神鸟电子书 > 文学名著电子书 > 简爱(英文版) >

第41部分

简爱(英文版)-第41部分

小说: 简爱(英文版) 字数: 每页4000字

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!



e narrative itself: a wealthy Englishman’s passion for a French dancer; and her treachery to him; were every… day matters enough; no doubt; in society; but there was something decidedly strange in the paroxysm of emotion which had suddenly seized him when he was in the act of expressing the present contentment of his mood; and his newly revived pleasure in the old hall and its environs。 I meditated wonderingly on this incident; but gradually quitting it; as I found it for the present inexplicable; I turned to the consideration of my master’s manner to myself。 The confidence he had thought fit to repose in me seemed a tribute to my discretion: I regarded and accepted it as such。 His deportment had now for some weeks been more uniform towards me than at the first。 I never seemed in his way; he did not take fits of chilling hauteur: when he met me unexpectedly; the encounter seemed wele; he had always a word and sometimes a smile for me: when summoned by formal invitation to his presence; I was honoured by a cordiality of reception that made me feel I really possessed the power to amuse him; and that these evening conferences were sought as much for his pleasure as for my benefit。
I; indeed; talked paratively little; but I heard him talk with relish。 It was his nature to be municative; he liked to open to a mind unacquainted with the world glimpses of its scenes and ways (I do not mean its corrupt scenes and wicked ways; but such as derived their interest from the great scale on which they were acted; the strange novelty by which they were characterised); and I had a keen delight in receiving the new ideas he offered; in imagining the new pictures he portrayed; and following him in thought through the new regions he disclosed; never startled or troubled by one noxious allusion。
The ease of his manner freed me from painful restraint: the friendly frankness; as correct as cordial; with which he treated me; drew me to him。 I felt at times as if he were my relation rather than my master: yet he was imperious sometimes still; but I did not mind that; I saw it was his way。 So happy; so gratified did I bee with this new interest added to life; that I ceased to pine after kindred: my thin crescent…destiny seemed to enlarge; the blanks of existence were filled up; my bodily health improved; I gathered flesh and strength。
And was Mr。 Rochester now ugly in my eyes? No; reader: gratitude; and many associations; all pleasurable and genial; made his face the object I best liked to see; his presence in a room was more cheering than the brightest fire。 Yet I had not forgotten his faults; indeed; I could not; for he brought them frequently before me。 He was proud; sardonic; harsh to inferiority of every description: in my secret soul I knew that his great kindness to me was balanced by unjust severity to many others。 He was moody; too; unaccountably so; I more than once; when sent for to read to him; found him sitting in his library alone; with his head bent on his folded arms; and; when he looked up; a morose; almost a malignant; scowl blackened his features。 But I believed that his moodiness; his harshness; and his former faults of morality (I say former; for now he seemed corrected of them) had their source in some cruel cross of fate。 I believed he was naturally a man of better tendencies; higher principles; and purer tastes than such as circumstances had developed; education instilled; or destiny encouraged。 I thought there were excellent materials in him; though for the present they hung together somewhat spoiled and tangled。 I cannot deny that I grieved for his grief; whatever that was; and would have given much to assuage it。
Though I had now extinguished my candle and was laid down in bed; I could not sleep for thinking of his look when he paused in the avenue; and told how his destiny had risen up before him; and dared him to be happy at Thornfield。
“Why not?” I asked myself。 “What alienates him from the house? Will he leave it again soon? Mrs。 Fairfax said he seldom stayed here longer than a fortnight at a time; and he has now been resident eight weeks。 If he does go; the change will be doleful。 Suppose he should be absent spring; summer; and autumn: how joyless sunshine and fine days will seem!”
I hardly know whether I had slept or not after this musing; at any rate; I started wide awake on hearing a vague murmur; peculiar and lugubrious; which sounded; I thought; just above me。 I wished I had kept my candle burning: the night was drearily dark; my spirits were depressed。 I rose and sat up in bed; listening。 The sound was hushed。
I tried again to sleep; but my heart beat anxiously: my inward tranquillity was broken。 The clock; far down in the hall; struck two。 Just then it seemed my chamber…door was touched; as if fingers had swept the panels in groping a way along the dark gallery outside。 I said; “Who is there?” Nothing answered。 I was chilled with fear。
All at once I remembered that it might be Pilot; who; when the kitchen…door chanced to be left open; not unfrequently found his way up to the threshold of Mr。 Rochester’s chamber: I had seen him lying there myself in the mornings。 The idea calmed me somewhat: I lay down。 Silence poses the nerves; and as an unbroken hush now reigned again through the whole house; I began to feel the return of slumber。 But it was not fated that I should sleep that night。 A dream had scarcely approached my ear; when it fled affrighted; scared by a marrow…freezing incident enough。
This was a demoniac laugh—low; suppressed; and deep—uttered; as it seemed; at the very keyhole of my chamber door。 The head of my bed was near the door; and I thought at first the goblin…laugher stood at my bedside—or rather; crouched by my pillow: but I rose; looked round; and could see nothing; while; as I still gazed; the unnatural sound was reiterated: and I knew it came from behind the panels。 My first impulse was to rise and fasten the bolt; my next; again to cry out; “Who is there?”
Something gurgled and moaned。 Ere long; steps retreated up the gallery towards the third…storey staircase: a door had lately been made to shut in that staircase; I heard it open and close; and all was still。
“Was that Grace Poole? and is she possessed with a devil?” thought I。 Impossible now to remain longer by myself: I must go to Mrs。 Fairfax。 I hurried on my frock and a shawl; I withdrew the bolt and opened the door with a trembling hand。 There was a candle burning just outside; and on the matting in the gallery。 I was surprised at this circumstance: but still more was I amazed to perceive the air quite dim; as if filled with smoke; and; while looking to the right hand and left; to find whence these blue wreaths issued; I became further aware of a strong smell of burning。
Something creaked: it was a door ajar; and that door was Mr。 Rochester’s; and the smoke rushed in a cloud from thence。 I thought no more of Mrs。 Fairfax; I thought no more of Grace Poole; or the laugh: in an instant; I was within the chamber。 Tongues of flame darted round the bed: the curtains were on fire。 In the midst of blaze and vapour; Mr。 Rochester lay stretched motionless; in deep sleep。
“Wake! wake!” I cried。 I shook him; but he only murmured and turned: the smoke had stupefied him。 Not a moment could be lost: the very sheets were kindling; I rushed to his basin and ewer; fortunately; one was wide and the other deep; and both were filled with water。 I heaved them up; deluged the bed and its occupant; flew back to my own room; brought my own water…jug; baptized the couch afresh; and; by God’s aid; succeeded in extinguishing the flames which were devouring it。
The hiss of the quenched element; the breakage of a pitcher which I flung from my hand when I had emptied it; and; above all; the splash of the shower…bath I had liberally bestowed; roused Mr。 Rochester at last。 Though it was now dark; I knew he was awake; because I heard him fulminating strange anathemas at finding himself lying in a pool of water。
“Is there a flood?” he cried。
“No; sir;” I answered; “but there has been a fire: get up; do; you are quenched now; I will fetch you a candle。”
“In the name of all the elves in Christendom; is that Jane Eyre?” he demanded。 “Wha

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 2 2

你可能喜欢的