友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
狗狗书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

Jane Eyre-第76章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



d panes; her glorious gaze roused me。 awaking in the dead of night; i opened my eyes on her disk—silver… white and crystal clear。 it was beautiful; but too solemn; i half rose; and stretched my arm to draw the curtain。

good god! what a cry!

the night—its silence—its rest; was rent in twain by a savage; a sharp; a shrilly sound that ran from end to end of thornfield hall。

my pulse stopped: my heart stood still; my stretched arm was paralysed。 the cry died; and was not renewed。 indeed; whatever being uttered that fearful shriek could not soon repeat it: not the widest…winged condor on the andes could; twice in succession; send out such a yell from the cloud shrouding his eyrie。 the thing delivering such utterance must rest ere it could repeat the effort。

it came out of the third storey; for it passed overhead。 and overhead—yes; in the room just above my chamber…ceiling—i now heard a struggle: a deadly one it seemed from the noise; and a half…smothered voice shouted—

“help! help! help!” three times rapidly。

“will no one e?” it cried; and then; while the staggering and stamping went on wildly; i distinguished through plank and plaster:—

“rochester! rochester! for god’s sake; e!”

a chamber…door opened: some one ran; or rushed; along the gallery。 another step stamped on the flooring above and something fell; and there was silence。

i had put on some clothes; though horror shook all my limbs; i issued from my apartment。 the sleepers were all aroused: ejaculations; terrified murmurs sounded in every room; door after door unclosed; one looked out and another looked out; the gallery filled。 gentlemen and ladies alike had quitted their beds; and “oh! what is it?”—“who is hurt?”—“what has happened?”—“fetch a light!”—“is it fire?”—“are there robbers?”—“where shall we run?” was demanded confusedly on all hands。 but for the moonlight they would have been in plete darkness。 they ran to and fro; they crowded together: some sobbed; some stumbled: the confusion was inextricable。

“where the devil is rochester?” cried colonel dent。 “i cannot find him in his bed。”

“here! here!” was shouted in return。 “be posed; all of you: i’m ing。”

and the door at the end of the gallery opened; and mr。 rochester advanced with a candle: he had just descended from the upper storey。 one of the ladies ran to him directly; she seized his arm: it was miss ingram。

“what awful event has taken place?” said she。 “speak! let us know the worst at once!”

“but don’t pull me down or strangle me;” he replied: for the misses eshton were clinging about him now; and the two dowagers; in vast white wrappers; were bearing down on him like ships in full sail。

“all’s right!—all’s right!” he cried。 “it’s a mere rehearsal of much ado about nothing。 ladies; keep off; or i shall wax dangerous。”

and dangerous he looked: his black eyes darted sparks。 calming himself by an effort; he added—

“a servant has had the nightmare; that is all。 she’s an excitable; nervous person: she construed her dream into an apparition; or something of that sort; no doubt; and has taken a fit with fright。 now; then; i must see you all back into your rooms; for; till the house is settled; she cannot be looked after。 gentlemen; have the goodness to set the ladies the example。 miss ingram; i am sure you will not fail in evincing superiority to idle terrors。 amy and louisa; return to your nests like a pair of doves; as you are。 mesdames” (to the dowagers); “you will take cold to a dead certainty; if you stay in this chill gallery any longer。”

and so; by dint of alternate coaxing and manding; he contrived to get them all once more enclosed in their separate dormitories。 i did not wait to be ordered back to mine; but retreated unnoticed; as unnoticed i had left it。

not; however; to go to bed: on the contrary; i began and dressed myself carefully。 the sounds i had heard after the scream; and the words that had been uttered; had probably been heard only by me; for they had proceeded from the room above mine: but they assured me that it was not a servant’s dream which had thus struck horror through the house; and that the explanation mr。 rochester had given was merely an invention framed to pacify his guests。 i dressed; then; to be ready for emergencies。 when dressed; i sat a long time by the window looking out over the silent grounds and silvered fields and waiting for i knew not what。 it seemed to me that some event must follow the strange cry; struggle; and call。

no: stillness returned: each murmur and movement ceased gradually; and in about an hour thornfield hall was again as hushed as a desert。 it seemed that sleep and night had resumed their empire。 meantime the moon declined: she was about to set。 not liking to sit in the cold and darkness; i thought i would lie down on my bed; dressed as i was。 i left the window; and moved with little noise across the carpet; as i stooped to take off my shoes; a cautious hand tapped low at the door。

“am i wanted?” i asked。

“are you up?” asked the voice i expected to hear; viz。; my master’s。

“yes; sir。”

“and dressed?”

“yes。”

“e out; then; quietly。”

i obeyed。 mr。 rochester stood in the gallery holding a light。

“i want you;” he said: “e this way: take your time; and make no noise。”

my slippers were thin: i could walk the matted floor as softly as a cat。 he glided up the gallery and up the stairs; and stopped in the dark; low corridor of the fateful third storey: i had followed and stood at his side。

“have you a sponge in your room?” he asked in a whisper。

“yes; sir。”

“have you any salts—volatile salts? yes。”

“go back and fetch both。”

i returned; sought the sponge on the washstand; the salts in my drawer; and once more retraced my steps。 he still waited; he held a key in his hand: approaching one of the small; black doors; he put it in the lock; he paused; and addressed me again。

“you don’t turn sick at the sight of blood?”

“i think i shall not: i have never been tried yet。”

i felt a thrill while i answered him; but no coldness; and no faintness。

“just give me your hand;” he sai
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!