第78部分(第3/7 页)

“But　I　apprised　you　that　I　was　a　hard　man；”　said　he；　“difficult　to　persuade。”

“And　I　am　a　hard　woman；—impossible　to　put　off。”

“And　then；”　he　pursued；　“I　am　cold：　no　fervour　infects　me。”

“Whereas　I　am　hot；　and　fire　dissolves　ice。　The　blaze　there　has　thawed　all　the　snow　from　your　cloak；　by　the　same　token；　it　has　streamed　on　to　my　floor；　and　made　it　like　a　trampled　street。　As　you　hope　ever　to　be　forgiven；　Mr。　Rivers；　the　high　crime　and　misdemeanour　of　spoiling　a　sanded　kitchen；　tell　me　what　I　wish　to　know。”

“Well；　then；”　he　said；　“I　yield；　if　not　to　your　earnestness；　to　your　perseverance：　as　stone　is　worn　by　continual　dropping。　Besides；　you　must　know　some　day；—as　well　now　as　later。　Your　name　is　Jane　Eyre？”

“Of　course：　that　was　all　settled　before。”

“You　are　not；　perhaps；　aware　that　I　am　your　namesake？—that　I　was　christened　St。　John　Eyre　Rivers？”

“No；　indeed！　I　remember　now　seeing　the　letter　E。　prised　in　your　initials　written　in　books　you　have　at　different　times　lent　me；　but　I　never　asked　for　what　name　it　stood。　But　what　then？　Surely—”

I　stopped：　I　could　not　trust　myself　to　entertain；　much　less　to　express；　the　thought　that　rushed　upon　me—that　embodied　itself；—　that；　in　a　second；　stood　out　a　strong；　solid　probability。　Circumstances　knit　themselves；　fitted　themselves；　shot　into　order：　the　chain　that　had　been　lying　hitherto　a　formless　lump　of　links　was　drawn　out　straight；—every　ring　was　perfect；　the　connection　plete。　I　knew；　by　instinct；　how　the　matter　stood；　before　St。　John　had　said　another　word；　but　I　cannot　expect　the　reader　to　have　the　same　intuitive　perception；　so　I　must　repeat　his　explanation。

“My　mother’s　name　was　Eyre；　she　had　two　brothers；　one　a　clergyman；　who　married　Miss　Jane　Reed；　of　Gateshead；　the