06-01-简·爱 [24]
生活。
我进屋时，仆人们告诉我罗切斯特先生回来了而他的马在通往海依的路上滑倒在冰上了，他的腿受了伤。
■ 8 Getting to know Mr Rochester
Thornfield Hall became quite busy the next day，now that the master had returned．People kept coming to visit him on business．I enjoyed the new，cheerful atmosphere．But I could not make Adele concentrate on her lessons because she was constantly talking about the presents Mr Rochester had promised to bring her．That evening we were invited to have tea with him． I immediately recognized the traveller I had helped，with his dark hair and skin，his square forehead and his stern look．His leg was supported on a chair，but he made no effort to greet me when I entered．In fact，he neither spoke nor moved．
'Have you brought a present for Miss Eyre with you as well？'Adele asked him．
'A present？Who wants a present？'he said angrily．'Did you expect a present，Miss Eyer？Do you like presents？'
'I haven't much experience of them，sir，'I answered．'Anyway，I have no right to expect a present，as I haven't done anything to deserve one．'
'Don't be so modest！I've been talking to Adele．She's not very clever，but you've taught her well．'
'Sir，that is my present．That's what a teacher wants most，praise of her pupil's progress．'
Mr Rochester drank his tea in silence After tea，he called me closer to the fire， while Adèle played with Mrs Fairfax．
'Where were you before you came here？'he asked．
'I was at Lowood school，sir，for eight years．'
'Ah，yes，a charity school！Eight years！I'm surprised you lasted so long in such a place．There is something like magic in your face．When I met you on the road to Hay last night，I almost thought you had put a spell on my horse！I still wonder if you did．What about your parents？'
'They're dead．I don't remember them．'
'And your relations？'
'I have none．'
'Who recommended you to come here？'
'I advertised，and Mrs Fairfax answered the advertise－ment．'
'Yes，'said the old housekeeper，'and I thank God she did．She's a good teacher for Adèle，and a kind friend to me．'
'Don't try to give her a good character，Mrs Fairfax，'said Mr Rochester sternly．'She and her magic made my horse slip on the ice last night．'
Mrs Fairfax looked puzzled and clearly did not understand．
'Miss Eyre，'continued Mr Rochester，'how old were you when you started at Lowood？'
'About ten．'
'And you stayed there eight years，so you are now eighteen？'I nodded．'I would never have been able to guess your age，'he went on．'Now，what did you learn there？Can you play the piano？'
'A little．'
'of course，that's what all young women say．Go and play a tune on the piano in the library．'I did as he asked．
'That's enough！'he called after a few minutes．'Yes，you do indeed play a ittle，just like any schoolgirl， better than some perhaps．Now，bring me your sketches．'I fetched them from my room Having looked carefully at them， he chose three．
'These are interesting，'he said．'You have only expressed the shadow of your ideas，because you aren't good enough at drawing or painting，but the ideas，where did they come from？Who taught you to draw wind，and space，and feeling？But put them away now，Miss Eyre．Do you realize it's nine o'clock？ Adèle should be in bed by now． Good night to you all．'Mr Rochester's mood had suddenly changed，and he clearly wished to be alone．
Later tha evening I talked to Mrs Fairfax． 'You said Mr Rochester was a little peculiar，'I said． 'Well， what do you think，Miss Eyre？' 'I think he is very peculiar，and quite rude．' 'He may seem like that to a stranger．I'm so used to him that I never notice it．And he has had family troubles，you know．'
'But he has no family
我进屋时，仆人们告诉我罗切斯特先生回来了而他的马在通往海依的路上滑倒在冰上了，他的腿受了伤。
■ 8 Getting to know Mr Rochester
Thornfield Hall became quite busy the next day，now that the master had returned．People kept coming to visit him on business．I enjoyed the new，cheerful atmosphere．But I could not make Adele concentrate on her lessons because she was constantly talking about the presents Mr Rochester had promised to bring her．That evening we were invited to have tea with him． I immediately recognized the traveller I had helped，with his dark hair and skin，his square forehead and his stern look．His leg was supported on a chair，but he made no effort to greet me when I entered．In fact，he neither spoke nor moved．
'Have you brought a present for Miss Eyre with you as well？'Adele asked him．
'A present？Who wants a present？'he said angrily．'Did you expect a present，Miss Eyer？Do you like presents？'
'I haven't much experience of them，sir，'I answered．'Anyway，I have no right to expect a present，as I haven't done anything to deserve one．'
'Don't be so modest！I've been talking to Adele．She's not very clever，but you've taught her well．'
'Sir，that is my present．That's what a teacher wants most，praise of her pupil's progress．'
Mr Rochester drank his tea in silence After tea，he called me closer to the fire， while Adèle played with Mrs Fairfax．
'Where were you before you came here？'he asked．
'I was at Lowood school，sir，for eight years．'
'Ah，yes，a charity school！Eight years！I'm surprised you lasted so long in such a place．There is something like magic in your face．When I met you on the road to Hay last night，I almost thought you had put a spell on my horse！I still wonder if you did．What about your parents？'
'They're dead．I don't remember them．'
'And your relations？'
'I have none．'
'Who recommended you to come here？'
'I advertised，and Mrs Fairfax answered the advertise－ment．'
'Yes，'said the old housekeeper，'and I thank God she did．She's a good teacher for Adèle，and a kind friend to me．'
'Don't try to give her a good character，Mrs Fairfax，'said Mr Rochester sternly．'She and her magic made my horse slip on the ice last night．'
Mrs Fairfax looked puzzled and clearly did not understand．
'Miss Eyre，'continued Mr Rochester，'how old were you when you started at Lowood？'
'About ten．'
'And you stayed there eight years，so you are now eighteen？'I nodded．'I would never have been able to guess your age，'he went on．'Now，what did you learn there？Can you play the piano？'
'A little．'
'of course，that's what all young women say．Go and play a tune on the piano in the library．'I did as he asked．
'That's enough！'he called after a few minutes．'Yes，you do indeed play a ittle，just like any schoolgirl， better than some perhaps．Now，bring me your sketches．'I fetched them from my room Having looked carefully at them， he chose three．
'These are interesting，'he said．'You have only expressed the shadow of your ideas，because you aren't good enough at drawing or painting，but the ideas，where did they come from？Who taught you to draw wind，and space，and feeling？But put them away now，Miss Eyre．Do you realize it's nine o'clock？ Adèle should be in bed by now． Good night to you all．'Mr Rochester's mood had suddenly changed，and he clearly wished to be alone．
Later tha evening I talked to Mrs Fairfax． 'You said Mr Rochester was a little peculiar，'I said． 'Well， what do you think，Miss Eyre？' 'I think he is very peculiar，and quite rude．' 'He may seem like that to a stranger．I'm so used to him that I never notice it．And he has had family troubles，you know．'
'But he has no family