第87部分(第5/8 頁)

u　never　saw；　ma’am。　He　was　not　a　man　given　to　wine；　or　cards；　or　racing；　as　some　are；　and　he　was　not　so　very　handsome；　but　he　had　a　courage　and　a　will　of　his　own；　if　ever　man　had。　I　knew　him　from　a　boy；　you　see：　and　for　my　part；　I　have　often　wished　that　Miss　Eyre　had　been　sunk　in　the　sea　before　she　came　to　Thornfield　Hall。”

“Then　Mr。　Rochester　was　at　home　when　the　fire　broke　out？”

“Yes；　indeed　was　he；　and　he　went　up　to　the　attics　when　all　was　burning　above　and　below；　and　got　the　servants　out　of　their　beds　and　helped　them　down　himself；　and　went　back　to　get　his　mad　wife　out　of　her　cell。　And　then　they　called　out　to　him　that　she　was　on　the　roof；　where　she　was　standing；　waving　her　arms；　above　the　battlements；　and　shouting　out　till　they　could　hear　her　a　mile　off：　I　saw　her　and　heard　her　with　my　own　eyes。　She　was　a　big　woman；　and　had　long　black　hair：　we　could　see　it　streaming　against　the　flames　as　she　stood。　I　witnessed；　and　several　more　witnessed；　Mr。　Rochester　ascend　through　the　sky…light　on　to　the　roof；　we　heard　him　call　‘Bertha！’　We　saw　him　approach　her；　and　then；　ma’am；　she　yelled　and　gave　a　spring；　and　the　next　minute　she　lay　smashed　on　the　pavement。”

“Dead？”

“Dead！　Ay；　dead　as　the　stones　on　which　her　brains　and　blood　were　scattered。”

“Good　God！”

“You　may　well　say　so；　ma’am：　it　was　frightful！”

He　shuddered。

“And　afterwards？”　I　urged。

“Well；　ma’am；　afterwards　the　house　was　burnt　to　the　ground：　there　are　only　some　bi