简爱(英文版)-第21部分

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ertain　little　French　story　which　Madame　Pierrot　had　that　day　shown　me；　nor　was　that　problem　solved　to　my　satisfaction　ere　I　fell　sweetly　asleep。
Well　has　Solomon　said—“Better　is　a　dinner　of　herbs　where　love　is；　than　a　stalled　ox　and　hatred　therewith。”
I　would　not　now　have　exchanged　Lowood　with　all　its　privations　for　Gateshead　and　its　daily　luxuries。
Chapter　9
But　the　privations；　or　rather　the　hardships；　of　Lowood　lessened。　Spring　drew　on：　she　was　indeed　already　e；　the　frosts　of　winter　had　ceased；　its　snows　were　melted；　its　cutting　winds　ameliorated。　My　wretched　feet；　flayed　and　swollen　to　lameness　by　the　sharp　air　of　January；　began　to　heal　and　subside　under　the　gentler　breathings　of　April；　the　nights　and　mornings　no　longer　by　their　Canadian　temperature　froze　the　very　blood　in　our　veins；　we　could　now　endure　the　play…hour　passed　in　the　garden：　sometimes　on　a　sunny　day　it　began　even　to　be　pleasant　and　genial；　and　a　greenness　grew　over　those　brown　beds；　which；　freshening　daily；　suggested　the　thought　that　Hope　traversed　them　at　night；　and　left　each　morning　brighter　traces　of　her　steps。　Flowers　peeped　out　amongst　the　leaves；　snow…drops；　crocuses；　purple　auriculas；　and　golden…eyed　pansies。　On　Thursday　afternoons　（half…holidays）　we　now　took　walks；　and　found　still　sweeter　flowers　opening　by　the　wayside；　under　the　hedges。
I　discovered；　too；　that　a　great　pleasure；　an　enjoyment　which　the　horizon　only　bounded；　lay　all　outside　the　high　and　spike…guarded　walls　of　our　garden：　this　pleasure　consisted　in　prospect　of　noble　summits　girdling　a　great　hill…hollow；　rich　in　verdure　and　shadow；　in　a　bright　beck；　full　of　dark　stones　and　sparkling　eddies。　How　different　had　this　scene　looked　when　I　viewed　it　laid　out　beneath　the　iron　sky　of　winter；　stiffened　in　frost；　shrouded　with　snow！—　when　mists　as　chill　as　death　wandered　to　the　impulse　of　east　winds　along　those　purple　peaks；　and　rolled　down　“ing”　and　holm　till　they　blended　with　the　frozen　fog　of　the　beck！　That　beck　itself　was　then　a　torrent；　turbid　and　curbless：　it　tore　asunder　the　wood；　and　sent　a　raving　sound　through　the　air；　often　thickened　with　wild　rain　or　whirling　sleet；　and　for　the　forest　on　its　banks；　that　showed　only　ranks　of　skeletons。
April　advanced　to　May：　a　bright　serene　May　it　was；　days　of　blue　sky；　placid　sunshine；　and　soft　western　or　southern　gales　filled　up　its　duration。　And　now　vegetation　matured　with　vigour；　Lowood　shook　loose　its　tresses；　it　became　all　green；　all　flowery；　its　great　elm；　ash；　and　oak　skeletons　were　restored　to　majestic　life；　woodland　plants　sprang　up　profusely　in　its　recesses；　unnumbered　varieties　of　moss　filled　its　hollows；　and　it　made　a　strange　ground…sunshine　out　of　the　wealth　of　its　wild　primrose　plants：　I　have　seen　their　pale　gold　gleam　in　overshadowed　spots　like　scatterings　of　the　sweetest　lustre。　All　this　I　enjoyed　often　and　fully；　free；　unwatched；　and　almost　alone：　for　this　unwonted　liberty　and　pleasure　there　was　a　cause；　to　which　it　now　bees　my　task　to　advert。
Have　I　not　described　a　pleasant　site　for　a　dwelling；　when　I　speak　of　it　as　bosomed　in　hill　and　wood；　and　rising　from　the　verge　of　a　stream？　Assuredly；　pleasant　enough：　but　whether　healthy　or　not　is　another　question。
That　forest…dell；　where　Lowood　lay；　was　the　cradle　of　fog　and　fog…　bred　pestilence；　which；　quickening　with　the　quickening　spring；　crept　into　the　Orphan　Asylum；　breathed　typhus　through　its　crowded　schoolroom　and　dormitory；　and；　ere　May　arrived；　transformed　the　seminary　into　an　hospital。
Semi…starvation　and　neglected　colds　had　predisposed　most　of　the　pupils　to　receive　infection：　forty…five　out　of　the　eighty　girls　lay　ill　at　one　time。　Classes　were　broken　up；　rules　relaxed。　The　few　who　continued　well　were　allowed　almost　unlimited　license；　because　the　medical　attendant　insisted　on　the　necessity　of　frequent　exercise　to　keep　them　in　health：　and　had　it　been　otherwise；　no　one　had　leisure　to　watch　or　restrain　them。　Miss　Temple’s　whole　attention　was　absorbed　by　the　patients：　she　lived　in　the　sick…room；　never　quitting　it　except　to　snatch　a　few　hours’　rest　at　night。　The　teachers　were　fully　occupied　with　packing　up　and　making　other　necessary　preparations　for　the　departure　of　those　girls　who　were　fortunate　enough　to　have　friends　and　relations　able　and　willing　to　remove　them　from　the　seat　of　contagion。　Many；　already　smitten；　went　home　only　to　die：　some　died　at　the　school；　and　were　buried　quietly　and　quickly；　the　nature　of　the　malady　forbidding　delay。
While　disease　had　thus　bee　an　inhabitant　of　Lowood；　and　death　its　frequent　visitor；　while　there　was　gloom　and　fear　within　its　walls；　while　its　rooms　and　passages　steamed　with　hospital　smells；　the　drug　and　the　pastille　striving　vainly　to　overe　the　effluvia　of　mortality；　that　bright　May　shone　unclouded　over　the　bold　hills　and　beautiful　woodland　out　of　doors。　Its　garden；　too；　glowed　with　flowers：　hollyhocks　had　sprung　up　tall　as　trees；　lilies　had　opened；　tulips　and　roses　were　in　bloom；　the　borders　of　the　little　beds　were　gay　with　pink　thrift　and　crimson　double　daisies；　the　sweetbriars　gave　out；　morning　and　evening；　their　scent　of　spice　and　apples；　and　these　fragrant　treasures　were　all　useless　for　most　of　the　inmates　of　Lowood；　except　to　furnish　now　and　then　a　handful　of　herbs　and　blossoms　to　put　in　a　coffin。
But　I；　and　the　rest　who　continued　well；　enjoyed　fully　the　beauties　of　the　scene　and　season；　they　let　us　ramble　in　the　wood；　like　gipsies；　from　morning　till　night；　we　did　what　we　liked；　went　where　we　liked：　we　lived　better　too。　Mr。　Brocklehurst　and　his　family　never　came　near　Lowood　now：　household　matters　were　not　scrutinised　into；　the　cross　housekeeper　was　gone；　driven　away　by　the　fear　of　infection；　her　successor；　who　had　been　matron　at　the　Lowton　Dispensary；　unused　to　the　ways　of　her　new　abode；　provided　with　parative　liberality。　Besides；　there　were　fewer　to　feed；　the　sick　could　eat　little；　our　breakfast…basins　were　better　filled；　when　there　was　no　time　to　prepare　a　regular　dinner；　which　often　happened；　she　would　give　us　a　large　piece　of　cold　pie；　or　a　thick　slice　of　bread　and　cheese；　and　this　we　carried　away　with　us　to　the　wood；　where　we　each　chose　the　spot　we　liked　best；　and　dined　sumptuously。
My　favourite　seat　was　a　smooth　and　broad　stone；　rising　white　and　dry　from　the　very　middle　of　the　beck；　and　only　to　be　got　at　by　wading　through　the　water；　a　feat　I　acplished　barefoot。　The　stone　was　just　broad　enough　to　acmodate；　fortably；　another　girl　and　me；　at　that　time　my　chosen　rade—one　Mary　Ann　Wilson；　a　shrewd；　observant　personage；　whose　society　I　took　pleasure　in；　partly　because　she　was　witty　and　original；　and　partly　because　she　had　a　manner　which　set　me　at　my　ease。　Some　years　older　than　I；　she　knew　more　of　the　world；　and　could　tell　me　many　things　I　liked　to　hear：　with　her　my　curiosity　found　gratification：　to　my　faults　also　she　gave　ample　indulgence；　never　imposing　curb　or　rein　on　anything　I　said。　She　had　a　turn　for　narrative；　I　for　analysis；　she　liked　to　inform；　I　to　question；　so　we　got　on　swimmingly　together；　deriving　much　entertainment；　if　not　much　improvement；　from　our　mutual　intercourse。
And　where；　meantime；　was　Helen　Burns？　Why　did　I　not　spend　these　sweet　days　of　liberty　with　her？　Had　I　forgotten　her？　or　was　I　so　worthless　as　to　have　grown　tired　of　her　pare　society？　Surely　the　Mary　Arm　Wilson　I　have　mentioned　was　inferior　to　my　first　acquaintance：　she　could　only　tell　me　amusing　stories；　and　reciprocate　any　racy　and　pungent　gossip　I　chose　to　indulge　in；　while；　if　I　have　spoken　truth　of　Helen；　she　was　qualified　to　give　those　who　enjoyed　the　privilege　of　her　converse　a　taste　of　far　higher　things。
True；　reader；　and　I　knew　and　felt　this：　and　though　I　am　a　defective　being；　with　many　faults　and　few　redeeming　points；　yet　I　never　tired　of　Helen　Burns；　nor　ever　ceased　to　cherish　for　her　a　sentiment　of　attachment；　as　strong；　tender；　and　respectful　as　any　that　ever　animated　my　heart。　How　could　it　be　otherwise；　when　Helen；　at　all　times　and　under　all　circumstances；　evinced　for　me　a　quiet　and　faithful　friendship；　which　ill…humour　never　soured；　nor　irritation　never　troubled？　But　Helen　was　ill　at　present：　for　some　weeks　she　had　been　removed　from　my　sight　to　I　knew　not　what　room　upstairs。　She　was　not；　I　was　told；　in　the　hospital　portion　of　the　house　with　the