第163章

第163章“twentyyearsago,apoorcurate—nevermindhisnameatthismoment—fellinlovewitharichman’sdaughter;shefellinlovewithhim,andmarriedhim,againsttheadviceofallherfriends,whoconsequentlydisownedherimmediatelyafterthewedding.beforetwoyearspassed,therashpairwerebothdead,andlaidquietlysidebysideunderoneslab.(ihaveseentheirgrave;itformedpartofthepavementofahugechurchyardsurroundingthegrim,soot-blackoldcathedralofanovergrownmanufacturingtownin—shire.)theyleftadaughter,which,atitsverybirth,charityreceivedinherlap—coldasthatofthesnow-driftialmoststuckfastinto-night.charitycarriedthefriendlessthingtothehouseofitsrichmaternalrelations;itwasrearedbyanaunt-in-law,called(icometonamesnow)mrs.reedofgateshead.youstart—didyouhearanoise?idaresayitisonlyaratscramblingalongtheraftersoftheadjoiningschoolroom:itwasabarnbeforeihaditrepairedandaltered,andbarnsaregenerallyhauntedbyrats.—toproceed.mrs.reedkepttheorphantenyears:whetheritwashappyornotwithher,icannotsay,neverhavingbeentold;butattheendofthattimeshetransferredittoaplaceyouknow—beingnootherthanlowoodschool,whereyousolongresidedyourself.itseemshercareertherewasveryhonourable:fromapupil,shebecameateacher,likeyourself—reallyitstrikesmethereareparallelpointsinherhistoryandyours—sheleftittobeagoverness:there,again,yourfateswereanalogous;sheundertooktheeducationofthewardofacertainmr.rochester.”

“mr.rivers!”iinterrupted.

“icanguessyourfeelings,”hesaid,“butrestrainthemforawhile:ihavenearlyfinished;hearmetotheend.ofmr.rochester’scharacteriknownothing,buttheonefactthatheprofessedtoofferhonourablemarriagetothisyounggirl,andthatattheveryaltarshediscoveredhehadawifeyetalive,thoughalunatic.whathissubsequentconductandproposalswereisamatterofpureconjecture;butwhenaneventtranspiredwhichrenderedinquiryafterthegovernessnecessary,itwasdiscoveredshewasgone—noonecouldtellwhen,where,orhow.shehadleftthornfieldhallinthenight;everyresearchafterhercoursehadbeenvain:thecountryhadbeenscouredfarandwide;novestigeofinformationcouldbegatheredrespectingher.yetthatsheshouldbefoundisbecomeamatterofseriousurgency:advertisementshavebeenputinallthepapers;imyselfhavereceivedaletterfromonemr.s,asolicitor,communicatingthedetailsihavejustimparted.isitnotanoddtale?”

“justtellmethis,”saidi,“andsinceyouknowsomuch,yousurelycantellitme—whatofmr.rochester?howandwhereishe?whatishedoing?ishewell?”

“iamignorantofallconcerningmr.rochester:theletternevermentionshimbuttonarratethefraudulentandillegalattemptihaveadvertedto.youshouldratheraskthenameofthegoverness—thenatureoftheeventwhichrequiresherappearance.”

“didnoonegotothornfieldhall,then?didnooneseemr.rochester?”

“isupposenot.”

“buttheywrotetohim?”

“ofcourse.”

“andwhatdidhesay?whohashisletters?”

“mr.sintimatesthattheanswertohisapplicationwasnotfrommr.rochester,butfromalady:itissigned‘alicefairfax.’”

ifeltcoldanddismayed:myworstfearsthenwereprobablytrue:hehadinallprobabilityleftenglandandrushedinrecklessdesperationtosomeformerhauntonthecontinent.andwhatopiateforhisseveresufferings—whatobjectforhisstrongpassions—hadhesoughtthere?idarednotanswerthequestion.oh,mypoormaster—oncealmostmyhusband—whomihadoftencalled“mydearedward!”

“hemusthavebeenabadman,”observedmr.rivers.

“youdon’tknowhim—don’tpronounceanopinionuponhim,”isaid,withwarmth.

“verywell,”heansweredquietly:“andindeedmyheadisotherwiseoccupiedthanwithhim:ihavemytaletofinish.sinceyouwon’taskthegoverness’sname,imusttellitofmyownaccord.stay!ihaveithere—itisalwaysmoresatisfactorytoseeimportantpointswrittendown,fairlycommittedtoblackandwhite.”

andthepocket-bookwasagaindeliberatelyproduced,opened,soughtthrough;fromoneofitscompartmentswasextractedashabbyslipofpaper,hastilytornoff:irecognisedinitstextureanditsstainsofultra-marine,andlake,andvermillion,theravishedmarginoftheportrait-cover.hegotup,helditclosetomyeyes:andiread,tracedinindianink,inmyownhandwriting,thewords“janeeyre”—theworkdoubtlessofsomemomentofabstraction.

“swrotetomeofajaneeyre:”hesaid,“theadvertisementsdemandedajaneeyre:iknewajaneelliott.—iconfessihadmysuspicions,butitwasonlyyesterdayafternoontheywereatonceresolvedintocertainty.youownthenameandrenouncethealias?”

“yes—yes;butwhereismr.s?heperhapsknowsmoreofmr.rochesterthanyoudo.”

“sisinlondon.ishoulddoubthisknowinganythingatallaboutmr.rochester;itisnotinmr.rochesterheisinterested.meantime,youforgetessentialpointsinpursuingtrifles:youdonotinquirewhymr.ssoughtafteryou—whathewantedwithyou.”

“well,whatdidhewant?”

“merelytotellyouthatyouruncle,mr.eyreofmadeira,isdead;thathehasleftyouallhisproperty,andthatyouarenowrich—merelythat—nothingmore.”

“i!—rich?”

“yes,you,rich—quiteanheiress.”

silenceeeded.

“youmustproveyouridentityofcourse,”resumedst.johnpresently:“astepwhichwilloffernodifficulties;youcanthenenteronimmediatepossession.yourfortuneisvestedintheenglishfunds;shasthewillandthenecessarydocuments.”