第221页
《简·爱(英文版)》章节:第221页,宠文网网友提供全文无弹窗免费在线阅读。!
With little Adele in my arms, I watched the slumber of childhood- so
tranquil, so passionless, so innocent- and waited for the coming
day: all my life was awake and astir in my frame: and as soon as the
sun rose I rose too. I remember Adele clung to me as I left her: I
remember I kissed her as I loosened her little hands from my neck; and
I cried over her with strange emotion, and quitted her because I
feared my sobs would break her still sound repose. She seemed the
emblem of my past life; and he I was now to array myself to meet,
the dread, but adored, type of my unknown future day.
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CHAPTER XXVI
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SOPHIE came at seven to dress me: she was very long indeed in
accomplishing her task; so long that Mr. Rochester, grown, I
suppose, impatient of my delay, sent up to ask why I did not come. She
was just fastening my veil (the plain square of blond after all) to my
hair with a brooch; I hurried from under her hands as soon as I could.
'Stop!' she cried in French. 'Look at yourself in the mirror: you
have not taken one peep.'
So I turned at the door: I saw a robed and veiled figure, so unlike
my usual self that it seemed almost the image of a stranger. 'Jane!'
called a voice, and I hastened down. I was received at the foot of the
stairs by Mr. Rochester.
'Lingerer!' he said, 'my brain is on fire with impatience, and
you tarry so long!'
He took me into the dining-room, surveyed me keenly all over,
pronounced me 'fair as a lily, and not only the pride of his life, but
the desire of his eyes,' and then telling me he would give me but
ten minutes to eat some breakfast, he rang the bell. One of his lately
hired servants, a footman, answered it.
'Is John getting the carriage ready?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Is the luggage brought down?'
'They are bringing it down, sir.'
'Go you to the church: see if Mr. Wood (the clergyman) and the
clerk are there: return and tell me.'
The church, as the reader knows, was but just beyond the gates; the
footman soon returned.
'Mr. Wood is in the vestry, sir, putting on his surplice.'
'And the carriage?'
'The horses are harnessing.'
'We shall not want it to go to church; but it must be ready the
moment we return: all the boxes and luggage arranged and strapped
on, and the coachman in his seat.'
'Yes, sir.'
'Jane, are you ready?'
I rose. There were no groomsmen, no bridesmaids, no relatives to
wait for or marshal: none but Mr. Rochester and I. Mrs. Fairfax
stood in the hall as we passed. I would fain have spoken to her, but
my hand was held by a grasp of iron: I was hurried along by a stride I
could hardly follow; and to look at Mr. Rochester's face was to feel
that not a second of delay would be tolerated for any purpose. I