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第3章 古恪

　　'How sad to be lying now on a sick bed, and to be in danger ofdying! This world is pleasant- it would be dreary to be called fromit, and to have to go who knows where?'

　　'I thought not. And so you were waiting for your people when yousat on that stile?'

　　With this sublime conclusion, Mr. Brocklehurst adjusted the topbutton of his surtout, muttered something to his family, who rose,bowed to Miss Temple, and then all the great people sailed in statefrom the room. Turning at the door, my judge said-

　　A snug small room; a round table by a cheerful fire; an arm-chairhigh-backed and old-fashioned, wherein sat the neatest imaginablelittle elderly lady, in widow's cap, black silk gown, and snowy muslinapron; exactly like what I had fancied Mrs. Fairfax, only less statelyand milder looking. She was occupied in knitting; a large cat satdemurely at her feet; nothing in short was wanting to complete thebeau-ideal of domestic comfort. A more reassuring introduction for anew governess could scarcely be conceived; there was no grandeur tooverwhelm, no stateliness to embarrass; and then, as I entered, theold lady got up and promptly and kindly came forward to meet me.

　　'Yes, ma'am.'

　　When we left the dining-room she proposed to show me over therest of the house; and I followed her upstairs and downstairs,admiring as I went; for all was well arranged and handsome. Thelarge front chambers I thought especially grand: and some of thethird-storey rooms, though dark and low, were interesting from theirair of antiquity. The furniture once appropriated to the lowerapartments had from time to time been removed here, as fashionschanged: and the imperfect light entering by their narrow casementshowed bed-steads of a hundred years old; chests in oak or walnut,looking, with their strange carvings of palm branches and cherubs'heads, like types of the Hebrew ark; rows of venerable chairs,high-backed and narrow; stools still more antiquated, on whosecushioned tops were yet apparent traces of half-effacedembroideries, wrought by fingers that for two generations had beencoffin-dust. All these relics gave to the third storey of ThornfieldHall the aspect of a home of the past: a shrine of memory. I liked t

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　　Daylight began to forsake the red-room; it was past four o'clock,and the beclouded afternoon was tending to drear twilight. I heard therain still beating continuously on the staircase window, and thewind howling in the grove behind the hall; I grew by degrees cold as astone, and then my courage sank. My habitual mood of humiliation,self-doubt, forlorn depression, fell damp on the embers of my decayingire. All said I was wicked, and perhaps I might be so; what thoughthad I been but just conceiving of starving myself to death? Thatcertainly was a crime: and was I fit to die? Or was the vault underthe chancel of Gateshead Church an inviting bourne? In such vault Ihad been told did Mr. Reed lie buried; and led by this thought torecall his idea, I dwelt on it with gathering dread. I could notremember him; but I knew that he was my own uncle- my mother'sbrother- that he had taken me when a parentless infant to his house;and that in his last moments he had required a promise of Mrs. Reedthat she would rear and mai

　　'Very. She went up to London last winter with her mama, and thereeverybody admired her, and a young lord fell in love with her: but hisrelations were against the match; and- what do you think?- he and MissGeorgiana made it up to run away; but they were found out and stopped.It was Miss Reed that found them out: I believe she was envious; andnow she and her sister lead a cat and dog life together; they arealways quarrelling.'