简爱(英文版)-第48部分

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ngs；　till　now　I　had　never　heard　a　hint　given　of　visits　to　more　distant　shores。
I　was　pondering　these　things；　when　an　incident；　and　a　somewhat　unexpected　one；　broke　the　thread　of　my　musings。　Mr。　Mason；　shivering　as　some　one　chanced　to　open　the　door；　asked　for　more　coal　to　be　put　on　the　fire；　which　had　burnt　out　its　flame；　though　its　mass　of　cinder　still　shone　hot　and　red。　The　footman　who　brought　the　coal；　in　going　out；　stopped　near　Mr。　Eshton’s　chair；　and　said　something　to　him　in　a　low　voice；　of　which　I　heard　only　the　words；　“old　e。”
“Tell　her　she　shall　be　put　in　the　stocks　if　she　does　not　take　herself　off；”　replied　the　magistrate。
“No—stop！”　interrupted　Colonel　Dent。　“Don’t　send　her　away；　Eshton；　we　might　turn　the　thing　to　account；　better　consult　the　ladies。”　And　speaking　aloud；　he　continued—“Ladies；　you　talked　of　going　to　Hay　mon　to　visit　the　gipsy　camp；　Sam　here　says　that　one　of　the　old　Mother　Bunches　is　in　the　servants’　hall　at　this　moment；　and　insists　upon　being　brought　in　before　‘the　quality；’　to　tell　them　their　fortunes。　Would　you　like　to　see　her？”
“Surely；　colonel；”　cried　Lady　Ingram；　“you　would　not　encourage　such　a　low　impostor？　Dismiss　her；　by　all　means；　at　once！”
“But　I　cannot　persuade　her　to　go　away；　my　lady；”　said　the　footman；　“nor　can　any　of　the　servants：　Mrs。　Fairfax　is　with　her　just　now；　entreating　her　to　be　gone；　but　she　has　taken　a　chair　in　the　chimney…　er；　and　says　nothing　shall　stir　her　from　it　till　she　gets　leave　to　e　in　here。”
“What　does　she　want？”　asked　Mrs。　Eshton。
“‘To　tell　the　gentry　their　fortunes；’　she　says；　ma’am；　and　she　swears　she　must　and　will　do　it。”
“What　is　she　like？”　inquired　the　Misses　Eshton；　in　a　breath。
“A　shockingly　ugly　old　creature；　miss；　almost　as　black　as　a　crock。”
“Why；　she’s　a　real　sorceress！”　cried　Frederick　Lynn。　“Let　us　have　her　in；　of　course。”
“To　be　sure；”　rejoined　his　brother；　“it　would　be　a　thousand　pities　to　throw　away　such　a　chance　of　fun。”
“My　dear　boys；　what　are　you　thinking　about？”　exclaimed　Mrs。　Lynn。
“I　cannot　possibly　countenance　any　such　inconsistent　proceeding；”　chimed　in　the　Dowager　Ingram。
“Indeed；　mama；　but　you　can—and　will；”　pronounced　the　haughty　voice　of　Blanche；　as　she　turned　round　on　the　piano…stool；　where　till　now　she　had　sat　silent；　apparently　examining　sundry　sheets　of　music。　“I　have　a　curiosity　to　hear　my　fortune　told：　therefore；　Sam；　order　the　beldame　forward。”
“My　darling　Blanche！　recollect—”
“I　do—I　recollect　all　you　can　suggest；　and　I　must　have　my　！”
“Yes—yes—yes！”　cried　all　the　juveniles；　both　ladies　and　gentlemen。　“Let　her　e—it　will　be　excellent　sport！”
The　footman　still　lingered。　“She　looks　such　a　rough　one；”　said　he。
“Go！”　ejaculated　Miss　Ingram；　and　the　man　went。
Excitement　instantly　seized　the　whole　party：　a　running　fire　of　raillery　and　jests　was　proceeding　when　Sam　returned。
“She　won’t　e　now；”　said　he。　“She　says　it’s　not　her　mission　to　appear　before　the　‘vulgar　herd’　（them’s　her　words）。　I　must　show　her　into　a　room　by　herself；　and　then　those　who　wish　to　consult　her　must　go　to　her　one　by　one。”
“You　see　now；　my　queenly　Blanche；”　began　Lady　Ingram；　“she　encroaches。　Be　advised；　my　angel　girl—and—”
“Show　her　into　the　library；　of　course；”　cut　in　the　“angel　girl。”　“It　is　not　my　mission　to　listen　to　her　before　the　vulgar　herd　either：　I　mean　to　have　her　all　to　myself。　Is　there　a　fire　in　the　library？”
“Yes；　ma’am—but　she　looks　such　a　tinkler。”
“Cease　that　chatter；　blockhead！　and　do　my　bidding。”
Again　Sam　vanished；　and　mystery；　animation；　expectation　rose　to　full　flow　once　more。
“She’s　ready　now；”　said　the　footman；　as　he　reappeared。　“She　wishes　to　know　who　will　be　her　first　visitor。”
“I　think　I　had　better　just　look　in　upon　her　before　any　of　the　ladies　go；”　said　Colonel　Dent。
“Tell　her；　Sam；　a　gentleman　is　ing。”
Sam　went　and　returned。
“She　says；　sir；　that　she’ll　have　no　gentlemen；　they　need　not　trouble　themselves　to　e　near　her；　nor；”　he　added；　with　difficulty　suppressing　a　titter；　“any　ladies　either；　except　the　young；　and　single。”
“By　Jove；　she　has　taste！”　exclaimed　Henry　Lynn。
Miss　Ingram　rose　solemnly：　“I　go　first；”　she　said；　in　a　tone　which　might　have　befitted　the　leader　of　a　forlorn　hope；　mounting　a　breach　in　the　van　of　his　men。
“Oh；　my　best！　oh；　my　dearest！　pause—reflect！”　was　her　mama’s　cry；　but　she　swept　past　her　in　stately　silence；　passed　through　the　door　which　Colonel　Dent　held　open；　and　we　heard　her　enter　the　library。
A　parative　silence　ensued。　Lady　Ingram　thought　it　“le　cas”　to　wring　her　hands：　which　she　did　accordingly。　Miss　Mary　declared　she　felt；　for　her　part；　she　never　dared　venture。　Amy　and　Louisa　Eshton　tittered　under　their　breath；　and　looked　a　little　frightened。
The　minutes　passed　very　slowly：　fifteen　were　counted　before　the　library…door　again　opened。　Miss　Ingram　returned　to　us　through　the　arch。
Would　she　laugh？　Would　she　take　it　as　a　joke？　All　eyes　met　her　with　a　glance　of　eager　curiosity；　and　she　met　all　eyes　with　one　of　rebuff　and　coldness；　she　looked　neither　flurried　nor　merry：　she　walked　stiffly　to　her　seat；　and　took　it　in　silence。
“Well；　Blanche？”　said　Lord　Ingram。
“What　did　she　say；　sister？”　asked　Mary。
“What　did　you　think？　How　do　you　feel？—Is　she　a　real　fortune…　teller？”　demanded　the　Misses　Eshton。
“Now；　now；　good　people；”　returned　Miss　Ingram；　“don’t　press　upon　me。　Really　your　organs　of　wonder　and　credulity　are　easily　excited：　you　seem；　by　the　importance　of　you　all—my　good　mama　included—ascribe　to　this　matter；　absolutely　to　believe　we　have　a　genuine　witch　in　the　house；　who　is　in　close　alliance　with　the　old　gentleman。　I　have　seen　a　gipsy　vagabond；　she　has　practised　in　hackneyed　fashion　the　science　of　palmistry　and　told　me　what　such　people　usually　tell。　My　whim　is　gratified；　and　now　I　think　Mr。　Eshton　will　do　well　to　put　the　hag　in　the　stocks　to…morrow　morning；　as　he　threatened。”
Miss　Ingram　took　a　book；　leant　back　in　her　chair；　and　so　declined　further　conversation。　I　watched　her　for　nearly　half…an…hour：　during　all　that　time　she　never　turned　a　page；　and　her　face　grew　momently　darker；　more　dissatisfied；　and　more　sourly　expressive　of　disappointment。　She　had　obviously　not　heard　anything　to　her　advantage：　and　it　seemed　to　me；　from　her　prolonged　fit　of　gloom　and　taciturnity；　that　she　herself；　notwithstanding　her　professed　indifference；　attached　undue　importance　to　whatever　revelations　had　been　made　her。
Meantime；　Mary　Ingram；　Amy　and　Louisa　Eshton；　declared　they　dared　not　go　alone；　and　yet　they　all　wished　to　go。　A　negotiation　was　opened　through　the　medium　of　the　ambassador；　Sam；　and　after　much　pacing　to　and　fro；　till；　I　think；　the　said　Sam’s　calves　must　have　ached　with　the　exercise；　permission　was　at　last；　with　great　difficulty；　extorted　from　the　rigorous　Sibyl；　for　the　three　to　wait　upon　her　in　a　body。
Their　visit　was　not　so　still　as　Miss　Ingram’s　had　been：　we　heard　hysterical　giggling　and　little　shrieks　proceeding　from　the　library；　and　at　the　end　of　about　twenty　minutes　they　burst　the　door　open；　and　came　running　across　the　hall；　as　if　they　were　half…scared　out　of　their　wits。
“I　am　sure　she　is　something　not　right！”　they　cried；　one　and　all。　“She　told　us　such　things！　She　knows　all　about　us！”　and　they　sank　breathless　into　the　various　seats　the　gentlemen　hastened　to　bring　them。
Pressed　for　further　explanation；　they　declared　she　had　told　them　of　things　they　had　said　and　done　when　they　were　mere　children；　described　books　and　ornaments　they　had　in　their　boudoirs　at　home：　keepsakes　that　different　relations　had　presented　to　them。　They　affirmed　that　she　had　even　divined　their　thoughts；　and　had　whispered　in　the　ear　of　each　the　name　of　the　person　she　liked　best　in　the　world；　and　informed　them　of　what　they　most　wished　for。
Here　the　gentlemen　interposed　with　earnest　petitions　to　be　further　enlightened　on　these　two　last…named　points；　but　they　got　only　blushes；　ejaculations；　tremors；　and　titters；　in　return　for　their　importunity。　The　matrons；　meantime；　offered　vinaigrettes　and　wielded　fans；　and　again　and　again　reiterated　the　expression　of　their　concern　that　their　warning　had　not　been　taken　in　time；　and　the　elder　gentlemen　laughed；　and　the　younger　urged　their　services　on　the　agitated　fair　ones。
In　the　midst　of　the　tumult；　and　while　my　eyes　and　ears　were　fully　engaged　in　the　scene　before　me；　I　heard　a　hem　close　at　my　elbow：　I　turned；　and　saw　Sam。
“If　you　please；　miss；　the　gipsy　declares　that　there　is　another　young　single　lady　in　the　room　who　has　not　been　to　her　yet；　and　she　swears　she　will　not　go　till　she　has　seen　all。　I　thought　it　must　be　you：　there　is　no　one　else　for　it。　What　shall　I　tell　her？”
“Oh；　I　will　go　by　all　means；”　I　answered：　and　I　was　glad　of　the　unexpected　opportunity　to　gratify　my　much…excited　curiosity。　I　slipped　out　of　the　room；　unobserved　by　any　eye—for　the　pany　were　gathered　in　one　mass　about　the　trembling　trio　just　returned—and　I　closed　the　door　quietly　behind　me。
“If　you　like；　miss；”　said　Sam；　“I’ll　wait　in　the　hall　for　you；　and　if　she　frightens　you；　just　call　and　I’ll　e　in。”
“No；　Sam；　return　to　the　kitchen：　I　am　not　in　the　least　afraid。”　Nor　was　I；　but　I　was　a　good　deal　interested　and　excited。
Chapter　19
The　library　looked　tranquil　enoug