第46部分(第3/7 页)

ively　as　I　used　to　let　her　undress　me　when　a　child。

Old　times　crowded　fast　back　on　me　as　I　watched　her　bustling　about—　setting　out　the　tea…tray　with　her　best　china；　cutting　bread　and　butter；　toasting　a　tea…cake；　and；　between　whiles；　giving　little　Robert　or　Jane　an　occasional　tap　or　push；　just　as　she　used　to　give　me　in　former　days。　Bessie　had　retained　her　quick　temper　as　well　as　her　light　foot　and　good　looks。

Tea　ready；　I　was　going　to　approach　the　table；　but　she　desired　me　to　sit　still；　quite　in　her　old　peremptory　tones。　I　must　be　served　at　the　fireside；　she　said；　and　she　placed　before　me　a　little　round　stand　with　my　cup　and　a　plate　of　toast；　absolutely　as　she　used　to　acmodate　me　with　some　privately　purloined　dainty　on　a　nursery　chair：　and　I　smiled　and　obeyed　her　as　in　bygone　days。

She　wanted　to　know　if　I　was　happy　at　Thornfield　Hall；　and　what　sort　of　a　person　the　mistress　was；　and　when　I　told　her　there　was　only　a　master；　whether　he　was　a　nice　gentleman；　and　if　I　liked　him。　I　told　her　he　rather　an　ugly　man；　but　quite　a　gentleman；　and　that　he　treated　me　kindly；　and　I　was　content。　Then　I　went　on　to　describe　to　her　the　gay　pany　that　had　lately　been　staying　at　the　house；　and　to　these　details　Bessie　listened　with　interest：　they　were　precisely　of　the　kind　she　relished。

In　such　conversation　an　hour　was　soon　gone：　Bessie　restored　to　me　my　bon；　&c。；　and；　acpanied　by　her；　I　quitted　the　lodge　for　the　hall。　It　was　also　acpanied　by　her　that　I　had；　nearly　nine　years　ago；　walked　down　the　path　I　was　now　ascending。　On　a　dark；　misty；　raw　morning　in　January；　I　had　left　a　hostile　roof　with　a　desperate　and　embittered　heart—a　sense　of　outlawry　and　almost　of　reprobation—to　seek　the　chilly　harbourage　of　Lowood：　that　bourne　so　far　away　and　unexplored。　The　same　hostile