第87部分(第6/7 页)

　other　eye　inflamed：　he　lost　the　sight　of　that　also。　He　is　now　helpless；　indeed—blind　and　a　cripple。”

“Where　is　he？　Where　does　he　now　live？”

“At　Ferndean；　a　manor…house　on　a　farm　he　has；　about　thirty　miles　off：　quite　a　desolate　spot。”

“Who　is　with　him？”

“Old　John　and　his　wife：　he　would　have　none　else。　He　is　quite　broken　down；　they　say。”

“Have　you　any　sort　of　conveyance？”

“We　have　a　chaise；　ma’am；　a　very　handsome　chaise。”

“Let　it　be　got　ready　instantly；　and　if　your　post…boy　can　drive　me　to　Ferndean　before　dark　this　day；　I’ll　pay　both　you　and　him　twice　the　hire　you　usually　demand。”

Chapter　37

The　manor…house　of　Ferndean　was　a　building　of　considerable　antiquity；　moderate　size；　and　no　architectural　pretensions；　deep　buried　in　a　wood。　I　had　heard　of　it　before。　Mr。　Rochester　often　spoke　of　it；　and　sometimes　went　there。　His　father　had　purchased　the　estate　for　the　sake　of　the　game　covers。　He　would　have　let　the　house；　but　could　find　no　tenant；　in　consequence　of　its　ineligible　and　insalubrious　site。　Ferndean　then　remained　uninhabited　and　unfurnished；　with　the　exception　of　some　two　or　three　rooms　fitted　up　for　the　acmodation　of　the　squire　when　he　went　there　in　the　season　to　shoot。

To　this　house　I　came　just　ere　dark　on　an　evening　marked　by　the　characteristics　of　sad　sky；　cold　gale；　and　continued　small　perating　rain。　The　last　mile　I　performed　on　foot；　having　dismissed　the　chaise　and　driver　with　the　double　remuneration　I　had　promised。　Even　when　within　a　very　short　distance　of　the　manor…　house；　you　could　see　nothing　of　it；　so　thick　and　dark　grew　the　timber　of　the　gloomy　wood　about　it。　Iron　gates　between　granite　pillars　showed　me　where　to　enter；　and　passing　through　them；　I　found　myself　at　once　in　the　twilight　of　clos