《简爱(英文版)》第167章

way。　John；　when　I　turned　to　him；　was　grinning　from　ear　to　ear。
“I　telled　Mary　how　it　would　be；”　he　said：　“I　knew　what　Mr。　Edward”　（John　was　an　old　servant；　and　had　known　his　master　when　he　was　the　cadet　of　the　house；　therefore；　he　often　gave　him　his　Christian　name）—“I　knew　what　Mr。　Edward　would　do；　and　I　was　certain　he　would　not　wait　long　neither：　and　he’s　done　right；　for　aught　I　know。　I　wish　you　joy；　Miss！”　and　he　politely　pulled　his　forelock。
“Thank　you；　John。　Mr。　Rochester　told　me　to　give　you　and　Mary　this。”　I　put　into　his　hand　a　five…pound　note。　Without　waiting　to　hear　more；　I　left　the　kitchen。　In　passing　the　door　of　that　sanctum　some　time　after；　I　caught　the　words—
“She’ll　happen　do　better　for　him　nor　ony　o’t’　grand　ladies。”　And　again；　“If　she　ben’t　one　o’　th’　handsomest；　she’s　noan　faal　and　varry　good…natured；　and　i’　his　een　she’s　fair　beautiful；　onybody　may　see　that。”
I　wrote　to　Moor　House　and　to　Cambridge　immediately；　to　say　what　I　had　done：　fully　explaining　also　why　I　had　thus　acted。　Diana　and　Mary　approved　the　step　unreservedly。　Diana　announced　that　she　would　just　give　me　time　to　get　over　the　honeymoon；　and　then　she　would　e　and　see　me。
“She　had　better　not　wait　till　then；　Jane；”　said　Mr。　Rochester；　when　I　read　her　letter　to　him；　“if　she　does；　she　will　be　too　late；　for　our　honeymoon　will　shine　our　life　long：　its　beams　will　only　fade　over　your　grave　or　mine。”
How　St。　John　received　the　news；　I　don’t　know：　he　never　answered　the　letter　in　which　I　municated　it：　yet　six　months　after　he　wrote　to　me；　without；　however；　mentioning　Mr。　Rochester’s　name　or　alluding　to　my　marriage。　His　letter　was　then　calm；　and；　though　very　serious；　kind。　He　has　maintained　a　regular；　though　not　frequent；　correspondence　ever　since：　he　hopes　I　am　happy；　and　trusts　I　am　not　of　those　who　live　without　God　in　the　world；　and　only　mind　earthly　things。
You　have　not　quite　forgotten　little　Adèle；　have　you；　reader？　I　had　not；　I　soon　asked　and　obtained　leave　of　Mr。　Rochester；　to　go　and　see　her　at　the　school　where　he　had　placed　her。　Her　frantic　joy　at　beholding　me　again　moved　me　much。　She　looked　pale　and　thin：　she　said　she　was　not　happy。　I　found　the　rules　of　the　establishment　were　too　strict；　its　course　of　study　too　severe　for　a　child　of　her　age：　I　took　her　home　with　me。　I　meant　to　bee　her　governess　once　more；　but　I　soon　found　this　impracticable；　my　time　and　cares　y　husband　needed　them　all。　So　I　sought　out　a　school　conducted　on　a　more　indulgent　system；　and　near　enough　to　permit　of　my　visiting　her　often；　and　bringing　her　home　sometimes。　I　took　care　she　should　never　want　for　anything　that　could　contribute　to　her　fort：　she　soon　settled　in　her　new　abode；　became　very　happy　there；　and　made　fair　progress　in　her　studies。　As　she　grew　up；　a　sound　English　education　corrected　in　a　great　measure　her　French　defects；　and　when　she　left　school；　I　found　in　her　a　pleasing　and　obliging　panion：　docile；　good…tempered；　and　well…principled。　By　her　grateful　attention　to　me　and　mine；　she　has　long　since　well　repaid　any　little　kindness　I　ever　had　it　in　my　power　to　offer　her。
My　tale　draws　to　its　close：　one　word　respecting　my　experience　of　married　life；　and　one　brief　glance　at　the　fortunes　of　those　whose　names　have　most　frequently　recurred　in　this　narrative；　and　I　have　done。
I　have　now　been　married　ten　years。　I　know　what　it　is　to　live　entirely　for　and　with　what　I　love　best　on　earth。　I　hold　myself　supremely　blest—blest　beyond　what　language　can　express；　because　I　am　my　husband’s　life　as　fully　is　he　is　mine。　No　woman　was　ever　nearer　to　her　mate　than　I　am：　ever　more　absolutely　bone　of　his　bone　and　flesh　of　his　flesh。　I　know　no　weariness　of　my　Edward’s　society：　he　knows　none　of　mine；　any　more　than　we　each　do　of　the　pulsation　of　the　heart　that　beats　in　our　separate　bosoms；　consequently；　we　are　ever　together。　To　be　together　is　for　us　to　be　at　once　as　free　as　in　solitude；　as　gay　as　in　pany。　We　talk；　I　believe；　all　day　long：　to　talk　to　each　other　is　but　a　more　animated　and　an　audible　thinking。　All　my　confidence　is　bestowed　on　him；　all　his　confidence　is　devoted　to　me；　we　are　precisely　suited　in　character—perfect　concord　is　the　result。
Mr。　Rochester　continued　blind　the　first　two　years　of　our　union；　perhaps　it　was　that　circumstance　that　drew　us　so　very　near—that　knit　us　so　very　close：　for　I　was　then　his　vision；　as　I　am　still　his　right　hand。　Literally；　I　was　（what　he　often　called　me）　the　apple　of　his　eye。　He　saw　nature—he　saw　books　through　me；　and　never　did　I　weary　of　gazing　for　his　behalf；　and　of　putting　into　words　the　effect　of　field；　tree；　town；　river；　cloud；　sunbeam—of　the　landscape　before　us；　of　the　weather　round　us—and　impressing　by　sound　on　his　ear　what　light　could　no　longer　stamp　on　his　eye。　Never　did　I　weary　of　reading　to　him；　never　did　I　weary　of　conducting　him　where　he　wished　to　go：　of　doing　for　him　what　he　wished　to　be　done。　And　there　was　a　pleasure　in　my　services；　most　full；　most　exquisite；　even　though　sad—because　he　claimed　these　services　without　painful　shame　or　damping　humiliation。　He　loved　me　so　truly；　that　he　knew　no　reluctance　in　profiting　by　my　attendance：　he　felt　I　loved　him　so　fondly；　that　to　yield　that　attendance　was　to　indulge　my　sweetest　wishes。
One　morning　at　the　end　of　the　two　years；　as　I　was　writing　a　letter　to　his　dictation；　he　came　and　bent　over　me；　and　said—“Jane；　have　you　a　glittering　ornament　round　your　neck？”
I　had　a　gold　watch…chain：　I　answered　“Yes。”
“And　have　you　a　pale　blue　dress　on？”
I　had。　He　informed　me　then；　that　for　some　time　he　had　fancied　the　obscurity　clouding　one　eye　was　being　less　dense；　and　that　now　he　was　sure　of　it。
He　and　I　went　up　to　London。　He　had　the　advice　of　an　eminent　oculist；　and　he　eventually　recovered　the　sight　of　that　one　eye。　He　cannot　now　see　very　distinctly：　he　cannot　read　or　write　much；　but　he　can　find　his　way　without　being　led　by　the　hand：　the　sky　is　no　longer　a　blank　to　him—the　earth　no　longer　a　void。　When　his　first…　born　was　put　into　his　arms；　he　could　see　that　the　boy　had　inherited　his　own　eyes；　as　they　once　were—large；　brilliant；　and　black。　On　that　occasion；　he　again；　with　a　full　heart；　acknowledged　that　God　had　tempered　judgment　with　mercy。
My　Edward　and　I；　then；　are　h