第47部分(第2/8 頁)

mpressionable　natures　are　not　so　soon　softened；　nor　are　natural　antipathies　so　readily　eradicated。　Mrs。　Reed　took　her　hand　away；　and；　turning　her　face　rather　from　me；　she　remarked　that　the　night　was　warm。　Again　she　regarded　me　so　icily；　I　felt　at　once　that　her　opinion　of　me—her　feeling　towards　me—was　unchanged　and　unchangeable。　I　knew　by　her　stony　eye—opaque　to　tenderness；　indissoluble　to　tears—that　she　was　resolved　to　consider　me　bad　to　the　last；　because　to　believe　me　good　would　give　her　no　generous　pleasure：　only　a　sense　of　mortification。

I　felt　pain；　and　then　I　felt　ire；　and　then　I　felt　a　determination　to　subdue　her—to　be　her　mistress　in　spite　both　of　her　nature　and　her　will。　My　tears　had　risen；　just　as　in　childhood：　I　ordered　them　back　to　their　source。　I　brought　a　chair　to　the　bed…head：　I　sat　down　and　leaned　over　the　pillow。

“You　sent　for　me；”　I　said；　“and　I　am　here；　and　it　is　my　intention　to　stay　till　I　see　how　you　get　on。”

“Oh；　of　course！　You　have　seen　my　daughters？”

“Yes。”

“Well；　you　may　tell　them　I　wish　you　to　stay　till　I　can　talk　some　things　over　with　you　I　have　on　my　mind：　to…night　it　is　too　late；　and　I　have　a　difficulty　in　recalling　them。　But　there　was　something　I　wished　to　say—let　me　see—”

The　wandering　look　and　changed　utterance　told　what　wreck　had　taken　place　in　her　once　vigorous　frame。　Turning　restlessly；　she　drew　the　bedclothes　round　her；　my　elbow；　resting　on　a　corner　of　the　quilt；　fixed　it　down：　she　was　at　once　irrita