第60部分(第1/7 页)

。　Were　I　not　morally　certain　that　your　uncle　will　be　dead　ere　you　reach　Madeira；　I　would　advise　you　to　acpany　Mr。　Mason　back；　but　as　it　is；　I　think　you　had　better　remain　in　England　till　you　can　hear　further；　either　from　or　of　Mr。　Eyre。　Have　we　anything　else　to　stay　for？”　he　inquired　of　Mr。　Mason。

“No；　no—let　us　be　gone；”　was　the　anxious　reply；　and　without　waiting　to　take　leave　of　Mr。　Rochester；　they　made　their　exit　at　the　hall　door。　The　clergyman　stayed　to　exchange　a　few　sentences；　either　of　admonition　or　reproof；　with　his　haughty　parishioner；　this　duty　done；　he　too　departed。

I　heard　him　go　as　I　stood　at　the　half…open　door　of　my　own　room；　to　which　I　had　now　withdrawn。　The　house　cleared；　I　shut　myself　in；　fastened　the　bolt　that　none　might　intrude；　and　proceeded—not　to　weep；　not　to　mourn；　I　was　yet　too　calm　for　that；　but—mechanically　to　take　off　the　wedding　dress；　and　replace　it　by　the　stuff　gown　I　had　worn　yesterday；　as　I　thought；　for　the　last　time。　I　then　sat　down：　I　felt　weak　and　tired。　I　leaned　my　arms　on　a　table；　and　my　head　dropped　on　them。　And　now　I　thought：　till　now　I　had　only　heard；　seen；　moved—followed　up　and　down　where　I　was　led　or　dragged—watched　event　rush　on　event；　disclosure　open　beyond　disclosure：　but　now；　I　thought。

The　morning　had　been　a　quiet　morning　enough—all　except　the　brief　scene　with　the　lunatic：　the　transaction　in　the　church　had　not　been　noisy；　there　was　no　explosion　of　passion；　no　loud　altercation；　no　dispute；　no　defiance　or　challenge；　no　tears；　no　sobs：　a　few　words　had　been　spoken；　a　calmly　pronounced　objection　to　the　marriage　made；　some　stern；　short　questions　put　by　Mr。　Rochester；　answers；　explanations　given；　evidence　adduced；　an　open　admission　of　the　truth　had　been　uttered　by　my　master；　then　the　living　proof　had　been　s