第169章 - 简·爱 - 佚名 - 都市言情小说 - 30读书
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第169章

第169章theywerestiffwiththeirlongandjoltingdrivefromwhitcross,andchilledwiththefrostynightair;buttheirpleasantcountenancesexpandedtothecheerfulfirelight.whilethedriverandhannahbroughtintheboxes,theydemandedst.john.atthismomentheadvancedfromtheparlour.theyboththrewtheirarmsroundhisneckatonce.hegaveeachonequietkiss,saidinalowtoneafewwordsofwelcome,stoodawhiletobetalkedto,andthen,intimatingthathesupposedtheywouldsoonrejoinhimintheparlour,withdrewthereastoaplaceofrefuge.

ihadlittheircandlestogoupstairs,butdianahadfirsttogivehospitableordersrespectingthedriver;thisdone,bothfollowedme.theyweredelightedwiththerenovationanddecorationsoftheirrooms;withthenewdrapery,andfreshcarpets,andrichtintedchinavases:theyexpressedtheirgratificationungrudgingly.ihadthepleasureoffeelingthatmyarrangementsmettheirwishesexactly,andthatwhatihaddoneaddedavividcharmtotheirjoyousreturnhome.

sweetwasthatevening.mycousins,fullofexhilaration,weresoeloquentinnarrativeandcomment,thattheirfluencycoveredst.john’staciturnity:hewassincerelygladtoseehissisters;butintheirglowoffervourandflowofjoyhecouldnotsympathise.theeventoftheday—thatis,thereturnofdianaandmary—pleasedhim;buttheaccompanimentsofthatevent,thegladtumult,thegarrulousgleeofreceptionirkedhim:isawhewishedthecalmermorrowwascome.intheverymeridianofthenight’senjoyment,aboutanhouraftertea,arapwasheardatthedoor.hannahenteredwiththeintimationthat“apoorladwascome,atthatunlikelytime,tofetchmr.riverstoseehismother,whowasdrawingaway.”

“wheredoesshelive,hannah?”

“clearupatwhitcrossbrow,almostfourmilesoff,andmoorandmossalltheway.”

“tellhimiwillgo.”

“i’msure,sir,youhadbetternot.it’stheworstroadtotravelafterdarkthatcanbe:there’snotrackatalloverthebog.andthenitissuchabitternight—thekeenestwindyoueverfelt.youhadbettersendword,sir,thatyouwillbethereinthemorning.”

buthewasalreadyinthepassage,puttingonhiscloak;andwithoutoneobjection,onemurmur,hedeparted.itwasthennineo’clock:hedidnotreturntillmidnight.starvedandtiredenoughhewas:buthelookedhappierthanwhenhesetout.hehadperformedanactofduty;madeanexertion;felthisownstrengthtodoanddeny,andwasonbettertermswithhimself.

iamafraidthewholeoftheensuingweektriedhispatience.itwaschristmasweek:wetooktonosettledemployment,butspentitinasortofmerrydomesticdissipation.theairofthemoors,thefreedomofhome,thedawnofprosperity,actedondianaandmary’sspiritslikesomelife-givingelixir:theyweregayfrommorningtillnoon,andfromnoontillnight.theycouldalwaystalk;andtheirdiscourse,witty,pithy,original,hadsuchcharmsforme,thatipreferredlisteningto,andsharinginit,todoinganythingelse.st.johndidnotrebukeourvivacity;butheescapedfromit:hewasseldominthehouse;hisparishwaslarge,thepopulationscattered,andhefounddailybusinessinvisitingthesickandpoorinitsdifferentdistricts.

onemorningatbreakfast,diana,afterlookingalittlepensiveforsomeminutes,askedhim,“ifhisplanswereyetunchanged.”

“unchangedandunchangeable,”wasthereply.andheproceededtoinformusthathisdeparturefromenglandwasnowdefinitivelyfixedfortheensuingyear.

“androsamondoliver?”estedmary,thewordsseemingtoescapeherlipsinvoluntarily:fornosoonerhadsheutteredthem,thanshemadeagestureasifwishingtorecallthem.st.johnhadabookinhishand—itwashisunsocialcustomtoreadatmeals—heclosedit,andlookedup,

“rosamondoliver,”saidhe,“isabouttobemarriedtomr.granby,oneofthebestconnectedandmostestimableresidentsins—,grandsonandheirtosirfredericgranby:ihadtheintelligencefromherfatheryesterday.”

hissisterslookedateachotherandatme;weallthreelookedathim:hewassereneasglass.

“thematchmusthavebeengotuphastily,”saiddiana:“theycannothaveknowneachotherlong.”

“buttwomonths:theymetinoctoberatthecountyballats—.butwheretherearenoobstaclestoaunion,asinthepresentcase,wheretheconnectionisineverypointdesirable,delaysareunnecessary:theywillbemarriedassoonass—place,whichsirfredericgivesuptothem,canherefittedfortheirreception.”

thefirsttimeifoundst.johnaloneafterthiscommunication,ifelttemptedtoinquireiftheeventdistressedhim:butheseemedsolittletoneedsympathy,that,sofarfromventuringtoofferhimmore,iexperiencedsomeshameattherecollectionofwhatihadalreadyhazarded.besides,iwasoutofpracticeintalkingtohim:hisreservewasagainfrozenover,andmyfranknesswascongealedbeneathit.hehadnotkepthispromiseoftreatingmelikehissisters;hecontinuallymadelittlechillingdifferencesbetweenus,whichdidnotatalltendtothedevelopmentofcordiality:inshort,nowthatiwasacknowledgedhiskinswoman,andlivedunderthesameroofwithhim,ifeltthedistancebetweenustobefargreaterthanwhenhehadknownmeonlyasthevillageschoolmistress.whenirememberedhowfarihadoncebeenadmittedtohisconfidence,icouldhardlycomprehendhispresentfrigidity.

suchbeingthecase,ifeltnotalittlesurprisedwhenheraisedhisheadsuddenlyfromthedeskoverwhichhewasstooping,andsaid—

“yousee,jane,thebattleisfoughtandthevictorywon.”

startledatbeingthusaddressed,ididnotimmediatelyreply:afteramoment’shesitationianswered—

“butareyousureyouarenotinthepositionofthoseconquerorswhosetriumphshavecostthemtoodear?wouldnotsuchanotherruinyou?”

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