第36部分(第5/7 頁)

d　as　tokens　of　‘la　belle　passion；’　and　I　promise　you　the　public　soon　had　the　benefit　of　our　discovery；　we　employed　it　as　a　sort　of　lever　to　hoist　our　dead…weights　from　the　house。　Dear　mama；　there；　as　soon　as　she　got　an　inkling　of　the　business；　found　out　that　it　was　of　an　immoral　tendency。　Did　you　not；　my　lady…mother？”

“Certainly；　my　best。　And　I　was　quite　right：　depend　on　that：　there　are　a　thousand　reasons　why　liaisons　between　governesses　and　tutors　should　never　be　tolerated　a　moment　in　any　well…regulated　house；　firstly—”

“Oh；　gracious；　mama！　Spare　us　the　enumeration！　Au　reste；　we　all　know　them：　danger　of　bad　example　to　innocence　of　childhood；　distractions　and　consequent　neglect　of　duty　on　the　part　of　the　attached—mutual　alliance　and　reliance；　confidence　thence　resulting—insolence　acpanying—mutiny　and　general　blow…up。　Am　I　right；　Baroness　Ingram；　of　Ingram　Park？”

“My　lily…flower；　you　are　right　now；　as　always。”

“Then　no　more　need　be　said：　change　the　subject。”

Amy　Eshton；　not　hearing　or　not　heeding　this　dictum；　joined　in　with　her　soft；　infantine　tone：　“Louisa　and　I　used　to　quiz　our　governess　too；　but　she　was　such　a　good　creature；　she　would　bear　anything：　nothing　put　her　out。　She　was　never　cross　with　us；　was　she；　Louisa？”

“No；　never：　we　might　do　what　we　pleased；　ransack　her　desk　and　her　workbox；　and　turn　her　drawers　inside　out；　and　she　was　so　good…　natured；　she　would　give　as　anything　we　asked　for。”

“I　suppose；　now；”　said　Miss　Ingram；　curling　her　lip　sarcastically；　“we　shall　have　an　abstract　of　the　memoirs　of　all　the　governesses　extant：　in　order　to　avert　such　a　visitation；　I　again　move　the　introduction　of　a　new　topic。　Mr。　Rochester；　do　you　second　my　motion？”

“Madam；　I　support　you　on　this　point；　as　on　every　other。”