第38部分(第1/7 页)

“Now；　Dent；”　continued　Mr。　Rochester；　“it　is　your　turn。”　And　as　the　other　party　withdrew；　he　and　his　band　took　the　vacated　seats。　Miss　Ingram　placed　herself　at　her　leader’s　right　hand；　the　other　diviners　filled　the　chairs　on　each　side　of　him　and　her。　I　did　not　now　watch　the　actors；　I　no　longer　waited　with　interest　for　the　curtain　to　rise；　my　attention　was　absorbed　by　the　spectators；　my　eyes；　erewhile　fixed　on　the　arch；　were　now　irresistibly　attracted　to　the　semicircle　of　chairs。　What　charade　Colonel　Dent　and　his　party　played；　what　word　they　chose；　hoselves；　I　no　longer　remember；　but　I　still　see　the　consultation　which　followed　each　scene：　I　see　Mr。　Rochester　turn　to　Miss　Ingram；　and　Miss　Ingram　to　him；　I　see　her　incline　her　head　towards　him；　till　the　jetty　curls　almost　touch　his　shoulder　and　wave　against　his　cheek；　I　hear　their　mutual　whisperings；　I　recall　their　interchanged　glances；　and　something　even　of　the　feeling　roused　by　the　spectacle　returns　in　memory　at　this　moment。

I　have　told　you；　reader；　that　I　had　learnt　to　love　Mr。　Rochester：　I　could　not　unlove　him　now；　merely　because　I　found　that　he　had　ceased　to　notice　me—because　I　might　pass　hours　in　his　presence；　and　he　would　never　once　turn　his　eyes　in　my　direction—because　I　saw　all　his　attentions　appropriated　by　a　great　lady；　who　scorned　to　touch　me　with　the　hem　of　her　robes　as　she　passed；　who；　if　ever　her　dark　and　imperious　eye　fell　on　me　by　chance；　would　withdraw　it　instantly　as　from　an　object　too　mean　to　merit　observation。　I　could　not　unlove　him；　because　I　felt　sure　he　would　soon　marry　this　very　lady—because　I　read　daily　in　her　a　proud　security　in　his　intentions　respecting　her—because　I　witnessed　hourly　in　him　a　style　of　courtship　which；　if　careless　and　choosing　rather　to　be　sought　than　to　seek；　was　yet；