第41章 - 简·爱 - 佚名 - 都市言情小说 - 30读书
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第41章

第41章asnugsmallroom;aroundtablebyacheerfulfire;anarm-chairhigh-backedandold-fashioned,whereinsattheneatestimaginablelittleelderlylady,inwidow’scap,blacksilkgown,andsnowymuslinapron;exactlylikewhatihadfanciedmrs.fairfax,onlylessstatelyandmilderlooking.shewasoccupiedinknitting;alargecatsatdemurelyatherfeet;nothinginshortwaswantingtocompletethebeau-idealofdomesticcomfort.amorereassuringintroductionforanewgovernesscouldscarcelybeconceived;therewasnograndeurtooverwhelm,nostatelinesstoembarrass;andthen,asientered,theoldladygotupandpromptlyandkindlycameforwardtomeetme.

“howdoyoudo,mydear?iamafraidyouhavehadatediousride;johndrivessoslowly;youmustbecold,cometothefire.”

“mrs.fairfax,isuppose?”saidi.

“yes,youareright:dositdown.”

sheconductedmetoherownchair,andthenbegantoremovemyshawlanduntiemybonnet-strings;iedshewouldnotgiveherselfsomuchtrouble.

“oh,itisnotrouble;idaresayyourownhandsarealmostnumbedwithcold.leah,makealittlehotnegusandcutasandwichortwo:herearethekeysofthestoreroom.”

andsheproducedfromherpocketamosthousewifelybunchofkeys,anddeliveredthemtotheservant.

“now,then,drawnearertothefire,”shecontinued.“you’vebroughtyouragewithyou,haven’tyou,mydear?”

“yes,ma’am.”

“i’llseeitcarriedintoyourroom,”shesaid,andbustledout.

“shetreatsmelikeavisitor,”thoughti.“ilittleexpectedsuchareception;ianticipatedonlycoldnessandstiffness:thisisnotlikewhatihaveheardofthetreatmentofgovernesses;butimustnotexulttoosoon.”

shereturned;withherownhandsclearedherknittingapparatusandabookortwofromthetable,tomakeroomforthetraywhichleahnowbrought,andthenherselfhandedmetherefreshments.ifeltratherconfusedatbeingtheobjectofmoreattentionthanihadeverbeforereceived,and,thattoo,shownbymyemployerandsuperior;butasshedidnotherselfseemtoconsidershewasdoinganythingoutofherplace,ithoughtitbettertotakehercivilitiesquietly.

“shallihavethepleasureofseeingmissfairfaxto-night?”iasked,whenihadpartakenofwhatsheofferedme.

“whatdidyousay,mydear?iamalittledeaf,”returnedthegoodlady,approachinghereartomymouth.

irepeatedthequestionmoredistinctly.

“missfairfax?oh,youmeanmissvarens!varensisthenameofyourfuturepupil.”

“indeed!thensheisnotyourdaughter?”

“no,—ihavenofamily.”

ishouldhavefollowedupmyfirstinquiry,byaskinginwhatwaymissvarenswasconnectedwithher;butirecollecteditwasnotpolitetoasktoomanyquestions:besides,iwassuretohearintime.

“iamsoglad,”shecontinued,asshesatdownoppositetome,andtookthecatonherknee;“iamsogladyouarecome;itwillbequitepleasantlivingherenowwithacompanion.tobesureitispleasantatanytime;forthornfieldisafineoldhall,ratherneglectedoflateyearsperhaps,butstillitisarespectableplace;yetyouknowinwinter-timeonefeelsdrearyquitealoneinthebestquarters.isayalone—leahisanicegirltobesure,andjohnandhiswifeareverydecentpeople;butthenyouseetheyareonlyservants,andonecan’tconversewiththemontermsofequality:onemustkeepthematduedistance,forfearoflosingone’sauthority.i’msurelastwinter(itwasaverysevereone,ifyourecollect,andwhenitdidnotsnow,itrainedandblew),notacreaturebutthebutcherandpostmancametothehouse,fromnovembertillfebruary;andireallygotquitemelancholywithsittingnightafternightalone;ihadleahintoreadtomesometimes;butidon’tthinkthepoorgirllikedthetaskmuch:shefeltitconfining.inspringandsummeronegotonbetter:sunshineandlongdaysmakesuchadifference;andthen,justatthecommencementofthisautumn,littleadelavarenscameandhernurse:achildmakesahousealiveallatonce;andnowyouarehereishallbequitegay.”

myheartreallywarmedtotheworthyladyasiheardhertalk;andidrewmychairalittlenearertoher,andexpressedmysincerewishthatshemightfindmycompanyasagreeableassheanticipated.

“buti’llnotkeepyousittinguplateto-night,”saidshe;“itisonthestrokeoftwelvenow,andyouhavebeentravellingallday:youmustfeeltired.ifyouhavegotyourfeetwellwarmed,i’llshowyouyourbedroom.i’vehadtheroomnexttominepreparedforyou;itisonlyasmallapartment,butithoughtyouwouldlikeitbetterthanoneofthelargefrontchambers:tobesuretheyhavefinerfurniture,buttheyaresodrearyandsolitary,ineversleepinthemmyself.”

ithankedherforherconsideratechoice,andasireallyfeltfatiguedwithmylongjourney,expressedmyreadinesstoretire.shetookhercandle,andifollowedherfromtheroom.firstshewenttoseeifthehall-doorwasfastened;havingtakenthekeyfromthelock,sheledthewayupstairs.thestepsandbanisterswereofoak;thestaircasewindowwashighandlatticed;bothitandthelonggalleryintowhichthebedroomdoorsopenedlookedasiftheybelongedtoachurchratherthanahouse.averychillandvault-likeairpervadedthestairsandgallery,estingcheerlessideasofspaceandsolitude;andiwasglad,whenfinallyusheredintomychamber,tofinditofsmalldimensions,andfurnishedinordinary,modernstyle.

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