简爱(英文版)-第62部分

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　breaking　her　down。　The　information　about　Mr。　John’s　death　and　the　manner　of　it　came　too　suddenly：　it　brought　on　a　stroke。　She　was　three　days　without　speaking；　but　last　Tuesday　she　seemed　rather　better：　she　appeared　as　if　she　wanted　to　say　something；　and　kept　making　signs　to　my　wife　and　mumbling。　It　was　only　yesterday　morning；　however；　that　Bessie　understood　she　was　pronouncing　your　name；　and　at　last　she　made　out　the　words；　‘Bring　Jane—fetch　Jane　Eyre：　I　want　to　speak　to　her。’　Bessie　is　not　sure　whether　she　is　in　her　right　mind；　or　means　anything　by　the　words；　but　she　told　Miss　Reed　and　Miss　Georgiana；　and　advised　them　to　send　for　you。　The　young　ladies　put　it　off　at　first；　but　their　mother　grew　so　restless；　and　said；　‘Jane；　Jane；’　so　many　times；　that　at　last　they　consented。　I　left　Gateshead　yesterday：　and　if　you　can　get　ready；　Miss；　I　should　like　to　take　you　back　with　me　early　to…　morrow　morning。”
“Yes；　Robert；　I　shall　be　ready：　it　seems　to　me　that　I　ought　to　go。”
“I　think　so　too；　Miss。　Bessie　said　she　was　sure　you　would　not　refuse：　but　I　suppose　you　will　have　to　ask　leave　before　you　can　get　off？”
“Yes；　and　I　will　do　it　now；”　and　having　directed　him　to　the　servants’　hall；　and　remended　him　to　the　care　of　John’s　wife；　and　the　attentions　of　John　himself；　I　went　in　search　of　Mr。　Rochester。
He　was　not　in　any　of　the　lower　rooms；　he　was　not　in　the　yard；　the　stables；　or　the　grounds。　I　asked　Mrs。　Fairfax　if　she　had　seen　him；—yes：　she　believed　he　was　playing　billiards　with　Miss　Ingram。　To　the　billiard…room　I　hastened：　the　click　of　balls　and　the　hum　of　voices　resounded　thence；　Mr。　Rochester；　Miss　Ingram；　the　two　Misses　Eshton；　and　their　admirers；　were　all　busied　in　the　game。　It　required　some　courage　to　disturb　so　interesting　a　party；　my　errand；　however；　was　one　I　could　not　defer；　so　I　approached　the　master　where　he　stood　at　Miss　Ingram’s　side。　She　turned　as　I　drew　near；　and　looked　at　me　haughtily：　her　eyes　seemed　to　demand；　“What　can　the　creeping　creature　want　now？”　and　when　I　said；　in　a　low　voice；　“Mr。　Rochester；”　she　made　a　movement　as　if　tempted　to　order　me　away。　I　remember　her　appearance　at　the　moment—it　was　very　graceful　and　very　striking：　she　wore　a　morning　robe　of　sky…blue　crape；　a　gauzy　azure　scarf　was　twisted　in　her　hair。　She　had　been　all　animation　with　the　game；　and　irritated　pride　did　not　lower　the　expression　of　her　haughty　lineaments。
“Does　that　person　r。　Rochester；　and　Mr。　Rochester　turned　to　see　who　the　“person”　was。　He　made　a　curious　grimace—one　of　his　strange　and　equivocal　demonstrations—threw　down　his　cue　and　followed　me　from　the　room。
“Well；　Jane？”　he　said；　as　he　rested　his　back　against　the　schoolroom　door；　which　he　had　shut。
“If　you　please；　sir；　I　want　leave　of　absence　for　a　week　or　two。”
“What　to　do？—where　to　go？”
“To　see　a　sick　lady　who　has　sent　for　me。”
“What　sick　lady？—where　does　she　live？”
“At　Gateshead；　in—shire。”
“…shire？　That　is　a　hundred　miles　off！　Who　may　she　be　that　sends　for　people　to　see　her　that　distance？”
“Her　name　is　Reed；　sir—Mrs。　Reed。”
“Reed　of　Gateshead？　There　was　a　Reed　of　Gateshead；　a　magistrate。”
“It　is　his　widow；　sir。”
“And　what　have　you　to　do　with　her？　How　do　you　know　her？”
“Mr。　Reed　was　my　uncle—my　mother’s　brother。”
“The　deuce　he　was！　You　never　told　me　that　before：　you　always　said　you　had　no　relations。”
“None　that　would　own　me；　sir。　Mr。　Reed　is　dead；　and　his　wife　cast　me　off。”
“Why？”
“Because　I　was　poor；　and　burdensome；　and　she　disliked　me。”
“But　Reed　left　children？—you　must　have　cousins？　Sir　George　Lynn　was　talking　of　a　Reed　of　Gateshead　yesterday；　who；　he　said；　was　one　of　the　veriest　rascals　on　town；　and　Ingram　was　mentioning　a　Georgiana　Reed　of　the　same　place；　who　was　much　admired　for　her　beauty　a　season　or　two　ago　in　London。”
“John　Reed　is　dead；　too；　sir：　he　ruined　himself　and　half…ruined　his　family；　and　is　supposed　to　have　mitted　suicide。　The　news　so　shocked　his　mother　that　it　brought　on　an　apoplectic　attack。”
“And　what　good　can　you　do　her？　Nonsense；　Jane！　I　would　never　think　of　running　a　hundred　miles　to　see　an　old　lady　who　will；　perhaps；　be　dead　before　you　reach　her：　besides；　you　say　she　cast　you　off。”
“Yes；　sir；　but　that　is　long　ago；　and　when　her　circumstances　were　very　different：　I　could　not　be　easy　to　neglect　her　wishes　now。”
“How　long　will　you　stay？”
“As　short　a　time　as　possible；　sir。”
“Promise　me　only　to　stay　a　week—”
“I　had　better　not　pass　my　word：　I　might　be　obliged　to　break　it。”
“At　all　events　you　will　e　back：　you　will　not　be　induced　under　any　pretext　to　take　up　a　permanent　residence　with　her？”
“Oh；　no！　I　shall　certainly　return　if　all　be　well。”
“And　who　goes　with　you？　You　don’t　travel　a　hundred　miles　alone。”
“No；　sir；　she　has　sent　her　coachman。”
“A　person　to　be　trusted？”
“Yes；　sir；　he　has　lived　ten　years　in　the　family。”
Mr。　Rochester　meditated。　“When　do　you　wish　to　go？”
“Early　to…morrow　morning；　sir。”
“Well；　you　must　have　some　money；　you　can’t　travel　without　money；　and　I　daresay　you　have　not　much：　I　have　given　you　no　salary　yet。　How　much　have　you　in　the　world；　Jane？”　he　asked；　smiling。
I　drew　out　my　purse；　a　meagre　thing　it　was。　“Five　shillings；　sir。”　He　took　the　purse；　poured　the　hoard　into　his　palm；　and　chuckled　over　it　as　if　its　scantiness　amused　him。　Soon　he　produced　his　pocket…　book：　“Here；”　said　he；　offering　me　a　note；　it　was　fifty　pounds；　and　he　owed　me　but　fifteen。　I　told　him　I　had　no　change。
“I　don’t　want　change；　you　know　that。　Take　your　wages。”
I　declined　accepting　more　than　was　my　due。　He　scowled　at　first；　then；　as　if　recollecting　something；　he　said—
“Right；　right！　Better　not　give　you　all　now：　you　would；　perhaps；　stay　away　three　months　if　you　had　fifty　pounds。　There　are　ten；　is　it　not　plenty？”
“Yes；　sir；　but　now　you　owe　me　five。”
“e　back　for　it；　then；　I　am　your　banker　for　forty　pounds。”
“Mr。　Rochester；　I　may　as　well　mention　another　matter　of　business　to　you　while　I　have　the　opportunity。”
“Matter　of　business？　I　am　curious　to　hear　it。”
“You　have　as　good　as　informed　me；　sir；　that　you　are　going　shortly　to　be　married？”
“Yes；　what　then？”
“In　that　case；　sir；　Adèle　ought　to　go　to　school：　I　am　sure　you　will　perceive　the　necessity　of　it。”
“To　get　her　out　of　my　bride’s　way；　who　might　otherwise　walk　over　her　rather　too　emphatically？　There’s　sense　in　the　suggestion；　not　a　doubt　of　it。　Adèle；　as　you　say；　must　go　to　school；　and　you；　of　course；　must　march　straight　to—the　devil？”
“I　hope　not；　sir；　but　I　must　seek　another　situation　somewhere。”
“In　course！”　he　exclaimed；　with　a　twang　of　voice　and　a　distortion　of　features　equally　fantastic　and　ludicrous。　He　looked　at　me　some　minutes。
“And　old　Madam　Reed；　or　the　Misses；　her　daughters；　will　be　solicited　by　you　to　seek　a　place；　I　suppose？”
“No；　sir；　I　am　not　on　such　terms　with　my　relatives　as　would　justify　me　in　asking　favours　of　them—but　I　shall　advertise。”
“You　shall　walk　up　the　pyramids　of　Egypt！”　he　growled。　“At　your　peril　you　advertise！　I　wish　I　had　only　offered　you　a　sovereign　instead　of　ten　pounds。　Give　me　back　nine　pounds；　Jane；　I’ve　a　use　for　it。”
“And　so　have　I；　sir；”　I　returned；　putting　my　hands　and　my　purse　behind　me。　“I　could　not　spare　the　money　on　any　account。”
“Little　niggard！”　said　he；　“refusing　me　a　pecuniary　request！　Give　me　five　pounds；　Jane。”
“Not　five　shillings；　sir；　nor　five　pence。”
“Just　let　me　look　at　the　cash。”
“No；　sir；　you　are　not　to　be　trusted。”
“Jane！”
“Sir？”
“Promise　me　one　thing。”
“I’ll　promise　you　anything；　sir；　that　I　think　I　am　likely　to　perform。”
“Not　to　advertise：　and　to　trust　this　quest　of　a　situation　to　me。　I’ll　find　you　one　in　time。”
“I　shall　be　glad　so　to　do；　sir；　if　you；　in　your　turn；　will　promise　that　I　and　Adèle　shall　be　both　safe　out　of　the　house　before　your　bride　enters　it。”
“Very　well！　very　well！　I’ll　pledge　my　word　on　it。　You　go　to…　morrow；　then？”
“Yes；　sir；　early。”
“Shall　you　e　down　to　the　drawing…room　after　dinner？”
“No；　sir；　I　must　prepare　for　the　journey。”
“Then　you　and　I　must　bid　good…bye　for　a　little　while？”
“I　suppose　so；　sir。”
“And　how　do　people　perform　that　ceremony　of　parting；　Jane？　Teach　me；　I’m　not　quite　up　to　it。”
“They　say；