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re one could wander unseen。 while such honey…dew fell; such silence reigned; such gloaming gathered; i felt as if i could haunt such shade for ever; but in threading the flower and fruit parterres at the upper part of the enclosure; enticed there by the light the now rising moon cast on this more open quarter; my step is stayed— not by sound; not by sight; but once more by a warning fragrance。
sweet…briar and southernwood; jasmine; pink; and rose have long been yielding their evening sacrifice of incense: this new scent is neither of shrub nor flower; it is—i know it well—it is mr。 rochester’s cigar。 i look round and i listen。 i see trees laden with ripening fruit。 i hear a nightingale warbling in a wood half a mile off; no moving form is visible; no ing step audible; but that perfume increases: i must flee。 i make for the wicket leading to the shrubbery; and i see mr。 rochester entering。 i step aside into the ivy recess; he will not stay long: he will soon return whence he came; and if i sit still he will never see me。
but no—eventide is as pleasant to him as to me; and this antique garden as attractive; and he strolls on; now lifting the gooseberry… tree branches to look at the fruit; large as plums; with which they are laden; now taking a ripe cherry from the wall; now stooping towards a knot of flowers; either to inhale their fragrance or to admire the dew…beads on their petals。 a great moth goes humming by me; it alights on a plant at mr。 rochester’s foot: he sees it; and bends to examine it。
“now; he has his back towards me;” thought i; “and he is occupied too; perhaps; if i walk softly; i can slip away unnoticed。”
i trode on an edging of turf that the crackle of the pebbly gravel might not betray me: he was standing among the beds at a yard or two distant from where i had to pass; the moth apparently engaged him。 “i shall get by very well;” i meditated。 as i crossed his shadow; thrown long over the garden by the moon; not yet risen high; he said quietly; without turning—
“jane; e and look at this fellow。”
i had made no noise: he had not eyes behind—could his shadow feel? i started at first; and then i approached him。
“look at his wings;” said he; “he reminds me rather of a west indian insect; one does not often see so large and gay a night…rover in england; there! he is flown。”
the moth roamed away。 i was sheepishly retreating also; but mr。 rochester followed me; and when we reached the wicket; he said—
“turn back: on so lovely a night it is a shame to sit in the house; and surely no one can wish to go to bed while sunset is thus at meeting with moonrise。”
it is one of my faults; that though my tongue is sometimes prompt enough at an answer; there are times when it sadly fails me in framing an excuse; and always the lapse occurs at some crisis; when a facile word or plausible pretext is specially wanted to get me out of painful embarrassment。 i did not like to walk at this hour alone with mr。 rochester in the shadowy orchard; but i could not find a reason to allege for leaving him。 i followed with lagging step; and thoughts busily bent on discovering a means of extrication; but he himself looked so posed and so grave also; i became ashamed of feeling any confusion: the evil—if evil existent or prospective there was—seemed to lie with me only; his mind was unconscious and quiet。
“jane;” he remenced; as we entered the laurel walk; and slowly strayed down in the direction of the sunk fence and the horse… chestnut; “thornfield is a pleasant place in summer; is it not?”
“yes; sir。”
“you must have bee in some degree attached to the house;—you; who have an eye for natural beauties; and a good deal of the organ of adhesiveness?”
“i am attached to it; indeed。”
“and though i don’t prehend how it is; i perceive you have acquired a degree of regard for that foolish little child adèle; too; and even for simple dame fairfax?”
“yes; sir; in different ways; i have an affection for both。”
“and would be sorry to part with them?”
“yes。”
“pity!” he said; and sighed and paused。 “it is always the way of events in this life;” he continued presently: “no sooner have you got settled in a pleasant resting…place; than a voice calls out to you to rise and move on; for the hour of repose is expired。”
“must i move on; sir?” i asked。 “must i leave thornfield?”
“i believe you must; jane。 i am sorry; janet; but i believe indeed you must。”
this was a blow: but i did not let it prostrate me。
“well; sir; i shall be ready when the order to march es。”
“it is e now—i must give it to…night。”
“then you are going to be married; sir?”
“ex…act…ly—pre…cise…ly: with your usual acuteness; you have hit the nail straight on the head。”
“soon; sir?”
“very soon; my—that is; miss eyre: and you’ll remember; jane; the first time i; or rumour; plainly intimated to you that it was my intention to put my old bachelor’s neck into the sacred noose; to enter into the holy estate of matrimony—to take miss ingram to my bosom; in short (she’s an extensive armful: but that’s not to the point—one can’t have too much of such a very excellent thing as my beautiful blanche): well; as i was saying—listen to me; jane! you’re not turning your head to look after more moths; are you? that was only a lady…clock; child; ‘flying away home。’ i wish to remind you that it was you who first said to me; with that discretion i respect in you—with that foresight; prudence; and humility which befit your responsible and dependent position—that in case i married miss ingram; both you and little adèle had better trot forthwith。 i pass over the sort of slur conveyed in this suggestion on the character of my beloved; indeed; when you are far away; janet; i’ll try to forget it: i shall notice only its wisdom; which is such that i have made it my law of action。 adèle must go to school; and you; miss eyre; must get a new situation。”
“yes; sir; i will advertise immediately: and meantime; i suppose—” i was going to say; “i suppose i may stay here; till i find another shelter to betake myself to:” but i stopped; feeling it would not do