第87部分(第3/8 頁)

e　servants　say　they　never　saw　anybody　so　much　in　love　as　he　was：　he　was　after　her　continually。　They　used　to　watch　him—servants　will；　you　know；　ma’am—and　he　set　store　on　her　past　everything：　for　all；　nobody　but　him　thought　her　so　very　handsome。　She　was　a　little　small　thing；　they　say；　almost　like　a　child。　I　never　saw　her　myself；　but　I’ve　heard　Leah；　the　house…maid；　tell　of　her。　Leah　liked　her　well　enough。　Mr。　Rochester　was　about　forty；　and　this　governess　not　twenty；　and　you　see；　when　gentlemen　of　his　age　fall　in　love　with　girls；　they　are　often　like　as　if　they　were　bewitched。　Well；　he　would　marry　her。”

“You　shall　tell　me　this　part　of　the　story　another　time；”　I　said；　“but　now　I　have　a　particular　reason　for　wishing　to　hear　all　about　the　fire。　Was　it　suspected　that　this　lunatic；　Mrs。　Rochester；　had　any　hand　in　it？”

“You’ve　hit　it；　ma’am：　it’s　quite　certain　that　it　was　her；　and　nobody　but　her；　that　set　it　going。　She　had　a　woman　to　take　care　of　her　called　Mrs。　Poole—an　able　woman　in　her　line；　and　very　trustworthy；　but　for　one　fault—a　fault　mon　to　a　deal　of　them　nurses　and　matrons—she　kept　a　private　bottle　of　gin　by　her；　and　now　and　then　took　a　drop　over…much。　It　is　excusable；　for　she　had　a　hard　life　of　it：　but　still　it　was　dangerous；　for　when　Mrs。　Poole　was　fast　asleep　after　the　gin　and　water；　the　mad　lady；　who　was　as　cunning　as　a　witch；　would　take　the　keys　out　of　her　pocket；　let　herself　out　of　her　chamber；　and　go　roaming　about　the　house；　doing　any　wild　mischief　that　ca