第5部分(第5/7 页)

als　alone；　and　pass　all　my　time　in　the　nursery；　while　my　cousins　were　constantly　in　the　drawing…room。　Not　a　hint；　however；　did　she　drop　about　sending　me　to　school：　still　I　felt　an　instinctive　certainty　that　she　would　not　long　endure　me　under　the　same　roof　with　her；　for　her　glance；　now　more　than　ever；　when　turned　on　me；　expressed　an　insuperable　and　rooted　aversion。

Eliza　and　Georgiana；　evidently　acting　according　to　orders；　spoke　to　me　as　little　as　possible：　John　thrust　his　tongue　in　his　cheek　whenever　he　saw　me；　and　once　attempted　chastisement；　but　as　I　instantly　turned　against　him；　roused　by　the　same　sentiment　of　deep　ire　and　desperate　revolt　which　had　stirred　my　corruption　before；　he　thought　it　better　to　desist；　and　ran　from　me　tittering　execrations；　and　vowing　I　had　burst　his　nose。　I　had　indeed　levelled　at　that　prominent　feature　as　hard　a　blow　as　my　knuckles　could　inflict；　and　when　I　saw　that　either　that　or　my　look　daunted　him；　I　had　the　greatest　inclination　to　follow　up　my　advantage　to　purpose；　but　he　was　already　with　his　mama。　I　heard　him　in　a　blubbering　tone　mence　the　tale　of　how　“that　nasty　Jane　Eyre”　had　flown　at　him　like　a　mad　cat：　he　was　stopped　rather　harshly—

“Don’t　talk　to　me　about　her；　John：　I　told　you　not　to　go　near　her；　she　is　not　worthy　of　notice；　I　do　not　choose　that　either　you　or　your　sisters　should　associate　with　her。”

Here；　leaning　over　the　banister；　I　cried　out　suddenly；　and　without　at　all　deliberating　on　my　words—

“They　are　not　fit　to　associate　with　me。”

Mrs。　Reed　was　rather　a　stout　woman；　but；　on　hearing　this　strange　and　audacious　declaration；　she　ran　nimbly　up　the　stair；　swept　me　like　a　whirlwind　into　the　nursery；　and　crushing　me　down　on　the　edge　of　my　crib；　dared　me　in　an　emphatic　voice　to　rise　from　that　place；