第183章

第183章“you’vehitit，ma’am：it’squitecertainthatitwasher，andnobodybuther，thatsetitgoing.shehadawomantotakecareofhercalledmrs.poole—anablewomaninherline，andverytrustworthy，butforonefault—afaultcommontoadealofthemnursesandmatrons—shekeptaprivatebottleofginbyher，andnowandthentookadropover-much.itisexcusable，forshehadahardlifeofit：butstillitwasdangerous；forwhenmrs.poolewasfastasleepaftertheginandwater，themadlady，whowasascunningasawitch，wouldtakethekeysoutofherpocket，letherselfoutofherchamber，andgoroamingaboutthehouse，doinganywildmischiefthatcameintoherhead.theysayshehadnearlyburntherhusbandinhisbedonce：butidon’tknowaboutthat.however，onthisnight，shesetfirefirsttothehangingsoftheroomnextherown，andthenshegotdowntoalowerstorey，andmadeherwaytothechamberthathadbeenthegoverness’s—(shewaslikeasifsheknewsomehowhowmattershadgoneon，andhadaspiteather)—andshekindledthebedthere；buttherewasnobodysleepinginit，fortunately.thegovernesshadrunawaytwomonthsbefore；andforallmr.rochestersoughtherasifshehadbeenthemostpreciousthinghehadintheworld，henevercouldhearawordofher；andhegrewsavage—quitesavageonhisdisappointment：heneverwasawildman，buthegotdangerousafterhelosther.hewouldbealone，too.hesentmrs.fairfax，thehousekeeper，awaytoherfriendsatadistance；buthedidithandsomely，forhesettledanannuityonherforlife：andshedeservedit—shewasaverygoodwoman.missadèle，awardhehad，wasputtoschool.hebrokeoffacquaintancewithallthegentry，andshuthimselfuplikeahermitatthehall.”

“what！didhenotleaveengland？”

“leaveengland？blessyou，no！hewouldnotcrossthedoor-stonesofthehouse，exceptatnight，whenhewalkedjustlikeaghostaboutthegroundsandintheorchardasifhehadlosthissenses—whichitismyopinionhehad；foramorespirited，bolder，keenergentlemanthanhewasbeforethatmidgeofagovernesscrossedhim，youneversaw，ma’am.hewasnotamangiventowine，orcards，orracing，assomeare，andhewasnotsoveryhandsome；buthehadacourageandawillofhisown，ifevermanhad.iknewhimfromaboy，yousee：andformypart，ihaveoftenwishedthatmisseyrehadbeensunkintheseabeforeshecametothornfieldhall.”

“thenmr.rochesterwasathomewhenthefirebrokeout？”

“yes，indeedwashe；andhewentuptotheatticswhenallwasburningaboveandbelow，andgottheservantsoutoftheirbedsandhelpedthemdownhimself，andwentbacktogethismadwifeoutofhercell.andthentheycalledouttohimthatshewasontheroof，whereshewasstanding，wavingherarms，abovethebattlements，andshoutingouttilltheycouldhearheramileoff：isawherandheardherwithmyowneyes.shewasabigwoman，andhadlongblackhair：wecouldseeitstreamingagainsttheflamesasshestood.iwitnessed，andseveralmorewitnessed，mr.rochesterascendthroughthesky-lightontotheroof；weheardhimcall‘bertha！’wesawhimapproachher；andthen，ma’am，sheyelledandgaveaspring，andthenextminuteshelaysmashedonthepavement.”

“dead？”

“dead！ay，deadasthestonesonwhichherbrainsandbloodwerescattered.”

“goodgod！”

“youmaywellsayso，ma’am：itwasfrightful！”

heshuddered.

“andafterwards？”iurged.

“well，ma’am，afterwardsthehousewasburnttotheground：thereareonlysomebitsofwallsstandingnow.”

“wereanyotherliveslost？”

“no—perhapsitwouldhavebeenbetteriftherehad.”

“whatdoyoumean？”

“poormr.edward！”heejaculated，“ilittlethoughtevertohaveseenit！somesayitwasajustjudgmentonhimforkeepinghisfirstmarriagesecret，andwantingtotakeanotherwifewhilehehadoneliving：butipityhim，formypart.”

“yousaidhewasalive？”iexclaimed.

“yes，yes：heisalive；butmanythinkhehadbetterbedead.”

“why？how？”mybloodwasagainrunningcold.“whereishe？”idemanded.“isheinengland？”

“ay—ay—he’sinengland；hecan’tgetoutofengland，ifancy—he’safixturenow.”

whatagonywasthis！andthemanseemedresolvedtoprotractit.

“heisstone-blind，”hesaidatlast.“yes，heisstone-blind，ismr.edward.”

ihaddreadedworse.ihaddreadedhewasmad.isummonedstrengthtoaskwhathadcausedthiscalamity.

“itwasallhisowncourage，andabodymaysay，hiskindness，inaway，ma’am：hewouldn’tleavethehousetilleveryoneelsewasoutbeforehim.ashecamedownthegreatstaircaseatlast，aftermrs.rochesterhadflungherselffromthebattlements，therewasagreatcrash—allfell.hewastakenoutfromundertheruins，alive，butsadlyhurt：abeamhadfalleninsuchawayastoprotecthimpartly；butoneeyewasknockedout，andonehandsocrushedthatmr.carter，thesurgeon，hadtoamputateitdirectly.theothereyeinflamed：helostthesightofthatalso.heisnowhelpless，indeed—blindandacripple.”

“whereishe？wheredoeshenowlive？”

“atferndean，amanor-houseonafarmhehas，aboutthirtymilesoff：quiteadesolatespot.”

“whoiswithhim？”

“oldjohnandhiswife：hewouldhavenoneelse.heisquitebrokendown，theysay.”

“haveyouanysortofconveyance？”

无一错一首一发一内一容一在一6一9一书一吧一看！

“wehaveachaise，ma’am，averyhandsomechaise.”

“letitbegotreadyinstantly；andifyourpost-boycandrivemetoferndeanbeforedarkthisday，i’llpaybothyouandhimtwicethehireyouusuallydemand.”