第43部分(第2/8 頁)

n；　and　could　neither　be　expelled　nor　subdued　by　the　owner？—what　mystery；　that　broke　out　now　in　fire　and　now　in　blood；　at　the　deadest　hours　of　night？　What　creature　was　it；　that；　masked　in　an　ordinary　woman’s　face　and　shape；　uttered　the　voice；　now　of　a　mocking　demon；　and　anon　of　a　carrion…seeking　bird　of　prey？

And　this　man　I　bent　over—this　monplace；　quiet　stranger—how　had　he　bee　involved　in　the　web　of　horror？　and　why　had　the　Fury　flown　at　him？　What　made　him　seek　this　quarter　of　the　house　at　an　untimely　season；　when　he　should　have　been　asleep　in　bed？　I　had　heard　Mr。　Rochester　assign　him　an　apartment　below—what　brought　him　here！　And　why；　now；　was　he　so　tame　under　the　violence　or　treachery　done　him？　it　to　the　concealment　Mr。　Rochester　enforced？　Why　did　Mr。　Rochester　enforce　this　concealment？　His　guest　had　been　outraged；　his　own　life　on　a　former　occasion　had　been　hideously　plotted　against；　and　both　attempts　he　smothered　in　secrecy　and　sank　in　oblivion！　ly；　I　saw　Mr。　Mason　was　submissive　to　Mr。　Rochester；　that　the　impetuous　will　of　the　latter　held　plete　sway　over　the　inertness　of　the　former：　the　few　words　which　had　passed　between　them　assured　me　of　this。　It　was　evident　that　in　their　former　intercourse；　the　passive　disposition　of　the　one　had　been　habitually　influenced　by　the　active　energy　of　the　other：　whence　then　had　arisen　Mr。　Rochester’s　dismay　when　he　heard　of　Mr。　Mason’s　arrival？　Why　had　the　mere　name　of　this　unresisting　individual—whom　his　word　now　sufficed　to　control　li