第26部分(第3/7 页)

o　harass　him；　and　make　his　spirits　unequal。”

“What　about？”

“Family　troubles；　for　one　thing。”

“But　he　has　no　family。”

“Not　now；　but　he　has　had—or；　at　least；　relatives。　He　lost　his　elder　brother　a　few　years　since。”

“His　elder　brother？”

“Yes。　The　present　Mr。　Rochester　has　not　been　very　long　in　possession　of　the　property；　only　about　nine　years。”

“Nine　years　is　a　tolerable　time。　Was　he　so　very　fond　of　his　brother　as　to　be　still　inconsolable　for　his　loss？”

“Why；　no—perhaps　not。　I　believe　there　were　some　misunderstandings　between　them。　Mr。　Rowland　Rochester　r。　Edward；　and　perhaps　he　prejudiced　his　father　against　him。　The　old　gentleman　was　fond　of　money；　and　anxious　to　keep　the　family　estate　together。　He　did　not　like　to　diminish　the　property　by　division；　and　yet　he　was　anxious　that　Mr。　Edward　should　have　wealth；　too；　to　keep　up　the　consequence　of　the　name；　and；　soon　after　he　was　of　age；　some　steps　were　taken　that　ade　a　great　deal　of　mischief。　Old　Mr。　Rochester　and　Mr。　Rowland　bined　to　bring　Mr。　Edward　into　what　he　considered　a　painful　position；　for　the　sake　of　making　his　fortune：　what　the　precise　nature　of　that　position　was　I　never　clearly　knew；　but　his　spirit　could　not　brook　what　he　had　to　suffer　in　it。　He　is　not　very　forgiving：　he　broke　with　his　family；　and　now　for　many　years　he　has　led　an　unsettled　kind　of　life。　I　don’t　think　he　has　ever　been　resident　at　Thornfield　for　a　fortnight　together；　since　the　death　of　his　brother　without　a　will　left　him　master　of　the　estate；　and；　indeed；　no　wonder　he　shuns　the　old　place。”

“Why　should　he　shun　it？”

“Perhaps　he　thinks　it　gloomy。”

The　answer　was　evasive。　I　should　have　liked　something　clearer；　but　Mrs。　Fairfax　either　could　not；　or　would　not；　give　me　more　explicit