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er 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。”
“i wish i could forget it;” was the answer。
“you will when you are out of the country: when you get back to spanish town; you may think of her as dead and buried—or rather; you need not think of her at all。”
“impossible to forget this night!”
“it is not impossible: have some energy; man。 you thought you were as dead as a herring two hours since; and you are all alive and talking now。 there!—carter has done with you or nearly so; i’ll make you decent in a trice。 jane” (he turned to me for the first time since his re…entrance); “take this key: go down into my bedroom; and walk straight forward into my dressing…room: open the top drawer of the wardrobe and take out a clean shirt and neck… handkerchief: bring them here; and be nimble。”
i went; sought the repository he had mentioned; found the articles named; and returned with them。
“now;” said he; “go to the other side of the bed while i order his toilet; but don’t leave the room: you may be wanted again。”
i retired as directed。
“was anybody stirring below when you went down; jane?” inquired mr。 rochester presently。
“no; sir; all was very still。”
“we shall get you off cannily; dick: and it will be better; both for your sake; and for that of the poor creature in yonder。 i have striven long to avoid exposure; and i should not like it to e at last。 here; carter; help him on with his waist…coat。 where did you leave your furred cloak? you can’t travel a mile without that; i know; in this damned cold climate。 in your room?—jane; run down to mr。 mason’s room;—the one next mine;—and fetch a cloak you will see there。”
again i ran; and again returned; bearing an immense mantle lined and edged with fur。
“now; i’ve another errand for you;” said my untiring master; “