第69部分(第5/7 页)

“I　have　kept　myself；　and；　I　trust；　shall　keep　myself　again。　What　are　you　going　to　do　with　these　gooseberries？”　I　inquired；　as　she　brought　out　a　basket　of　the　fruit。

“Mak’　‘em　into　pies。”

“Give　them　to　me　and　I’ll　pick　them。”

“Nay；　I　dunnut　want　ye　to　do　nought。”

“But　I　must　do　something。　Let　me　have　them。”

She　consented；　and　she　even　brought　me　a　clean　towel　to　spread　over　my　dress；　“lest；”　as　she　said；　“I　should　mucky　it。”

“Ye’ve　not　been　used　to　sarvant’s　wark；　I　see　by　your　hands；”　she　remarked。　“Happen　ye’ve　been　a　dressmaker？”

“No；　you　are　wrong。　And　now；　never　mind　what　I　have　been：　don’t　trouble　your　head　further　about　me；　but　tell　me　the　name　of　the　house　where　we　are。”

“Some　calls　it　Marsh　End；　and　some　calls　it　Moor　House。”

“And　the　gentleman　who　lives　here　is　called　Mr。　St。　John？”

“Nay；　he　doesn’t　live　here：　he　is　only　staying　a　while。　When　he　is　at　home；　he　is　in　his　own　parish　at　Morton。”

“That　village　a　few　miles　off？

“Aye。”

“And　what　is　he？”

“He　is　a　parson。”

I　remembered　the　answer　of　the　old　housekeeper　at　the　parsonage；　when　I　had　asked　to　see　the　clergyman。　“This；　then；　was　his　father’s　residence？”

“Aye；　old　Mr。　Rivers　lived　here；　and　his　father；　and　grandfather；　and　gurt　（great）　grandfather　afore　him。”

“The　name；　then；　of　that　gentleman；　is　Mr。　St。　John　Rivers？”

“Aye；　St。　John　is　like　his　kirstened　name。”

“And　his　sisters　are　called　Diana　and　Mary　Rivers？”

“Yes。”

“Their　father　is　dead？”

“Dead　three　weeks　sin’　of　a　stroke。”

“They　have　no　mother？”

“The　mistress　has　been　dead　this　mony　a　year。”

“Have　you　lived　with　the　family　long？”

“I’ve　lived　here　thirty　year。　I　nursed