第19部分(第2/8 頁)

have　you　learnt　French？”

“Yes；　Bessie；　I　can　both　read　it　and　speak　it。”

“And　you　can　work　on　muslin　and　canvas？”

“I　can。”

“Oh；　you　are　quite　a　lady；　Miss　Jane！　I　knew　you　would　be：　you　will　get　on　whether　your　relations　notice　you　or　not。　There　was　something　I　wanted　to　ask　you。　Have　you　ever　heard　anything　from　your　father’s　kinsfolk；　the　Eyres？”

“Never　in　my　life。”

“Well；　you　know　Missis　always　said　they　were　poor　and　quite　despicable：　and　they　may　be　poor；　but　I　believe　they　are　as　much　gentry　as　the　Reeds　are；　for　one　day；　nearly　seven　years　ago；　a　Mr。　Eyre　came　to　Gateshead　and　wanted　to　see　you；　Missis　said　you　were　it　school　fifty　miles　off；　he　seemed　so　much　disappointed；　for　he　could　not　stay：　he　was　going　on　a　voyage　to　a　foreign　country；　and　the　ship　was　to　sail　from　London　in　a　day　or　tan；　and　I　believe　he　was　your　father’s　brother。”

“What　foreign　country　was　he　going　to；　Bessie？”

“An　island　thousands　of　miles　off；　where　they　make　wine—the　butler　did　tell　me—”

“Madeira？”　I　suggested。

“Yes；　that　is　it—that　is　the　very　word。”

“So　he　went？”

“Yes；　he　did　not　stay　many　minutes　in　the　house：　Missis　was　very　high　with　him；　she　called　him　afterwards　a　‘sneaking　tradesman。’　My　Robert　believes　he　was　a　wine…merchant。”

“Very　likely；”　I　returned；　“or　perhaps　clerk　or　agent　to　a　wine…　merchant。”

Bessie　and　I　conversed　about　old　times　an　hour　longer；　and　then　she　was　obliged　to　le