第30部分(第7/8 頁)

ad　liberally　bestowed；　roused　Mr。　Rochester　at　last。　Though　it　was　now　dark；　I　knew　he　was　awake；　because　I　heard　him　fulminating　strange　anathemas　at　finding　himself　lying　in　a　pool　of　water。

“Is　there　a　flood？”　he　cried。

“No；　sir；”　I　answered；　“but　there　has　been　a　fire：　get　up；　do；　you　are　quenched　now；　I　will　fetch　you　a　candle。”

“In　the　name　of　all　the　elves　in　Christendom；　is　that　Jane　Eyre？”　he　demanded。　“What　have　you　done　with　me；　witch；　sorceress？　Who　is　in　the　room　besides　you？　Have　you　plotted　to　drown　me？”

“I　will　fetch　you　a　candle；　sir；　and；　in　Heaven’s　name；　get　up。　Somebody　has　plotted　something：　you　cannot　too　soon　find　out　who　and　what　it　is。”

“There！　I　am　up　now；　but　at　your　peril　you　fetch　a　candle　yet：　wait　two　minutes　till　I　get　into　some　dry　garments；　if　any　dry　there　be—yes；　here　is　my　dressing…gown。　Now　run！”

I　did　run；　I　brought　the　candle　which　still　remained　in　the　gallery。　He　took　it　from　my　hand；　held　it　up；　and　surveyed　the　bed；　all　blackened　and　scorched；　the　sheets　drenched；　the　carpet　round　swimming　in　water。

“What　is　it？　and　who　did　it？”　he　asked。　I　briefly　related　to　him　what　had　transpired：　the　strange　laugh　I　had　heard　in　the　gallery：　the　step　ascending　to　the　third　storey；　the　smoke；—the　smell　of　fire　which　had　conducted　me　to　his　room；　in　what　state　I　had　found　matters　there；　and　how　I　had　deluged　him　with　all　the　water　I　could　lay　hands　on。

He　listened　very　gravely；　his　face；　as