第44部分(第4/7 页)

。”

“If　you　have　no　more　to　fear　from　Mr。　Mason　than　you　have　from　me；　sir；　you　are　very　safe。”

“God　grant　it　may　be　so！　Here；　Jane；　is　an　arbour；　sit　down。”

The　arbour　was　an　arch　in　the　wall；　lined　with　ivy；　it　contained　a　rustic　seat。　Mr。　Rochester　took　it；　leaving　room；　however；　for　me：　but　I　stood　before　him。

“Sit；”　he　said；　“the　bench　is　long　enough　for　two。　You　don’t　hesitate　to　take　a　place　at　my　side；　do　you？　Is　that　wrong；　Jane？”

I　answered　him　by　assuming　it：　to　refuse　would；　I　felt；　have　been　unwise。

“Now；　my　little　friend；　while　the　sun　drinks　the　dew—while　all　the　flowers　in　this　old　garden　awake　and　expand；　and　the　birds　fetch　their　young　ones’　breakfast　out　of　the　Thornfield；　and　the　early　bees　do　their　first　spell　of　work—I’ll　put　a　case　to　you；　which　you　must　endeavour　to　suppose　your　own：　but　first；　look　at　me；　and　tell　me　you　are　at　ease；　and　not　fearing　that　I　err　in　detaining　you；　or　that　you　err　in　staying。”

“No；　sir；　I　am　content。”

“Well　then；　Jane；　call　to　aid　your　fancy：…　suppose　you　were　no　longer　a　girl　well　reared　and　disciplined；　but　a　wild　boy　indulged　from　childhood　upwards；　imagine　yourself　in　a　remote　foreign　land；　conceive　that　you　there　mit　a　capital　error；　no　matter　of　what　nature　or　from　what　motives；　but　one　ust　follow　you　through　life　and　taint　all　your　existence。　Mind；　I　don’t　say　a　crime；　I　am　not　speaking　of　shedding　of　blood　or　any　other　guilty　act；　which　might　make　the　perpetrator　amenable　to　the　law：　my　word　is　error。　The　results　of　what　you　have　done　bee　in　time　to　you　utterly　insupportable；　you　take　measures　to　obtain　relief：　unusual　measures；　but　neither　unlawful　nor　culpable。　Still　you　are　miserable；　for　hope　has　quitted　you　on　the　very　confines　of　life：　your　sun　at