第96章

第96章“nottoadvertise：andtotrustthisquestofasituationtome.i’llfindyouoneintime.”

“ishallbegladsotodo，sir，ifyou，inyourturn，willpromisethatiandadèleshallbebothsafeoutofthehousebeforeyourbrideentersit.”

“verywell！verywell！i’llpledgemywordonit.yougoto-morrow，then？”

“yes，sir；early.”

“shallyoucomedowntothedrawing-roomafterdinner？”

“no，sir，imustprepareforthejourney.”

“thenyouandimustbidgood-byeforalittlewhile？”

“isupposeso，sir.”

“andhowdopeopleperformthatceremonyofparting，jane？teachme；i’mnotquiteuptoit.”

“theysay，farewell，oranyotherformtheyprefer.”

“thensayit.”

“farewell，mr.rochester，forthepresent.”

“whatmustisay？”

“thesame，ifyoulike，sir.”

“farewell，misseyre，forthepresent；isthatall？”

“yes？”

“itseemsstingy，tomynotions，anddry，andunfriendly.ishouldlikesomethingelse：alittleadditiontotherite.ifoneshookhands，forinstance；butno—thatwouldnotcontentmeeither.soyou’lldonomorethansayfarewell，jane？”

“itisenough，sir：asmuchgood-willmaybeconveyedinoneheartywordasinmany.”

“verylikely；butitisblankandcool—‘farewell.’”

“howlongishegoingtostandwithhisbackagainstthatdoor？”iaskedmyself；“iwanttocommencemypacking.”thedinner-bellrang，andsuddenlyawayhebolted，withoutanothersyllable：isawhimnomoreduringtheday，andwasoffbeforehehadriseninthemorning.

ireachedthelodgeatgatesheadaboutfiveo’clockintheafternoonofthefirstofmay：isteppedintherebeforegoinguptothehall.itwasverycleanandneat：theornamentalwindowswerehungwithlittlewhitecurtains；thefloorwasspotless；thegrateandfire-ironswereburnishedbright，andthefireburntclear.bessiesatonthehearth，nursingherlast-born，androbertandhissisterplayedquietlyinacorner.

“blessyou！—iknewyouwouldcome！”exclaimedmrs.leaven，asientered.

“yes，bessie，”saidi，afterihadkissedher；“anditrustiamnottoolate.howismrs.reed？—alivestill，ihope.”

“yes，sheisalive；andmoresensibleandcollectedthanshewas.thedoctorsaysshemaylingeraweekortwoyet；buthehardlythinksshewillfinallyrecover.”

“hasshementionedmelately？”

“shewastalkingofyouonlythismorning，andwishingyouwouldcome，butsheissleepingnow，orwastenminutesago，wheniwasupatthehouse.shegenerallyliesinakindoflethargyalltheafternoon，andwakesupaboutsixorseven.willyourestyourselfhereanhour，miss，andtheniwillgoupwithyou？”

无一错一首一发一内一容一在一6一9一书一吧一看！

roberthereentered，andbessielaidhersleepingchildinthecradleandwenttowelcomehim：afterwardssheinsistedonmytakingoffmybonnetandhavingsometea；forshesaidilookedpaleandtired.iwasgladtoacceptherhospitality；andisubmittedtoberelievedofmytravellinggarbjustaspassivelyasiusedtoletherundressmewhenachild.

oldtimescrowdedfastbackonmeasiwatchedherbustlingabout—settingoutthetea-traywithherbestchina，cuttingbreadandbutter，toastingatea-cake，and，betweenwhiles，givinglittlerobertorjaneanoccasionaltaporpush，justassheusedtogivemeinformerdays.bessiehadretainedherquicktemperaswellasherlightfootandgoodlooks.

teaready，iwasgoingtoapproachthetable；butshedesiredmetositstill，quiteinheroldperemptorytones.imustbeservedatthefireside，shesaid；andsheplacedbeforemealittleroundstandwithmycupandaplateoftoast，absolutelyassheusedtoaccommodatemewithsomeprivatelypurloineddaintyonanurserychair：andismiledandobeyedherasinbygonedays.

shewantedtoknowifiwashappyatthornfieldhall，andwhatsortofapersonthemistresswas；andwhenitoldhertherewasonlyamaster，whetherhewasanicegentleman，andifilikedhim.itoldherhewasratheranuglyman，butquiteagentleman；andthathetreatedmekindly，andiwascontent.theniwentontodescribetoherthegaycompanythathadlatelybeenstayingatthehouse；andtothesedetailsbessielistenedwithinterest：theywerepreciselyofthekindsherelished.

insuchconversationanhourwassoongone：bessierestoredtomemybonnet，&c.，and，accompaniedbyher，iquittedthelodgeforthehall.itwasalsoaccompaniedbyherthatihad，nearlynineyearsago，walkeddownthepathiwasnowascending.onadark，misty，rawmorninginjanuary，ihadleftahostileroofwithadesperateandembitteredheart—asenseofoutlawryandalmostofreprobation—toseekthechillyharbourageoflowood：thatbournesofarawayandunexplored.thesamehostileroofnowagainrosebeforeme：myprospectsweredoubtfulyet；andihadyetanachingheart.istillfeltasawandereronthefaceoftheearth；butiexperiencedfirmertrustinmyselfandmyownpowers，andlesswitheringdreadofoppression.thegapingwoundofmywrongs，too，wasnowquitehealed；andtheflameofresentmentextinguished.

“youshallgointothebreakfast-roomfirst，”saidbessie，assheprecededmethroughthehall；“theyoungladieswillbethere.”

inanothermomentiwaswithinthatapartment.therewaseveryarticleoffurniturelookingjustasitdidonthemorningiwasfirstintroducedtomr.brocklehurst：theveryrughehadstooduponstillcoveredthehearth.glancingatthebookcases，ithoughticoulddistinguishthetwovolumesofbewick’sbritishbirdsoccupyingtheiroldplaceonthethirdshelf，andgulliver’stravelsandthearabiannightsrangedjustabove.theinanimateobjectswerenotchanged；butthelivingthingshadalteredpastrecognition.