第56章 - 简·爱 - 佚名 - 都市言情小说 - 30读书
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第56章

第56章forseveralsubsequentdaysisawlittleofmr.rochester.inthemorningsheseemedmuchengagedwithbusiness,and,intheafternoon,gentlemenfrommillcoteortheneighbourhoodcalled,andsometimesstayedtodinewithhim.whenhissprainwaswellenoughtoadmitofhorseexercise,herodeoutagooddeal;probablytoreturnthesevisits,ashegenerallydidnotcomebacktilllateatnight.

duringthisinterval,evenadèlewasseldomsentfortohispresence,andallmyacquaintancewithhimwasconfinedtoanoccasionalrencontreinthehall,onthestairs,orinthegallery,whenhewouldsometimespassmehaughtilyandcoldly,justacknowledgingmypresencebyadistantnodoracoolglance,andsometimesbowandsmilewithgentlemanlikeaffability.hischangesofmooddidnotoffendme,becauseisawthatihadnothingtodowiththeiralternation;theebbandflowdependedoncausesquitedisconnectedwithme.

onedayhehadhadcompanytodinner,andhadsentformyportfolio;inorder,doubtless,toexhibititscontents:thegentlemenwentawayearly,toattendapublicmeetingatmillcote,asmrs.fairfaxinformedme;butthenightbeingwetandinclement,mr.rochesterdidnotaccompanythem.soonaftertheyweregoneherangthebell:amessagecamethatiandadèleweretogodownstairs.ibrushedadèle’shairandmadeherneat,andhavingascertainedthatiwasmyselfinmyusualquakertrim,wheretherewasnothingtoretouch—allbeingtoocloseandplain,braidedlocksincluded,toadmitofdisarrangement—wedescended,adèlewonderingwhetherthepetitcoffrewasatlengthcome;for,owingtosomemistake,itsarrivalhadhithertobeendelayed.shewasgratified:thereitstood,alittlecarton,onthetablewhenweenteredthedining-room.sheappearedtoknowitbyinstinct.

“mabo?te!mabo?te!”exclaimedshe,runningtowardsit.

“yes,thereisyour‘bo?te’atlast:takeitintoacorner,yougenuinedaughterofparis,andamuseyourselfwithdisembowellingit,”saidthedeepandrathersarcasticvoiceofmr.rochester,proceedingfromthedepthsofanimmenseeasy-chairatthefireside.“andmind,”hecontinued,“don’tbothermewithanydetailsoftheanatomicalprocess,oranynoticeoftheconditionoftheentrails:letyouroperationbeconductedinsilence:tiens-toitranquille,enfant;comprends-tu?”

adèleseemedscarcelytoneedthewarning—shehadalreadyretiredtoasofawithhertreasure,andwasbusyuntyingthecordwhichsecuredthelid.havingremovedthisimpediment,andliftedcertainsilveryenvelopesoftissuepaper,shemerelyexclaimed—

“ohciel!quec’estbeau!”andthenremainedabsorbedinecstaticcontemplation.

“ismisseyrethere?”nowdemandedthemaster,halfrisingfromhisseattolookroundtothedoor,nearwhichistillstood.

“ah!well,comeforward;beseatedhere.”hedrewachairnearhisown.“iamnotfondoftheprattleofchildren,”hecontinued;“for,oldbachelorasiam,ihavenopleasantassociationsconnectedwiththeirlisp.itwouldbeintolerabletometopassawholeeveningtête-à-têtewithabrat.don’tdrawthatchairfartheroff,misseyre;sitdownexactlywhereiplacedit—ifyouplease,thatis.confoundthesecivilities!icontinuallyforgetthem.nordoiparticularlyaffectsimple-mindedoldladies.by-the-bye,imusthavemineinmind;itwon’tdotoneglecther;sheisafairfax,orwedtoone;andbloodissaidtobethickerthanwater.”

herang,anddespatchedaninvitationtomrs.fairfax,whosoonarrived,knitting-basketinhand.

“goodevening,madam;isenttoyouforacharitablepurpose.ihaveforbiddenadèletotalktomeaboutherpresents,andsheisburstingwithrepletion:havethegoodnesstoserveherasauditressandinterlocutrice;itwillbeoneofthemostbenevolentactsyoueverperformed.”

adèle,indeed,nosoonersawmrs.fairfax,thanshesummonedhertohersofa,andtherequicklyfilledherlapwiththeporcelain,theivory,thewaxencontentsofher“bo?te;”pouringout,meantime,explanationsandrapturesinsuchbrokenenglishasshewasmistressof.

“nowihaveperformedthepartofagoodhost,”pursuedmr.rochester,“putmyguestsintothewayofamusingeachother,ioughttobeatlibertytoattendtomyownpleasure.misseyre,drawyourchairstillalittlefartherforward:youareyettoofarback;icannotseeyouwithoutdisturbingmypositioninthiscomfortablechair,whichihavenomindtodo.”

ididasiwasbid,thoughiwouldmuchratherhaveremainedsomewhatintheshade;butmr.rochesterhadsuchadirectwayofgivingorders,itseemedamatterofcoursetoobeyhimpromptly.

wewere,asihavesaid,inthedining-room:thelustre,whichhadbeenlitfordinner,filledtheroomwithafestalbreadthoflight;thelargefirewasallredandclear;thepurplecurtainshungrichandamplebeforetheloftywindowandloftierarch;everythingwasstill,savethesubduedchatofadèle(shedarednotspeakloud),and,fillingupeachpause,thebeatingofwinterrainagainstthepanes.

mr.rochester,ashesatinhisdamask-coveredchair,lookeddifferenttowhatihadseenhimlookbefore;notquitesostern—muchlessgloomy.therewasasmileonhislips,andhiseyessparkled,whetherwithwineornot,iamnotsure;butithinkitveryprobable.hewas,inshort,inhisafter-dinnermood;moreexpandedandgenial,andalsomoreself-indulgentthanthefrigidandrigidtemperofthemorning;stillhelookedpreciouslygrim,cushioninghismassiveheadagainsttheswellingbackofhischair,andreceivingthelightofthefireonhisgranite-hewnfeatures,andinhisgreat,darkeyes;forhehadgreat,darkeyes,andveryfineeyes,too—notwithoutacertainchangeintheirdepthssometimes,which,ifitwasnotsoftness,remindedyou,atleast,ofthatfeeling.

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