第27部分(第4/7 页)

　I　leave　both　the　choice　of　subject　and　the　manner　of　treating　it　entirely　to　yourself。”

Accordingly　I　sat　and　said　nothing：　“If　he　expects　me　to　talk　for　the　mere　sake　of　talking　and　showing　off；　he　will　find　he　has　addressed　himself　to　the　wrong　person；”　I　thought。

“You　are　dumb；　Miss　Eyre。”

I　was　dumb　still。　He　bent　his　head　a　little　towards　me；　and　with　a　single　hasty　glance　seemed　to　dive　into　my　eyes。

“Stubborn？”　he　said；　“and　annoyed。　Ah！　it　is　consistent。　I　put　my　request　in　an　absurd；　almost　insolent　form。　Miss　Eyre；　I　beg　your　pardon。　The　fact　is；　once　for　all；　I　don’t　wish　to　treat　you　like　an　inferior：　that　is”　（correcting　himself）；　“I　claim　only　such　superiority　as　must　result　from　twenty　years’　difference　in　age　and　a　century’s　advance　in　experience。　This　is　legitimate；　et　j’y　tiens；　as　Adèle　would　say；　and　it　is　by　virtue　of　this　superiority；　and　this　alone；　that　I　desire　you　to　have　the　goodness　to　talk　to　me　a　little　now；　and　divert　my　thoughts；　which　are　galled　with　dwelling　on　one　point—cankering　as　a　rusty　nail。”

He　had　deigned　an　explanation；　almost　an　apology；　and　I　did　not　feel　insensible　to　his　condescension；　and　would　not　seem　so。

“I　am　willing　to　amuse　you；　if　I　can；　sir—quite　willing；　but　I　cannot　introduce　a　topic；　because　how　do　I　know　what　will　interest　you？　Ask　me　questions；　and　I　will　do　my　best　to　answer　them。”

“Then；　in　the　first　place；　do　you　agree　with　me　that　I　have　a　right　to　be　a　little　masterful；　abrupt；　perhaps　exacting；　sometimes；　on　the　grounds　I　stated；　namely；　that　I　am　old　enough　to　be　your　father；　and　that　I　have　battled　through　a　varied　experience　with　many　men　of　many　nations；　and　roamed　over　half　the　globe；　while　you　have　lived　quietly　with　one　set　of　people　in　one　house？”