第78部分(第4/8 頁)

“No；　indeed！　I　remember　now　seeing　the　letter　E。　prised　in　your　initials　written　in　books　you　have　at　different　times　lent　me；　but　I　never　asked　for　what　name　it　stood。　But　what　then？　Surely—”

I　stopped：　I　could　not　trust　myself　to　entertain；　much　less　to　express；　the　thought　that　rushed　upon　me—that　embodied　itself；—　that；　in　a　second；　stood　out　a　strong；　solid　probability。　Circumstances　knit　themselves；　fitted　themselves；　shot　into　order：　the　chain　that　had　been　lying　hitherto　a　formless　lump　of　links　was　drawn　out　straight；—every　ring　was　perfect；　the　connection　plete。　I　knew；　by　instinct；　how　the　matter　stood；　before　St。　John　had　said　another　word；　but　I　cannot　expect　the　reader　to　have　the　same　intuitive　perception；　so　I　must　repeat　his　explanation。

“My　mother’s　name　was　Eyre；　she　had　two　brothers；　one　a　clergyman；　who　married　Miss　Jane　Reed；　of　Gateshead；　the　other；　John　Eyre；　Esq。；　merchant；　late　of　Funchal；　Madeira。　Mr。　Briggs；　being　Mr。　Eyre’s　solicitor；　wrote　to　us　last　August　to　inform　us　of　our　uncle’s　death；　and　to　say　that　he　had　left　his　property　to　his　brother　the　clergyman’s　orphan　daughter；　overlooking　us；　in　consequence　of　a　quarrel；　never　forgiven；　between　him　and　my　father。　He　wrote　again　a　few　weeks　since；　to　intimate　that　the　heiress　was　lost；　and　asking　if　we　knew　anything　of　her。　A　name　casually　written　on　a　slip　of　paper　has　enabled　me　to　find　her　out。　You　know　the　rest。”　Again　he　was　going；　but　I　set　my　back　against　the　door。