简爱(英文版)-第74部分

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　his。　There　are　times　when；　for　your　sake；　I　have　been　a　little　uneasy　at　his　marked　preference；　and　have　wished　to　put　you　on　your　guard：　but　I　did　not　like　to　suggest　even　the　possibility　of　wrong。　I　knew　such　an　idea　would　shock；　perhaps　offend　you；　and　you　were　so　discreet；　and　so　thoroughly　modest　and　sensible；　I　hoped　you　might　be　trusted　to　protect　yourself。　　night　I　cannot　tell　you　what　I　suffered　when　I　sought　all　over　the　house；　and　could　find　you　nowhere；　nor　the　master　either；　and　then；　at　twelve　o’clock；　saw　you　e　in　with　him。”
“Well；　never　mind　that　now；”　I　interrupted　impatiently；　“it　is　enough　that　all　was　right。”
“I　hope　all　will　be　right　in　the　end；”　she　said：　“but　believe　me；　you　cannot　be　too　careful。　Try　and　keep　Mr。　Rochester　at　a　distance：　distrust　yourself　as　well　as　him。　Gentlemen　in　his　station　are　not　accustomed　to　marry　their　governesses。”
I　was　growing　truly　irritated：　happily；　Adèle　ran　in。
“Let　me　go；—let　me　go　to　Millcote　too！”　she　cried。　“Mr。　Rochester　won’t：　though　there　is　so　much　room　in　the　new　carriage。　Beg　him　to　let　me　go　mademoiselle。”
“That　I　will；　Adèle；”　and　I　hastened　away　onitress。　The　carriage　was　ready：　they　were　bringing　it　round　to　the　front；　and　my　master　was　the　pavement；　Pilot　following　him　backwards　and　forwards。
“Adèle　may　acpany　us；　may　she　not；　sir？”
“I　told　her　no。　I’ll　have　no　brats！—I’ll　have　only　you。”
“Do　let　her　go；　Mr。　Rochester；　if　you　please：　it　would　be　better。”
“Not　it：　she　will　be　a　restraint。”
He　ptory；　both　in　look　and　voice。　The　chill　of　Mrs。　Fairfax’s　warnings；　and　the　damp　of　her　doubts　were　upon　me：　something　of　unsubstantiality　and　uncertainty　had　beset　my　hopes。　I　half　lost　the　sense　of　power　over　him。　I　was　about　mechanically　to　obey　him；　without　further　remonstrance；　but　as　he　helped　me　into　the　carriage；　he　looked　at　my　face。
“What　is　the　matter？”　he　asked；　“all　the　sunshine　is　gone。　Do　you　really　wish　the　bairn　to　go？　Will　it　annoy　you　if　she　is　left　behind？”
“I　would　far　rather　she　went；　sir。”
“Then　off　for　your　bon；　and　back　like　a　flash　of　lightning！”　cried　he　to　Adèle。
She　obeyed　him　with　what　speed　she　might。
“After　all；　a　single　morning’s　interruption　will　not　matter　much；”　said　he；　“when　I　mean　shortly　to　claim　you—your　thoughts；　conversation；　and　pany—for　life。”
Adèle；　when　lifted　in；　menced　kissing　me；　by　way　of　expressing　her　gratitude　for　my　intercession：　she　was　instantly　stowed　away　into　a　corner　on　the　other　side　of　him。　She　then　peeped　round　to　where　I　sat；　so　stern　a　neighbour　was　too　restrictive　to　him；　in　his　present　fractious　mood；　she　dared　whisper　no　observations；　nor　ask　of　him　any　information。
“Let　her　e　to　me；”　I　entreated：　“she　will；　perhaps；　trouble　you；　sir：　there　is　plenty　of　room　on　this　side。”
He　handed　her　over　as　if　she　had　been　a　lapdog。　“I’ll　send　her　to　school　yet；”　he　said；　but　now　he　was　smiling。
Adèle　heard　him；　and　asked　if　she　was　to　go　to　school　“sans　mademoiselle？”
“Yes；”　he　replied；　“absolutely　sans　mademoiselle；　for　I　am　to　take　mademoiselle　to　the　moon；　and　there　I　shall　seek　a　cave　in　one　of　the　white　valleys　among　the　volcano…tops；　and　mademoiselle　shall　live　with　me　there；　and　only　me。”
“She　will　have　nothing　to　eat：　you　will　starve　her；”　observed　Adèle。
“I　shall　gather　manna　for　her　morning　and　night：　the　plains　and　hillsides　in　the　moon　are　bleached　with　manna；　Adèle。”
“She　will　want　to　warm　herself：　what　will　she　do　for　a　fire？”
“Fire　rises　out　of　the　lunar　mountains：　when　she　is　cold；　I’ll　carry　her　up　to　a　peak；　and　lay　her　down　on　the　edge　of　a　crater。”
“Oh；　qu’　elle　y　sera　mal—peu　fortable！　And　her　clothes；　they　will　wear　out：　how　can　she　get　new　ones？”
Mr。　Rochester　professed　to　be　puzzled。　“Hem！”　said　he。　“What　would　you　do；　Adèle？　Cudgel　your　brains　for　an　expedient。　How　would　a　white　or　a　pink　cloud　answer　for　a　gown；　do　you　think？　And　one　could　cut　a　pretty　enough　scarf　out　of　a　rainbow。”
“She　is　far　better　as　she　is；”　concluded　Adèle；　after　musing　some　time：　“besides；　she　would　get　tired　of　living　with　only　you　in　the　moon。　If　I　were　mademoiselle；　I　would　never　consent　to　go　with　you。”
“She　has　consented：　she　has　pledged　her　word。”
“But　you　can’t　get　her　there；　there　is　no　road　to　the　moon：　it　is　all　air；　and　neither　you　nor　she　can　fly。”
“Adèle；　look　at　that　field。”　We　were　now　outside　Thornfield　gates；　and　bowling　lightly　along　the　smooth　road　to　Millcote；　where　the　dust　was　well　laid　by　the　thunderstorm；　and；　where　the　low　hedges　and　lofty　timber　trees　on　each　side　glistened　green　and　rain…　refreshed。
“In　that　field；　Adèle；　I　was　walking　late　one　evening　about　a　fortnight　since—the　evening　of　the　day　you　helped　me　to　make　hay　in　the　orchard　meadows；　and；　as　I　was　tired　with　raking　swaths；　I　sat　down　to　rest　me　on　a　stile；　and　there　I　took　out　a　little　book　and　a　pencil；　and　began　to　write　about　a　misfortune　that　befell　me　long　ago；　and　a　wish　I　had　for　happy　days　to　e：　I　was　writing　away　very　fast；　though　daylight　was　fading　from　the　leaf；　when　something　came　up　the　path　and　stopped　two　yards　off　me。　I　looked　at　it。　It　was　a　little　thing　with　a　veil　of　gossamer　on　its　head。　I　beckoned　it　to　e　near　me；　it　stood　soon　at　my　knee。　I　never　spoke　to　it；　and　it　never　spoke　to　me；　in　words；　but　I　read　its　eyes；　and　it　read　mine；　and　our　speechless　colloquy　was　to　this　effect—
“It　was　a　fairy；　and　e　from　Elf…land；　it　said；　and　its　errand　was　to　make　me　happy：　I　must　go　with　it　out　of　the　mon　world　to　a　lonely　place—such　as　the　moon；　for　instance—and　it　nodded　its　head　towards　her　horn；　rising　over　Hay…hill：　it　told　me　of　the　alabaster　cave　and　silver　vale　where　we　might　live。　I　said　I　should　like　to　go；　but　reminded　it；　as　you　did　me；　that　I　had　no　wings　to　fly。
“‘Oh；’　returned　the　fairy；　‘that　does　not　signify！　Here　is　a　talisman　will　remove　all　difficulties；’　and　she　held　out　a　pretty　gold　ring。　‘Put　it；’　she　said；　‘on　the　fourth　finger　of　my　left　hand；　and　I　am　yours；　and　you　are　mine；　and　we　shall　leave　earth；　and　make　our　own　heaven　yonder。’　She　nodded　again　at　the　moon。　The　ring；　Adèle；　is　in　my　breeches…pocket；　under　the　disguise　of　a　sovereign：　but　I　mean　soon　to　change　it　to　a　ring　again。”
“But　what　has　mademoiselle　to　do　with　it？　I　don’t　care　for　the　fairy：　you　said　it　was　mademoiselle　you　would　take　to　the　moon？”
“Mademoiselle　is　a　fairy；”　he　said；　whispering　mysteriously。　Whereupon　I　told　her　not　to　mind　his　badinage；　and　she；　on　her　part；　evinced　a　fund　of　genuine　French　scepticism：　denominating　Mr。　Rochester　“un　vrai　menteur；”　and　assuring　him　that　she　made　no　account　whatever　of　his　“contes　de　fee；”　and　that　“du　reste；　il　n’y　avait　pas　de　fées；　et　quand　meme　il　y　en　avait：”　she　was　sure　they　would　never　appear　to　him；　nor　ever　give　him　rings；　or　offer　to　live　with　him　in　the　moon。
The　hour　spent　at　Millcote　was　a　somewhat　harassing　one　to　me。　Mr。　Rochester　obliged　me　to　go　to　a　certain　silk　warehouse：　there　I　was　ordered　to　choose　half…a…dozen　dresses。　I　hated　the　business；　I　begged　leave　to　defer　it：　no—it　should　be　gone　through　with　now。　By　dint　of　entreaties　expressed　in　energetic　whispers；　I　reduced　the　half…dozen　to　two：　these　however；　he　vowed　he　would　select　himself。　With　anxiety　I　watched　his　eye　rove　over　the　gay　stores：　he　fixed　on　a　rich　silk　of　the　most　brilliant　amethyst　dye；　and　a　superb　pink　satin。　I　told　him　in　a　new　series　of　whispers；　that　he　might　as　well　buy　me　a　gold　gown　and　a　silver　bon　at　once：　I　should　certainly　never　venture　to　wear　his　choice。　With　infinite　difficulty；　for　he　was　stubborn　as　a　stone；　I　persuaded　him　to　make　an　exchange　in　favour　of　a　sober　black　satin　and　pearl…grey　silk。　“It　might　pass　for　the　present；”　he　said；　“but　he　would　yet　see　me　glittering　like　a　parterre。”
Glad　was　I　to　get　him　out　of　the　silk　warehouse；　and　then　out　of　a　jewellers　shop：　the　more　he　bought　me；　the　more　my　cheek　burned　with　a　sense　of　annoyance　and　degradation。　As　we　re…entered　the　carriage；　and　I　sat　back　feverish　and　fagged；　I　remembered　what；　in　the　hurry　of　events；　dark　and　bright；　I　had　wholly　forgotten—the　letter　of　my　uncle；　John　Eyre；　to　Mrs。　Reed：　his　intention　to　adopt　me　and　make　me　his　le