第54部分(第5/7 页)

are　mine；　and　we　shall　leave　earth；　and　make　our　own　heaven　yonder。’　She　nodded　again　at　the　moon。　The　ring；　Adèle；　is　in　my　breeches…pocket；　under　the　disguise　of　a　sovereign：　but　I　mean　soon　to　change　it　to　a　ring　again。”

“But　what　has　mademoiselle　to　do　with　it？　I　don’t　care　for　the　fairy：　you　said　it　was　mademoiselle　you　would　take　to　the　moon？”

“Mademoiselle　is　a　fairy；”　he　said；　whispering　mysteriously。　Whereupon　I　told　her　not　to　mind　his　badinage；　and　she；　on　her　part；　evinced　a　fund　of　genuine　French　scepticism：　denominating　Mr。　Rochester　“un　vrai　menteur；”　and　assuring　him　that　she　made　no　account　whatever　of　his　“contes　de　fee；”　and　that　“du　reste；　il　n’y　avait　pas　de　fées；　et　quand　meme　il　y　en　avait：”　she　was　sure　they　would　never　appear　to　him；　nor　ever　give　him　rings；　or　offer　to　live　with　him　in　the　moon。

The　hour　spent　at　Millcote　was　a　somewhat　harassing　one　to　me。　Mr。　Rochester　obliged　me　to　go　to　a　certain　silk　warehouse：　there　I　was　ordered　to　choose　half…a…dozen　dresses。　I　hated　the　business；　I　begged　leave　to　defer　it：　no—it　should　be　gone　through　with　now。　By　dint　of　entreaties　expressed　in　energetic　whispers；　I　reduced　the　half…dozen　to　two：　these　however；　he　vowed　he　would　select　himself。　With　anxiety　I　watched　his　eye　rove　over　the　gay　stores：　he　fixed　on　a　rich　silk　of　the　most　brilliant　amethyst　dye；　and　a　superb　pink　satin。　I　told　him　in　a　new　series　of　whispers；　that　he　might　as　well　buy　me　a　gold　gown　and　a　silver　bon　at　once：　I　should　certainly　never　venture　to　wear　his　choice。　With　infinite　difficulty；　for　he　was　stubborn　as　a　stone；　I　persuaded　him　to　make　an　exchange　in　favour　of　a　sober　black　satin　and　pearl…grey　silk。　“It　might　pass　for　the　present；”　he　said；　“but　he　would　yet　see　me　glittering　like　a　parterre。”