乐文小说网

第39部分（第1页）

“Voile；　Monsieur　Rochester；　qui　revient！”

I　turned；　and　Miss　Ingram　darted　forwards　from　her　sofa：　the　others；　too；　looked　up　from　their　several　occupations；　for　at　the　same　time　a　crunching　of　wheels　and　a　splashing　tramp　of　horse…hoofs　became　audible　on　the　wet　gravel。　A　post…chaise　was　approaching。

“What　can　possess　him　to　e　home　in　that　style？”　said　Miss　Ingram。　“He　rode　Mesrour　（the　black　horse）；　did　he　not；　when　he　went　out？　and　Pilot　was　with　him：…　what　has　he　done　with　the　animals？”

As　she　said　this；　she　approached　her　tall　person　and　ample　garments　so　near　the　window；　that　I　was　obliged　to　bend　back　almost　to　the　breaking　of　my　spine：　in　her　eagerness　she　did　not　observe　me　at　first；　but　when　she　did；　she　curled　her　lip　and　moved　to　another　casement。　The　post…chaise　stopped；　the　driver　rang　the　door…bell；　and　a　gentleman　alighted　attired　in　travelling　garb；　but　it　was　not　Mr。　Rochester；　it　was　a　tall；　fashionable…looking　man；　a　stranger。

“How　provoking！”　exclaimed　Miss　Ingram：　“you　tiresome　monkey！”　（apostrophising　Adèle）；　“who　perched　you　up　in　the　window　to　give　false　intelligence？”　and　she　cast　on　me　an　angry　glance；　as　if　I　were　in　fault。

Some　parleying　was　audible　in　the　hall；　and　soon　the　new…er　entered。　He　bowed　to　Lady　Ingram；　as　deeming　her　the　eldest　lady　present。

“It　appears　I　e　at　an　inopportune　time；　madam；”　said　he；　“when　my　friend；　Mr。　Rochester；　is　from　home；　but　I　arrive　from　a　very　long　journey；　and　I　think　I　may　presume　so　far　on　old　and　intimate　acquaintance　as　to　instal　myself　here　till　he　returns。”

His　manner　was　polite；　his　accent；　in　speaking；　struck　me　as　being　somewhat　unusual；—not　precisely　foreign；　but　still　not　altogether　English：　his　age　might　be　about　Mr。　Rochester’s；—between　thirty　and　forty；　his　plexion　was　singularly　sallow：　otherwise　he　was　a　fine…looking　man；　at　first　sight　especially。　On　closer　examination；　you　detected　something　in　his　face　that　displeased；　or　rather　that　failed　to　please。　His　features　were　regular；　but　too　relaxed：　his　eye　was　large　and　well　cut；　but　the　life　looking　out　of　it　was　a　tame；　vacant　life—at　least　so　I　thought。

The　sound　of　the　dressing…bell　dispersed　the　party。　It　was　not　till　after　dinner　that　I　saw　him　again：　he　then　seemed　quite　at　his　ease。　But　I　liked　his　physiognomy　even　less　than　before：　it　struck　me　as　being　at　the　same　time　unsettled　and　inanimate。　His　eye　wandered；　and　had　no　meaning　in　its　wandering：　this　gave　him　an　odd　look；　such　as　I　never　remembered　to　have　seen。　For　a　handsome　and　not　an　unamiable…looking　man；　he　repelled　me　exceedingly：　there　was　no　power　in　that　smooth…skinned　face　of　a　full　oval　shape：　no　firmness　in　that　aquiline　nose　and　small　cherry　mouth；　there　was　no　thought　on　the　low；　even　forehead；　no　mand　in　that　blank；　brown　eye。

As　I　sat　in　my　usual　nook；　and　looked　at　him　with　the　light　of　the　girandoles　on　the　mantelpiece　beaming　full　over　him—for　he　occupied　an　arm…chair　drawn　close　to　the　fire；　and　kept　shrinking　still　nearer；　as　if　he　were　cold；　I　pared　him　with　Mr。　Rochester。　I　think　（with　deference　be　it　spoken）　the　contrast　could　not　be　much　greater　between　a　sleek　gander　and　a　fierce　falcon：　between　a　meek　sheep　and　the　rough…coated　keen…eyed　dog；　its　guardian。

He　had　spoken　of　Mr。　Rochester　as　an　old　friend。　A　curious　friendship　theirs　must　have　been：　a　pointed　illustration；　indeed；　of　the　old　adage　that　“extremes　meet。”

Two　or　three　of　the　gentlemen　sat　near　him；　and　I　caught　at　times　scraps　of　their　conversation　across　the　room。　At　first　I　could　not　make　much　sense　of　what　I　heard；　for　the　discourse　of　Louisa　Eshton　and　Mary　Ingram；　who　sat　nearer　to　me；　confused　the　fragmentary　sentences　that　reached　me　at　intervals。　These　last　were　discussing　the　stranger；　they　both　called　him　“a　beautiful　man。”　Louisa　said　he　was　“a　love　of　a　creature；”　and　she　“adored　him；”　and　Mary　instanced　his　“pretty　little　mouth；　and　nice　nose；”　as　her　ideal　of　the　charming。

“And　what　a　sweet…tempered　forehead　he　has！”　cried　Louisa；—“so　smooth—none　of　those　frowning　irregularities　I　dislike　so　much；　and　such　a　placid　eye　and　smile！”

And　then；　to　my　great　relief；　Mr。　Henry　Lynn　summoned　them　to　the　other　side　of　the　room；　to　settle　some　point　about　the　deferred　excursion　to　Hay　mon。

I　was　now　able　to　concentrate　my　attention　on　the　group　by　the　fire；　and　I　presently　gathered　that　the　new…er　was　called　Mr。　Mason；　then　I　learned　that　he　was　but　just　arrived　in　England；　and　that　he　came　from　some　hot　country：　which　was　the　reason；　doubtless；　his　face　was　so　sallow；　and　that　he　sat　so　near　the　hearth；　and　wore　a　surtout　in　the　house。　Presently　the　words　Jamaica；　Kingston；　Spanish　Town；　indicated　the　West　Indies　as　his　residence；　and　it　was　with　no　little　surprise　I　gathered；　ere　long；　that　he　had　there　first　seen　and　bee　acquainted　with　Mr。　Rochester。　He　spoke　of　his　friend’s　dislike　of　the　burning　heats；　the　hurricanes；　and　rainy　seasons　of　that　region。　I　knew　Mr。　Rochester　had　been　a　traveller：　Mrs。　Fairfax　had　said　so；　but　I　thought　the　continent　of　Europe　had　bounded　his　wanderings；　till　now　I　had　never　heard　a　hint　given　of　visits　to　more　distant　shores。

I　was　pondering　these　things；　when　an　incident；　and　a　somewhat　unexpected　one；　broke　the　thread　of　my　musings。　Mr。　Mason；　shivering　as　some　one　chanced　to　open　the　door；　asked　for　more　coal　to　be　put　on　the　fire；　which　had　burnt　out　its　flame；　though　its　mass　of　cinder　still　shone　hot　and　red。　The　footman　who　brought　the　coal；　in　going　out；　stopped　near　Mr。　Eshton’s　chair；　and　said　something　to　him　in　a　low　voice；　of　which　I　heard　only　the　words；　“old　e。”

“Tell　her　she　shall　be　put　in　the　stocks　if　she　does　not　take　herself　off；”　replied　the　magistrate。

“No—stop！”　interrupted　Colonel　Dent。　“Don’t　send　her　away；　Eshton；　we　might　turn　the　thing　to　account；　better　consult　the　ladies。”　And　speaking　aloud；　he　continued—“Ladies；　you　talked　of　going　to　Hay　mon　to　visit　the　gipsy　camp；　Sam　here　says　that　one　of　the　old　Mother　Bunches　is　in　the　servants’　hall　at　this　moment；　and　insists　upon　being　brought　in　before　‘the　quality；’　to　tell　them　their　fortunes。　Would　you　like　to　see　her？”

“Surely；　colonel；”　cried　Lady　Ingram；　“you　would　not　encourage　such　a　low　impostor？　Dismiss　her；　by　all　means；　at　once！”

“But　I　cannot　persuade　her　to　go　away；　my　lady；”　said　the　footman；　“nor　can　any　of　the　servants：　Mrs。　Fairfax　is　with　her　just　now；　entreating　her　to　be　gone；　but　she　has　taken　a　chair　in　the　chimney…　er；　and　says　nothing　shall　stir　her　from　it　till　she　gets　leave　to　e　in　here。”

“What　does　she　want？”　asked　Mrs。　Eshton。

“‘To　tell　the　gentry　their　fortunes；’　she　says；　ma’am；　and　she　swears　she　must　and　will　do　it。”

“What　is　she　like？”　inquired　the　Misses　Eshton；　in　a　breath。

“A　shockingly　ugly　old　creature；　miss；　almost　as　black　as　a　crock。”

“Why；　she’s　a　real　sorceress！”　cried　Frederick　Lynn。　“Let　us　have　her　in；　of　course。”

“To　be　sure；”　rejoined　his　brother；　“it　would　be　a　thousand　pities　to　throw　away　such　a　chance　of　fun。”

“My　dear　boys；　what　are　you　thinking　about？”　exclaimed　Mrs。　Lynn。

“I　cannot　possibly　countenance　any　such　inconsistent　proceeding；”　chimed　in　the　Dowager　Ingram。

“Indeed；　mama；　but　you　can—and　will；”　pronounced　the　haughty　voice　of　Blanche；　as　she　turned　round　on　the　piano…stool；　where　till　now　she　had　sat　silent；　apparently　examining　sundry　sheets　of　music。　“I　have　a　curiosity　to　hear　my　fortune　told：　therefore；　Sam；　order　the　beldame　forward。”

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