子浪小说

第78部分（第1页）

ently　enjoy；　all　at　once。　And　then　there　are　other　chances　in　life　far　more　thrilling　and　rapture…giving：　this　is　solid；　an　affair　of　the　actual　world；　nothing　ideal　about　it：　all　its　associations　are　solid　and　sober；　and　its　manifestations　are　the　same。　One　does　not　jump；　and　spring；　and　shout　hurrah！　at　hearing　one　has　got　a　fortune；　one　begins　to　consider　responsibilities；　and　to　ponder　business；　on　a　base　of　steady　satisfaction　rise　certain　grave　cares；　and　we　contain　ourselves；　and　blood　over　our　bliss　with　a　solemn　brow。

Besides；　the　words　Legacy；　Bequest；　go　side　by　side　with　the　words；　Death；　Funeral。　My　uncle　I　had　heard　was　dead—my　only　relative；　ever　since　being　made　aware　of　his　existence；　I　had　cherished　the　hope　of　one　day　seeing　him：　now；　I　never　should。　And　then　this　money　came　only　to　me：　not　to　me　and　a　rejoicing　family；　but　to　my　isolated　self。　It　was　a　grand　boon　doubtless；　and　independence　would　be　glorious—yes；　I　felt　that—that　thought　swelled　my　heart。

“You　unbend　your　forehead　at　last；”　said　Mr。　Rivers。　“I　thought　Medusa　had　looked　at　you；　and　that　you　were　turning　to　stone。　Perhaps　now　you　will　ask　how　much　you　are　worth？”

“How　much　am　I　worth？”

“Oh；　a　trifle！　Nothing　of　course　to　speak　of—twenty　thousand　pounds；　I　think　they　say—but　what　is　that？”

“Twenty　thousand　pounds？”

Here　was　a　new　stunner—I　had　been　calculating　on　four　or　five　thousand。　This　news　actually　took　my　breath　for　a　moment：　Mr。　St。　John；　whom　I　had　never　heard　laugh　before；　laughed　now。

“Well；”　said　he；　“if　you　had　mitted　a　murder；　and　I　had　told　you　your　crime　was　discovered；　you　could　scarcely　look　more　aghast。”

“It　is　a　large　sum—don’t　you　think　there　is　a　mistake？”

“No　mistake　at　all。”

“Perhaps　you　have　read　the　figures　wrong—it　may　be　two　thousand！”

“It　is　written　in　letters；　not　figures；—twenty　thousand。”

I　again　felt　rather　like　an　individual　of　but　average　gastronomical　powers　sitting　down　to　feast　alone　at　a　table　spread　with　provisions　for　a　hundred。　Mr。　Rivers　rose　now　and　put　his　cloak　on。

“If　it　were　not　such　a　very　wild　night；”　he　said；　“I　would　send　Hannah　down　to　keep　you　pany：　you　look　too　desperately　miserable　to　be　left　alone。　But　Hannah；　poor　woman！　could　not　stride　the　drifts　so　well　as　I：　her　legs　are　not　quite　so　long：　so　I　must　e’en　leave　you　to　your　sorrows。　Good…night。”

He　was　lifting　the　latch：　a　sudden　thought　occurred　to　me。　“Stop　one　minute！”　I　cried。

“Well？”

“It　puzzles　me　to　know　why　Mr。　Briggs　wrote　to　you　about　me；　or　how　he　knew　you；　or　could　fancy　that　you；　living　in　such　an　out…of…the…　way　place；　had　the　power　to　aid　in　my　discovery。”

“Oh！　I　am　a　clergyman；”　he　said；　“and　the　clergy　are　often　appealed　to　about　odd　matters。”　Again　the　latch　rattled。

“No；　that　does　not　satisfy　me！”　I　exclaimed：　and　indeed　there　was　something　in　the　hasty　and　unexplanatory　reply　which；　instead　of　allaying；　piqued　my　curiosity　more　than　ever。

“It　is　a　very　strange　piece　of　business；”　I　added；　“I　must　know　more　about　it。”

“Another　time。”

“No；　to…night！—to…night！”　and　as　he　turned　from　the　door；　I　placed　myself　between　it　and　him。　He　looked　rather　embarrassed。

“You　certainly　shall　not　go　till　you　have　told　me　all；”　I　said。

“I　would　rather　not　just　now。”

“You　shall！—you　must！”

“I　would　rather　Diana　or　Mary　informed　you。”

Of　course　these　objections　wrought　my　eagerness　to　a　climax：　gratified　it　must　be；　and　that　without　delay；　and　I　told　him　so。

“But　I　apprised　you　that　I　was　a　hard　man；”　said　he；　“difficult　to　persuade。”

“And　I　am　a　hard　woman；—impossible　to　put　off。”

“And　then；”　he　pursued；　“I　am　cold：　no　fervour　infects　me。”

“Whereas　I　am　hot；　and　fire　dissolves　ice。　The　blaze　there　has　thawed　all　the　snow　from　your　cloak；　by　the　same　token；　it　has　streamed　on　to　my　floor；　and　made　it　like　a　trampled　street。　As　you　hope　ever　to　be　forgiven；　Mr。　Rivers；　the　high　crime　and　misdemeanour　of　spoiling　a　sanded　kitchen；　tell　me　what　I　wish　to　know。”

“Well；　then；”　he　said；　“I　yield；　if　not　to　your　earnestness；　to　your　perseverance：　as　stone　is　worn　by　continual　dropping。　Besides；　you　must　know　some　day；—as　well　now　as　later。　Your　name　is　Jane　Eyre？”

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