第36部分(第2/8 頁)

do　with　him　but　to　receive　my　salary　at　his　hands？　Did　I　forbid　myself　to　think　of　him　in　any　other　light　than　as　a　paymaster？　Blasphemy　against　nature！　Every　good；　true；　vigorous　feeling　I　have　gathers　impulsively　round　him。　I　know　I　must　conceal　my　sentiments：　I　must　smother　hope；　I　must　remember　that　he　cannot　care　much　for　me。　For　when　I　say　that　I　am　of　his　kind；　I　do　not　mean　that　I　have　his　force　to　influence；　and　his　spell　to　attract；　I　mean　only　that　I　have　certain　tastes　and　feelings　in　mon　with　him。　I　must；　then；　repeat　continually　that　we　are　for　ever　sundered：…　and　yet；　while　I　breathe　and　think；　I　must　love　him。”

Coffee　is　handed。　The　ladies；　since　the　gentlemen　entered；　have　bee　lively　as　larks；　conversation　waxes　brisk　and　merry。　Colonel　Dent　and　Mr。　Eshton　argue　on　politics；　their　wives　listen。　The　two　proud　dowagers；　Lady　Lynn　and　Lady　Ingram；　confabulate　together。　Sir　George—whom；　by…the…bye；　I　have　forgotten　to　describe；—a　very　big；　and　very　fresh…looking　country　gentleman；　stands　before　their　sofa；　coffee…cup　in　hand；　and　occasionally　puts　in　a　word。　Mr。　Frederick　Lynn　has　taken　a　seat　beside　Mary　Ingram；　and　is　showing　her　the　engravings　of　a　splendid　volume：　she　looks；　smiles　now　and　then；　but　apparently　says　little。　The　tall　and　phlegmatic　Lord　Ingram　leans　with　folded　arms　on　the　chair…back　of　the　little　and　lively　Amy　Eshton；　she　glances　up　at　him；　and　chatters　like　a　wren：　she　likes　him　better　than　she　does　Mr。　Rochester。　Henry　Lynn　has　taken