乐文小说网

第40部分（第2页）

“And　I　must　cross　it　with　silver；　I　suppose？”

“To　be　sure。”

I　gave　her　a　shilling：　she　put　it　into　an　old　stocking…foot　which　she　took　out　of　her　pocket；　and　having　tied　it　round　and　returned　it；　she　told　me　to　hold　out　my　hand。　I　did。　She　ached　her　face　to　the　palm；　and　pored　over　it　without　touching　it。

“It　is　too　fine；”　said　she。　“I　can　make　nothing　of　such　a　hand　as　that；　almost　without　lines：　besides；　what　is　in　a　palm？　Destiny　is　not　written　there。”

“I　believe　you；”　said　I。

“No；”　she　continued；　“it　is　in　the　face：　on　the　forehead；　about　the　eyes；　in　the　lines　of　the　mouth。　Kneel；　and　lift　up　your　head。”

“Ah！　now　you　are　ing　to　reality；”　I　said；　as　I　obeyed　her。　“I　shall　begin　to　put　some　faith　in　you　presently。”

I　knelt　within　half　a　yard　of　her。　She　stirred　the　fire；　so　that　a　ripple　of　light　broke　from　the　disturbed　coal：　the　glare；　however；　as　she　sat；　only　threw　her　face　into　deeper　shadow：　mine；　it　illumined。

“I　wonder　with　what　feelings　you　came　to　me　to…night；”　she　said；　when　she　had　examined　me　a　while。　“I　wonder　what　thoughts　are　busy　in　your　heart　during　all　the　hours　you　sit　in　yonder　room　with　the　fine　people　flitting　before　you　like　shapes　in　a　magic…lantern：　just　as　little　sympathetic　munion　passing　between　you　and　them　as　if　they　were　really　mere　shadows　of　human　forms；　and　not　the　actual　substance。”

“I　feel　tired　often；　sleepy　sometimes；　but　seldom　sad。”

“Then　you　have　some　secret　hope　to　buoy　you　up　and　please　you　with　whispers　of　the　future？”

“Not　I。　The　utmost　I　hope　is；　to　save　money　enough　out　of　my　earnings　to　set　up　a　school　some　day　in　a　little　house　rented　by　myself。”

“A　mean　nutriment　for　the　spirit　to　exist　on：　and　sitting　in　that　window…seat　（you　see　I　know　your　habits　）—”

“You　have　learned　them　from　the　servants。”

“Ah！　you　think　yourself　sharp。　Well；　perhaps　I　have：　to　speak　truth；　I　have　an　acquaintance　with　one　of　them；　Mrs。　Poole—”

I　started　to　my　feet　when　I　heard　the　name。

“You　have—have　you？”　thought　I；　“there　is　diablerie　in　the　business　after　all；　then！”

“Don’t　be　alarmed；”　continued　the　strange　being；　“she’s　a　safe　hand　is　Mrs。　Poole：　close　and　quiet；　any　one　may　repose　confidence　in　her。　But；　as　I　was　saying：　sitting　in　that　window…seat；　do　you　think　of　nothing　but　your　future　school？　Have　you　no　present　interest　in　any　of　the　pany　who　occupy　the　sofas　and　chairs　before　you？　Is　there　not　one　face　you　study？　one　figure　whose　movements　you　follow　with　at　least　curiosity？”

“I　like　to　observe　all　the　faces　and　all　the　figures。”

“But　do　you　never　single　one　from　the　rest—or　it　may　be；　two？”

“I　do　frequently；　when　the　gestures　or　looks　of　a　pair　seem　telling　a　tale：　it　amuses　me　to　watch　them。”

“What　tale　do　you　like　best　to　hear？”

“Oh；　I　have　not　much　choice！　They　generally　run　on　the　same　theme—　courtship；　and　promise　to　end　in　the　same　catastrophe—marriage。”

“And　do　you　like　that　monotonous　theme？”

“Positively；　I　don’t　care　about　it：　it　is　nothing　to　me。”

“Nothing　to　you？　When　a　lady；　young　and　full　of　life　and　health；　charming　with　beauty　and　endowed　with　the　gifts　of　rank　and　fortune；　sits　and　smiles　in　the　eyes　of　a　gentleman　you—”

“I　what？”

“You　know—and　perhaps　think　well　of。”

“I　don’t　know　the　gentlemen　here。　I　have　scarcely　interchanged　a　syllable　with　one　of　them；　and　as　to　thinking　well　of　them；　I　consider　some　respectable；　and　stately；　and　middle…aged；　and　others　young；　dashing；　handsome；　and　lively：　but　certainly　they　are　all　at　liberty　to　be　the　recipients　of　whose　smiles　they　please；　without　my　feeling　disposed　to　consider　the　transaction　of　any　moment　to　me。”

“You　don’t　know　the　gentlemen　here？　You　have　not　exchanged　a　syllable　with　one　of　them？　Will　you　say　that　of　the　master　of　the　house！”

“He　is　not　at　home。”

“A　profound　remark！　A　most　ingenious　quibble！　He　went　to　Millcote　this　morning；　and　will　be　back　here　to…night　or　to…morrow：　does　that　circumstance　exclude　him　from　the　list　of　your　acquaintance—　blot　him；　as　it　were；　out　of　existence？”

“No；　but　I　can　scarcely　see　what　Mr。　Rochester　has　to　do　with　the　theme　you　had　introduced。”

“I　was　talking　of　ladies　smiling　in　the　eyes　of　gentlemen；　and　of　late　so　many　smiles　have　been　shed　into　Mr。　Rochester’s　eyes　that　they　overflow　like　two　cups　filled　above　the　brim：　have　you　never　remarked　that？”

“Mr。　Rochester　has　a　right　to　enjoy　the　society　of　his　guests。”

“No　question　about　his　right：　but　have　you　never　observed　that；　of　all　the　tales　told　here　about　matrimony；　Mr。　Rochester　has　been　favoured　with　the　most　lively　and　the　most　continuous？”

“The　eagerness　of　a　listener　quickens　the　tongue　of　a　narrator。”　I　said　this　rathe

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