第89部分(第8/8 頁)

have　told　him　all　would　have　been　to　inflict　unnecessary　pain：　the　little　I　did　say　lacerated　his　faithful　heart　deeper　than　I　wished。

I　should　not　have　left　him　thus；　he　said；　without　any　means　of　making　my　way：　I　should　have　told　him　my　intention。　I　should　have　confided　in　him：　he　would　never　have　forced　me　to　be　his　mistress。　Violent　as　he　had　seemed　in　his　despair；　he；　in　truth；　loved　me　far　too　well　and　too　tenderly　to　constitute　himself　my　tyrant：　he　would　have　given　me　half　his　fortune；　without　demanding　so　much　as　a　kiss　in　return；　rather　than　I　should　have　flung　myself　friendless　on　the　wide　world。　I　had　endured；　he　was　certain；　more　than　I　had　confessed　to　him。

“Well；　whatever　my　sufferings　had　been；　they　were　very　short；”　I　answered：　and　then　I　proceeded　to　tell　him　how　I　had　been　received　at　Moor　House；　how　I　had　obtained　the　office　of　schoolmistress；　&c。　The　accession　of　fortune；　the　discovery　of　my　relations；　followed　in　due　order。　Of　course；　St。　John　Rivers’　name　came　in　frequently　in　the　progress　of　my　tale。　When　I　had　do