第87部分(第2/8 頁)

：　hardly　any　of　the　furniture　could　be　saved。　The　fire　broke　out　at　dead　of　night；　and　before　the　engines　arrived　from　Millcote；　the　building　was　one　mass　of　flame。　It　was　a　terrible　spectacle：　I　witnessed　it　myself。”

“At　dead　of　night！”　I　muttered。　Yes；　that　was　ever　the　hour　of　fatality　at　Thornfield。　“Was　it　known　how　it　originated？”　I　demanded。

“They　guessed；　ma’am：　they　guessed。　Indeed；　I　should　say　it　was　ascertained　beyond　a　doubt。　You　are　not　perhaps　aware；”　he　continued；　edging　his　chair　a　little　nearer　the　table；　and　speaking　low；　“that　there　was　a　lady—a—a　lunatic；　kept　in　the　house？”

“I　have　heard　something　of　it。”

“She　was　kept　in　very　close　confinement；　ma’am：　people　even　for　some　years　was　not　absolutely　certain　of　her　existence。　No　one　saw　her：　they　only　knew　by　rumour　that　such　a　person　was　at　the　Hall；　and　who　or　what　she　was　it　was　difficult　to　conjecture。　They　said　Mr。　Edward　had　brought　her　from　abroad；　and　some　believed　she　had　been　his　mistress。　But　a　queer　thing　happened　a　year　since—a　very　queer　thing。”

I　feared　now　to　hear　my　own　story。　I　endeavoured　to　recall　him　to　the　main　fact。

“And　this　lady？”

“This　lady；　ma’am；”　he　answered；　“turned　out　to　be　Mr。　Rochester’s　wife！　The　discovery　was　brought　about　in　the　strangest　way。　There　was　a　young　lady；　a　governess　at　the　Hall；　that　Mr。　Rochester　fell　in—”

“But　the　fire；”　I　suggested。

“I’m　ing　to　that；　ma’am—that　Mr。　Edward　fell　in　love　with。　Th