# ■ 10 The mystery of Grace Poole

A fter this sleepless night I was eager to see Mr Rochester in the morning，but there was no sign of him．He had obviously told the servants that he had accidentally set fire to his room by knocking over a lighted candle As I passed his bedroom，I saw Grace Poole sitting inside，calmly mending the curtains She certainly did not look desperate or mad enough to have tried to murder her master But I decided to investigate．

Good morning，Grace，I said，entering the room．'Tell me，what happened last night？The servants are talking about it．'

Good morning，miss，'she replied， looking up innocently．'Well，master was reading in bed and fell asleep，so he must have knocked the candle over It set fire to the sheets，but luckily he managed to put the flames out with some water．

How strange！'I said quietly．'Didn't anybody hear what was happening？At this，she seemed to examine me carefully．

Mrs Fairfax and you sleep nearest this room，miss Mrs Fairfax is a heavy sleeper，like most old people，and didn't hear anything But you'rs young，miss．Perhaps you heard a noise？' 'I did，'I whispered．'I'm sure I heard a strange laugh．'

She went on sewing calmly

I don't think master would have laughed，when he was in such danger，'she said．'You must have been dreaming．'

No，I wasn't dreaming，'I replied sharply． 'You didn't think of opening your door and looking out into the corridor？'she asked．I suddenly realized that if she suspected I knew of her guilt，she might attack me．

No，in fact I locked my door，'I answered，'and I shall lock it every night from now on．'

That's wise of you，miss We might have burglars at Thornfield one day，you never know．

I was amazed by her self-control，and could not understand why Mr Rochester had not asked the police to arrest her，or at least dismissed her from his service．Why had he asked me to keep the attack a secret？How could such a proud gentleman be so much in the power of one of his servants that he could not even punish her for trying to kill him？Did she know a terrible secret fron his past，which she had threatened to tell？Could he ever have been in love with her？'NO，I thought，'he could never love anyone as plain and coarse as she is．But then，I'm not beautiful either，and I sometimes think he loves me．Last night-his words，his look，his voice!'And my cheeks were red as I thought of those precious moments

I was now even more impatient to see Mr Rochester，but when I was having tea with Mrs Fairfax in the afternoon，the first thing she said was，It's fine weather for the master's journey．'

Journey!'I cried．'I didn't know he'd gone anywhere!'

Oh yes，he went off just after breakfast，to visit a family in a big house about sixteen miles away．I know they've invited a lot of guests，who'll be staying in the house．Mr Rochester is always very popular with the ladies at these parties，so he may not come back for a week or so．'

Who are the ladies at this house-party？

Three sisters，very elegant young ladies，and their friends，Blanche and Mary Ingram．But Blanche is the most beautiful of all．I saw her when she came to a Christmas party at Thornfield，six or seven years ago．'

What does she look like？'

She was eighteen then，a lovely girl，with beautiful skin，long curling black hair，and fine black eyes which shone as brightly as her jewels．She looked like a queen．All the gentlemen admired her，not only for her beauty but also for her musical skills．When she and Mr Rochester sang together，it was a delight to hear．'

Mr Rochester？I didn't know he could sing．'

Oh yes，he has a very fine voice．And then she played the piano later．The master said she played extremely well．'

And this beautiful lady isn't married yet？'

No，I don't think she or her sister has much money．'

But I'm surprised some rich gentleman hasn't fallen in love with her．Mr Rochester，for example．He's rich，isn't he？'

Oh yes But you see，there's a considerable difference in age．He's nearly forty，and she's only twenty-five．'

Well，marriages like that happen every day．De you think-'But I was interrupted by Adele，who came to Join us，and the subject was changed．

That night in my room I was stern with myself．

You，Jane Eyre，'I accused my reflection in the mirror，'you are the biggest fool in the world! How could you imagine that a gentleman of family and wealth would love you，a plain little governess! Just look at yourself!'And I decided that next day I would draw an honest sketch of myself，and then one of Blanche Ingram，painting the most lovely face I could imagine，according to Mrs Fairfax 's description．In the future，if ever my old feelings about Mr Rochester began to return，I would only have to glance at the two pictures to see the great difference between us，and in this way common sense would destroy my foolish dreams.

■ 10 格麗絲·普爾之謎

度過一個不眠之夜後，早晨我很想見到羅切斯特先生，但是根本沒有他的人影。顯然他已經告訴僕人們他不小心碰翻了蠟燭，使房間著火了。經過他的房間時，我看見格麗絲·普爾坐在裡面，平靜地補著窗簾。她看上去根本不像絕望或瘋狂到要殺死主人的地步。但我還是決定探個究竟。

“早上好，格麗絲。”我說著走進屋裡。“告訴我，昨晚出了什麼事？僕人們都在議論呢。”

“早上好，小姐。”她回答著抬起頭來，沒事兒似的。“嗯，主人躺在床上看書睡著了，他肯定是碰翻了蠟燭。蠟燭點著了床單，好在他用水把火撲滅了。”

“多怪啊！”我輕聲說。“沒有人聽到動靜嗎？”聽到這話，她好像仔細打量了我一眼。

“費爾法斯太太和你睡得離他最近，小姐。費爾法斯太太像大多數老年人一樣，睡得很沉，沒聽見什麼。不過，小姐，你還年輕。也許你聽到了動靜？”

“是的。”我說，“我敢肯定我聽到了一聲怪笑。”

她繼續平靜地幹著手中的針線活。

“處在這樣的危險之中，我想主人是不會笑的。”她說，“你一定在做夢。”

“不，我沒有做夢。”我厲聲答道。

“你沒想起要開門朝走廊裡看看？”她問。我突然意識到如果她懷疑我知道她的罪過，可能會襲擊我。

“不，我把門鎖上了。”我說，“從今往後我每天晚上都會鎖門。”

“小姐，這才是明智的。誰知道呢，也許有一天特恩費得會闖進盜賊的。”

她的自我剋制讓我吃驚，我納悶為什麼羅切斯特先生不叫警察抓她或至少解僱她。為什麼他要我保守祕密？一個那麼驕傲的紳士怎麼能這樣被自己的僕人左右，那人即使要殺他也不能予以懲罰呢？她是不是知道他過去的什麼可怕的祕密，要挾要講出來呢？他是不是曾經愛過她？“不，”我心想，“他永遠不會去愛這麼個平淡粗俗的人。可是我也不漂亮呀，但有時我覺得他愛我。昨天夜裡——，他的話，他那眼神，他那聲音！”想到那些珍貴的瞬間，我的雙頰不禁紅了。

現在我更加急不可耐地想要見到羅切斯特先生，但下午我和費爾法斯太太喝茶時，她第一句話就是：“今天天氣不錯，正適合主人旅行。”

“旅行！”我叫著，“我不知道他已經到別處去了。”

“噢，是的，他早飯後就走了、去拜訪16英里外的一戶人家。我知道他們請了許多客人，都住在家裡。在這種晚會上羅切斯特先生總是很受女士們的歡迎，所以他可能會個把星期不回來。”

“這次晚會上有哪些女士？”

“三姐妹，都是文雅的年輕女士，還有她們的朋友布朗蒂和瑪麗·英格姆，可布郎蒂是其中最漂亮的一個。六七年前在特恩費得的聖誕晚會上我見過她。”

“她什麼樣兒？”

“她當時18歲，非常可愛，有好看的皮膚，長長的鬈髮，美麗的黑眸子像珠寶一樣閃著光。她就像個皇后。所有的紳士都喜歡她，這不僅因為她美，還因為她有音樂才華。她和羅切斯特先生一起唱歌時，那聽起來非常悅耳。”

“羅切斯特先生？我不知道他會唱歌。”

“噢，是的，他嗓子很好。然後她彈鋼琴，主人說她彈得非常出色。”

“這位漂亮的女士還沒有結婚？”

“沒有，我想她或她妹妹都沒什麼錢。”

“但是我奇怪怎麼沒有哪位富有的紳士愛上她，比如說羅切斯特先生。他很富，是不是？”

“噢，是的。可你知道．年齡差得太多。他快40歲了，而她只有25歲。”

“不過，這樣的婚姻天天都有。你覺得——”但我被阿黛拉打斷了，她來找我們，話題也就變了。

當晚我在房間裡嚴厲地剖析自己。

“你，簡·愛，”我指責著鏡中的我，“你是世界上最大的傻瓜！你怎麼能想象一位有家有產的紳士會愛上你這個不起眼的小家庭教師呢！好好看看你自己吧！”我決定第二天老老實實地畫一張自畫像，再給布朗蒂·英格姆畫一張，根據費爾法斯太太的描述，畫出我能想像的最迷人的臉蛋兒。今後如果我對羅切斯特先生舊情復發，我只要看看兩幅畫，看看我們之間的巨大差別就夠了。這樣理智就會打破我愚蠢的夢。