第39章
第39章“didshesendyouhere,bessie?”
“no,indeed:butihavelongwantedtoseeyou,andwheniheardthattherehadbeenaletterfromyou,andthatyouweregoingtoanotherpartofthecountry,ithoughti’djustsetof,andgetalookatyoubeforeyouwerequiteoutofmyreach.”
“iamafraidyouaredisappointedinme,bessie.”isaidthislaughing:iperceivedthatbessie’sglance,thoughitexpressedregard,didinnoshapedenoteadmiration.
“no,missjane,notexactly:youaregenteelenough;youlooklikealady,anditisasmuchaseveriexpectedofyou:youwerenobeautyasachild.”
ismiledatbessie’sfrankanswer:ifeltthatitwascorrect,buticonfessiwasnotquiteindifferenttoitsimport:ateighteenmostpeoplewishtoplease,andtheconvictionthattheyhavenotanexteriorlikelytosecondthatdesirebringsanythingbutgratification.
“idaresayyouareclever,though,”continuedbessie,bywayofsolace.“whatcanyoudo?canyouplayonthepiano?”
“alittle.”
therewasoneintheroom;bessiewentandopenedit,andthenaskedmetositdownandgiveheratune:iplayedawaltzortwo,andshewascharmed.
“themissreedscouldnotplayaswell!”saidsheexultingly.“ialwayssaidyouwouldsurpasstheminlearning:andcanyoudraw?”
“thatisoneofmypaintingsoverthechimney-piece.”itwasalandscapeinwatercolours,ofwhichihadmadeapresenttothesuperintendent,inacknowledgmentofherobligingmediationwiththecommitteeonmybehalf,andwhichshehadframedandglazed.
“well,thatisbeautiful,missjane!itisasfineapictureasanymissreed’sdrawing-mastercouldpaint,letalonetheyoungladiesthemselves,whocouldnotcomenearit:andhaveyoulearntfrench?”
“yes,bessie,icanbothreaditandspeakit.”
“andyoucanworkonmuslinandcanvas?”
“ican.”
“oh,youarequitealady,missjane!iknewyouwouldbe:youwillgetonwhetheryourrelationsnoticeyouornot.therewassomethingiwantedtoaskyou.haveyoueverheardanythingfromyourfather’skinsfolk,theeyres?”
“neverinmylife.”
“well,youknowmissisalwayssaidtheywerepoorandquitedespicable:andtheymaybepoor;butibelievetheyareasmuchgentryasthereedsare;foroneday,nearlysevenyearsago,amr.eyrecametogatesheadandwantedtoseeyou;mississaidyouwereatschoolfiftymilesoff;heseemedsomuchdisappointed,forhecouldnotstay:hewasgoingonavoyagetoaforeigncountry,andtheshipwastosailfromlondoninadayortwo.helookedquiteagentleman,andibelievehewasyourfather’sbrother.”
“whatforeigncountrywashegoingto,bessie?”
“anislandthousandsofmilesoff,wheretheymakewine—thebutlerdidtellme—”
“madeira?”iested.
“yes,thatisit—thatistheveryword.”
“sohewent?”
“yes;hedidnotstaymanyminutesinthehouse:missiswasveryhighwithhim;shecalledhimafterwardsa‘sneakingtradesman.’myrobertbelieveshewasawine-merchant.”
“verylikely,”ireturned;“orperhapsclerkoragenttoawine-merchant.”
bessieandiconversedaboutoldtimesanhourlonger,andthenshewasobligedtoleaveme:isawheragainforafewminutesthenextmorningatlowton,whileiwaswaitingforthecoach.wepartedfinallyatthedoorofthebrocklehurstarmsthere:eachwentherseparateway;shesetoffforthebrowoflowoodfelltomeettheconveyancewhichwastotakeherbacktogateshead,imountedthevehiclewhichwastobearmetonewdutiesandanewlifeintheunknownenvironsofmillcote.