第51部分(第3/7 页)

ould　not　do　to　risk　a　long　sentence；　for　my　voice　and。

“In　about　a　month　I　hope　to　be　a　bridegroom；”　continued　Mr。　Rochester；　“and　in　the　interim；　I　shall　myself　look　out　for　employment　and　an　asylum　for　you。”

“Thank　you；　sir；　I　am　sorry　to　give—”

“Oh；　no　need　to　apologise！　I　consider　that　when　a　dependent　does　her　duty　as　well　as　you　have　done　yours；　she　has　a　sort　of　claim　upon　her　employer　for　any　little　assistance　he　can　conveniently　render　her；　indeed　I　have　already；　through　my　future　mother…in…law；　heard　of　a　place　that　I　think　will　suit：　it　is　to　undertake　the　education　of　the　five　daughters　of　Mrs。　Dionysius　O’Gall　of　Bitternutt　Lodge；　Connaught；　Ireland。　You’ll　like　Ireland；　I　think：　they’re　such　warm…hearted　people　there；　they　say。”

“It　is　a　long　way　off；　sir。”

“No　matter—a　girl　of　your　sense　will　not　object　to　the　voyage　or　the　distance。”

“Not　the　voyage；　but　the　distance：　and　then　the　sea　is　a　barrier—”

“From　what；　Jane？”

“From　England　and　from　Thornfield：　and—”

“Well？”

“From　you；　sir。”

I　said　this　almost　involuntarily；　and；　with　as　little　sanction　of　free　will；　my　tears　gushed　out。　I　did　not　cry　so　as　to　be　heard；　however；　I　avoided　sobbing。　The　thought　of　Mrs。　O’Gall　and　Bitternutt　Lodge　struck　cold　to　my　heart；　and　colder　the　thought　of　all　the　brine　and　foam；　destined；　as　it　seemed；　to　rush　between　me　and　the　master　at　whose　side　I　now　walked；　and　coldest　the　remembrance　of　the　wider　ocean—wealth；　caste；　custom　intervened　between　me　and　what　I　naturally　and　inevitably　loved。

“It　is　a　long　way；”　I　again　said。

“It　is；　to　be　sure；　and　when　you　get　to　Bitternutt　Lodge；　Connaught；　Ireland；　I　shall　never　see　you　again；　Jane：　that’s　morally　certain。　I　never　go　over　to　Ire