按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the future schoolroom。 I discerned in the course of the morning that
Thornfield Hall was a changed place： no longer silent as a church；
it echoed every hour or two to a knock at the door； or a clang of
the bell： steps； too； often traversed the hall； and new voices spoke
in different keys below； a rill from the outer world was flowing
through it； it had a master： for my part； I liked it better。
Adele was not easy to teach that day； she could not apply： she kept
running to the door and looking over the banisters to see if she could
get a glimpse of Mr。 Rochester； then she coined pretexts to go
downstairs； in order； as I shrewdly suspected； to visit the library；
where I knew she was not wanted； then； when I got a little angry；
and made her sit still； she continued to talk incessantly of her 'ami；
Monsieur Edouard Fairfax de Rochester；' as she dubbed him （I had not
before heard his prenomens）； and to conjecture what presents he had
brought her： for it appears he had intimated the night before； that
when his luggage came from Millcote； there would be found amongst it a
little box in whose contents she had an interest。
'Et cela doit signifier；' said she； 'qu'il y aura la dedans un
cadeau pour moi； et peut…etre pour vous aussi； mademoiselle。
Monsieur a parle de vous： il m'a demande le nom de ma gouvernante；
et si elle n'etait pas une petite personne； assez mince et un peu
pale。 J'ai dit qu'oui： car c'est vrai； n'est…ce pas； mademoiselle？'
I and my pupil dined as usual in Mrs。 Fairfax's parlour； the
afternoon was wild and snowy； and we passed it in the schoolroom。 At
dark I allowed Adele to put away books and work； and to run
downstairs； for； from the comparative silence below； and from the
cessation of appeals to the door…bell； I conjectured that Mr。
Rochester was now at liberty。 Left alone； I walked to the window；
but nothing was to be seen thence： twilight and snowflakes together
thickened the air； and hid the very shrubs on the lawn。 I let down the
curtain and went back to the fireside。
In the clear embers I was tracing a view； not unlike a picture I
remembered to have seen of the castle of Heidelberg； on the Rhine；
when Mrs。 Fairfax came in； breaking up by her entrance the fiery
mosaic I had been piecing together； and scattering too some heavy
unwelcome thoughts that were beginning to throng on my solitude。
'Mr。 Rochester would be glad if you and your pupil would take tea
with him in the drawing…room this evening；' said she： 'he has been
so much engaged all day that he could not ask to see you before。'
'When is his tea…time？' I inquired。
'Oh； at six o'clock： he keeps early hours in the country。 You had
better change your frock now； I will go with you and fasten it。 Here
is a candle。'
'Is it necessary to change my frock？'
'Yes； you had better： I always dress for the evening when Mr。
Rochester is here。'
This additional ceremony seemed somewhat stately； however； I
repaired to my room； and； with Mrs。 Fairfax's aid； replaced my black
stuff dress by one of black silk； the best and the only additional one
I had； except one of light grey； which； in my Lowood notions of the
toilette； I thought too fine to be worn； except on first…rate
occasions。
'You want a brooch；' said Mrs。 Fairfax。 I had a single little pearl
ornament which Miss Temple gave me as a parting keepsake： I put it on；
and then we went downstairs。 Unused as I was to strangers； it was
rather a trial to appear thus formally summoned in Mr。 Rochester's
presence。 I let Mrs。 Fairfax precede me into the dining…room； and kept
in her shade as we crossed that apartment； and； passing the arch；
whose curtain was now dropped； entered the elegant recess beyond。
Two wax candles stood lighted on the table； and two on the
mantelpiece； basking in the light and heat of a superb fire； lay
Pilot… Adele knelt near him。 Half reclined on a couch appeared Mr。
Rochester； his foot supported by the cushion； he was looking at
Adele and the dog： the fire shone full on his face。 I knew my
traveller with his broad and jetty eyebrows； his square forehead； made
squarer by the horizontal sweep of his black hair。 I recognised his
decisive nose； more remarkable for character than beauty； his full
nostrils； denoting； I thought； choler； his grim mouth； chin； and
jaw… yes； all three were very grim； and no mistake。 His shape； now
divested of cloak； I perceived harmonised in squareness with his
physiognomy： I suppose it was a good figure in the athletic sense of
the term… broad chested and thin flanked； though neither tall nor
graceful。
Mr。 Rochester must have been aware of the entrance of Mrs。
Fairfax and myself； but it appeared he was not in the mood to notice
us； for he never lifted his head as we approached。
'Here is Miss Eyre； sir；' said Mrs。 Fairfax； in her quiet way。 He
bowed； still not taking his eyes from the group of the dog and child。
'Let Miss Eyre be seated；' said he： and there was something in
the forced stiff bow； in the impatient yet formal tone； which seemed
further to express； 'What the deuce is it to me whether Miss Eyre be
there or not？ At this moment I am not disposed to accost her。'
I sat down quite disembarrassed。 A reception of finished politeness
would probably have confused me： I could not have returned or repaid
it by answering grace and elegance on my part； but harsh caprice
laid me under no obligation； on the contrary； a decent quiescence；
under the freak of manner； gave me the advantage。 Besides； the
eccentricity of the proceeding was piquant： I felt interested to see
how he would go on。
He went on as a statue would； that is； he neither spoke nor
moved。 Mrs。 Fairfax seemed to think it necessary that some one
should be amiable； and she began to talk。 Kindly； as usual… and； as
usual； rather trite… she condoled with him on the pressure of business
he had had all day； on the annoyance it must have been to him with
that painful sprain： then she commended his patience and
perseverance in going through with it。
'Madam； I should like some tea；' was the sole rejoinder she got。
She hastened to ring the bell； and when the tray came； she proceeded
to arrange the cups； spoons； etc。； with assiduous celerity。 I and
Adele went to the table； but the master did not leave his couch。
'Will you hand Mr。 Rochester's cup？' said Mrs。 Fairfax to me；
'Adele might perhaps spill it。'
I did as requested。 As he took the cup from my hand； Adele；
thinking the moment propitious for making a request in my favour；
cried out…
'N'est…ce pas； monsieur； qu'il y a un cadeau pour Mademoiselle Eyre
dans votre petit coffre？'
'Who talks of cadeaux？' said he gruffly。 'Did you expect a present；
Miss Eyre？ Are you fond of presents？' and he searched my face with
eyes that I saw were dark； irate； and piercing。
'I hardly know； sir； I have little experience of them： they are
generally thought pleasant things。'
'Generally thought？ But what do you think？'
'I should be obliged to take time； sir； before I could give you
an answer worthy of your acceptance： a present has many faces to it；
has it not？ and one should consider all； before pronouncing an opinion
as to its nature。'
'Miss Eyre； you are not so unsophisticated as Adele： she demands
a 〃cadeau；〃 clamorously； the moment she sees me： you beat about the
bush。'
'Because I have less confidence in my deserts than Adele has： she
can prefer the claim of old acquaintance； and the right too of custom；
for she says you have always been in the habit of giving her
playthings； but if I had to make out a case I should be puzzled； since
I am a stranger； and have done nothing to entitle me to an
acknowledgment。'
'Oh； don't fall back on over…modesty！ I have examined Adele； and
find you have taken great pains with her： she is not bright； she has
no talents； yet in a short time she has made much improvement。'
'Sir； you have now given me my 〃cadeau〃； I am obliged to you： it is
the meed teachers most covet…praise of their pupils' progress。'
'Humph！' said Mr。 Rochester； and he took his tea in silence。
'Come to the fire；' said the master； when the tray was taken
away； and Mrs。 Fairfax had settled into a corner with her knitting；
while Adele was leading me by the hand round the room； showing me
the beautiful books and ornaments on the consoles and chiffonnieres。
We obeyed； as in duty bound； Adele wanted to take a seat on my knee；
but she was ordered to amuse herself with Pilot。
'You have been resident in my house three months？'
'Yes； sir。'
'And you came from…？'
'Ah！ a charitable concern。 How long were you there？'
'Eight years。'
'Eight years！ you must be tenacious of life。 I thought half the
time in such a place would have done up any constitution！ No wonder
you have rather the look of another world。 I marvelled where you had
got that sort of face。 When you came on me in Hay Lane last night； I
thought unaccountably of fairy tales； and had half a mind to demand
whether you had bewitched my horse： I am not sure yet。 Who are