简爱(英文版)-第24部分

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o　plete　the　beau…ideal　of　domestic　fort。　A　more　reassuring　introduction　for　a　new　governess　could　scarcely　be　conceived；　there　was　no　grandeur　to　overwhelm；　no　stateliness　to　embarrass；　and　then；　as　I　entered；　the　old　lady　got　up　and　promptly　and　kindly　came　forward　to　meet　me。
“How　do　you　do；　my　dear？　I　am　afraid　you　have　had　a　tedious　ride；　John　drives　so　slowly；　you　must　be　cold；　e　to　the　fire。”
“Mrs。　Fairfax；　I　suppose？”　said　I。
“Yes；　you　are　right：　do　sit　down。”
She　conducted　me　to　her　own　chair；　and　then　began　to　remove　my　shawl　and　untie　my　bon…strings；　I　begged　she　would　not　give　herself　so　much　trouble。
“Oh；　it　is　no　trouble；　I　dare　say　your　own　hands　are　almost　numbed　with　cold。　Leah；　make　a　little　hot　negus　and　cut　a　sandwich　or　two：　here　are　the　keys　of　the　storeroom。”
And　she　produced　from　her　pocket　a　most　housewifely　bunch　of　keys；　and　delivered　them　to　the　servant。
“Now；　then；　draw　nearer　to　the　fire；”　she　continued。　“You’ve　brought　your　luggage　with　you；　haven’t　you；　my　dear？”
“Yes；　ma’am。”
“I’ll　see　it　carried　into　your　room；”　she　said；　and　bustled　out。
“She　treats　me　like　a　visitor；”　thought　I。　“I　little　expected　such　a　reception；　I　anticipated　only　coldness　and　stiffness：　this　is　not　like　what　I　have　heard　of　the　treatment　of　governesses；　but　I　must　not　exult　too　soon。”
She　returned；　with　her　own　hands　cleared　her　knitting　apparatus　and　a　book　or　two　from　the　table；　to　make　room　for　the　tray　which　Leah　now　brought；　and　then　herself　handed　me　the　refreshments。　I　felt　rather　confused　at　being　the　object　of　more　attention　than　I　had　ever　before　received；　and；　that　too；　shown　by　my　employer　and　superior；　but　as　she　did　not　herself　seem　to　consider　she　was　doing　anything　out　of　her　place；　I　thought　it　better　to　take　her　civilities　quietly。
“Shall　I　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　Miss　Fairfax　to…night？”　I　asked；　when　I　had　partaken　of　what　she　offered　me。
“What　did　you　say；　my　dear？　I　am　a　little　deaf；”　returned　the　good　lady；　approaching　her　ear　to　my　mouth。
I　repeated　the　question　more　distinctly。
“Miss　Fairfax？　Oh；　you　mean　Miss　Varens！　Varens　is　the　name　of　your　future　pupil。”
“Indeed！　Then　she　is　not　your　daughter？”
“No；—I　have　no　family。”
I　should　have　followed　up　my　first　inquiry；　by　asking　in　what　way　Miss　Varens　was　connected　with　her；　but　I　recollected　it　was　not　polite　to　ask　too　many　questions：　besides；　I　was　sure　to　hear　in　time。
“I　am　so　glad；”　she　continued；　as　she　sat　down　opposite　to　me；　and　took　the　cat　on　her　knee；　“I　am　so　glad　you　are　e；　it　will　be　quite　pleasant　living　here　now　with　a　panion。　To　be　sure　it　is　pleasant　at　any　time；　for　Thornfield　is　a　fine　old　hall；　rather　neglected　of　late　years　perhaps；　but　still　it　is　a　respectable　place；　yet　you　know　in　winter…time　one　feels　dreary　quite　alone　in　the　best　quarters。　I　say　alone—Leah　is　a　nice　girl　to　be　sure；　and　John　and　his　wife　are　very　decent　people；　but　then　you　see　they　are　only　servants；　and　one　can’t　converse　with　them　on　terms　of　equality：　one　must　keep　them　at　due　distance；　for　fear　of　losing　one’s　authority。　I’m　sure　last　winter　（it　was　a　very　severe　one；　if　you　recollect；　and　when　it　did　not　snow；　it　rained　and　blew）；　not　a　creature　but　the　butcher　and　postman　came　to　the　house；　from　November　till　February；　and　I　really　got　quite　melancholy　with　sitting　night　after　night　alone；　I　had　Leah　in　to　read　to　me　sometimes；　but　I　don’t　think　the　poor　girl　liked　the　task　much：　she　felt　it　confining。　In　spring　and　summer　one　got　on　better：　sunshine　and　long　days　make　such　a　difference；　and　then；　just　at　the　mencement　of　this　autumn；　little　Adela　Varens　came　and　her　nurse：　a　child　makes　a　house　alive　all　at　once；　and　now　you　are　here　I　shall　be　quite　gay。”
My　heart　really　warmed　to　the　worthy　lady　as　I　heard　her　talk；　and　I　drew　my　chair　a　little　nearer　to　her；　and　expressed　my　sincere　wish　that　she　might　find　my　pany　as　agreeable　as　she　anticipated。
“But　I’ll　not　keep　you　sitting　up　late　to…night；”　said　she；　“it　is　on　the　stroke　of　twelve　now；　and　you　have　been　travelling　all　day：　you　must　feel　tired。　If　you　have　got　your　feet　well　warmed；　I’ll　show　you　your　bedroom。　I’ve　had　the　room　next　to　mine　prepared　for　you；　it　is　only　a　small　apartment；　but　I　thought　you　would　like　it　better　than　one　of　the　large　front　chambers：　to　be　sure　they　have　finer　furniture；　but　they　are　so　dreary　and　solitary；　I　never　sleep　in　them　myself。”
I　thanked　her　for　her　considerate　choice；　and　as　I　really　felt　fatigued　with　my　long　journey；　expressed　my　readiness　to　retire。　She　took　her　candle；　and　I　followed　her　from　the　room。　First　she　went　to　see　if　the　hall…door　was　fastened；　having　taken　the　key　from　the　lock；　she　led　the　way　upstairs。　The　steps　and　banisters　were　of　oak；　the　staircase　window　was　high　and　latticed；　both　it　and　the　long　gallery　into　which　the　bedroom　doors　opened　looked　as　if　they　belonged　to　a　church　rather　than　a　house。　A　very　chill　and　vault…　like　air　pervaded　the　stairs　and　gallery；　suggesting　cheerless　ideas　of　space　and　solitude；　and　I　was　glad；　when　finally　ushered　into　my　chamber；　to　find　it　of　small　dimensions；　and　furnished　in　ordinary；　modern　style。
When　Mrs。　Fairfax　had　bidden　me　a　kind　good…night；　and　I　had　fastened　my　door；　gazed　leisurely　round；　and　in　some　measure　effaced　the　eerie　impression　made　by　that　wide　hall；　that　dark　and　spacious　staircase；　and　that　long；　cold　gallery；　by　the　livelier　aspect　of　my　little　room；　I　remembered　that；　after　a　day　of　bodily　fatigue　and　mental　anxiety；　I　was　now　at　last　in　safe　haven。　The　impulse　of　gratitude　swelled　my　heart；　and　I　knelt　down　at　the　bedside；　and　offered　up　thanks　where　thanks　were　due；　not　forgetting；　ere　I　rose；　to　implore　aid　on　my　further　path；　and　the　power　of　meriting　the　kindness　which　seemed　so　frankly　offered　me　before　it　was　earned。　My　couch　had　no　thorns　in　it　that　night；　my　solitary　room　no　fears。　At　once　weary　and　content；　I　slept　soon　and　soundly：　when　I　awoke　it　was　broad　day。
The　chamber　looked　such　a　bright　little　place　to　me　as　the　sun　shone　in　between　the　gay　blue　chintz　window　curtains；　showing　papered　walls　and　a　carpeted　floor；　so　unlike　the　bare　planks　and　stained　plaster　of　Lowood；　that　my　spirits　rose　at　the　view。　Externals　have　a　great　effect　on　the　young：　I　thought　that　a　fairer　era　of　life　was　beginning　for　me；　one　that　was　to　have　its　flowers　and　pleasures；　as　well　as　its　thorns　and　toils。　My　faculties；　roused　by　the　change　of　scene；　the　new　field　offered　to　hope；　seemed　all　astir。　I　cannot　precisely　define　what　they　expected；　but　it　was　something　pleasant：　not　perhaps　that　day　or　that　month；　but　at　an　indefinite　future　period。
I　rose；　I　dressed　myself　with　care：　obliged　to　be　plain—for　I　had　no　article　of　attire　that　was　not　made　with　extreme　simplicity—I　was　still　by　nature　solicitous　to　be　neat。　It　was　not　my　habit　to　be　disregardful　of　appearance　or　careless　of　the　impression　I　made：　on　the　contrary；　I　ever　wished　to　look　as　well　as　I　could；　and　to　please　as　much　as　my　want　of　beauty　would　permit。　I　sometimes　regretted　that　I　was　not　handsomer；　I　sometimes　wished　to　have　rosy　cheeks；　a　straight　nose；　and　small　cherry　mouth；　I　desired　to　be　tall；　stately；　and　finely　developed　in　figure；　I　felt　it　a　misfortune　that　I　was　so　little；　so　pale；　and　had　features　so　irregular　and　so　marked。　And　why　had　I　these　aspirations　and　these　regrets？　It　would　be　difficult　to　say：　I　could　not　then　distinctly　say　it　to　myself；　yet　I　had　a　reason；　and　a　logical；　natural　reason　too。　However；　when　I　had　brushed　my　hair　very　smooth；　and　put　on　my　black　frock—which；　Quakerlike　as　it　was；　at　least　had　the　merit　of　fitting　to　a　nicety—and　adjusted　my　clean　white　tucker；　I　thought　I　should　do　respectably　enough　to　appear　before　Mrs。　Fairfax；　and　that　my　new　pupil　would　not　at　least　recoil　from　me　with　antipathy。　Having　opened　my　chamber　window；　and　seen　that　I　left　all　things　straight　and　neat　on　the　toilet　table；　I　ventured　forth。
Traversing　the　long　and　matted　gallery；　I　descended　the　slippery　steps　of　oak；　then　I　gained　the　hall：　I　halted　there　a　minute；　I　looked　at　some　pictures　on　the　walls　（one；　I　remember；　represented　a　grim　man　in　a　cuirass；　and　one　a　lady　with　powdered　hair　and　a　pearl　necklace）；　at　a　bronze　lamp　pendent　from　the　ceiling；　at　a　great　clock　whose　case　was　of　oak　curiously　carved；　and　ebon　black　with　time　and　rubbing。　Everything　appeared　very　stately　and　imposing　to　me；　but　then　I　was　so　little　accustomed　to　grandeur。　The　hall…door；　which　was　half　of　glass；　stood　open；　I　stepped　over　the　threshold。　It　was　a　fine　autumn　morning；　the　early　sun　shone　serenely　on　embrowned　groves　and　still　green　fields；　advancing　on　to　the　lawn；　I　looked　up　and　surveyed　the　front　of　the　mansion。　It　was　three　storeys　high；　of　proportions　not　vast；　though　considerable：　a　gentleman’s　manor…house；　not　a　nobleman’s　seat：　battlements　round　the　top　gave　it　a　picturesque　look。　Its　grey　front　stood　out　well　from　the　background　of　a　rookery；　whose　cawing　tenants　were　now　on　the　wing：　they　flew　over　the　lawn　and　grounds　to　alight　in　a　great　meadow；　from　which　these　were　separated　by　a　sunk　fence；　and　where　an　array　of　mighty　old　thorn　trees；　strong；　knotty；　and　broad　as　oaks；　at　once　explained　the　etymology　of　t