第26部分(第4/8 頁)

nce　of　the　name；　and；　soon　after　he　was　of　age；　some　steps　were　taken　that　ade　a　great　deal　of　mischief。　Old　Mr。　Rochester　and　Mr。　Rowland　bined　to　bring　Mr。　Edward　into　what　he　considered　a　painful　position；　for　the　sake　of　making　his　fortune：　what　the　precise　nature　of　that　position　was　I　never　clearly　knew；　but　his　spirit　could　not　brook　what　he　had　to　suffer　in　it。　He　is　not　very　forgiving：　he　broke　with　his　family；　and　now　for　many　years　he　has　led　an　unsettled　kind　of　life。　I　don’t　think　he　has　ever　been　resident　at　Thornfield　for　a　fortnight　together；　since　the　death　of　his　brother　without　a　will　left　him　master　of　the　estate；　and；　indeed；　no　wonder　he　shuns　the　old　place。”

“Why　should　he　shun　it？”

“Perhaps　he　thinks　it　gloomy。”

The　answer　was　evasive。　I　should　have　liked　something　clearer；　but　Mrs。　Fairfax　either　could　not；　or　would　not；　give　me　more　explicit　information　of　the　origin　and　nature　of　Mr。　Rochester’s　trials。　She　averred　they　were　a　mystery　to　herself；　and　that　what　she　knew　was　chiefly　from　conjecture。　It　was　evident；　indeed；　that　she　wished　me　to　drop　the　subject；　which　I　did　accordingly。

Chapter　14

For　several　subsequent　days　I　saw　little　of　Mr。　Rochester。　In　the　mornings　he　seemed　much　engaged　with　business；　and；　in　the　afternoon；　gentlemen　from　Millcote　or　the　neighbourhood　called；　and　sometimes　stayed　to　dine　with　him。　When　his　sprain　was　well　enough　to　admit　of　horse　exercise；　he　rode　out　a　good　deal；　probably　to