第45部分(第4/8 頁)

r；　that　Bessie　understood　she　was　pronouncing　your　name；　and　at　last　she　made　out　the　words；　‘Bring　Jane—fetch　Jane　Eyre：　I　want　to　speak　to　her。’　Bessie　is　not　sure　whether　she　is　in　her　right　mind；　or　means　anything　by　the　words；　but　she　told　Miss　Reed　and　Miss　Georgiana；　and　advised　them　to　send　for　you。　The　young　ladies　put　it　off　at　first；　but　their　mother　grew　so　restless；　and　said；　‘Jane；　Jane；’　so　many　times；　that　at　last　they　consented。　I　left　Gateshead　yesterday：　and　if　you　can　get　ready；　Miss；　I　should　like　to　take　you　back　with　me　early　to…　morrow　morning。”

“Yes；　Robert；　I　shall　be　ready：　it　seems　to　me　that　I　ought　to　go。”

“I　think　so　too；　Miss。　Bessie　said　she　was　sure　you　would　not　refuse：　but　I　suppose　you　will　have　to　ask　leave　before　you　can　get　off？”

“Yes；　and　I　will　do　it　now；”　and　having　directed　him　to　the　servants’　hall；　and　remended　him　to　the　care　of　John’s　wife；　and　the　attentions　of　John　himself；　I　went　in　search　of　Mr。　Rochester。

He　was　not　in　any　of　the　lower　rooms；　he　was　not　in　the　yard；　the　stables；　or　the　grounds。　I　asked　Mrs。　Fairfax　if　she　had　seen　him；—yes：　she　believed　he　was　playing　billiards　with　Miss　Ingram。　To　the　billiard…room　I　hastened：　the　click　of　balls　and　the　hum　of　voices　resounded　thence；　Mr。　Rochester；　Miss　Ingram；　the　two　Misses　Eshton；　and　their　admirers；　were　all　busied　in　the　game。　It　required　some　courage　to　disturb　so　interesting　a　party；　my　errand；　however；　was　one　I　could　not　defer；　so　I　ap