迪文小说

第87部分（第2页）

“You　may　well　say　so；　ma’am：　it　was　frightful！”

He　shuddered。

“And　afterwards？”　I　urged。

“Well；　ma’am；　afterwards　the　house　was　burnt　to　the　ground：　there　are　only　some　bits　of　walls　standing　now。”

“Were　any　other　lives　lost？”

“No—perhaps　it　would　have　been　better　if　there　had。”

“What　do　you　mean？”

“Poor　Mr。　Edward！”　he　ejaculated；　“I　little　thought　ever　to　have　seen　it！　Some　say　it　was　a　just　judgment　on　him　for　keeping　his　first　marriage　secret；　and　wanting　to　take　another　wife　while　he　had　one　living：　but　I　pity　him；　for　my　part。”

“You　said　he　was　alive？”　I　exclaimed。

“Yes；　yes：　he　is　alive；　but　many　think　he　had　better　he　dead。”

“Why？　How？”　My　blood　was　again　running　cold。　“Where　is　he？”　I　demanded。　“Is　he　in　England？”

“Ay—ay—he’s　in　England；　he　can’t　get　out　of　England；　I　fancy—he’s　a　fixture　now。”

What　agony　was　this！　And　the　man　seemed　resolved　to　protract　it。

“He　is　stone…blind；”　he　said　at　last。　“Yes；　he　is　stone…blind；　is　Mr。　Edward。”

I　had　dreaded　worse。　I　had　dreaded　he　was　mad。　I　summoned　strength　to　ask　what　had　caused　this　calamity。

“It　was　all　his　own　courage；　and　a　body　may　say；　his　kindness；　in　a　way；　ma’am：　he　wouldn’t　leave　the　house　till　every　one　else　was　out　before　him。　As　he　came　down　the　great　staircase　at　last；　after　Mrs。　Rochester　had　flung　herself　from　the　battlements；　there　was　a　great　crash—all　fell。　He　was　taken　out　from　under　the　ruins；　alive；　but　sadly　hurt：　a　beam　had　fallen　in　such　a　way　as　to　protect　him　partly；　but　one　eye　was　knocked　out；　and　one　hand　so　crushed　that　Mr。　Carter；　the　surgeon；　had　to　amputate　it　directly。　The　other　eye　inflamed：　he　lost　the　sight　of　that　also。　He　is　now　helpless；　indeed—blind　and　a　cripple。”

“Where　is　he？　Where　does　he　now　live？”

“At　Ferndean；　a　manor…house　on　a　farm　he　has；　about　thirty　miles　off：　quite　a　desolate　spot。”

“Who　is　with　him？”

“Old　John　and　his　wife：　he　would　have　none　else。　He　is　quite　broken　down；　they　say。”

“Have　you　any　sort　of　conveyance？”

“We　have　a　chaise；　ma’am；　a　very　handsome　chaise。”

“Let　it　be　got　ready　instantly；　and　if　your　post…boy　can　drive　me　to　Ferndean　before　dark　this　day；　I’ll　pay　both　you　and　him　twice　the　hire　you　usually　demand。”

Chapter　37

The　manor…house　of　Ferndean　was　a　building　of　considerable　antiquity；　moderate　size；　and　no　architectural　pretensions；　deep　buried　in　a　wood。　I　had　heard　of　it　before。　Mr。　Rochester　often　spoke　of　it；　and　sometimes　went　there。　His　father　had　purchased　the　estate　for　the　sake　of　the　game　covers。　He　would　have　let　the　house；　but　could　find　no　tenant；　in　consequence　of　its　ineligible　and　insalubrious　site。　Ferndean　then　remained　uninhabited　and　unfurnished；　with　the　exception　of　some　two　or　three　rooms　fitted　up　for　the　acmodation　of　the　squire　when　he　went　there　in　the　season　to　shoot。

To　this　house　I　came　just　ere　dark　on　an　evening　marked　by　the　characteristics　of　sad　sky；　cold　gale；　and　continued　small　perating　rain。　The　last　mile　I　performed　on　foot；　having　dismissed　the　chaise　and　driver　with　the　double　remuneration　I　had　promised。　Even　when　within　a　very　short　distance　of　the　manor…　house；　you　could　see　nothing　of　it；　so　thick　and　dark　grew　the　timber　of　the　gloomy　wood　about　it。　Iron　gates　between　granite　pillars　showed　me　where　to　enter；　and　passing　through　them；　I　found　myself　at　once　in　the　twilight　of　close…ranked　trees。　There　was　a　grass…grown　track　descending　the　forest　aisle　between　hoar　and　knotty　shafts　and　under　branched　arches。　I　followed　it；　expecting　soon　to　reach　the　dwelling；　but　it　stretched　on　and　on；　it　would　far　and　farther：　no　sign　of　habitation　or　grounds　was　visible。

I　thought　I　had　taken　a　wrong　direction　and　lost　my　way。　The　darkness　of　natural　as　well　as　of　sylvan　dusk　gathered　over　me。　I　looked　round　in　search　of　another　road。　There　was　none：　all　was　interwoven　stem；　columnar　trunk；　dense　summer　foliage—no　opening　anywhere。

I　proceeded：　at　last　my　way　opened；　the　trees　thinned　a　little；　presently　I　beheld　a　railing；　then　the　house—scarce；　by　this　dim　light；　distinguishable　from　the　tr