第29部分(第4/8 頁)

nt　on—

“During　the　moment　I　was　silent；　Miss　Eyre；　I　was　arranging　a　point　with　my　destiny。　She　stood　there；　by　that　beech…trunk—a　hag　like　one　of　those　who　appeared　to　Macbeth　on　the　heath　of　Forres。　‘You　like　Thornfield？’　she　said；　lifting　her　finger；　and　then　she　wrote　in　the　air　a　memento；　which　ran　in　lurid　hieroglyphics　all　along　the　house…front；　between　the　upper　and　lower　row　of　windows；　‘Like　it　if　you　can！　Like　it　if　you　dare！’

“‘I　will　like　it；’　said　I；　‘I　dare　like　it；’　and”　（he　subjoined　moodily）　“I　will　keep　my　word；　I　will　break　obstacles　to　happiness；　to　goodness—yes；　goodness。　I　wish　to　be　a　better　man　than　I　have　been；　than　I　am；　as　Job’s　leviathan　broke　the　spear；　the　dart；　and　the　habergeon；　hindrances　which　others　count　as　iron　and　brass；　I　will　esteem　but　straw　and　rotten　wood。”

Adèle　here　ran　before　him　with　her　shuttlecock。　“Away！”　he　cried　harshly；　“keep　at　a　distance；　child；　or　go　in　to　Sophie！”　Continuing　then　to　pursue　his　walk　in　silence；　I　ventured　to　recall　him　to　the　point　whence　he　had　abruptly　diverged—

“Did　you　leave　the　balcony；　sir；”　I　asked；　“when　Mdlle。　Varens　entered？”

I　almost　expected　a　rebuff　for　this　hardly　well…timed　question；　but；　on　the　contrary；　waking　out　of　his　scowling　abstraction；　he　turned　his　eyes　towards　me；　and　the　shade　seemed　to　clear　off　his　brow。　“Oh；　I　had　forgotten　Céline！　Well；　to　resume。　When　I　saw　my　charmer　thus　e　in　acpanied　by　a　cavalier；　I　seemed　to　hear　a　hiss；　and　the　gre