第45章
第45章thiswasalltheaccountigotfrommrs.fairfaxofheremployerandmine.therearepeoplewhoseemtohavenonotionofsketchingacharacter,orobservinganddescribingsalientpoints,eitherinpersonsorthings:thegoodladyevidentlybelongedtothisclass;myqueriespuzzled,butdidnotdrawherout.mr.rochesterwasmr.rochesterinhereyes;agentleman,alandedproprietor—nothingmore:sheinquiredandsearchednofurther,andevidentlywonderedatmywishtogainamoredefinitenotionofhisidentity.
whenweleftthedining-room,sheproposedtoshowmeovertherestofthehouse;andifollowedherupstairsanddownstairs,admiringasiwent;forallwaswellarrangedandhandsome.thelargefrontchambersithoughtespeciallygrand:andsomeofthethird-storeyrooms,thoughdarkandlow,wereinterestingfromtheirairofantiquity.thefurnitureonceappropriatedtothelowerapartmentshadfromtimetotimebeenremovedhere,asfashionschanged:andtheimperfectlightenteringbytheirnarrowcasementshowedbedsteadsofahundredyearsold;chestsinoakorwalnut,looking,withtheirstrangecarvingsofpalmbranchesandcherubs’heads,liketypesofthehebrewark;rowsofvenerablechairs,high-backedandnarrow;stoolsstillmoreantiquated,onwhosecushionedtopswereyetapparenttracesofhalf-effacedembroideries,wroughtbyfingersthatfortwogenerationshadbeencoffin-dust.alltheserelicsgavetothethirdstoreyofthornfieldhalltheaspectofahomeofthepast:ashrineofmemory.ilikedthehush,thegloom,thequaintnessoftheseretreatsintheday;butibynomeanscovetedanight’sreposeononeofthosewideandheavybeds:shutin,someofthem,withdoorsofoak;shaded,others,withwroughtoldenglishhangingscrustedwiththickwork,portrayingeffigiesofstrangeflowers,andstrangerbirds,andstrangesthumanbeings,—allwhichwouldhavelookedstrange,indeed,bythepallidgleamofmoonlight.
“dotheservantssleepintheserooms?”iasked.
“no;theyoccupyarangeofsmallerapartmentstotheback;nooneeversleepshere:onewouldalmostsaythat,iftherewereaghostatthornfieldhall,thiswouldbeitshaunt.”
“soithink:youhavenoghost,then?”
“nonethatieverheardof,”returnedmrs.fairfax,smiling.
“noranytraditionsofone?nolegendsorghoststories?”
“ibelievenot.andyetitissaidtherochestershavebeenratheraviolentthanaquietraceintheirtime:perhaps,though,thatisthereasontheyresttranquillyintheirgravesnow.”
“yes—‘afterlife’sfitfulfevertheysleepwell,’”imuttered.“whereareyougoingnow,mrs.fairfax?”forshewasmovingaway.