第33部分(第6/7 页)

the　rest　of　her　time　was　spent　in　some　low…ceiled；　oaken　chamber　of　the　second　storey：　there　she　sat　and　sewed—and　probably　laughed　drearily　to　herself；—as　panionless　as　a　prisoner　in　his　dungeon。

The　strangest　thing　of　all　was；　that　not　a　soul　in　the　house；　except　me；　noticed　her　habits；　or　seemed　to　marvel　at　them：　no　one　discussed　her　position　or　employment；　no　one　pitied　her　solitude　or　isolation。　I　once；　indeed；　overheard　part　of　a　dialogue　between　Leah　and　one　of　the　charwomen；　of　which　Grace　formed　the　subject。　Leah　had　been　saying　something　I　had　not　caught；　and　the　charwoman　remarked—

“She　gets　good　wages；　I　guess？”

“Yes；”　said　Leah；　“I　wish　I　had　as　good；　not　that　mine　are　to　plain　of；—there’s　no　stinginess　at　Thornfield；　but　they’re　not　one　fifth　of　the　sum　Mrs。　Poole　receives。　And　she　is　laying　by：　she　goes　every　quarter　to　the　bank　at　Millcote。　I　should　not　wonder　but　she　has　saved　enough　to　keep　her　independent　if　she　liked　to　leave；　but　I　suppose　she’s　got　used　to　the　place；　and　then　she’s　not　forty　yet；　and　strong　and　able　for　anything。　It　is　too　soon　for　her　to　give　up　business。”

“She　is　a　good　hand；　I　daresay；”　said　the　charwoman。

“Ah！—she　understands　what　she　has　to　do；—nobody　better；”　rejoined　Leah　significantly；　“and　it　is　not　every　one　could　fill　her　shoes—　not　for　all　the　money　she　gets。”

“That　it　is　not！”　was　the　reply。　“I　wonder　whether　the　master—”

The　charwoman　was　going　on；　but　here　Leah　turned　and　perceived　me；　and　she　instantly　gave　her　panion　a　nudge。

“Doesn’t　she　know？”　I　heard　the　woman　whisper。

Leah　shook　her　head；　and　the　conversation　was　of　course　dropped。　All　I　had　gathered　from　it　amounted　to　this；—that　there　was　a　mystery　at　Thornfield；　and　that　from　participation　in　th