第46部分(第4/8 頁)

tress　was；　and　when　I　told　her　there　was　only　a　master；　whether　he　was　a　nice　gentleman；　and　if　I　liked　him。　I　told　her　he　rather　an　ugly　man；　but　quite　a　gentleman；　and　that　he　treated　me　kindly；　and　I　was　content。　Then　I　went　on　to　describe　to　her　the　gay　pany　that　had　lately　been　staying　at　the　house；　and　to　these　details　Bessie　listened　with　interest：　they　were　precisely　of　the　kind　she　relished。

In　such　conversation　an　hour　was　soon　gone：　Bessie　restored　to　me　my　bon；　&c。；　and；　acpanied　by　her；　I　quitted　the　lodge　for　the　hall。　It　was　also　acpanied　by　her　that　I　had；　nearly　nine　years　ago；　walked　down　the　path　I　was　now　ascending。　On　a　dark；　misty；　raw　morning　in　January；　I　had　left　a　hostile　roof　with　a　desperate　and　embittered　heart—a　sense　of　outlawry　and　almost　of　reprobation—to　seek　the　chilly　harbourage　of　Lowood：　that　bourne　so　far　away　and　unexplored。　The　same　hostile　roof　now　again　rose　before　me：　my　prospects　were　doubtful　yet；　and　I　had　yet　an　aching　heart。　I　still　felt　as　a　wanderer　on　the　face　of　the　earth；　but　I　experienced　firmer　trust　in　myself　and　my　own　powers；　and　less　withering　dread　of　oppression。　The　gaping　wound　of　my　wrongs；　too；　was　now　quite　healed；　and　the　flame　of　resentment　extinguished。

“You　shall　go　into　the　breakfast…room　first；”　said　Bessie；　as　she　preceded　me　through　the　hall；　“the　young　ladies　will　be　there。”

In　another　moment　I　was　within　that　apartment。　There　was　every　article　of　furniture　looking　just　as　it　did　o