第4部分(第1/8 頁)

Chapter　3

The　next　thing　I　remember　is；　waking　up　with　a　feeling　as　if　I　had　had　a　frightful　nightmare；　and　seeing　before　me　a　terrible　red　glare；　crossed　with　thick　black　bars。　I　heard　voices；　too；　speaking　with　a　hollow　sound；　and　as　if　muffled　by　a　rush　of　wind　or　water：　agitation；　uncertainty；　and　an　all…predominating　sense　of　terror　confused　my　faculties。　Ere　long；　I　became　aware　that　some　one　was　handling　me；　lifting　me　up　and　supporting　me　in　a　sitting　posture；　and　that　more　tenderly　than　I　had　ever　been　raised　or　upheld　before。　I　rested　my　head　against　a　pillow　or　an　arm；　and　felt　easy。

In　five　minutes　more　the　cloud　of　bewilderment　dissolved：　I　knew　quite　well　that　I　was　in　my　own　bed；　and　that　the　red　glare　was　the　nursery　fire。　It　was　night：　a　candle　burnt　on　the　table；　Bessie　stood　at　the　bed…foot　with　a　basin　in　her　hand；　and　a　gentleman　sat　in　a　chair　near　my　pillow；　leaning　over　me。

I　felt　an　inexpressible　relief；　a　soothing　conviction　of　protection　and　security；　when　I　knew　that　there　was　a　stranger　in　the　room；　an　individual　not　belonging　to　Gateshead。；　and　not　related　to　Mrs。　Reed。　Turning　from　Bessie　（though　her　presence　was　far　less　obnoxious　to　me　than　that　of　Abbot；　for　instance；　would　have　been）；　I　scrutinised　the　face　of　the　gentleman：　I　knew　him；　it　was　Mr。　Lloyd；　an　apothecary；　sometimes　called　in　by　Mrs。　Reed　when　the　servants　were　ailing：　for　herself　and　the　children　she　employed　a　physician。

“Well；　who　am　I？”　he　ask