第26部分(第6/7 页)

em。　Nor　do　I　particularly　affect　simple…minded　old　ladies。　By…　the…bye；　I　must　have　mine　in　mind；　it　won’t　do　to　neglect　her；　she　is　a　Fairfax；　or　wed　to　one；　and　blood　is　said　to　be　thicker　than　water。”

He　rang；　and　despatched　an　invitation　to　Mrs。　Fairfax；　who　soon　arrived；　knitting…basket　in　hand。

“Good　evening；　madam；　I　sent　to　you　for　a　charitable　purpose。　I　have　forbidden　Adèle　to　talk　to　me　about　her　presents；　and　she　is　bursting　with　repletion：　have　the　goodness　to　serve　her　as　auditress　and　interlocutrice；　it　will　be　one　of　the　most　benevolent　acts　you　ever　performed。”

Adèle；　indeed；　no　sooner　saw　Mrs。　Fairfax；　than　she　summoned　her　to　her　sofa；　and　there　quickly　filled　her　lap　with　the　porcelain；　the　ivory；　the　waxen　contents　of　her　“boite；”　pouring　out；　meantime；　explanations　and　raptures　in　such　broken　English　as　she　was　mistress　of。

“Now　I　have　performed　the　part　of　a　good　host；”　pursued　Mr。　Rochester；　“put　my　guests　into　the　way　of　amusing　each　other；　I　ought　to　be　at　liberty　to　attend　to　my　own　pleasure。　Miss　Eyre；　draw　your　chair　still　a　little　farther　forward：　you　are　yet　too　far　back；　I　cannot　see　you　without　disturbing　my　position　in　this　fortable　chair；　which　I　have　no　mind　to　do。”

I　did　as　I　was　bid；　though　I　would　much　rather　have　remained　somewhat　in　the　shade；　but　Mr。　Rochester　had　such　a　direct　way　of　giving　orders；　it　seemed　a　matter　of　course　to　obey　him　promptly。

We　were；　as　I　have　said；　in　the　dining…room：　the　lustre；　which　had　been　lit　for　dinner；　filled　the　room　with　a　festal　breadth　of　light；　the　large　fire　was　all　red　and　clear；　the　purple　curtains　hung　rich　and　ample　before　the　lofty　window　and　loftier　arch；　everything　was　still；　save　the　subdued　chat　of　Adèle　（she　dared　not　speak　loud）；　and；　fi