简爱(英文版)-第2部分

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f　of　a　volume；　taking　care　that　it　should　be　one　stored　with　pictures。　I　mounted　into　the　window…seat：　gathering　up　my　feet；　I　sat　cross…legged；　like　a　Turk；　and；　having　drawn　the　red　moreen　curtain　nearly　close；　I　was　shrined　in　double　retirement。
Folds　of　scarlet　drapery　shut　in　my　view　to　the　right　hand；　to　the　left　were　the　clear　panes　of　glass；　protecting；　but　not　separating　me　from　the　drear　November　day。　At　intervals；　while　turning　over　the　leaves　of　my　book；　I　studied　the　aspect　of　that　winter　afternoon。　Afar；　it　offered　a　pale　blank　of　mist　and　cloud；　near　a　scene　of　wet　lawn　and　storm…beat　shrub；　with　ceaseless　rain　sweeping　away　wildly　before　a　long　and　lamentable　blast。
I　returned　to　my　book—Bewick’s　History　of　British　Birds：　the　letterpress　thereof　I　cared　little　for；　generally　speaking；　and　yet　there　were　certain　introductory　pages　that；　child　as　I　was；　I　could　not　pass　quite　as　a　blank。　They　were　those　which　treat　of　the　haunts　of　sea…fowl；　of　“the　solitary　rocks　and　promontories”　by　them　only　inhabited；　of　the　coast　of　Norway；　studded　with　isles　from　its　southern　extremity；　the　Lindeness；　or　Naze；　to　the　North　Cape—
“Where　the　Northern　Ocean；　in　vast　whirls；
Boils　round　the　naked；　melancholy　isles
Of　farthest　Thule；　and　the　Atlantic　surge
Pours　in　among　the　stormy　Hebrides。”
Nor　could　I　pass　unnoticed　the　suggestion　of　the　bleak　shores　of　Lapland；　Siberia；　Spitzbergen；　Nova　Zembla；　Iceland；　Greenland；　with　“the　vast　sweep　of　the　Arctic　Zone；　and　those　forlorn　regions　of　dreary　space；—that　reservoir　of　frost　and　snow；　where　firm　fields　of　ice；　the　accumulation　of　centuries　of　winters；　glazed　in　Alpine　heights　above　heights；　surround　the　pole；　and　concentre　the　multiplied　rigours　of　extreme　cold。”　Of　these　death…white　realms　I　formed　an　idea　of　my　own：　shadowy；　like　all　the　half…prehended　notions　that　float　dim　through　children’s　brains；　but　strangely　impressive。　The　words　in　these　introductory　pages　connected　themselves　with　the　succeeding　vigtes；　and　gave　significance　to　the　rock　standing　up　alone　in　a　sea　of　billow　and　spray；　to　the　broken　boat　stranded　on　a　desolate　coast；　to　the　cold　and　ghastly　moon　glancing　through　bars　of　cloud　at　a　wreck　just　sinking。
I　cannot　tell　what　sentiment　haunted　the　quite　solitary　churchyard；　with　its　inscribed　headstone；　its　gate；　its　two　trees；　its　low　horizon；　girdled　by　a　broken　wall；　and　its　newly…risen　crescent；　attesting　the　hour　of　eventide。
The　two　ships　becalmed　on　a　torpid　sea；　I　believed　to　be　marine　phantoms。
The　fiend　pinning　down　the　thief’s　pack　behind　him；　I　passed　over　quickly：　it　was　an　object　of　terror。
So　was　the　black　horned　thing　seated　aloof　on　a　rock；　surveying　a　distant　crowd　surrounding　a　gallows。
Each　picture　told　a　story；　mysterious　often　to　my　undeveloped　understanding　and　imperfect　feelings；　yet　ever　profoundly　interesting：　as　interesting　as　the　tales　Bessie　sometimes　narrated　on　winter　evenings；　when　she　chanced　to　be　in　good　humour；　and　when；　having　brought　her　ironing…table　to　the　nursery　hearth；　she　allowed　us　to　sit　about　it；　and　while　she　got　up　Mrs。　Reed’s　lace　frills；　and　crimped　her　nightcap　borders；　fed　our　eager　attention　with　passages　of　love　and　adventure　taken　from　old　fairy　tales　and　other　ballads；　or　（as　at　a　later　period　I　discovered）　from　the　pages　of　Pamela；　and　Henry；　Earl　of　Moreland。
With　Bewick　on　my　knee；　I　was　then　happy：　happy　at　least　in　my　way。　I　feared　nothing　but　interruption；　and　that　came　too　soon。　The　breakfast…room　door　opened。
“Boh！　Madam　Mope！”　cried　the　voice　of　John　Reed；　then　he　paused：　he　found　the　room　apparently　empty。
“Where　the　dickens　is　she！”　he　continued。　“Lizzy！　Georgy！　（calling　to　his　sisters）　Joan　is　not　here：　tell　mama　she　is　run　out　into　the　rain—bad　animal！”
“It　is　well　I　drew　the　curtain；”　thought　I；　and　I　wished　fervently　he　might　not　discover　my　hiding…place：　nor　would　John　Reed　have　found　it　out　himself；　he　was　not　quick　either　of　vision　or　conception；　but　Eliza　just　put　her　head　in　at　the　door；　and　said　at　once—
“She　is　in　the　window…seat；　to　be　sure；　Jack。”
And　I　came　out　immediately；　for　I　trembled　at　the　idea　of　being　dragged　forth　by　the　said　Jack。
“What　do　you　want？”　I　asked；　with　awkward　diffidence。
“Say；　‘What　do　you　want；　Master　Reed？’”　was　the　answer。　“I　want　you　to　e　here；”　and　seating　himself　in　an　arm…chair；　he　intimated　by　a　gesture　that　I　was　to　approach　and　stand　before　him。
John　Reed　was　a　schoolboy　of　fourteen　years　old；　four　years　older　than　I；　for　I　was　but　ten：　large　and　stout　for　his　age；　with　a　dingy　and　unwholesome　skin；　thick　lineaments　in　a　spacious　visage；　heavy　limbs　and　large　extremities。　He　gorged　himself　habitually　at　table；　which　made　him　bilious；　and　gave　him　a　dim　and　bleared　eye　and　flabby　cheeks。　He　ought　now　to　have　been　at　school；　but　his　mama　had　taken　him　home　for　a　month　or　two；　“on　account　of　his　delicate　health。”　Mr。　Miles；　the　master；　affirmed　that　he　would　do　very　well　if　he　had　fewer　cakes　and　sweetmeats　sent　him　from　home；　but　the　mother’s　heart　turned　from　an　opinion　so　harsh；　and　inclined　rather　to　the　more　refined　idea　that　John’s　sallowness　was　owing　to　over…application　and；　perhaps；　to　pining　after　home。
John　had　not　much　affection　for　his　mother　and　sisters；　and　an　antipathy　to　me。　He　bullied　and　punished　me；　not　two　or　three　times　in　the　week；　nor　once　or　twice　in　the　day；　but　continually：　every　nerve　I　had　feared　him；　and　every　morsel　of　flesh　in　my　bones　shrank　when　he　came　near。　There　were　moments　when　I　was　bewildered　by　the　terror　he　inspired；　because　I　had　no　appeal　whatever　against　either　his　menaces　or　his　inflictions；　the　servants　did　not　like　to　offend　their　young　master　by　taking　my　part　against　him；　and　Mrs。　Reed　was　blind　and　deaf　on　the　subject：　she　never　saw　him　strike　or　heard　him　abuse　me；　though　he　did　both　now　and　then　in　her　very　presence；　more　frequently；　however；　behind　her　back。
Habitually　obedient　to　John；　I　came　up　to　his　chair：　he　spent　some　three　minutes　in　thrusting　out　his　tongue　at　me　as　far　as　he　could　without　damaging　the　roots：　I　knew　he　would　soon　strike；　and　while　dreading　the　blow；　I　mused　on　the　disgusting　and　ugly　appearance　of　him　who　would　presently　deal　it。　I　wonder　if　he　read　that　notion　in　my　face；　for；　all　at　once；　without　speaking；　he　struck　suddenly　and　strongly。　I　tottered；　and　on　regaining　my　equilibrium　retired　back　a　step　or　two　from　his　chair。
“That　is　for　your　impudence　in　answering　mama　awhile　since；”　said　he；　“and　for　your　sneaking　way　of　getting　behind　curtains；　and　for　the　look　you　had　in　your　eyes　two　minutes　since；　you　rat！”
Accustomed　to　John　Reed’s　abuse；　I　never　had　an　idea　of　replying　to　it；　my　care　was　how　to　endure　the　blow　which　would　certainly　follow　the　insult。
“What　were　you　doing　behind　the　curtain？”　he　asked。
“I　was　reading。”
“Show　the　book。”
I　returned　to　the　window　and　fetched　it　thence。
“You　have　no　business　to　take　our　books；　you　are　a　dependent；　mama　says；　you　have　no　money；　your　father　left　you　none；　you　ought　to　beg；　and　not　to　live　here　with　gentlemen’s　children　like　us；　and　eat　the　same　meals　we　do；　and　wear　clothes　at　our　mama’s　expense。　Now；　I’ll　teach　you　to　rummage　my　bookshelves：　for　they　are　mine；　all　the　house　belongs　to　me；　or　will　do　in　a　few　years。　Go　and　stand　by　the　door；　out　of　the　way　of　the　mirror　and　the　windows。”
I　did　so；　not　at　first　aware　what　was　his　intention；　but　when　I　saw　him　lift　and　poise　the　book　and　stand　in　act　to　hurl　it；　I　instinctively　started　aside　with　a　cry　of　alarm：　not　soon　enough；　however；　the　volume　was　flung；　it　hit　me；　and　I　fell；　striking　my　head　against　the　door　and　cutting　it。　The　cut　bled；　the　pain　was　sharp：　my　terror　had　passed　its　climax；　other　feelings　succeeded。
“Wicked　and　cruel　boy！”　I　said。　“You　are　like　a　murderer—you　are　like　a　slave…driver—you　are　like　the　Roman　emperors！”
I　had　read　Goldsmith’s　History　of　Rome；　and　had　formed　my　opinion　of　Nero；　Caligula；　&c。　Also　I　had　drawn　parallels　in　silence；　which　I　never　thought　thus　to　have　declared　aloud。
“What！　what！”　he　cried。　“Did　she　say　that　to　me？　Did　you　hear　her；　Eliza　and　Georgiana？　Won’t　I　tell　mama？　but　first—”
He　ran　headlong　at　me：　I　felt　him　grasp　my　hair　and　my　shoulder：　he　had　closed　with　a　desperate　thing。　I　really　saw　in　him　a　tyrant；　a　murderer。　I　felt　a　drop　or　two　of　blood　from　my　head　trickle　down　my　neck；　and　was　sensible　of　somewhat　pungent　suffering：　these　sensations　for　the　time　predominated　over　fear；　and　I　received　him　in　frantic　sort。　I　don’t　very　well　know　what　I　did　with　my　hands；　but　he　called　me　“Rat！　Rat！”　and　bellowed　out　aloud。　Aid　was　near　him：　Eliza　and　Georgiana　had　run　for　Mrs。　Reed；　who　was　gone　upstairs：　she　now　came　upon　the　scene；　followed　by　Bessie　and　her　maid　Abbot。　We　were　parted：　I　heard　the　words—
“Dear！　dear！　What　a　fury　to　fly　at　Master　John！”
“Did　ever　anybody　see　such　a　picture　of　passion！”
Then　Mrs。　Reed　subjoined—
“Take　her　away　to　the　red…room；　and　lock　her　in　there。”　Four　hands　were　immediately　laid　upon　me；　and　I　was　borne　upstairs。
Chapter　2
I　resisted　all　the　way：　a　new　thing　for　me；　and　a　circumstance　which　greatly　strengthened　the　bad　opinion　Bessie　and　Miss　Abbot　were　disposed　to　entertain　of　me。