第29部分(第3/7 页)

ows　reflecting　that　metal　welkin：　and　yet　how　long　have　I　abhorred　the　very　thought　of　it；　shunned　it　like　a　great　plague…house？　How　I　do　still　abhor　—”

He　ground　his　teeth　and　was　silent：　he　arrested　his　step　and　struck　his　boot　against　the　hard　ground。　Some　hated　thought　seemed　to　have　him　in　its　grip；　and　to　hold　him　so　tightly　that　he　could　not　advance。

We　were　ascending　the　avenue　when　he　thus　paused；　the　hall　was　before　us。　Lifting　his　eye　to　its　battlements；　he　cast　over　them　a　glare　such　as　I　never　saw　before　or　since。　Pain；　shame；　ire；　impatience；　disgust；　detestation；　seemed　momentarily　to　hold　a　quivering　conflict　in　the　large　pupil　dilating　under　his　ebon　eyebrow。　Wild　was　the　wrestle　which　should　be　paramount；　but　another　feeling　rose　and　triumphed：　something　hard　and　cynical：　self…willed　and　resolute：　it　settled　his　passion　and　petrified　his　countenance：　he　went　on—

“During　the　moment　I　was　silent；　Miss　Eyre；　I　was　arranging　a　point　with　my　destiny。　She　stood　there；　by　that　beech…trunk—a　hag　like　one　of　those　who　appeared　to　Macbeth　on　the　heath　of　Forres。　‘You　like　Thornfield？’　she　said；　lifting　her　finger；　and　then　she　wrote　in　the　air　a　memento；　which　ran　in　lurid　hieroglyphics　all　along　the　house…front；　between　the　upper　and　lower　row　of　windows；　‘Like　it　if　you　can！　Like　it　if　you　dare！’

“‘I　will　like　it；’　said　I；　‘I　dare　like　it；’　and”　（he　subjoined　moodily）　“I　will　keep　my　word；　I　will　break　obstacles　to　happiness；　to　goodness—yes；　goodness。　I　wish　to　be　a　better　man　than　I　have　been；　than　I　am；　as　Job’s　leviathan　broke　the　spear；　the　dart；　and　the　habergeon；　hindrances　which　others　count　as　iron　and　brass；　I　will　esteem　but　straw　and　rotten　wood。”

Adèle　here　ran　before　him　with　her　shuttlecock。　“Away！”　he　cried　ha