小说园

第36部分（第2页）

“Oh；　don’t　refer　him　to　me；　mama！　I　have　just　one　word　to　say　of　the　whole　tribe；　they　are　a　nuisance。　Not　that　I　ever　suffered　much　from　them；　I　took　care　to　turn　the　tables。　What　tricks　Theodore　and　I　used　to　play　on　our　Miss　Wilsons；　and　Mrs。　Greys；　and　Madame　Jouberts！　Mary　was　always　too　sleepy　to　join　in　a　plot　with　spirit。　The　best　fun　was　with　Madame　Joubert：　Miss　Wilson　was　a　poor　sickly　thing；　lachrymose　and　low…spirited；　not　worth　the　trouble　of　vanquishing；　in　short；　and　Mrs。　Grey　was　coarse　and　insensible；　no　blow　took　effect　on　her。　But　poor　Madame　Joubert！　I　see　her　yet　in　her　raging　passions；　when　we　had　driven　her　to　extremities—spilt　our　tea；　crumbled　our　bread　and　butter；　tossed　our　books　up　to　the　ceiling；　and　played　a　charivari　with　the　ruler　and　desk；　the　fender　and　fire…irons。　Theodore；　do　you　remember　those　merry　days？”

“Yaas；　to　be　sure　I　do；”　drawled　Lord　Ingram；　“and　the　poor　old　stick　used　to　cry　out　‘Oh　you　villains　childs！’—and　then　we　sermonised　her　on　the　presumption　of　attempting　to　teach　such　clever　blades　as　we　were；　when　she　was　herself　so　ignorant。”

“We　did；　and；　Tedo；　you　know；　I　helped　you　in　prosecuting　（or　persecuting）　your　tutor；　whey…faced　Mr。　Vining—the　parson　in　the　pip；　as　we　used　to　call　him。　He　and　Miss　Wilson　took　the　liberty　of　falling　in　love　with　each　other—at　least　Tedo　and　I　thought　so；　we　surprised　sundry　tender　glances　and　sighs　which　we　interpreted　as　tokens　of　‘la　belle　passion；’　and　I　promise　you　the　public　soon　had　the　benefit　of　our　discovery；　we　employed　it　as　a　sort　of　lever　to　hoist　our　dead…weights　from　the　house。　Dear　mama；　there；　as　soon　as　she　got　an　inkling　of　the　business；　found　out　that　it　was　of　an　immoral　tendency。　Did　you　not；　my　lady…mother？”

“Certainly；　my　best。　And　I　was　quite　right：　depend　on　that：　there　are　a　thousand　reasons　why　liaisons　between　governesses　and　tutors　should　never　be　tolerated　a　moment　in　any　well…regulated　house；　firstly—”

“Oh；　gracious；　mama！　Spare　us　the　enumeration！　Au　reste；　we　all　know　them：　danger　of　bad　example　to　innocence　of　childhood；　distractions　and　consequent　neglect　of　duty　on　the　part　of　the　attached—mutual　alliance　and　reliance；　confidence　thence　resulting—insolence　acpanying—mutiny　and　general　blow…up。　Am　I　right；　Baroness　Ingram；　of　Ingram　Park？”

“My　lily…flower；　you　are　right　now；　as　always。”

“Then　no　more　need　be　said：　change　the　subject。”

Amy　Eshton；　not　hearing　or　not　heeding　this　dictum；　joined　in　with　her　soft；　infantine　tone：　“Louisa　and　I　used　to　quiz　our　governess　too；　but　she　was　such　a　good　creature；　she　would　bear　anything：　nothing　put　her　out。　She　was　never　cross　with　us；　was　she；　Louisa？”

“No；　never：　we　might　do　what　we　pleased；　ransack　her　desk　and　her　workbox；　and　turn　her　drawers　inside　out；　and　she　was　so　good…　natured；　she　would　give　as　anything　we　asked　for。”

“I　suppose；　now；”　said　Miss　Ingram；　curling　her　lip　sarcastically；　“we　shall　have　an　abstract　of　the　memoirs　of　all　the　governesses　extant：　in　order　to　avert　such　a　visitation；　I　again　move　the　introduction　of　a　new　topic。　Mr。　Rochester；　do　you　second　my　motion？”

“Madam；　I　support　you　on　this　point；　as　on　every　other。”

“Then　on　me　be　the　onus　of　bringing　it　forward。　Signior　Eduardo；　are　you　in　voice　to…night？”

“Donna　Bianca；　if　you　mand　it；　I　will　be。”

“Then；　signior；　I　lay　on　you　my　sovereign　behest　to　furbish　up　your　lungs　and　other　vocal　organs；　as　they　will　be　wanted　on　my　royal　service。”

“Who　would　not　be　the　Rizzio　of　so　divine　a　Mary？”

“A　fig　for　Rizzio！”　cried　she；　tossing　her　head　with　all　its　curls；　as　she　moved　to　the　piano。　“It　is　my　opinion　the　fiddler　David　must　have　been　an　insipid　sort　of　fellow；　I　like　black　Bothwell　better：　to　my　mind　a　man　is　nothing　without　a　spice　of　the　devil　in　him；　and　history　may　say　what　it　will　of　James　Hepburn；　but　I　have　a　notion；　he　was　just　the　sort　of　wild；　fierce；　bandit　hero　whom　I　could　have　consented　to　gift　with　my　hand。”

“Gentlemen；　you　hear！　Now　which　of　you　most　resembles　Bothwell？”　cried　Mr。　Rochester。

“I　should　say　the　preference　lies　with　you；”　responded　Colonel　Dent。

“On　my　honour；　I　am　much　obliged　to　you；”　was　the　reply。

Miss　Ingram；　who　had　now　seated　herself　with　proud　grace　at　the　piano；　spreading　out　her　snomenced　a　brilliant　prelude；　talking　meantime。　She　appeared　to　be　on　her　high　horse　to…night；　both　her　words　and　her　air　seemed　intended　to　excite　not　only　the　admiration；　but　the　amazement　of　her　auditors：　she　was　evidently　bent　on　striking　them　as　something　very　dashing　and　daring　indeed。

“Oh；　I　am　so　sick　of　the　young　men　of　the　present　day！”　exclaimed　she；　rattling　away　at　the　instrument。　“Poor；　puny　things；　not　fit　to　stir　a　step　beyond　papa’s　park　gates：　nor　to　go　even　so　far　without　mama’s　permission　and　guardianship！　Creatures　so　absorbed　in　care　about　their　pretty　faces；　and　their　white　hands；　and　their　small　feet；　as　if　a　man　had　anything　to　do　with　beauty！　As　if　loveliness　were　not　the　special　prerogative　of　woman—her　legitimate　appanage　and　heritage！　I　grant　an　ugly　woman　is　a　blot　on　the　fair　face　of　creation；　but　as　to　the　gentlemen；　let　them　be　solicitous　to　possess　only　strength　and　valour：　let　their　motto　be：…　Hunt；　shoot；　and　fight：　the　rest　is　not　worth　a　fillip。　Such　should　be　my　device；　were　I　a　man。”

“Whenever　I　marry；”　she　continued　after　a　pause　which　none　interrupted；　“I　am　resolved　my　husband　shall　not　be　a　rival；　but　a　foil　to　me。　I　will　suffer　no　petitor　near　the　throne；　I　shall　exact　an　undivided　homage：　his　devotions　shall　not　be　shared　between　me　and　the　shape　he　sees　in　his　mirror。　Mr。　Rochester；　now　sing；