第219页
《简·爱(英文版)》章节:第219页,宠文网网友提供全文无弹窗免费在线阅读。!
'Not at first. But presently she took my veil from its place; she
held it up, gazed at it long, and then she threw it over her own head,
and turned to the mirror. At that moment I saw the reflection of the
visage and features quite distinctly in the dark oblong glass.'
'And how were they?'
'Fearful and ghastly to me- oh, sir, I never saw a face like it! It
was a discoloured face- it was a savage face. I wish I could forget
the roll of the red eyes and the fearful blackened inflation of the
lineaments!'
'Ghosts are usually pale, Jane.'
'This, sir, was purple: the lips were swelled and dark; the brow
furrowed: the black eyebrows widely raised over the bloodshot eyes.
Shall I tell you of what it reminded me?'
'You may.'
'Of the foul German spectre- the Vampyre.'
'Ah!- what did it do?'
'Sir, it removed my veil from its gaunt head, rent it in two parts,
and flinging both on the floor, trampled on them.'
'Afterwards?'
'It drew aside the window-curtain and looked out; perhaps it saw
dawn approaching, for, taking the candle, it retreated to the door.
Just at my bedside, the figure stopped: the fiery eyes glared upon me-
she thrust up her candle close to my face, and extinguished it under
my eyes. I was aware her lurid visage flamed over mine, and I lost
consciousness: for the second time in my life- only the second time- I
became insensible from terror.'
'Who was with you when you revived?'
'No one, sir, but the broad day. I rose, bathed my head and face in
water, drank a long draught; felt that though enfeebled I was not ill,
and determined that to none but you would I impart this vision. Now
sir, tell me who and what that woman was?'
'The creature of an over-stimulated brain; that is certain. I
must be careful of you, my treasure: nerves like yours were not made
for rough handling.'
'Sir, depend on it, my nerves were not in fault; the thing was
real: the transaction actually took place.'
'And your previous dreams, were they real too? Is Thornfield Hall a
ruin? Am I severed from you by insuperable obstacles? Am I leaving you
without a tear- without a kiss- without a word?'
'Not yet.'
'Am I about to do it? Why, the day is already commenced which is to
bind us indissolubly; and when we are once united, there shall be no
recurrence of these mental terrors: I guarantee that.'
'Mental terrors, sir! I wish I could believe them to be only
such: I wish it more now than ever; since even you cannot explain to
me the mystery of that awful visitant.'
'And since I cannot do it, Jane, it must have been unreal.'
'But, sir, when I said so to myself on rising this morning, and
when I looked round the room to gather courage and comfort from the
cheerful aspect of each familiar object in full daylight, there- on
the carpet- I saw what gave the distinct lie to my hypothesis,- the
veil, torn from top to bottom in two halves!'