子浪小说

第54部分（第2页）

Adèle　heard　him；　and　asked　if　she　was　to　go　to　school　“sans　mademoiselle？”

“Yes；”　he　replied；　“absolutely　sans　mademoiselle；　for　I　am　to　take　mademoiselle　to　the　moon；　and　there　I　shall　seek　a　cave　in　one　of　the　white　valleys　among　the　volcano…tops；　and　mademoiselle　shall　live　with　me　there；　and　only　me。”

“She　will　have　nothing　to　eat：　you　will　starve　her；”　observed　Adèle。

“I　shall　gather　manna　for　her　morning　and　night：　the　plains　and　hillsides　in　the　moon　are　bleached　with　manna；　Adèle。”

“She　will　want　to　warm　herself：　what　will　she　do　for　a　fire？”

“Fire　rises　out　of　the　lunar　mountains：　when　she　is　cold；　I’ll　carry　her　up　to　a　peak；　and　lay　her　down　on　the　edge　of　a　crater。”

“Oh；　qu’　elle　y　sera　mal—peu　fortable！　And　her　clothes；　they　will　wear　out：　how　can　she　get　new　ones？”

Mr。　Rochester　professed　to　be　puzzled。　“Hem！”　said　he。　“What　would　you　do；　Adèle？　Cudgel　your　brains　for　an　expedient。　How　would　a　white　or　a　pink　cloud　answer　for　a　gown；　do　you　think？　And　one　could　cut　a　pretty　enough　scarf　out　of　a　rainbow。”

“She　is　far　better　as　she　is；”　concluded　Adèle；　after　musing　some　time：　“besides；　she　would　get　tired　of　living　with　only　you　in　the　moon。　If　I　were　mademoiselle；　I　would　never　consent　to　go　with　you。”

“She　has　consented：　she　has　pledged　her　word。”

“But　you　can’t　get　her　there；　there　is　no　road　to　the　moon：　it　is　all　air；　and　neither　you　nor　she　can　fly。”

“Adèle；　look　at　that　field。”　We　were　now　outside　Thornfield　gates；　and　bowling　lightly　along　the　smooth　road　to　Millcote；　where　the　dust　was　well　laid　by　the　thunderstorm；　and；　where　the　low　hedges　and　lofty　timber　trees　on　each　side　glistened　green　and　rain…　refreshed。

“In　that　field；　Adèle；　I　was　walking　late　one　evening　about　a　fortnight　since—the　evening　of　the　day　you　helped　me　to　make　hay　in　the　orchard　meadows；　and；　as　I　was　tired　with　raking　swaths；　I　sat　down　to　rest　me　on　a　stile；　and　there　I　took　out　a　little　book　and　a　pencil；　and　began　to　write　about　a　misfortune　that　befell　me　long　ago；　and　a　wish　I　had　for　happy　days　to　e：　I　was　writing　away　very　fast；　though　daylight　was　fading　from　the　leaf；　when　something　came　up　the　path　and　stopped　two　yards　off　me。　I　looked　at　it。　It　was　a　little　thing　with　a　veil　of　gossamer　on　its　head。　I　beckoned　it　to　e　near　me；　it　stood　soon　at　my　knee。　I　never　spoke　to　it；　and　it　never　spoke　to　me；　in　words；　but　I　read　its　eyes；　and　it　read　mine；　and　our　speechless　colloquy　was　to　this　effect—

“It　was　a　fairy；　and　e　from　Elf…land；　it　said；　and　its　errand　was　to　make　me　happy：　I　must　go　with　it　out　of　the　mon　world　to　a　lonely　place—such　as　the　moon；　for　instance—and　it　nodded　its　head　towards　her　horn；　rising　over　Hay…hill：　it　told　me　of　the　alabaster　cave　and　silver　vale　where　we　might　live。　I　said　I　should　like　to　go；　but　reminded　it；　as　you　did　me；　that　I　had　no　wings　to　fly。

“‘Oh；’　returned　the　fairy；　‘that　does　not　signify！　Here　is　a　talisman　will　remove　all　difficulties；’　and　she　held　out　a　pretty　gold　ring。　‘Put　it；’　she　said；　‘on　the　fourth　finger　of　my　left　hand；　and　I　am　yours；　and　you　are　mine；　and　we　shall　leave　earth；　and　make　our　own　heaven　yonder。’　She　nodded　again　at　the　moon。　The　ring；　Adèle；　is　in　my　breeches…pocket；　under　the　disguise　of　a　sovereign：　but　I　mean　soon　to　change　it　to　a　ring　again。”

“But　what　has　mademoiselle　to　do　with　it？　I　don’t　care　for　the　fairy：　you　said　it　was　mademoiselle　you　would　take　to　the　moon？”

“Mademoiselle　is　a　fairy；”　he　said；　whispering　mysteriously。　Whereupon　I　told　her　not　to　mind　his　badinage；　and　she；　on　her　part；　evinced　a　fund　of　genuine　French　scepticism：　denominating　Mr。　Rochester　“un　vrai　menteur；”　and　assuring　him　that　she　made　no　account　whatever　of　his　“contes　de　fee；”　and　that　“du　reste；　il　n’y　avait　pas　de　fées；　et　quand　meme　il　y　en　avait：”　she　was　sure　they　would　never　appear　to　him；　nor　ever　give　him　rings；　or　offer　to　live　with　him　in　the　moon。

The　hour　spent　at　Millcote　was　a　somewhat　harassing　one　to　me。　Mr。　Rochester　obliged　me　to　go　to　a　certain　silk　warehouse：　there　I　was　ordered　to　choose　half…a…dozen　dresses。　I　hated　the　business；　I　begged　leave　to　defer　it：　no—it　should　be　gone　through　with　now。　By　dint　of　entreaties　expressed　in　energetic　whispers；　I　reduced　the　half…dozen　to　two：　these　however；　he　vowed　he　would　select　himself。　With　anxiety　I　watched　his　eye　rove　over　the　gay　stores：　he　fixed　on　a　rich　silk　of　the　most　brilliant　amethyst　dye；　and　a　superb　pink　satin。　I　told　him　in　a　new　series　of　whispers；　that　he　might　as　well　buy　me　a　gold　gown　and　a　silver　bon　at　once：　I　should　certainly　never　venture　to　wear　his　choice。　With　infinite　difficulty；　for　he　was　stubborn　as　a　stone；　I　persuaded　him　to　make　an　exchange　in　favour　of　a　sober　black　satin　and　pearl…grey　silk。　“It　might　pass　for　the　present；”　he　said；　“but　he　would　yet　see　me　glittering　like　a　parterre。”

Glad　was　I　to　get　him　out　of　the　silk　warehouse；　and　then　out　of　a　jewellers　shop：　the　more　he　bought　me；　the　more　my　cheek　burned　with　a　sense　of　annoyance　and　degradation。　As　we　re…entered　the　carriage；　and　I　sat　back　feverish　and　fagged；　I　remembered　what；　in　the　hurry　of　events；　dark　and　bright；　I　had　wholly　forgotten—the　letter　of　my　uncle；　John　Eyre；　to　Mrs。　Reed：　his　intention　to　adopt　me　and　make　me　his　legatee。　“It　would；　indeed；　be　a　relief；”　I　thought；　“if　I　had　ever　so　small　an　independency；　I　never　can　bear　being　dressed　like　a　doll　by　Mr。　Rochester；　or　sitting　like　a　second　Danae　with　the　golden　shower　falling　daily　round　me。　I　will　write　to　Madeira　the　moment　I　get　home；　and　tell　my　uncle　John　I　am　going　to　be　married；　and　to　whom：　if　I　had　but　a　prospect　of　one　day　bringing　Mr。　Rochester　an　accession　of　fortune；　I　could　better　endure　to　be　kept　by　him　now。”　And　somewhat　relieved　by　this　idea　（which　I　failed　not　to　execute　that　day）；　I　ventured　once　more　to　meet　my　master’s　and　lover’s　eye；　which　most　pertinaciously　sought　mine；　though　I　averted　both　face　and　gaze。　He　smiled；　and　I　thought　his　smile　was　such　as　a　sultan　might；　in　a　blissful　and　fond　moment；　bestow　on　a　slave　his　gold　and　gems　had　enriched：　I　crushed　his　hand；　which　was　ever　hunting　mine；　vigorously；　and　thrust　it　back　to　him　red　with　the　passionate　pressure。

“You　need　not　look　in　that　way；”　I　said；　“if　you　do；　I’ll　wear　nothing　but　my　old　Lowood　frocks　to　the　end　of　the　chapter。　I’ll　be　married　in　this　lilac　gingham：　you　may　make　a　dressing…gown　for　yourself　out　of　the　pearl…grey　silk；　and　an　infinite　series　of　waistcoats　out　of　the　black　satin。”

He　chuckled；　he　rubbed　his　hands。　“Oh；　it　is　rich　to　see　and　hear　her？”　he　exclaimed。　“Is　she　original？　Is　she　piquant？　I　would　not　exchange　this　one　little　English　girl　for　the　Grand　Turk’s　whole　seraglio；　gazelle…eyes；　houri　forms；　and　all！”

The　Eastern　allusion　bit　me　again。　“I’ll　not　stand　you　an　inch　in　the　stead　of　a　seraglio；”　I　said；　“so　don’t　consider　me　an　equivalent　for　one。　If　you　have　a　fancy　for　anything　in　that　line；　away　with　you；　sir；　to　the　bazaars　of　Stamboul　without　delay；　and　lay　out　in　extensive　slave…purchases　some　of　that　spare　cash　you　seem　at　a　loss　to　spend　satisfactorily　here。”

“And　what　will　you　do；　Ja；　while　I　am　bargaining　for　so　many　tons　of　flesh　and　such　an　assortment　of　black　eyes？”

“I’ll　be　preparing　myself　to　go　out　as　a　missionar

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