简爱(英文版)-第23章

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s；　and　very　fine　eyes；　too—not　without　a　certain　change　in　their　depths　sometimes；　which；　if　it　was　not　softness；　reminded　you；　at　least；　of　that　feeling。
He　had　been　looking　two　minutes　at　the　fire；　and　I　had　been　looking　the　same　length　of　time　at　him；　when；　turning　suddenly；　he　caught　my　gaze　fastened　on　his　physiognomy。
“You　examine　me；　Miss　Eyre；”　said　he：　“do　you　think　me　handsome？”
I　should；　if　I　had　deliberated；　have　replied　to　this　question　by　something　conventionally　vague　and　polite；　but　the　answer　somehow　slipped　from　my　tongue　before　I　was　aware—“No；　sir。”
“Ah！　By　my　word！　there　is　something　singular　about　you；”　said　he：　“you　have　the　air　of　a　little　nonte；　quaint；　quiet；　grave；　and　simple；　as　you　sit　with　your　hands　before　you；　and　your　eyes　generally　bent　on　the　carpet　（except；　by…the…bye；　when　they　are　directed　piercingly　to　my　face；　as　just　now；　for　instance）；　and　akes　a　remark　to　which　you　are　obliged　to　reply；　you　rap　out　a　round　rejoinder；　which；　if　not　blunt；　is　at　least　brusque。　What　do　you　mean　by　it？”
“Sir；　I　was　too　plain；　I　beg　your　pardon。　I　ought　to　have　replied　that　it　was　not　easy　to　give　an　impromptu　answer　to　a　question　about　appearances；　that　tastes　mostly　differ；　and　that　beauty　is　of　little　consequence；　or　something　of　that　sort。”
“You　ought　to　have　replied　no　such　thing。　Beauty　of　little　consequence；　indeed！　And　so；　under　pretence　of　softening　the　previous　outrage；　of　stroking　and　soothing　me　into　placidity；　you　stick　a　sly　penknife　under　my　ear！　Go　on：　what　fault　do　you　find　with　me；　pray？　I　suppose　I　have　all　my　limbs　and　all　my　features　like　any　other　man？”
“Mr。　Rochester；　allow　me　to　disown　my　first　answer：　I　intended　no　pointed　repartee：　it　was　only　a　blunder。”
“Just　so：　I　think　so：　and　you　shall　be　answerable　for　it。　Criticise　me：　does　my　forehead　not　please　you？”
He　lifted　up　the　sable　waves　of　hair　which　lay　horizontally　over　his　brow；　and　showed　a　solid　enough　mass　of　intellectual　organs；　but　an　abrupt　deficiency　where　the　suave　sign　of　benevolence　should　have　risen。
“Now；　ma’am；　am　I　a　fool？”
“Far　from　it；　sir。　You　would；　perhaps；　think　me　rude　if　I　inquired　in　return　whether　you　are　a　philanthropist？”
“There　again！　Another　stick　of　the　penknife；　when　she　pretended　to　pat　my　head：　and　that　is　because　I　said　I　did　not　like　the　society　of　children　and　old　women　（low　be　it　spoken！）。　No；　young　lady；　I　am　not　a　general　philanthropist；　but　I　bear　a　conscience；”　and　he　pointed　to　the　prominences　which　are　said　to　indicate　that　faculty；　and　which；　fortunately　for　him；　were　sufficiently　conspicuous；　giving；　indeed；　a　marked　breadth　to　the　upper　part　of　his　head：　“and；　besides；　I　once　had　a　kind　of　rude　tenderness　of　heart。　When　I　was　as　old　as　you；　I　was　a　feeling　fellow　enough；　partial　to　the　unfledged；　unfostered；　and　unlucky；　but　Fortune　has　knocked　me　about　since：　she　has　even　kneaded　me　with　her　knuckles；　and　now　I　flatter　myself　I　am　hard　and　tough　as　an　India…rubber　ball；　pervious；　though；　through　a　chink　or　two　still；　and　with　one　sentient　point　in　the　middle　of　the　lump。　Yes：　does　that　leave　hope　for　me？”
“Hope　of　what；　sir？”
“Of　my　final　re…transformation　from　India…rubber　back　to　flesh？”
“Decidedly　he　has　had　too　much　wine；”　I　thought；　and　I　did　not　know　what　answer　to　make　to　his　queer　question：　how　could　I　tell　whether　he　was　capable　of　being　re…transformed？
“You　looked　very　much　puzzled；　Miss　Eyre；　and　though　you　are　not　pretty　any　more　than　I　am　handsome；　yet　a　puzzled　air　bees　you；　besides；　it　is　convenient；　for　it　keeps　those　searching　eyes　of　yours　away　from　my　physiognomy；　and　busies　them　with　the　worsted　flowers　of　the　rug；　so　puzzle　on。　Young　lady；　I　am　disposed　to　be　gregarious　and　municative　to…night。”
With　this　announcement　he　rose　from　his　chair；　and　stood；　leaning　his　arm　on　the　marble　mantelpiece：　in　that　attitude　his　shape　was　seen　plainly　as　well　as　his　face；　his　unusual　breadth　of　chest；　disproportionate　almost　to　his　length　of　limb。　I　am　sure　most　people　would　have　thought　him　an　ugly　man；　yet　there　was　so　much　unconscious　pride　in　his　port；　so　much　ease　in　his　demeanour；　such　a　look　of　plete　indifference　to　his　own　external　appearance；　so　haughty　a　reliance　on　the　power　of　other　qualities；　intrinsic　or　adventitious；　to　atone　for　the　lack　of　mere　personal　attractiveness；　that；　in　looking　at　him；　one　inevitably　shared　the　indifference；　and；　even　in　a　blind；　imperfect　sense；　put　faith　in　the　confidence。
“I　am　disposed　to　be　gregarious　and　municative　to…night；”　he　repeated；　“and　that　is　why　I　sent　for　you：　the　fire　and　the　chandelier　were　not　sufficient　pany　for　me；　nor　would　Pilot　have　been；　for　none　of　these　can　talk。　Adèle　is　a　degree　better；　but　still　far　below　the　mark；　Mrs。　Fairfax　ditto；　you；　I　am　persuaded；　can　suit　me　if　you　will：　you　puzzled　me　the　first　evening　I　invited　you　down　here。　I　have　almost　forgotten　you　since：　other　ideas　have　driven　yours　from　my　head；　but　to…night　I　am　resolved　to　be　at　ease；　to　dismiss　what　importunes；　and　recall　what　pleases。　It　would　please　me　now　to　draw　you　out—to　learn　more　of　you—therefore　speak。”
Instead　of　speaking；　I　smiled；　and　not　a　very　placent　or　submissive　smile　either。
“Speak；”　he　urged。
“What　about；　sir？”
“Whatever　you　like。　I　leave　both　the　choice　of　subject　and　the　manner　of　treating　it　entirely　to　yourself。”
Accordingly　I　sat　and　said　nothing：　“If　he　expects　me　to　talk　for　the　mere　sake　of　talking　and　showing　off；　he　will　find　he　has　addressed　himself　to　the　wrong　person；”　I　thought。
“You　are　dumb；　Miss　Eyre。”
I　was　dumb　still。　He　bent　his　head　a　little　towards　me；　and　with　a　single　hasty　glance　seemed　to　dive　into　my　eyes。
“Stubborn？”　he　said；　“and　annoyed。　Ah！　it　is　consistent。　I　put　my　request　in　an　absurd；　almost　insolent　form。　Miss　Eyre；　I　beg　your　pardon。　The　fact　is；　once　for　all；　I　don’t　wish　to　treat　you　like　an　inferior：　that　is”　（correcting　himself）；　“I　claim　only　such　superiority　as　must　result　from　twenty　years’　difference　in　age　and　a　century’s　advance　in　experience。　This　is　legitimate；　et　j’y　tiens；　as　Adèle　would　say；　and　it　is　by　virtue　of　this　superiority；　and　this　alone；　that　I　desire　you　to　have　the　goodness　to　talk　to　me　a　little　now；　and　divert　my　thoughts；　which　are　galled　with　dwelling　on　one　point—cankering　as　a　rusty　nail。”
He　had　deigned　an　explanation；　almost　an　apology；　and　I　did　not　feel　insensible　to　his　condescension；　and　would　not　seem　so。
“I　am　willing　to　amuse　you；　if　I　can；　sir—quite　willing；　but　I　cannot　introduce　a　topic；　because　how　do　I　know　what　will　interest　you？　Ask　me　questions；　and　I　will　do　my　best　to　answer　them。”
“Then；　in　the　first　place；　do　you　agree　with　me　that　I　have　a　right　to　be　a　little　masterful；　abrupt；　perhaps　exacting；　sometimes；　on　the　grounds　I　stated；　namely；　that　I　am　old　enough　to　be　your　father；　and　that　I　have　battled　through　a　varied　experience　with　many　men　of　many　nations；　and　roamed　over　half　the　globe；　while　you　have　lived　quietly　with　one　set　of　people　in　one　house？”
“Do　as　you　please；　sir。”
“That　is　no　answer；　or　rather　it　is　a　very　irritating；　because　a　very　evasive　one。　Reply　clearly。”
“I　don’t　think；　sir；　you　have　a　right　to　mand　me；　merely　because　you　are　older　than　I；　or　because　you　have　seen　more　of　the　world　than　I　have；　your　claim　to　superiority　depends　on　the　use　you　have　made　of　your　time　and　experience。”
“Humph！　Promptly　spoken。　But　I　won’t　allow　that；　seeing　that　it　would　never　suit　my　case；　as　I　have　made　an　indifferent；　not　to　say　a　bad；　use　of　both　advantages。　Leaving　superiority　out　of　the　question；　then；　you　must　still　agree　to　receive　my　orders　now　and　then；　without　being　piqued　or　hurt　by　the　tone　of　mand。　Will　you？”
I　smiled：　I　thought　to　myself　Mr。　Rochester　IS　peculiar—he　seems　to　forget　that　he　pays　me　￡30　per　annum　for　receiving　his　orders。
“The　smile　is　very　well；”　said　he；　catching　instantly　the　passing　expression；　“but　speak　too。”
“I　was　thinking；　sir；　that　very　few　masters　would　trouble　themselves　to　inquire　whether　or　not　their　paid　subordinates　were　piqued　and　hurt　by　their　orders。”
“Paid　subordinates！　What！　you　are　my　paid　subordinate；　are　you？　Oh　yes；　I　had　forgotten　the　salary！　Well　then；　on　that　mercenary　ground；　will　you　agree　to　let　me　hector　a　little？”
“No；　sir；　not　on　that　ground；　but；　on　the　ground　that　you　did　forget　it；　and　that　you　care　whether　or　not　a　dependent　is　fortable　in　his　dependency；　I　agree　heartily。”
“And　will　you　consent　to　dispense　with　a　great　many　conventional　forms　and　phrases；　without　thinking　that　the　omission　arises　from　insolence？”
“I　am　sure；　sir；　I　should　never　mistake　informality　for　insolence：　one　I　rather　like；　the　other　nothing　free…born　would　submit　to；　even　for　a　salary。”
“Humbug！　Most　things　free…born　will　submit　to　anything　for　a　salary；　therefore；　keep　to　yourself；　and　don’t　venture　on　generalities　of　which　you　are　intensely　ignorant。　However；　I　mentally　shake　hands　with　you　for　your　answer；　despite　its　inaccuracy；　and　as　much　for　the　manner　in　which　it　was　said；　as　for　the　substance　of　the　speech；　the　manner　was　frank　and　sincere；　one　does　not　often　see　such　a　manner：　no；　on　the　contrary；　affectation；　or　coldness；　or　stupid；　coarse…minded　misapprehension　of　one’s　meaning　are　the　usual　rewards　of　candour。　Not　three　in　three　thousand　raw　school…girl…governesses　would　have　answered　me　as　you　have　just　done。　But　I　don’t　mean　to　flatter　you：　if　you　are　cast　in　a　different　mould　to　the　majority；　it　is　no　merit　of　yours：　Nature　did　it。　And　then；　after　all；　I　go　too　fast　in　my　conclusions：　for　what　I　yet　know；　you　may　be　no　better　than　the　rest；　you　may　have　intolerable　defects　to　counterbalance　your　few　good　points。”
“And　so　may　you；”　I　thought。　My　eye　met　his　as　the　idea　crossed　my　mind：　he　seemed　to　read　the　glance；　answering　as　if　its　import　had　been　spoken　as　well　as　imagined—
“Yes；　yes；　you　are　right；”　said　he；　“I　have　plenty　of　faults　of　my　own：　I　know　it；　and　I　don’t　wish　to　palliate　them；　I　assure　you。　God　wot　I　need　not　be　too　severe　about　others；　I　have　a　past　existence；　a　series　of　deeds；　a　colour　of　life　to　contemplate　within　my　own　breast；　which　might　well　call　my　sneers　and　censures　from　my　neighbours　to　myself。　I　started；　or　rather　（for　like　other　defaulters；　I　like　to　lay　half　the　blame　on　ill　fortune　and　adverse　circumstances）　was　thrust　on　to　a　wrong　tack　at　the　age　of　one…and…　twenty；　and　have　never　recovered　the　right　course　since：　but　I　might　have　been　very　different；　I　might　have　been　as　good　as　you—　wiser—almost　as　stainless。　I　envy　you　your　peace　of　mind；　your　clean　conscience；　your　unpolluted　memory。　Little　girl；　a　memory　without　blot　or　contamination　must　be　an　exquisite　treasure—an　inexhaustible　source　of　pure　refreshment：　is　it　not？”
“How　was　your　memory　when　you　were　eighteen；　sir？”
“All　right　then；　limpid；　salubrious：　no　gush　of　bilge　water　had　turned　it　to　fetid　puddle。　I　was　your　equal　at　eighteen—quite　your　equal。　Nature　meant　me　to　be；　on　the　whole；　a　good　man；　Miss　Eyre；　one　of　the　better　kind；　and　you　see　I　am　not　so。　You　would　say　you　don’t　see　it；　at　least　I　flatter　myself　I　read　as　much　in　your　eye　（beware；　by…the…bye；　what　you　express　with　that　organ；　I　am　quick　at　interpreting　its　language）。　Then　take　my　word　for　it；—I　am　not　a　villain：　you　are　not　to　suppose　that—not　to　attribute　to　me　any　such　bad　eminence；　but；　owing；　I　verily　believe；　rather　to　circumstances　than　to　my　natural　bent；　I　am　a　trite　monplace　sinner；　hackneyed　in　all　the　poor　petty　dissipations　with　which　the　rich　and　worthless　try　to　put　on　life。　Do　you　wonder　that　I　avow　this　to　you？　Know；　that　in　the　course　of　your　future　life　you　will　often　find　yourself　elected　the　involuntary　confidant　of　your　acquaintances’　secrets：　people　will　instinctively　find　out；　as　I　have　done；　that　it　is　not　your　forte　to　tell　of　yourself；　but　to　listen　while　others　talk　of　themselves；　they　will　feel；　too；　that　you　listen　with　no　malevolent　scorn　of　their　indiscretion；　but　with　a　kind　of　innate　sympathy；　not　the　less　forting　and　encouraging　because　it　is　very　unobtrusive　in　its　manifestations。”
“How　do　you　know？—how　can　you　guess　all　this；　sir？”
“I　know　it　well；　therefore　I　proceed　almost　as　freely　as　if　I　were　writing　my　thoughts　in　a　diary。　You　would　say；　I　should　have　been　superior　to　circumstances；　so　I　should—so　I　should；　but　you　see　I　was　not。　When　fate　wronged　me；　I　had　not　the　wisdom　to　remain　cool：　I　turned　desperate；　then　I　degenerated。　Now；　when　any　vicious　simpleton　excites　my　disgust　by　his　paltry　ribaldry；　I　cannot　flatter　myself　that　I　am　better　than　he：　I　am　forced　to　confess　that　he　and　I　are　on　a　level。　I　wish　I　had　stood　firm—God　knows　I　do！　Dread　remorse　when　you　are　tempted　to　err；　Miss　Eyre；　remorse　is　the　poison　of　life。”
“Repentance　is　said　to　be　its　cure；　sir。”
“It　is　not　its　cure。　Reformation　may　be　its　cure；　and　I　could　reform—I　have　strength　yet　for　that—if—but　where　is　the　use　of　thinking　of　it；　hampered；　burdened；　cursed　as　I　am？　Besides；　since　happiness　is　irrevocably　denied　me；　I　have　a　right　to　get　pleasure　out　of　life：　and　I　will　get　it；　cost　what　it　may。”
“Then　you　will　degenerate　still　more；　sir。”
“Possibly：　yet　why　should　I；　if　I　can　get　sweet；　fresh　pleasure？　And　I　may　get　it　as　swe