第52部分(第4/7 页)

o　my　door　in　the　course　of　it；　to　ask　if　I　fort；　that　was　strength　for　anything。

Before　I　left　my　bed　in　the　morning；　little　Adèle　came　running　in　to　tell　me　that　the　great　horse…chestnut　at　the　bottom　of　the　orchard　had　been　struck　by　lightning　in　the　night；　and　half　of　it　split　away。

Chapter　24

As　I　rose　and　dressed；　I　thought　over　what　had　happened；　and　wondered　if　it　were　a　dream。　I　could　not　be　certain　of　the　reality　till　I　had　seen　Mr。　Rochester　again；　and　heard　him　renew　his　words　of　love　and　promise。

While　arranging　my　hair；　I　looked　at　my　face　in　the　glass；　and　felt　it　was　no　longer　plain：　there　was　hope　in　its　aspect　and　life　in　its　colour；　and　my　eyes　seemed　as　if　they　had　beheld　the　fount　of　fruition；　and　borrowed　beams　from　the　lustrous　ripple。　I　had　often　been　unwilling　to　look　at　my　master；　because　I　feared　he　could　not　be　pleased　at　my　look；　but　I　was　sure　I　might　lift　my　face　to　his　now；　and　not　cool　his　affection　by　its　expression。　I　took　a　plain　but　clean　and　light　summer　dress　from　my　drawer　and　put　it　on：　it　seemed　no　attire　had　ever　so　well　bee　me；　because　none　had　I　ever　worn　in　so　blissful　a　mood。

I　was　not　surprised；　when　I　ran　down　into　the　hall；　to　see　that　a　brilliant　June　morning　had　succeeded　to　the　tempest　of　the　night；　and　to　feel；　through　the　open　glass　door；　the　breathing　of　a　fresh　and　fragrant　breeze。　Nature　must　be　gladsome　when　I　was　so　happy。　A　beggar…woman　and　her　little　boy—pale；　ragged　objects　both—were　ing　up　the　walk；　and　I　ran　down　and　gave　them　all　the　money　I　happened　to　have　in　my　purse—some　three　or　four　shillings：　good　or　bad；　they　must　partake　of　my　jubilee。　The　rooks　cawed；　and　blither　birds　sang；　but　nothing　was　so　merry　or　so　musical　as　my　own　rejoicing　heart。

Mrs。　Fairfax　su