchundersomestream?andyouarenotapiningoutcastamongststrangers?”

“no,sir!iamanindependentwomannow.”

“independent!whatdoyoumean,jane?”

“myuncleinmadeiraisdead,andheleftmefivethousandpounds.”

“ah!thisispractical—thisisreal!”hecried:“ishouldneverdreamthat.besides,thereisthatpeculiarvoiceofhers,soanimatingandpiquant,aswellassoft:itcheersmywitheredheart;itputslifeintoit.—what,janet!areyouanindependentwoman?arichwoman?”

无一错一首一发一内一容一在一6一9一书一吧一看！

“ifyouwon’tletmelivewithyou,icanbuildahouseofmyowncloseuptoyourdoor,andyoumaycomeandsitinmyparlourwhenyouwantcompanyofanevening.”

“butasyouarerich,jane,youhavenow,nodoubt,friendswhowilllookafteryou,andnotsufferyoutodevoteyourselftoablindlameterlikeme?”

“itoldyouiamindependent,sir,aswellasrich:iammyownmistress.”

“andyouwillstaywithme?”

“certainly—unlessyouobject.iwillbeyourneighbour,yournurse,yourhousekeeper.ifindyoulonely:iwillbeyourcompanion—toreadtoyou,towalkwithyou,tositwithyou,towaitonyou,tobeeyesandhandstoyou.ceasetolooksomelancholy,mydearmaster;youshallnotbeleftdesolate,solongasilive.”