Jane Eyre-第73章
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there。 get up！ for shame！ move off； i say！”
“hush； hannah！ i have a word to say to the woman。 you have done your duty in excluding； now let me do mine in admitting her。 i was near； and listened to both you and her。 i think this is a peculiar case—i must at least examine into it。 young woman； rise； and pass before me into the house。”
with difficulty i obeyed him。 presently i stood within that clean； bright kitchen—on the very hearth—trembling； sickening； conscious of an aspect in the last degree ghastly； wild； and weather…beaten。 the two ladies； their brother； mr。 st。 john； the old servant； were all gazing at me。
“st。 john； who is it？” i heard one ask。
“i cannot tell： i found her at the door；” was the reply。
“she does look white；” said hannah。
“as white as clay or death；” was responded。 “she will fall： let her sit。”
and indeed my head swam： i dropped； but a chair received me。 i still possessed my senses； though just now i could not speak。
“perhaps a little water would restore her。 hannah； fetch some。 but she is worn to nothing。 how very thin； and how very bloodless！”
“a mere spectre！”
“is she ill； or only famished？”
“famished； i think。 hannah； is that milk？ give it me； and a piece of bread。”
diana （i knew her by the long curls which i saw drooping between me and the fire as she bent over me） broke some bread； dipped it in milk； and put it to my lips。 her face was near mine： i saw there was pity in it； and i felt sympathy in her hurried breathing。 in her simple words； too； the same balm…like emotion spoke： “try to eat。”
“yes—try；” repeated mary gently； and mary’s hand removed my sodden bonnet and lifted my head。 i tasted what they offered me： feebly at first； eagerly soon。
“not too much at first—restrain her；” said the brother； “she has had enough。” and he withdrew the cup of milk and the plate of bread。
“a little more； st。 john—look at the avidity in her eyes。”
“no more at present； sister。 try if she can speak now—ask her her name。”
i felt i could speak； and i answered—“my name is jane elliott。” anxious as ever to avoid discovery； i had before resolved to assume an alias。
“and where do you live？ where are your friends？”
i was silent。
“can we send for any one you know？”
i shook my head。
“what account can you give of yourself？”
somehow； now that i had once crossed the threshold of this house； and once was brought face to face with its owners； i felt no longer outcast； vagrant； and disowned by the wide world。 i dared to put off the mendicant—to resume my natural manner and character。 i began once more to know myself； and when mr。 st。 john demanded an account—which at present i was far too weak to render—i said after a brief pause—
“sir； i can give you no details to…night。”
“but what； then；” said he； “do you expect me to do for you？”
“nothing；” i replied。 my strength sufficed for but short answers。 diana took the word—
“do you mean；” she asked； “that we have now given you what aid you require？ and that we may dismiss you to the moor and the rainy night？”
i looked at her。 she had； i thought； a remarkable countenance； instinct both with power and goodness。 i took sudden courage。 answering her passionate gate with a smile； i said—“i will trust you。 if i were a masterless and stray dog； i know that you would not turn me from your hearth to…night： as it is； i really have no fear。 do with me and for me as you like； but excuse me from much discourse—my breath is short—i feel a spasm when i speak。” all three surveyed me； and all three were silent。
“hannah；” said mr。 st。 john； at last； “let her sit there at present； and ask her no questions； in ten minutes more； give her the remainder of that milk and bread。 mary and diana； let us go into the parlour and talk the matter over。”
they withdrew。 very soon one of the ladies returned—i could not tell which。 a kind of pleasant stupor was stealing over me as i sat by the genial fire。 in an undertone she gave some directions to hannah。 ere long； with the servant’s aid； i contrived to mount a staircase； my dripping clothes were removed； soon a warm； dry bed received me。 i thanked god—experienced amidst unutterable exhaustion a glow of grateful joy—and slept。
。。
Chapter 30
小x说s网
the more i knew of the inmates of moor house； the better i liked them。 in a few days i had so far recovered my health that i could sit up all day； and walk out sometimes。 i could join with diana and mary in all their occupations； converse with them as much as they wished； and aid them when and where they would allow me。 there was a reviving pleasure in this intercourse； of a kind now tasted by me for the first time…the pleasure arising from perfect congeniality of tastes； sentiments； and principles。
i liked to read what they liked to read： what they enjoyed； delighted me； what they approved； i reverenced。 they loved their sequestered home。 i； too； in the grey； small； antique structure； with its low roof； its latticed casements； its mouldering walls； its avenue of aged firs—all grown aslant under the stress of mountain winds； its garden； dark with yew and holly—and where no flowers but of the hardiest species would bloom—found a charm both potent and permanent。 they clung to the purple moors behind and around their dwelling—to the hollow vale into which the pebbly bridle…path leading from their gate descended； and which wound between fern… banks first； and then amongst a few of the wildest little pasture… fields that ever bordered a wilderness of heath； or gave sustenance to a flock of grey moorland sheep； with their little mossy…faced lambs：… they clung to this scene； i say； with a perfect enthusiasm of attachment。 i could prehend the feeling； and share both its strength and truth。 i saw the fascination of the locality。 i felt the consecration of its loneliness： my eye feasted on the outline of swell and sweep—on the wild colouring municated to ridge and dell by moss； by heath…bell； by flower…sprinkled turf； by brilliant bracken； and mellow granite crag。 these details were just to me what they were to them—so many pure and sweet sources of pleasure。 the strong blast and the soft breeze； the rough and the halcyon day； the hours of sunrise and sunset； the moonlight and the clouded night； developed for me； in these regions； the same attraction as for them—wound round my faculties the same spell that entranced theirs。
indoors we agreed equally well。 they were both more acplished and better read than i was； but with eagerness i followed in the path of knowledge they had trodden before me。 i devoured the books they lent me： then it was full satisfaction to discuss with them in the evening what i had perused during the day。 thought fitted thought； opinion met opinion： we coincided； in short； perfectly。
if in our trio there was a superior and a leader； it was diana。 physically； she far excelled me： she was handsome； she was vigorous。 in her animal spirits there was an affluence of life and certainty of flow； such as excited my wonder； while it baffled my prehension。 i could talk a while when the evening menced； but the first gush of vivacity and fluency gone； i was fain to sit on a stool at diana’s feet； to rest my head on her knee； and listen alternately to her and mary； while they sounded thoroughly the topic on which i had but touched。 diana offered to teach me german。 i liked to learn of her： i saw the part of instructress pleased and suited her； that of scholar pleased and suited me no less。 our natures dovetailed： mutual affection—of the strongest kind—was the result。 they discovered i could draw： their pencils and colour…boxes were immediately at my service。 my skill； greater in this one point than theirs； surprised and charmed them。 mary would sit and watch me by the hour together： then she would take lessons； and a docile； intelligent； assiduous pupil she made。 thus occupied； and mutually entertained； days passed like hours； and weeks like days。
as to mr。 st john； the intimacy which had arisen so naturally and rapidly between me and his sisters did not extend to him。 one reason of the distance yet observed between us was； that he was paratively seldom at home： a large proportion of his time appeared devoted to visiting the sick and poor among the scattered population of his parish。
no weather seemed to hinder him in these pastoral excursions： rain or fair； he would； when his hours of morning study were over； take his hat； and； followed by his father’s old pointer； carlo； go out on his mission of love or duty—i scarcely know in which light he regarded it。 sometimes； when the day was very unfavourable； his sisters would expostulate。 he would then say； with a peculiar smile； more solemn than cheerful—
“and if i let a gust of wind or a sprinkling of rain turn me aside from these easy tasks； what preparation would such sloth be for the future i propose to myself？”
diana and mary’s general answer to this question was a sigh； and some minutes of apparently mournful meditation。
but besides his frequent absences； there was another barrier to friendship with him： he seemed of a reserved； an abstracted； and even of a broodin
