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那是种很虚假的节省，"费尔法克斯太太议论道，此刻她又听到了我们的一阵交谈。 "And was that the head and front of his offending?" demanded Mr.Rochester." 而这就是他最大的罪状？"罗切斯特先生问。 "He starved us when he had the sole superintendence of the provisiondepartment, before the committee was appointed; and he bored us withlong lectures once a week, and with evening readings from books ofhis own inditing, about sudden deaths and judgments, which made usafraid to go to bed."" 他还让我们挨饿，那时他单独掌管供应部，而委员会还没有成立。他弄得我们很厌烦，一周一次作长篇大论的讲道，每晚要我们读他自己编的书，写的是关于暴死呀，报应呀，吓得我们都不敢去睡觉。" "What age were you when you went to Lowood?"" 你去罗沃德的时候几岁？" "About ten."" 十岁左右。" 
你在那里待了八年，那你现在是十八岁罗？" I assented. 我表示同意。 "Arithmetic, you see, is useful; without its aid, I should hardlyhave been able to guess your age. It is a point difficult to fixwhere the features and countenance are so much at variance as inyour case. And now what did you learn at Lowood? Can you play?"" 你看，数学还是有用的。没有它的帮助，我很难猜出你的年纪。像你这样五官与表情相差那么大，要确定你的年纪可不容易。好吧，你在罗沃德学了些什么？会弹钢琴吗？" "A little."" 会一点。" "Of course: that is the established answer. Go into the library--Imean, if you please.--(Excuse my tone of command; I am used to say,'Do this,' and it is done: I cannot alter my customary habits forone new inmate.)--Go, then, into the library; take a candle withyou; leave the door open; sit down to the piano, and play a tune."" 当然，都会这么回答的，到书房去--我的意思是请你到书房去--（请原谅我命令的口气，我已说惯了'你作这事'，于是他就去作了。我无法为一个新来府上的人改变我的老习惯）--那么，到书房去，带着你的蜡烛，让门开着，坐在钢琴面前，弹一个曲子。" 
我听从他的吩咐走开了。 "Enough!" he called out in a few minutes. "You play A LITTLE, Isee; like any other English school-girl; perhaps rather better thansome, but not well."" 行啦！"几分钟后他叫道，"你会-点儿，我知道了，像随便哪一个英国女学生一样，也许比有些人强些，但并不好。" I closed the piano and returned. Mr. Rochester continued--"Adeleshowed me some sketches this morning, which she said were yours. Idon't know whether they were entirely of your doing; probably amaster aided you?" 我关了钢琴，走了回来。罗切斯特先生继续说："今天早上阿黛勒把一些速写给我看了，她说是你画的，我不知道是不是完全由你一个人画的，也许某个画师帮助了你？" "No, indeed!" I interjected." 没有，说真的！"我冲口叫了起来。 "Ah! that pricks pride. Well, fetch me your portfolio, if you canvouch for its contents being original; but don't pass your wordunless you are certain: I can recognise patchwork."" 噢，那伤了你的自尊。好吧，把你的画夹拿来，要是你能担保里面的画是自己创作的。不过你没有把握就别吭声，我认得出拼拼凑凑的东西。" 
那我什么也不说，你尽可以自己去判断，先生。" I brought the portfolio from the library. 我从书房取来了画夹。 "Approach the table," said he; and I wheeled it to his couch. Adeleand Mrs. Fairfax drew near to see the pictures." 把桌子移过来，"他说，我把桌子推向他的睡榻，阿黛勒和费尔法克斯太太也都凑近来看画。 "No crowding," said Mr. Rochester: "take the drawings from my handas I finish with them; but don't push your faces up to mine."" 别挤上来，"罗切斯特先生说，"等我看好了，可以从我手里把画拿走，但不要把脸都凑上来。" He deliberately scrutinised each sketch and painting. Three he laidaside; the others, when he had examined them, he swept from him."Take them off to the other table, Mrs. Fairfax," said he, and lookat them with Adele;--you" (glancing at me) "resume your seat, andanswer my questions. I perceive those pictures were done by onehand: was that hand yours?" 他审慎地细看了每幅速写和画作。把其中三幅放在一旁，其余的看完以后便推开了。"把它们放到别的桌子上去，费尔法克斯太太，"他说，同阿黛勒一起看看这些画。你呢，"（目光扫视了我一下）"仍旧坐在你位置上，回答我的问题。我看出来这些画出自一人之手，那是你的手吗？" 
是的。" "And when did you find time to do them? They have taken much time,and some thought."" 你什么时候抽时间来画的？这些画很费时间，也得动些脑筋。" "I did them in the last two vacations I spent at Lowood, when I hadno other occupation."" 我是在罗沃德度过的最后两个假期时画的，那时我没有别的事情。" "Where did you get your copies?"" 你什么地方弄来的摹本？" "Out of my head."" 从我脑袋里。" 
就是现在我看到的你肩膀上的脑袋吗？" "Yes, sir."" 是的，先生。" "Has it other furniture of the same kind within?"" 那里面没有类似的东西吗？" "I should think it may have: I should hope--better."" 我想也许有。我希望--更好。" He spread the pictures before him, and again surveyed themalternately. 他把这些画摊在他面前，再次一张张细看着。 
趁他看画的时候，读者，我要告诉你，那是些什么画。首先我得事先声明，它们并没有什么了不起。画的题材倒确实活脱脱地浮现在我脑海里。我还没有想用画来表现时，它们就已在我心灵的目光下显得栩栩如生。然而在落笔时，我的手却不听我想象的使唤，每次都只能给想象中的东西勾勒出一个苍白无力的图象来。 These pictures were in water-colours. The first represented cloudslow and livid, rolling over a swollen sea: all the distance was ineclipse; so, too, was the foreground; or rather, the nearestbillows, for there was no land. One gleam of light lifted intorelief a half-submerged mast, on which sat a cormorant, dark andlarge, with wings flecked with foam; its beak held a gold braceletset with gems, that I had touched with as brilliant tints as mypalette could yield, and as glittering distinctness as my pencilcould impart. Sinking below the bird and mast, a drowned corpseglanced through the green water; a fair arm was the only limbclearly visible, whence the bracelet had been washed or torn. 这些都是水彩画。第一张画的是，低垂的铅色云块，在波涛汹涌的海面上翻滚，远处的一切黯然无光，画面的前景也是如此，或者不如说，靠得最近的波涛是这样，因为画中没高陆地。-束微光把半沉的桅杆映照得轮廓分明，桅杆上栖息着一只又黑又大的鸬鹚，翅膀上沾着斑驳的泡沫，嘴里衔着一只镶嵌了宝石的金手镯，我给手镯抹上了调色板所能调出的最明亮的色泽，以及我的铅笔所能勾划出的闪闪金光。在鸟和桅杆下面的碧波里，隐约可见一具沉溺的尸体，它身上唯一看得清清楚楚的肢体是一只美丽的胳膊，那手镯就是从这里被水冲走或是给鸟儿啄下来的。 The second picture contained for foreground only the dim peak of ahill, with grass and some leaves slanting as if by a breeze. Beyondand above spread an expanse of sky, dark blue as at twilight:rising into the sky was a woman's shape to the bust, portrayed intints as dusk and soft as I could combine. The dim forehead wascrowned with a star; the lineaments below were seen as through thesuffusion of vapour; the eyes shone dark and wild; the hair streamedshadowy, like a beamless cloud torn by storm or by electric travail.On the neck lay a pale reflection like moonlight; the same faintlustre touched the train of thin clouds from which rose and bowedthis vision of the Evening Star. 第二张画的前景只有一座朦胧的山峰，青草和树叶似乎被微风吹歪了。在远处和上方铺开了一片薄暮时分深蓝色的浩瀚天空。一个女人的半身形体高耸天际，色调被我尽力点染得柔和与暗淡。模糊的额头上点缀着一颗星星，下面的脸部仿佛透现在雾气蒸腾之中。双目乌黑狂野、炯炯有神。头发如阴影一般飘洒，仿佛是被风爆和闪电撕下的暗淡无光的云块。脖子上有一抹宛若月色的淡淡反光，一片片薄云也有着同样浅色的光泽，云端里升起了低着头的金星的幻象。
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