简爱(英文版)-第29部分

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！


er　age；　and　which　proved　she　had　been　carefully　trained。
“Was　it　your　mama　who　taught　you　that　piece？”　I　asked。
“Yes；　and　she　just　used　to　say　it　in　this　way：　‘Qu’　avez　vous　donc？　lui　dit　un　de　ces　rats；　parlez！’　She　made　me　lift　my　hand—so—to　remind　me　to　raise　my　voice　at　the　question。　Now　shall　I　dance　for　you？”
“No；　that　will　do：　but　after　your　mama　went　to　the　Holy　Virgin；　as　you　say；　with　whom　did　you　live　then？”
“With　Madame　Frédéric　and　her　husband：　she　took　care　of　me；　but　she　is　nothing　related　to　me。　I　think　she　is　poor；　for　she　had　not　so　fine　a　house　as　mama。　I　was　not　long　there。　Mr。　Rochester　asked　me　if　I　would　like　to　go　and　live　with　him　in　England；　and　I　said　yes；　for　I　knew　Mr。　Rochester　before　I　knew　Madame　Frédéric；　and　he　was　always　kind　to　me　and　gave　me　pretty　dresses　and　toys：　but　you　see　he　has　not　kept　his　word；　for　he　has　brought　me　to　England；　and　now　he　is　gone　back　again　himself；　and　I　never　see　him。”
After　breakfast；　Adèle　and　I　withdrew　to　the　library；　which　room；　it　appears；　Mr。　Rochester　had　directed　should　be　used　as　the　schoolroom。　Most　of　the　books　were　locked　up　behind　glass　doors；　but　there　was　one　bookcase　left　open　containing　everything　that　could　be　needed　in　the　way　of　elementary　works；　and　several　volumes　of　light　literature；　poetry；　biography；　travels；　a　few　romances；　&c。　I　suppose　he　had　considered　that　these　were　all　the　governess　would　require　for　her　private　perusal；　and；　indeed；　they　contented　me　amply　for　the　present；　pared　with　the　scanty　pickings　I　had　now　and　then　been　able　to　glean　at　Lowood；　they　seemed　to　offer　an　abundant　harvest　of　entertainment　and　information。　In　this　room；　too；　there　was　a　cabi　piano；　quite　new　and　of　superior　tone；　also　an　easel　for　painting　and　a　pair　of　globes。
I　found　my　pupil　sufficiently　docile；　though　disinclined　to　apply：　she　had　not　been　used　to　regular　occupation　of　any　kind。　I　felt　it　would　be　injudicious　to　confine　her　too　much　at　first；　so；　when　I　had　talked　to　her　a　great　deal；　and　got　her　to　learn　a　little；　and　when　the　morning　had　advanced　to　noon；　I　allowed　her　to　return　to　her　nurse。　I　then　proposed　to　occupy　myself　till　dinner…time　in　drawing　some　little　sketches　for　her　use。
As　I　was　going　upstairs　to　fetch　my　portfolio　and　pencils；　Mrs。　Fairfax　called　to　me：　“Your　morning　school…hours　are　over　now；　I　suppose；”　said　she。　She　was　in　a　room　the　folding…doors　of　which　stood　open：　I　went　in　when　she　addressed　me。　It　was　a　large；　stately　apartment；　with　purple　chairs　and　curtains；　a　Turkey　carpet；　walnut…panelled　walls；　one　vast　window　rich　in　slanted　glass；　and　a　lofty　ceiling；　nobly　moulded。　Mrs。　Fairfax　was　dusting　some　vases　of　fine　purple　spar；　which　stood　on　a　sideboard。
“What　a　beautiful　room！”　I　exclaimed；　as　I　looked　round；　for　I　had　never　before　seen　any　half　so　imposing。
“Yes；　this　is　the　dining…room。　I　have　just　opened　the　window；　to　let　in　a　little　air　and　sunshine；　for　everything　gets　so　damp　in　apartments　that　are　seldom　inhabited；　the　drawing…room　yonder　feels　like　a　vault。”
She　pointed　to　a　wide　arch　corresponding　to　the　window；　and　hung　like　it　with　a　Tyrian…dyed　curtain；　now　looped　up。　Mounting　to　it　by　two　broad　steps；　and　looking　through；　I　thought　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　fairy　place；　so　bright　to　my　novice…eyes　appeared　the　view　beyond。　Yet　it　was　merely　a　very　pretty　drawing…room；　and　within　it　a　boudoir；　both　spread　with　white　carpets；　on　which　seemed　laid　brilliant　garlands　of　flowers；　both　ceiled　with　snowy　mouldings　of　white　grapes　and　vine…leaves；　beneath　which　glowed　in　rich　contrast　crimson　couches　and　ottomans；　while　the　ornaments　on　the　pale　Pariain　mantelpiece　were　of　sparkling　Bohemian　glass；　ruby　red；　and　between　the　windows　large　mirrors　repeated　the　general　blending　of　snow　and　fire。
“In　what　order　you　keep　these　rooms；　Mrs。　Fairfax！”　said　I。　“No　dust；　no　canvas　coverings：　except　that　the　air　feels　chilly；　one　would　think　they　were　inhabited　daily。”
“Why；　Miss　Eyre；　though　Mr。　Rochester’s　visits　here　are　rare；　they　are　always　sudden　and　unexpected；　and　as　I　observed　that　it　put　him　out　to　find　everything　swathed　up；　and　to　have　a　bustle　of　arrangement　on　his　arrival；　I　thought　it　best　to　keep　the　rooms　in　readiness。”
“Is　Mr。　Rochester　an　exacting；　fastidious　sort　of　man？”
“Not　particularly　so；　but　he　has　a　gentleman’s　tastes　and　habits；　and　he　expects　to　have　things　managed　in　conformity　to　them。”
“Do　you　like　him？　Is　he　generally　liked？”
“Oh；　yes；　the　family　have　always　been　respected　here。　Almost　all　the　land　in　this　neighbourhood；　as　far　as　you　can　see；　has　belonged　to　the　Rochesters　time　out　of　mind。”
“Well；　but；　leaving　his　land　out　of　the　question；　do　you　like　him？　Is　he　liked　for　himself？”
“I　have　no　cause　to　do　otherwise　than　like　him；　and　I　believe　he　is　considered　a　just　and　liberal　landlord　by　his　tenants：　but　he　has　never　lived　much　amongst　them。”
“But　has　he　no　peculiarities？　What；　in　short；　is　his　character？”
“Oh！　his　character　is　unimpeachable；　I　suppose。　He　is　rather　peculiar；　perhaps：　he　has　travelled　a　great　deal；　and　seen　a　great　deal　of　the　world；　I　should　think。　I　dare　say　he　is　clever；　but　I　never　had　much　conversation　with　him。”
“In　what　way　is　he　peculiar？”
“I　don’t　know—it　is　not　easy　to　describe—nothing　striking；　but　you　feel　it　when　he　speaks　to　you；　you　cannot　be　always　sure　whether　he　is　in　jest　or　earnest；　whether　he　is　pleased　or　the　contrary；　you　don’t　thoroughly　understand　him；　in　short—at　least；　I　don’t：　but　it　is　of　no　consequence；　he　is　a　very　good　master。”
This　was　all　the　account　I　got　from　Mrs。　Fairfax　of　her　employer　and　mine。　There　are　people　who　seem　to　have　no　notion　of　sketching　a　character；　or　observing　and　describing　salient　points；　either　in　persons　or　things：　the　good　lady　evidently　belonged　to　this　class；　my　queries　puzzled；　but　did　not　draw　her　out。　Mr。　Rochester　was　Mr。　Rochester　in　her　eyes；　a　gentleman；　a　landed　proprietor—nothing　more：　she　inquired　and　searched　no　further；　and　evidently　wondered　at　my　wish　to　gain　a　more　definite　notion　of　his　identity。
When　we　left　the　dining…room；　she　proposed　to　show　me　over　the　rest　of　the　house；　and　I　followed　her　upstairs　and　downstairs；　admiring　as　I　went；　for　all　was　well　arranged　and　handsome。　The　large　front　chambers　I　thought　especially　grand：　and　some　of　the　third…storey　rooms；　though　dark　and　low；　were　interesting　from　their　air　of　antiquity。　The　furniture　once　appropriated　to　the　lower　apartments　had　from　time　to　time　been　removed　here；　as　fashions　changed：　and　the　imperfect　light　entering　by　their　narrow　casement　showed　bedsteads　of　a　hundred　years　old；　chests　in　oak　or　walnut；　looking；　with　their　strange　carvings　of　palm　branches　and　cherubs’　heads；　like　types　of　the　Hebrew　ark；　rows　of　venerable　chairs；　high…backed　and　narrow；　stools　still　more　antiquated；　on　whose　cushioned　tops　were　yet　apparent　traces　of　half…effaced　embroideries；　wrought　by　fingers　that　for　two　generations　had　been　coffin…dust。　All　these　relics　gave　to　the　third　storey　of　Thornfield　Hall　the　aspect　of　a　home　of　the　past：　a　shrine　of　memory。　I　liked　the　hush；　the　gloom；　the　quaintness　of　these　retreats　in　the　day；　but　I　by　no　means　coveted　a　night’s　repose　on　one　of　those　wide　and　heavy　beds：　shut　in；　some　of　them；　with　doors　of　oak；　shaded；　others；　with　wrought　old　English　hangings　crusted　with　thick　work；　portraying　effigies　of　strange　flowers；　and　stranger　birds；　and　strangest　human　beings；—　all　which　would　have　looked　strange；　indeed；　by　the　pallid　gleam　of　moonlight。
“Do　the　servants　sleep　in　these　rooms？”　I　asked。
“No；　they　occupy　a　range　of　smaller　apartments　to　the　back；　no　one　ever　sleeps　here：　one　would　almost　say　that；　if　there　were　a　ghost　at　Thornfield　Hall；　this　would　be　its　haunt。”
“So　I　think：　you　have　no　ghost；　then？”
“None　that　I　ever　heard　of；”　returned　Mrs。　Fairfax；　smiling。
“Nor　any　traditions　of　one？　no　legends　or　ghost　stories？”
“I　believe　not。　And　yet　it　is　said　the　Rochesters　have　been　rather　a　violent　than　a　quiet　race　in　their　time：　perhaps；　though；　that　is　the　reason　they　rest　tranquilly　in　their　graves　now。”
“Yes—‘after　life’s　fitful　fever　they　sleep　well；’”　I　muttered。　“Where　are　you　going　no