第61部分(第2/7 页)

ed。　I　charged　them　to　conceal　from　you；　before　I　ever　saw　you；　all　knowledge　of　the　curse　of　the　place；　merely　because　I　feared　Adèle　never　would　have　a　governess　to　stay　if　she　knew　with　what　inmate　she　was　housed；　and　my　plans　would　not　permit　me　to　remove　the　maniac　elsewhere—though　I　possess　an　old　house；　Ferndean　Manor；　even　more　retired　and　hidden　than　this；　where　I　could　have　lodged　her　safely　enough；　had　not　a　scruple　about　the　unhealthiness　of　the　situation；　in　the　heart　of　a　wood；　made　my　conscience　recoil　from　the　arrangement。　Probably　those　damp　walls　would　soon　have　eased　me　of　her　charge：　but　to　each　villain　his　own　vice；　and　mine　is　not　a　tendency　to　indirect　assassination；　even　of　what　I　most　hate。

“Concealing　the　mad…woman’s　neighbourhood　from　you；　however；　was　something　like　covering　a　child　with　a　cloak　and　laying　it　down　near　a　upas…tree：　that　demon’s　vicinage　is　poisoned；　and　always　was。　But　I’ll　shut　up　Thornfield　Hall：　I’ll　nail　up　the　front　door　and　board　the　lower　windows：　I’ll　give　Mrs。　Poole　two　hundred　a　year　to　live　here　with　my　wife；　as　you　term　that　fearful　hag：　Grace　will　do　much　for　money；　and　she　shall　have　her　son；　the　keeper　at　Grimsby　Retreat；　to　bear　her　pany　and　be　at　hand　to　give　her　aid　in　the　paroxysms；　when　my　wife　is　prompted　by　her　familiar　to　burn　people　in　their　beds　at　night；　to　stab　them；　to　bite　their　flesh　from　their　bones；　and　so　on—”

“Sir；”　I　interrupted　him；　“you　are　inexorable　for　that　unfortunate　lady：　you　speak　of　her　with　hate—with　vindictive　antipathy。　It　is　cruel—she　cannot　help　being　mad。”

“Jane；　my　little　darling　（so　I　will　call　you；　for　so　you　are）；　you　don’t　know　what　you　are　talking　about；　you　misjudge　me　again：　it　is　not　because　she　is　mad　I　hate　her。　If　you　were　mad；　do　you　think　I　s