第31部分(第3/7 页)

“I　think　I　hear　Mrs。　Fairfax　move；　sir；”　said　I。

“Well；　leave　me：”　he　relaxed　his　fingers；　and　I　was　gone。

I　regained　my　couch；　but　never　thought　of　sleep。　Till　morning　dawned　I　was　tossed　on　a　buoyant　but　unquiet　sea；　where　billows　of　trouble　rolled　under　surges　of　joy。　I　thought　sometimes　I　saw　beyond　its　wild　waters　a　shore；　sweet　as　the　hills　of　Beulah；　and　now　and　then　a　freshening　gale；　wakened　by　hope；　bore　my　spirit　triumphantly　towards　the　bourne：　but　I　could　not　reach　it；　even　in　fancy—a　counteracting　breeze　blew　off　land；　and　continually　drove　me　back。　Sense　would　resist　delirium：　judgment　would　warn　passion。　Too　feverish　to　rest；　I　rose　as　soon　as　day　dawned。

Chapter　16

I　both　wished　and　feared　to　see　Mr。　Rochester　on　the　day　which　followed　this　sleepless　night：　I　wanted　to　hear　his　voice　again；　yet　feared　to　meet　his　eye。　During　the　early　part　of　the　morning；　I　momentarily　expected　his　ing；　he　was　not　in　the　frequent　habit　of　entering　the　schoolroom；　but　he　did　step　in　for　a　few　minutes　sometimes；　and　I　had　the　impression　that　he　was　sure　to　visit　it　that　day。

But　the　morning　passed　just　as　usual：　nothing　happened　to　interrupt　the　quiet　course　of　Adèle’s　studies；　only　soon　after　breakfast；　I　heard　some　bustle　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Mr。　Rochester’s　chamber；　Mrs。　Fairfax’s　voice；　and　Leah’s；　and　the　cook’s—that　is；　John’s　wife—and　even　John’s　own　gruff　tones。　There　were　exclamations　of　“What　a　mercy　master　was　not　burnt　in　his　bed！”　“It　is　always　dangerous　to　keep　a　candle　lit　at　night。”　“How　providential　that　he　had　presence　of　mind　to　think　of　the　water…jug！”　“I　wonder　he　waked　nobody！”　“It　is　to　be　hoped　he　will　not　take　cold　with　sleeping　on　the　library　sofa；”　&c。

To　much　confabulation　succeeded　a　sound　of