第188章

第188章“well,whatevermysufferingshadbeen,theywereveryshort,”ianswered:andtheniproceededtotellhimhowihadbeenreceivedatmoorhouse;howihadobtainedtheofficeofschoolmistress,&c.theaccessionoffortune,thediscoveryofmyrelations,followedindueorder.ofcourse,st.johnrivers’namecameinfrequentlyintheprogressofmytale.whenihaddone,thatnamewasimmediatelytakenup.

“thisst.john,then,isyourcousin?”

“yes.”

“youhavespokenofhimoften:doyoulikehim?”

“hewasaverygoodman,sir;icouldnothelplikinghim.”

“agoodman.doesthatmeanarespectablewell-conductedmanoffifty?orwhatdoesitmean?”

“stjohnwasonlytwenty-nine,sir.”

“‘jeuneencore,’asthefrenchsay.isheapersonoflowstature,phlegmatic,andplain.apersonwhosegoodnessconsistsratherinhisguiltlessnessofvice,thaninhisprowessinvirtue.”

“heisuntiringlyactive.greatandexalteddeedsarewhathelivestoperform.”

“buthisbrain?thatisprobablyrathersoft?hemeanswell:butyoushrugyourshoulderstohearhimtalk?”

“hetalkslittle,sir:whathedoessayisevertothepoint.hisbrainisfirst-rate,ishouldthinknotimpressible,butvigorous.”

“isheanableman,then?”

“trulyable.”

“athoroughlyeducatedman?”

“st.johnisanaccomplishedandprofoundscholar.”

“hismanners,ithink,yousaidarenottoyourtaste?—ishandparsonic?”

“inevermentionedhismanners;but,unlessihadaverybadtaste,theymustsuitit;theyarepolished,calm,andgentlemanlike.”

“hisappearance,—iforgetwhatdescriptionyougaveofhisappearance;—asortofrawcurate,halfstrangledwithhiswhiteneckcloth,andstilteduponhisthick-soledhigh-lows,eh?”

“st.johndresseswell.heisahandsomeman:tall,fair,withblueeyes,andagrecianprofile.”

(aside.)“damnhim!”—(tome.)“didyoulikehim,jane?”

“yes,mr.rochester,ilikedhim:butyouaskedmethatbefore.”

iperceived,ofcourse,thedriftofmyinterlocutor.jealousyhadgotholdofhim:shestunghim;butthestingwassalutary:itgavehimrespitefromthegnawingfangofmelancholy.iwouldnot,therefore,immediatelycharmthesnake.

“perhapsyouwouldrathernotsitanylongeronmyknee,misseyre?”wasthenextsomewhatunexpectedobservation.

“whynot,mr.rochester?”

“thepictureyouhavejustdrawnisestiveofarathertoooverwhelmingcontrast.yourwordshavedelineatedveryprettilyagracefulapollo:heispresenttoyourimagination,—tall,fair,blue-eyed,andwithagrecianprofile.youreyesdwellonavulcan,—arealblacksmith,brown,broad-shouldered:andblindandlameintothebargain.”

“ineverthoughtofit,before;butyoucertainlyareratherlikevulcan,sir.”

“well,youcanleaveme,ma’am:butbeforeyougo”(andheretainedmebyafirmergraspthanever),“youwillbepleasedjusttoanswermeaquestionortwo.”hepaused.

“whatquestions,mr.rochester?”

thenfollowedthiscross-examination.

“st.johnmadeyouschoolmistressofmortonbeforeheknewyouwerehiscousin?”

“yes.”

“youwouldoftenseehim?hewouldvisittheschoolsometimes?”

“daily.”

“hewouldapproveofyourplans,jane?iknowtheywouldbeclever,foryouareatalentedcreature!”

“heapprovedofthem—yes.”

“hewoulddiscovermanythingsinyouhecouldnothaveexpectedtofind?someofyouraccomplishmentsarenotordinary.”

“idon’tknowaboutthat.”

“youhadalittlecottageneartheschool,yousay:didheevercometheretoseeyou?”

“nowandthen?”

“ofanevening?”

“onceortwice.”

apause.

“howlongdidyouresidewithhimandhissistersafterthecousinshipwasdiscovered?”

“fivemonths.”

“didriversspendmuchtimewiththeladiesofhisfamily?”

“yes;thebackparlourwasbothhisstudyandours:hesatnearthewindow,andwebythetable.”

“didhestudymuch?”

“agooddeal.”

“what?”

“hindostanee.”