小说园

第25部分（第2页）

“Well；”　resumed　Mr。　Rochester；　“if　you　disown　parents；　you　must　have　some　sort　of　kinsfolk：　uncles　and　aunts？”

“No；　none　that　I　ever　saw。”

“And　your　home？”

“I　have　none。”

“Where　do　your　brothers　and　sisters　live？”

“I　have　no　brothers　or　sisters。”

“Who　remended　you　to　e　here？”

“I　advertised；　and　Mrs。　Fairfax　answered　my　advertisement。”

“Yes；”　said　the　good　lady；　who　now　knew　what　ground　we　were　upon；　“and　I　am　daily　thankful　for　the　choice　Providence　led　me　to　make。　Miss　Eyre　has　been　an　invaluable　panion　to　me；　and　a　kind　and　careful　teacher　to　Adèle。”

“Don’t　trouble　yourself　to　give　her　a　character；”　returned　Mr。　Rochester：　“eulogiums　will　not　bias　me；　I　shall　judge　for　myself。　She　began　by　felling　my　horse。”

“Sir？”　said　Mrs。　Fairfax。

“I　have　to　thank　her　for　this　sprain。”

The　widow　looked　bewildered。

“Miss　Eyre；　have　you　ever　lived　in　a　town？”

“No；　sir。”

“Have　you　seen　much　society？”

“None　but　the　pupils　and　teachers　of　Lowood；　and　now　the　inmates　of　Thornfield。”

“Have　you　read　much？”

“Only　such　books　as　came　in　my　way；　and　they　have　not　been　numerous　or　very　learned。”

“You　have　lived　the　life　of　a　nun：　no　doubt　you　are　well　drilled　in　religious　forms；—Brocklehurst；　who　I　understand　directs　Lowood；　is　a　parson；　is　he　not？”

“Yes；　sir。”

“And　you　girls　probably　worshipped　him；　as　a　convent　full　of　religieuses　would　worship　their　director。”

“Oh；　no。”

“You　are　very　cool！　No！　What！　a　novice　not　worship　her　priest！　That　sounds　blasphemous。”

“I　disliked　Mr。　Brocklehurst；　and　I　was　not　alone　in　the　feeling。　He　is　a　harsh　man；　at　once　pompous　and　meddling；　he　cut　off　our　hair；　and　for　economy’s　sake　bought　us　bad　needles　and　thread；　with　which　we　could　hardly　sew。”

“That　was　very　false　economy；”　remarked　Mrs。　Fairfax；　who　now　again　caught　the　drift　of　the　dialogue。

“And　was　that　the　head　and　front　of　his　offending？”　demanded　Mr。　Rochester。

“He　starved　us　when　he　had　the　sole　superintendence　of　the　provision　department；　before　the　mittee　was　appointed；　and　he　bored　us　with　long　lectures　once　a　week；　and　with　evening　readings　from　books　of　his　own　inditing；　about　sudden　deaths　and　judgments；　which　made　us　afraid　to　go　to　bed。”

“What　age　were　you　when　you　went　to　Lowood？”

“About　ten。”

“And　you　stayed　there　eight　years：　you　are　now；　then；　eighteen？”