第46部分(第5/8 頁)

n　the　morning　I　was　first　introduced　to　Mr。　Brocklehurst：　the　very　rug　he　had　stood　upon　still　covered　the　hearth。　Glancing　at　the　bookcases；　I　thought　I　could　distinguish　the　two　volumes　of　Bewick’s　British　Birds　occupying　their　old　place　on　the　third　shelf；　and　Gulliver’s　Travels　and　the　Arabian　Nights　ranged　just　above。　The　inanimate　objects　were　not　changed；　but　the　living　things　had　altered　past　recognition。

Two　young　ladies　appeared　before　me；　one　very　tall；　almost　as　tall　as　Miss　Ingram—very　thin　too；　with　a　sallow　face　and　severe　mien。　There　was　something　ascetic　in　her　look；　which　was　augmented　by　the　extreme　plainness　of　a　straight…skirted；　black；　stuff　dress；　a　starched　linen　collar；　hair　bed　away　from　the　temples；　and　the　nun…like　ornament　of　a　string　of　ebony　beads　and　a　crucifix。　This　I　felt　sure　was　Eliza；　though　I　could　trace　little　resemblance　to　her　former　self　in　that　elongated　and　colourless　visage。

The　other　was　as　certainly　Georgiana：　but　not　the　Georgiana　I　remembered—the　slim　and　fairy…like　girl　of　eleven。　This　was　a　full…blown；　very　plump　damsel；　fair　as　waxwork；　with　handsome　and　regular　features；　languishing　blue　eyes；　and　ringleted　yellow　hair。　The　hue　of　her　dress　was　black　too；　but　its　fashion　was　so　different　from　her　sister’s—so　much　more　flowing　and　being—it　looked　as　stylish　as　the　other’s　looked　puritanical。

In　each　of　the　sisters　there　was　one　trait　of　the　mother—and　only　one；　the　thin　and　pallid　elder　daughter　had　her