第33部分(第2/7 页)

hed　lady　of　rank。’

“Whenever；　in　future；　you　should　chance　to　fancy　Mr。　Rochester　thinks　well　of　you；　take　out　these　two　pictures　and　pare　them：　say；　‘Mr。　Rochester　might　probably　win　that　noble　lady’s　love；　if　he　chose　to　strive　for　it；　is　it　likely　he　would　waste　a　serious　thought　on　this　indigent　and　insignificant　plebeian？’”

“I’ll　do　it；”　I　resolved：　and　having　framed　this　determination；　I　grew　calm；　and　fell　asleep。

I　kept　my　word。　An　hour　or　two　sufficed　to　sketch　my　own　portrait　in　crayons；　and　in　less　than　a　fortnight　I　had　pleted　an　ivory　miniature　of　an　imaginary　Blanche　Ingram。　It　looked　a　lovely　face　enough；　and　when　pared　with　the　real　head　in　chalk；　the　contrast　was　as　great　as　self…control　could　desire。　I　derived　benefit　from　the　task：　it　had　kept　my　head　and　hands　employed；　and　had　given　force　and　fixedness　to　the　new　impressions　I　wished　to　stamp　indelibly　on　my　heart。

Ere　long；　I　had　reason　to　congratulate　myself　on　the　course　of　wholesome　discipline　to　which　I　had　thus　forced　my　feelings　to　submit。　Thanks　to　it；　I　was　able　to　meet　subsequent　occurrences　with　a　decent　calm；　which；　had　they　found　me　unprepared；　I　should　probably　have　been　unequal　to　maintain；　even　externally。

Chapter　17

A　week　passed；　and　no　news　arrived　of　Mr。　Rochester：　ten　days；　and　still　he　did　not　e。　Mrs。　Fairfax　said　she　should　not　be　surprised　if　he　were　to　go　straight　from　the　Leas　to　London；　and　thence　to　the　Continent；　and　not　show　his　face　again　at　Thornfield　for　a　year　to　e；　he　had　not　unfrequently　quitted　it　in　a　manner　quite　as　abrupt　and　unexpected。　When　I　heard　this；　I　was　beginning　to　feel　a　strange　chill　and　failing　at　the　heart。　I　was　actually　permitting　myself　to　experience　a　sickening　sense　of　disappointment；　but　rallying　my