第97页
《简·爱(英文版)》章节:第97页,宠文网网友提供全文无弹窗免费在线阅读。!
great deal of mischief. Old Mr. Rochester and Mr. Rowland combined
to bring Mr. Edward into what he considered a painful position, for
the sake of making his fortune: what the precise nature of that
position was I never clearly knew, but his spirit could not brook what
he had to suffer in it. He is not very forgiving: he broke with his
family, and now for many years he has led an unsettled kind of life. I
don't think he has ever been resident at Thornfield for a fortnight
together, since the death of his brother without a will left him
master of the estate; and, indeed, no wonder he shuns the old place.'
'Why should he shun it?'
'Perhaps he thinks it gloomy.'
The answer was evasive. I should have liked something clearer;
but Mrs. Fairfax either could not, or would not, give me more explicit
information of the origin and nature of Mr. Rochester's trials. She
averred they were a mystery to herself, and that what she knew was
chiefly from conjecture. It was evident, indeed, that she wished me to
drop the subject, which I did accordingly.
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CHAPTER XIV
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FOR several subsequent days I saw little of Mr. Rochester. In the
mornings he seemed much engaged with business, and, in the
afternoon, gentlemen from Millcote or the neighbourhood called, and
sometimes stayed to dine with him. When his sprain was well enough
to admit of horse exercise, he rode out a good deal; probably to
return these visits, as he generally did not come back till late at
night.
During this interval, even Adele was seldom sent for to his
presence, and all my acquaintance with him was confined to an
occasional rencontre in the hall, on the stairs, or in the gallery,
when he would sometimes pass me haughtily and coldly, just
acknowledging my presence by a distant nod or a cool glance, and
sometimes bow and smile with gentlemanlike affability. His changes
of mood did not offend me, because I saw that I had nothing to do with
their alternation; the ebb and flow depended on causes quite
disconnected with me.
One day he had had company to dinner, and had sent for my
portfolio; in order, doubtless, to exhibit its contents: the gentlemen
went away early, to attend a public meeting at Millcote, as Mrs.
Fairfax informed me; but the night being wet and inclement, Mr.
Rochester did not accompany them. Soon after they were gone he rang
the bell: a message came that I and Adele were to go downstairs. I
brushed Adele's hair and made her neat, and having ascertained that
I was myself in my usual Quaker trim, where there was nothing to
retouch- all being too close and plain, braided locks included, to
admit of disarrangement- we descended, Adele wondering whether the
petit coffre was at length come; for, owing to some mistake, its