第58部分(第3/7 页)

o。　I　remember　Adèle　clung　to　me　as　I　left　her：　I　remember　I　kissed　her　as　I　loosened　her　little　hands　from　my　neck；　and　I　cried　over　her　with　strange　emotion；　and　quitted　her　because　I　feared　my　sobs　would　break　her　still　sound　repose。　She　seemed　the　emblem　of　my　past　life；　and　he　I　was　now　to　array　myself　to　meet；　the　dread；　but　adored；　type　of　my　unknown　future　day。

Chapter　26

Sophie　came　at　seven　to　dress　me：　she　was　very　long　indeed　in　acplishing　her　task；　so　long　that　Mr。　Rochester；　grown；　I　suppose；　impatient　of　my　delay；　sent　up　to　ask　why　I　did　not　e。　She　was　just　fastening　my　veil　（the　plain　square　of　blond　after　all）　to　my　hair　with　a　brooch；　I　hurried　from　under　her　hands　as　soon　as　I　could。

“Stop！”　she　cried　in　French。　“Look　at　yourself　in　the　mirror：　you　have　not　taken　one　peep。”

So　I　turned　at　the　door：　I　saw　a　robed　and　veiled　figure；　so　unlike　my　usual　self　that　it　seemed　almost　the　image　of　a　stranger。　“Jane！”　called　a　voice；　and　I　hastened　down。　I　was　received　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs　by　Mr。　Rochester。

“Lingerer！”　he　said；　“my　brain　is　on　fire　with　impatience；　and　you　tarry　so　long！”

He　took　me　into　the　dining…room；　surveyed　me　keenly　all　over；　pronounced　me　“fair　as　a　lily；　and　not　only　the　pride　of　his　life；　but　the　desire　of　his　eyes；”　and　then　telling　me　he　would　give　me　but　ten　minutes　to　eat　some　breakfast；　he　rang　the　bell。　One　of　his　lately　hired　servants；　a　footman；　answered　it。

“Is　John　getting　the　carriage　ready？”

“Yes；　sir。”

“Is　the　luggage　brought　down？”

“They　are　bringing　it　down；　sir。”

“Go　you　to　the　church：　see　if　Mr。　Wood　（the　clergyman）　and　the　clerk　are　there：　return　and　tell　me。”

The　church；　as　the　reader　knows；　was　but　just　beyond　the　gates；　the　fo