小说园

第43部分（第1页）

unclose—these　eyes　now　shut；　now　opening；　now　wandering　through　the　room；　now　fixing　on　me；　and　ever　glazed　with　the　dulness　of　horror。　I　must　dip　my　hand　again　and　again　in　the　basin　of　blood　and　water；　and　wipe　away　the　trickling　gore。　I　must　see　the　light　of　the　unsnuffed　candle　wane　on　my　employment；　the　shadows　darken　on　the　e；　and　grow　black　under　the　hangings　of　the　vast　old　bed；　and　quiver　strangely　over　the　doors　of　a　great　cabi　opposite—whose　front；　divided　into　twelve　panels；　bore；　in　grim　design；　the　heads　of　the　twelve　apostles；　each　enclosed　in　its　separate　panel　as　in　a　frame；　while　above　them　at　the　top　rose　an　ebon　crucifix　and　a　dying　Christ。

According　as　the　shifting　obscurity　and　flickering　gleam　hovered　here　or　glanced　there；　it　was　now　the　bearded　physician；　Luke；　that　bent　his　brow；　now　St。　John’s　long　hair　that　waved；　and　anon　the　devilish　face　of　Judas；　that　grew　out　of　the　panel；　and　seemed　gathering　life　and　threatening　a　revelation　of　the　arch…traitor—of　Satan　himself—in　his　subordinate’s　form。

Amidst　all　this；　I　had　to　listen　as　well　as　watch：　to　listen　for　the　movements　of　the　wild　beast　or　the　fiend　in　yonder　side　den。　But　since　Mr。　Rochester’s　visit　it　seemed　spellbound：　all　the　night　I　heard　but　three　sounds　at　three　long　intervals；—a　step　creak；　a　momentary　renewal　of　the　snarling；　canine　noise；　and　a　deep　human　groan。

Then　my　own　thoughts　worried　me。　What　crime　was　this　that　lived　incarnate　in　this　sequestered　mansion；　and　could　neither　be　expelled　nor　subdued　by　the　owner？—what　mystery；　that　broke　out　now　in　fire　and　now　in　blood；　at　the　deadest　hours　of　night？　What　creature　was　it；　that；　masked　in　an　ordinary　woman’s　face　and　shape；　uttered　the　voice；　now　of　a　mocking　demon；　and　anon　of　a　carrion…seeking　bird　of　prey？

And　this　man　I　bent　over—this　monplace；　quiet　stranger—how　had　he　bee　involved　in　the　web　of　horror？　and　why　had　the　Fury　flown　at　him？　What　made　him　seek　this　quarter　of　the　house　at　an　untimely　season；　when　he　should　have　been　asleep　in　bed？　I　had　heard　Mr。　Rochester　assign　him　an　apartment　below—what　brought　him　here！　And　why；　now；　was　he　so　tame　under　the　violence　or　treachery　done　him？　it　to　the　concealment　Mr。　Rochester　enforced？　Why　did　Mr。　Rochester　enforce　this　concealment？　His　guest　had　been　outraged；　his　own　life　on　a　former　occasion　had　been　hideously　plotted　against；　and　both　attempts　he　smothered　in　secrecy　and　sank　in　oblivion！　ly；　I　saw　Mr。　Mason　was　submissive　to　Mr。　Rochester；　that　the　impetuous　will　of　the　latter　held　plete　sway　over　the　inertness　of　the　former：　the　few　words　which　had　passed　between　them　assured　me　of　this。　It　was　evident　that　in　their　former　intercourse；　the　passive　disposition　of　the　one　had　been　habitually　influenced　by　the　active　energy　of　the　other：　whence　then　had　arisen　Mr。　Rochester’s　dismay　when　he　heard　of　Mr。　Mason’s　arrival？　Why　had　the　mere　name　of　this　unresisting　individual—whom　his　word　now　sufficed　to　control　like　a　child—fallen　on　him；　a　few　hours　since；　as　a　thunderbolt　might　fall　on　an　oak？

Oh！　I　could　not　forget　his　look　and　his　paleness　when　he　whispered：　“Jane；　I　have　got　a　blow—I　have　got　a　blow；　Jane。”　I　could　not　forget　how　the　arm　had　trembled　which　he　rested　on　my　shoulder：　and　it　was　no　light　matter　which　could　thus　bow　the　resolute　spirit　and　thrill　the　vigorous　frame　of　Fairfax　Rochester。

“When　will　he　e？　When　will　he　e？”　I　cried　inwardly；　as　the　night　lingered　and　lingered—as　my　bleeding　patient　drooped；　moaned；　sickened：　and　neither　day　nor　aid　arrived。　I　had；　again　and　again；　held　the　water　to　Mason’s　white　lips；　again　and　again　offered　him　the　stimulating　salts：　my　efforts　seemed　ineffectual：　either　bodily　or　mental　suffering；　or　loss　of　blood；　or　all　three　bined；　were　fast　prostrating　his　strength。　He　moaned　so；　and　looked　so　weak；　wild；　and　lost；　I　feared　he　was　dying；　ant　I　might　not　even　speak　to　him。

The　candle；　wasted　at　last；　went　out；　as　it　expired；　I　perceived　streaks　of　grey　light　edging　the　window　curtains：　dawn　was　then　approaching。　Presently　I　heard　Pilot　bark　far　below；　out　of　his　distant　kennel　in　the　courtyard：　hope　revived。　Nor　was　it　unwarranted：　in　five　minutes　more　the　grating　key；　the　yielding　lock；　warned　me　my　watch　was　relieved。　It　could　not　have　lasted　more　than　two　hours：　many　a　week　has　seemed　shorter。

Mr。　Rochester　entered；　and　with　him　the　surgeon　he　had　been　to　fetch。

“Now；　Carter；　be　on　the　alert；”　he　said　to　this　last：　“I　give　you　but　half…an…hour　for　dressing　the　wound；　fastening　the　bandages；　getting　the　patient　downstairs　and　all。”

“But　is　he　fit　to　move；　sir？”

“No　doubt　of　it；　it　is　nothing　serious；　he　is　nervous；　his　spirits　must　be　kept　up。　e；　set　to　work。”

Mr。　Rochester　drew　back　the　thick　curtain；　drew　up　the　holland　blind；　let　in　all　the　daylight　he　could；　and　I　was　surprised　and　cheered　to　see　how　far　dawn　was　advanced：　what　rosy　streaks　were　beginning　to　brighten　the　east。　Then　he　approached　Mason；　whom　the　surgeon　was　already　handling。

“Now；　my　good　fellow；　how　are　you？”　he　asked。

“She’s　done　for　me；　I　fear；”　was　the　faint　reply。

“Not　a　whit！—courage！　This　day　fortnight　you’ll　hardly　be　a　pin　the　worse　of　it：　you’ve　lost　a　little　blood；　that’s　all　Carter；　assure　him　there’s　no　danger。”

“I　can　do　that　conscientiously；”　said　Carter；　who　had　now　undone　the　bandages；　“only　I　wish　I　could　have　got　here　sooner：　he　would　not　have　bled　so　much—but　how　is　this？　The　flesh　on　the　shoulder　is　torn　as　well　as　cut。　This　wound　was　not　done　with　a　knife：　there　have　been　teeth　here！”

“She　bit　me；”　he　murmured。　“She　worried　me　like　a　tigress；　when　Rochester　got　the　knife　from　her。”

“You　should　not　have　yielded：　you　should　have　grappled　with　her　at　once；”　said　Mr。　Rochester。

“But　under　such　circumstances；　what　could　one　do？”　returned　Mason。　“Oh；　it　was　frightful！”　he　added；　shuddering。　“And　I　did　not　expect　it：　she　looked　so　quiet　at　first。”

“I　warned　you；”　was　his　friend’s　answer；　“I　said—be　on　your　guard　when　you　go　near　her。　Besides；　you　might　have　waited　till　to…　morrow；　and　had　me　with　you：　it　was　mere　folly　to　attempt　the　interview　to…night；　and　alone。”

“I　thought　I　could　have　done　some　good。”

“You　thought！　you　thought！　Yes；　it　makes　me　impatient　to　hear　you：　but；　however；　you　have　suffered；　and　are　likely　to　suffer　enough　for　not　taking　my　advice；　so　I’ll　say　no　more。　Carter—hurry！—hurry！　The　sun　will　soon　rise；　and　I　must　have　him　off。”

“Directly；　sir；　the　shoulder　is　just　bandaged。　I　must　look　to　this　other　wound　in　the　arm：　she　has　had　her　teeth　here　too；　I　think。”

“She　sucked　the　blood：　she　said　she’d　drain　my　heart；”　said　Mason。

I　saw　Mr。　Rochester　shudder：　a　singularly　marked　expression　of　disgust；　horror；　hatred；　warped　his　countenance　almost　to　distortion；　but　he　only　said—

“e；　be　silent；　Richard；　and　never　mind　her　gibberish：　don’t　repeat　it。”