《简爱(英文版)》第160章

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　trees；　so　dank　and　green　were　its　decaying　walls。　Entering　a　portal；　fastened　only　by　a　latch；　I　stood　amidst　a　space　of　enclosed　ground；　from　which　the　wood　swept　away　in　a　semicircle。　There　were　no　flowers；　no　garden…beds；　only　a　broad　gravel…walk　girdling　a　grass…plat；　and　this　set　in　the　heavy　frame　of　the　forest。　The　house　presented　two　pointed　gables　in　its　front；　the　windows　were　latticed　and　narrow：　the　front　door　was　narrow　too；　one　step　led　up　to　it。　The　whole　looked；　as　the　host　of　the　Rochester　Arms　had　said；　“quite　a　desolate　spot。”　It　was　as　still　as　a　church　on　a　week…day：　the　pattering　rain　on　the　forest　leaves　was　the　only　sound　audible　in　its　vicinage。
“Can　there　be　life　here？”　I　asked。
Yes；　life　of　some　kind　there　was；　for　I　heard　a　movement—that　narrow　front…door　was　unclosing；　and　some　shape　was　about　to　issue　from　the　grange。
It　opened　slowly：　a　figure　came　out　into　the　twilight　and　stood　on　the　step；　a　man　without　a　hat：　he　stretched　forth　his　hand　as　if　to　feel　whether　it　rained。　Dusk　as　it　was；　I　had　recognised　him—it　was　my　master；　Edward　Fairfax　Rochester；　and　no　other。
I　stayed　my　step；　almost　my　breath；　and　stood　to　watch　him—to　examine　him；　myself　unseen；　and　alas！　to　him　invisible。　It　was　a　sudden　meeting；　and　one　in　which　rapture　was　kept　well　in　check　by　pain。　I　had　no　difficulty　in　restraining　my　voice　from　exclamation；　my　step　from　hasty　advance。
His　form　was　of　the　same　strong　and　stalwart　contour　as　ever：　his　port　was　still　erect；　his　heir　was　still　raven　black；　nor　were　his　features　altered　or　sunk：　not　in　one　year’s　space；　by　any　sorrow；　could　his　athletic　strength　be　quelled　or　his　vigorous　prime　blighted。　But　in　his　countenance　I　saw　a　change：　that　looked　desperate　and　brooding—that　reminded　me　of　some　wronged　and　fettered　wild　beast　or　bird；　dangerous　to　approach　in　his　sullen　woe。　The　caged　eagle；　whose　gold…ringed　eyes　cruelty　has　extinguished；　might　look　as　looked　that　sightless　Samson。
And；　reader；　do　you　think　I　feared　him　in　his　blind　ferocity？—if　you　do；　you　little　know　me。　A　soft　hope　blest　with　my　sorrow　that　soon　I　should　dare　to　drop　a　kiss　on　that　brow　of　rock；　and　on　those　lips　so　sternly　sealed　beneath　it：　but　not　yet。　I　would　not　accost　him　yet。
He　descended　the　one　step；　and　advanced　slowly　and　gropingly　towards　the　grass…plat。　Where　was　his　daring　stride　now？　Then　he　paused；　as　if　he　knew　not　which　way　to　turn。　He　lifted　his　hand　and　opened　his　eyelids；　gazed　blank；　and　with　a　straining　effort；　on　the　sky；　and　toward　the　amphitheatre　of　trees：　one　saw　that　all　to　him　was　void　darkness。　He　stretched　his　right　hand　（the　left　arm；　the　mutilated　one；　he　kept　hidden　in　his　bosom）；　he　seemed　to　wish　by　touch　to　gain　an　idea　of　what　lay　around　him：　he　met　but　vacancy　still；　for　the　trees　were　some　yards　off　where　he　stood。　He　relinquished　the　endeavour；　folded　his　arms；　and　stood　quiet　and　mute　in　the　rain；　now　falling　fast　on　his　uncovered　head。　At　this　moment　John