简爱.docx

简爱.docx

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简爱

PARTONE-LIFEATGATESHEAD

CHAPTERONE

TheFight

Wecouldn'tgooutsideatallonthatcold,rainyafternoon.Therainwaspouringdown,andthewindwasblowinghard.Ididn'tcare,Iwashappytostayindoors.Tryingtotakelongwalksinthewinterwasterrible!

Itwassupposedtobehealthyforourbodies,butIhatedcominghomeinthedarkwithmyfeetandhandsascoldasice.AndIwasalwaysunhappybecauseBessie,oneoftheservants,wasalwaysscoldingme.IhadalwaysknownthatIwasdifferentfrommycousins,John,Eliza,andGeorgianaReed.TheywereprettierandtallerthanI,andeveryonelovedthem.

Thesethreechildrenwerenotverynicetootherpeopleortoeachother.Usuallytheyspenttheirtimefightingandcryingwitheachother.However,todaytheywerewiththeirmotherinthesittingroom,sittingquietlyandtalkinginfrontofthewarmfire.IwantedtojointhembutMrs.Reed,myaunt,saidIcouldnot.ShewasangrywithmebecauseBessiehadtoldherIwasbeingtroublesome.

"No,I'msorry,Jane,"shesaid,lookingatmeasifIwasaratonthefloor."UntilIknowthatyouarereallytryingtobegoodandquiet,Iwillnottreatyoulikeoneofmychildren.Theyaregood!

""WhatdidBessietellyou?

WhathaveIdone?

"Iasked."JaneEyre,donotaskmeanymorequestions.Youmustdowhatyouaretold.Ifyoucannotspeaknicelyandobeyme.thenbequiet!

"

AftersheleftmeIwentintothelittleroomnextdoor.Igotapicturebookfromtheshelfandclimbedontothewindowseat,closingthecurtainsaroundme.Nownoonecouldfindme.Istaredoutthewindowatthecold,grayNovemberday.Therainfellhardonthegarden,whichhadnoleavesorflowers.ThenIlookedatthepicturebook.Iwasinsideaworldofimagination.Forawhile,Iforgotmysad,lonelylifeandfeltalittlehappier.IwasonlyafraidthattheReedchildrenmightfindme.Becausetheywerecrueltome,ItriedtotalktothemaslittleasIcould.

Suddenlythedooropened.JohnReedranin.

"Whereareyou,yourlittlerat?

"hesaid.Hedidnotseemyhidingplace."Eliza!

Georgy!

Janeisnothere!

TellMammashe'sgoneoutside-whatabadgirlsheis!

"

"HowluckyIdrewthecurtain!

"Ithought.Iknewhewouldneverfindme,becausehewasverystupid.ButhissisterElizawasnotstupid,andsheknewexactlywhereIwas.

"She'sinthewindowseat,John!

"shesaid.ImmediatelyIcameout,becauseIdidnotwantthemtobeangrywithme."Whatdoyouwant?

"Iaskedhim.

"Say,whatwouldyoulike,MasterReed?

"hesaid,sittinginacomfortablechair."Iwantyoutocomehere."

JohnReedwasfourteen,andIwasonlyten.Hewaslarge,ugly,andfat.Heoftenatetoomuchatmealswhichmadehimlooklikeapig.Usuallyhewasawayatschool,buthismotherhadmadehimcomehomeforawhile,becauseshethoughthishealthwasnotgood.Hedidnothaveanythingtodobutfightwithhissisters,getintotroublewithBessie,andtreatmebadly.

Johndidnotlovehismotherorhissisters,andhehatedme.Hewasalwayscrueltome.Sometimeshehitme,andsometimeshejustthreatenedme.ButIwasalwaysafraidwhenhewasnear.Ididnotknowhowtomakehimtreatmewell.Theservantsdidnotwanttomakehimangry,sotheydidwhateverhewanted.Mrs.Reed,hismother,lovedhimtoomuchandthoughtheneverdidanythingwrong.

WhileIwalkedovertoJohnIthoughtabouthowuglyhewas.IthinkheknewwhatIwasthinking,becausehesuddenlyhitmehardontheface.

"ThatisforyourrudenesstoMammajustnow,"hesaid,"andforhiding,andforlookingatmelikethat,youdirtylittlerat!

"IwastooafraidofJohntohithimback.

"Now,whatwereyoudoingbehindthatcurtain?

"heasked.

"Iwasreading,"Iansweredsoftly.

"Givemethebook."Igaveittohim.

"Youcan'ttouchthesebooks!

"hesaid."Youhavenomoney,becauseyourfathergaveyounothingwhenhedied.You'renothingbutapoorstreetrat.Yououghttobeginthecity,notliveherewithagentleman'sfamily.Anyway,allthesebooksaremine,andsoisthewholehouse!

I'llteachyounottotouchmythingsagain!

"BeforeIcouldrunaway,heliftedtheheavybookandthrewithardatme.

IthitmeandIfell,cuttingmyheadonthedoor.Iwasingreatpain,andsuddenlyforthefirsttimeinmylife,IwassoangrythatIforgotmyfearofJohnReed.

"Youawful,cruelboy!

"Ishoutedathim."Whydidyouhitme?

Ihaven'tdoneanythingtoyou.Youdon'tevenreadthosebooks,anyway.Youarenothingbutastupidpig!

Youareasbadasamurderer!

"

"What!

What!

"hescreamed."Howdareyousaythesethingstome?

Doyouhearthis,sisters?

I'lltellMamma,butfirst..."

Herantoattackme,butnowhewasfightingwithanangrygirl.InthosemomentsIreallythoughthewasasbadasamurderer.Ifeltthebloodrunningdownmyface,andthepaingavemestrength.IfoughthimashardasIcould,kickingandbiting.Mystrengthsurprisedhim,andheshoutedforhelp.Hissistersranandtoldtheirmother.ShecalledBessieandMissAbbott,hermaid.TheypulledusapartandIheardthemsay,"Whatawildlittleanimal!

SheattackedMasterJohn!

"

Mrs.Reedsaidcalmly,"Takeherawaytotheredroomandlockherinthere."Andsotheytookmeupstairs.

Assoonaswearrivedintheredroom,Ibecamequietagain.IknewthatitwasamistaketofightJohn.Theservantslookedatmeangrily.

"Really,MissEyre,"saidBessie,"howcouldyouhithim?

He'syouryoungmaster!

"

"Whyishemymaster?

Iamnotaservant!

"Icried.

"No,MissEyre,youarenotaservant.Butyouarelessthanone,becauseyoudonotworkhere,"saidMissAbbott.Theylookedatmefirmly.

"Youmustremember,MissJane,"saidBessie,"yourauntpaysforyourfoodandclothes,andyoushouldbegratefultoher.Youhavenootherfamily."

Allmylifepeoplehadtoldmethis,andIcouldsaynothing.Istayedquiet,listeningtothesepainfulwords.

"Andifyouareangryandrude,Mrs.Reedmaysendyouaway."saidBessie.

MissAbbottsaid,"Godwillpunishyou,JaneEyre,ifyou'renotcareful.PraytoGod,andsayyou'resorry!

"Theylefttheroomandlockedthedoorbehindthem.

Theredroomwasacold,silentroom.Itwasthelargestbedroominthehouse,butnoonesleptinit.Nineyearsagomyuncle,Mr.Reed,haddiedinthisroom.Sincethennoonewantedtogointotheroom.

NowthatIwasaloneIthoughtabouttheterriblepeopleIlivedwith.JohnReed,hissisters,hismother,theservants,theyallscoldedandhatedme.WhycouldIneverpleasethem?

Elizawasselfish,butitdidnotmatter.Georgianahadabadtemper,buteveryonelovedherbecauseshewasbeautiful.Johnwasugly,cruelandviolent,butnobodypunishedhim.Itriedtobegoodandmakenomistakes,buttheycalledmebadeveryday.NowthatIhadfoughtJohntoprotectmyself,everyoneblamedme.

IspenttherestofthedayintheredroomaskingmyselfwhyIhadtosufferandwhylifewassounfair."PerhapsIshouldrunaway,orstarvemyselftodeath,"Ithoughtsadly.

Soonitwasdarkoutside.Itwasraining,andIcouldhearthewindinthetrees.Itsoundedlikeghostscrying.Iwasnolongerangry,andIbegantothinktheReedsmightberight.PerhapsIwasreallybadinside.DidIdeservetodielikemyuncleReed?

Ididinotrememberhim.Justbeforehedied,hehadmademyAuntReedpromisetocareformeliketheirownchildren.Nowsheprobablywishedshehadnevermadethatpromisetohim!

AsIsatthereinthedark,Ibegantothinkstrangethings.IfMr.Reedhadlived,maybehewouldhavebeennicetome.AsIlookedaroundthedark,quietroom,IwasafraidthatMr.Reed'sghostmightcomeback.Whatifhewasangrywithhiswifefortreatingmebadly?

Hemightrisefromhisgrave,andappearinthisroom!

IwassoscaredbythisthoughtthatIcouldnotbreathe.SuddenlyIsawalightmovingontheceiling.Itwasprobablyfromalampoutside,butIwassoafraidthatIdidnotthinkclearly.Ithoughtitmustbeaghost,anangryghostfromthelandofthedead!

Myheartbeatfast.Wasthatsomethingmovingnearme?

Screamingloudly,Irantothedoorandhititwithmyfists.Iwantedtobreakitopenandrunfarawayfromthatcold,darkroom.SoonMissAbbottandBessiecamerunningtoopenit.

"MissEyre,whatiswrong?

Areyouill?

"askedBessie.

"Please!

Please!

Letmeleavethisroom!

"Iscreamed.

"Why?

Whathappened?

"sheasked.

"Isawastrangelightintheroom.Iknowitwasaghost,"Icried,holdingtightlyontoBessie.

"There'snothingwrongwithher!

"saidMissAbbot."Shescreamedjusttomakeuscome.Iknowallherlittletricks!

"

Iheardfootstepsinthehall."Whatisallthatnoise?

"saidanangryvoice.Mrs.Reedcamein."AbbottandBessie,ItoldyoutoleaveJaneEyreinthisroomuntilIsaidshecouldleave!

"

"Shescreamedsoloudly,Mrs.Reed,"saidBessiesoftly.

"Letgoofher,Bessie,"Mrs.Reedsaid."JaneEyre,youwillnotleavethisroomuntilIsayyoucan.Yourtricksdon'tworkwithme!

Now,youwillstayhereonehourmore!

"

"OhAunt,forgiveme!

Ishalldieifyoukeepmehere..."Iscreamedandkickedassheheldme.

"Bequiet!

"Shepushedmebackintotheredroomandlockedthedoor.ThereIwasinthedarknessagain,withtheghostsandthesilence.IscreameduntilImusthavefainted,becauseIdonotrememberanythingmore.

WhenIwokeup,adoctorwascarryingmetomyownbedroom.Itwasgoodtobebackinmyroom,whichhadawarmfireandcandlelight.IwasalsohappytoseeDr.Lloyd,whowasaverykindman.HewasthedoctorthathelpedtheservantsatGateshead.HewastakingcareofmesokindlythatIfelthewouldprotectmefromMrs.Reed.Hetalkedtomealittle,andthentoldBessietotakegoodcareofme.Whenheleft,Ibegantoworryaboutwhatwouldha