06-01-简·爱 [75]
“那么戴安娜和玛丽是我的表姐妹了？”
“是的，我们是你的表亲。”他耐心地等待着。
我看着他，好像自己找到了一个哥哥和两个姐姐，可以一辈子爱他们，并以他们为荣。原来救了我的命的人竟是我的近亲！对一颗孤独的心来说，这的确是一笔财富，比金钱带来的沉重负担更能照亮我的生命。
“啊，我真高兴——我真高兴！”我笑着，叫着。
圣约翰笑了。“我跟你说你继承了财产时你很严肃，现在对这无关紧要的事你倒激动起来了。”
“你这是什么意思？这可能对你毫无意义。你已经有两个妹妹，不再需要什么亲人了。可是我没有一个亲人，而现在我的世界里却突然有了三个亲人，或许是两个，如果241
你不愿被称做一个的话。”我在屋里急步踱着，脑子里的念头一个接一个地闪现，我自己都搞不懂了。我现在的亲人，这些曾从饥饿中拯救过我的人，我如今可以帮助他们！我们表兄妹四个，均分 20 000英镑，每人可得5 000英镑，足够用的。这样安排公平合理，我们大家都会感到高兴，我也不必再为掌握着这么多钱而担心，她们也不必再工作了。我们可以有更多的时间一起生活在摩尔屋了。
我向圣约翰和他的妹妹们提出这个建议时，他们坚决反对。我费了很大力气才说服她们我一定要这样办。最后他们终于同意这样分配遗产是公平的，于是我们办理了必要的法律手续，把财产平均划到每个人名下。
■ 23 A voice from the past
I promised to stay at Morton school until Christmas，when St John would be able to find another teacher．He was there when I closed the school for the Christmas holidays．I was quite sorry to have to say goodbye to some of my pupils．
'You see what progress they have made！And you've only worked here a few months！'he said．'Imagine how much more good you coul do if you gave your whole life to teaching！'
'Yes，'I answered，'but I couldn't do it for ever．Don't mention school，I'm on holiday now！'
He looked serious．'What are your plans？'
'I want you to let me have Hannah for a few days．She and I are going to clean Moor House from top to bottom，and make all the Christmas preparations that you know nothing about，being only a man．Everything must be ready for Diana and Mary when they come home next week，for a really wonderful holiday．'
St John smiled but he was still not satisfied with me．'That's all right for the moment，but I hope，Jane，that you'll look higher than domestic activity，and think abut a better way of using your energy and intelligence in the service of God．'
'St John，I have so many reasons for happiness．I am determined to be happy despite your scolding！'
That week Hannah and I worked harder than we had ever worked in our lives before，but at last all was ready．It was a delight to see Diana's and Mary's faces when they arrived cold and stiff from their long journey，and saw the warm fires and polished furniture，and smelt the cakes and meat dishes cooking．
We three spent the whole of Christmas week in perfect happiness．The air of the moors，the freedom of home，and the beginning of independence made Diana and Mary happier than I had ever seen them．Only St John remained apart from our conversations and laughter．He continued his serious studies，and spent much time visiting the sick as usual．
'Do you still intend to be a missionary？'Diana asked him once，a little sadly．
'Nothing has changed or will change my plans，'he answered．'I shall leave England in a few months'time．'
'And Rosamund Oliver？'asked Mary gently．
'Rosamund Oliver is engaged to a Mr Granby，a very suitable young man，according to her father．'His face was calm．I realized he had managed to overcome what he called his
“是的，我们是你的表亲。”他耐心地等待着。
我看着他，好像自己找到了一个哥哥和两个姐姐，可以一辈子爱他们，并以他们为荣。原来救了我的命的人竟是我的近亲！对一颗孤独的心来说，这的确是一笔财富，比金钱带来的沉重负担更能照亮我的生命。
“啊，我真高兴——我真高兴！”我笑着，叫着。
圣约翰笑了。“我跟你说你继承了财产时你很严肃，现在对这无关紧要的事你倒激动起来了。”
“你这是什么意思？这可能对你毫无意义。你已经有两个妹妹，不再需要什么亲人了。可是我没有一个亲人，而现在我的世界里却突然有了三个亲人，或许是两个，如果241
你不愿被称做一个的话。”我在屋里急步踱着，脑子里的念头一个接一个地闪现，我自己都搞不懂了。我现在的亲人，这些曾从饥饿中拯救过我的人，我如今可以帮助他们！我们表兄妹四个，均分 20 000英镑，每人可得5 000英镑，足够用的。这样安排公平合理，我们大家都会感到高兴，我也不必再为掌握着这么多钱而担心，她们也不必再工作了。我们可以有更多的时间一起生活在摩尔屋了。
我向圣约翰和他的妹妹们提出这个建议时，他们坚决反对。我费了很大力气才说服她们我一定要这样办。最后他们终于同意这样分配遗产是公平的，于是我们办理了必要的法律手续，把财产平均划到每个人名下。
■ 23 A voice from the past
I promised to stay at Morton school until Christmas，when St John would be able to find another teacher．He was there when I closed the school for the Christmas holidays．I was quite sorry to have to say goodbye to some of my pupils．
'You see what progress they have made！And you've only worked here a few months！'he said．'Imagine how much more good you coul do if you gave your whole life to teaching！'
'Yes，'I answered，'but I couldn't do it for ever．Don't mention school，I'm on holiday now！'
He looked serious．'What are your plans？'
'I want you to let me have Hannah for a few days．She and I are going to clean Moor House from top to bottom，and make all the Christmas preparations that you know nothing about，being only a man．Everything must be ready for Diana and Mary when they come home next week，for a really wonderful holiday．'
St John smiled but he was still not satisfied with me．'That's all right for the moment，but I hope，Jane，that you'll look higher than domestic activity，and think abut a better way of using your energy and intelligence in the service of God．'
'St John，I have so many reasons for happiness．I am determined to be happy despite your scolding！'
That week Hannah and I worked harder than we had ever worked in our lives before，but at last all was ready．It was a delight to see Diana's and Mary's faces when they arrived cold and stiff from their long journey，and saw the warm fires and polished furniture，and smelt the cakes and meat dishes cooking．
We three spent the whole of Christmas week in perfect happiness．The air of the moors，the freedom of home，and the beginning of independence made Diana and Mary happier than I had ever seen them．Only St John remained apart from our conversations and laughter．He continued his serious studies，and spent much time visiting the sick as usual．
'Do you still intend to be a missionary？'Diana asked him once，a little sadly．
'Nothing has changed or will change my plans，'he answered．'I shall leave England in a few months'time．'
'And Rosamund Oliver？'asked Mary gently．
'Rosamund Oliver is engaged to a Mr Granby，a very suitable young man，according to her father．'His face was calm．I realized he had managed to overcome what he called his