第49章

第49章itwasverynear,butnotyetinsight;when,inadditiontothetramp,tramp,iheardarushunderthehedge,andclosedownbythehazelstemsglidedagreatdog,whoseblackandwhitecolourmadehimadistinctobjectagainstthetrees.itwasexactlyoneformofbessie’sgytrash—alion-likecreaturewithlonghairandahugehead:itpassedme,however,quietlyenough;notstayingtolookup,withstrangepretercanineeyes,inmyface,asihalfexpecteditwould.thehorsefollowed,—atallsteed,andonitsbackarider.theman,thehumanbeing,brokethespellatonce.nothingeverrodethegytrash:itwasalwaysalone;andgoblins,tomynotions,thoughtheymighttenantthedumbcarcassesofbeasts,couldscarcecovetshelterinthecommonplacehumanform.nogytrashwasthis,—onlyatravellertakingtheshortcuttomillcote.hepassed,andiwenton;afewsteps,anditurned:aslidingsoundandanexclamationof“whatthedeuceistodonow?”andaclatteringtumble,arrestedmyattention.manandhorseweredown;theyhadslippedonthesheetoficewhichglazedthecauseway.thedogcameboundingback,andseeinghismasterinapredicament,andhearingthehorsegroan,barkedtilltheeveninghillsechoedthesound,whichwasdeepinproportiontohismagnitude.hesnuffedroundtheprostrategroup,andthenheranuptome;itwasallhecoulddo,—therewasnootherhelpathandtosummon.iobeyedhim,andwalkeddowntothetraveller,bythistimelinghimselffreeofhissteed.hiseffortsweresovigorous,ithoughthecouldnotbemuchhurt;butiaskedhimthequestion—

“areyouinjured,sir?”

ithinkhewasswearing,butamnotcertain;however,hewaspronouncingsomeformulawhichpreventedhimfromreplyingtomedirectly.

“canidoanything?”iaskedagain.

“youmustjuststandononeside,”heansweredasherose,firsttohisknees,andthentohisfeet.idid;whereuponbeganaheaving,stamping,clatteringprocess,accompaniedbyabarkingandbayingwhichremovedmeeffectuallysomeyards’distance;butiwouldnotbedrivenquiteawaytillisawtheevent.thiswasfinallyfortunate;thehorsewasre-established,andthedogwassilencedwitha“down,pilot!”thetravellernow,stooping,felthisfootandleg,asiftryingwhethertheyweresound;apparentlysomethingailedthem,forhehaltedtothestilewhenceihadjustrisen,andsatdown.

iwasinthemoodforbeinguseful,oratleastofficious,ithink,forinowdrewnearhimagain.

“ifyouarehurt,andwanthelp,sir,icanfetchsomeoneeitherfromthornfieldhallorfromhay.”

“thankyou:ishalldo:ihavenobrokenbones,—onlyasprain;”andagainhestoodupandtriedhisfoot,buttheresultextortedaninvoluntary“ugh!”

somethingofdaylightstilllingered,andthemoonwaswaxingbright:icouldseehimplainly.hisfigurewasenvelopedinaridingcloak,furcollaredandsteelclasped;itsdetailswerenotapparent,butitracedthegeneralpointsofmiddleheightandconsiderablebreadthofchest.hehadadarkface,withsternfeaturesandaheavybrow;hiseyesandgatheredeyebrowslookedirefulandthwartedjustnow;hewaspastyouth,buthadnotreachedmiddle-age;perhapshemightbethirty-five.ifeltnofearofhim,andbutlittleshyness.hadhebeenahandsome,heroic-lookingyounggentleman,ishouldnothavedaredtostandthusquestioninghimagainsthiswill,andofferingmyservicesunasked.ihadhardlyeverseenahandsomeyouth;neverinmylifespokentoone.ihadatheoreticalreverenceandhomageforbeauty,elegance,gallantry,fascination;buthadimetthosequalitiesincarnateinmasculineshape,ishouldhaveknowninstinctivelythattheyneitherhadnorcouldhavesympathywithanythinginme,andshouldhaveshunnedthemasonewouldfire,lightning,oranythingelsethatisbrightbutantipathetic.

ifeventhisstrangerhadsmiledandbeengood-humouredtomewheniaddressedhim;ifhehadputoffmyofferofassistancegailyandwiththanks,ishouldhavegoneonmywayandnotfeltanyvocationtorenewinquiries:butthefrown,theroughnessofthetraveller,setmeatmyease:iretainedmystationwhenhewavedtometogo,andannounced—

“icannotthinkofleavingyou,sir,atsolateanhour,inthissolitarylane,tilliseeyouarefittomountyourhorse.”

helookedatmewhenisaidthis;hehadhardlyturnedhiseyesinmydirectionbefore.

“ishouldthinkyououghttobeathomeyourself,”saidhe,“ifyouhaveahomeinthisneighbourhood:wheredoyoucomefrom?”

“fromjustbelow;andiamnotatallafraidofbeingoutlatewhenitismoonlight:iwillrunovertohayforyouwithpleasure,ifyouwishit:indeed,iamgoingtheretopostaletter.”

“youlivejustbelow—doyoumeanatthathousewiththebattlements?”pointingtothornfieldhall,onwhichthemooncastahoarygleam,bringingitoutdistinctandpalefromthewoodsthat,bycontrastwiththewesternsky,nowseemedonemassofshadow.

“yes,sir.”

“whosehouseisit?”

“mr.rochester’s.”

“doyouknowmr.rochester?”“no,ihaveneverseenhim.”

“heisnotresident,then?”

“no.”

“canyoutellmewhereheis?”

“icannot.”

“youarenotaservantatthehall,ofcourse.youare—”hestopped,ranhiseyeovermydress,which,asusual,wasquitesimple:ablackmerinocloak,ablackbeaverbonnet;neitherofthemhalffineenoughforalady’s-maid.heseemedpuzzledtodecidewhatiwas;ihelpedhim.

“iamthegoverness.”

“ah,thegoverness!”herepeated;“deucetakeme,ifihadnotforgotten!thegoverness!”andagainmyraimentunderwentscrutiny.intwominutesherosefromthestile:hisfaceexpressedpainwhenhetriedtomove.

“icannotcommissionyoutofetchhelp,”hesaid;“butyoumayhelpmealittleyourself,ifyouwillbesokind.”

“yes,sir.”

“youhavenotanumbrellathaticanuseasastick?”

“no.”

“trytogetholdofmyhorse’sbridleandleadhimtome:youarenotafraid?”

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