第28部分(第1/7 頁)

n　your　eye　（beware；　by…the…bye；　what　you　express　with　that　organ；　I　am　quick　at　interpreting　its　language）。　Then　take　my　word　for　it；—I　am　not　a　villain：　you　are　not　to　suppose　that—not　to　attribute　to　me　any　such　bad　eminence；　but；　owing；　I　verily　believe；　rather　to　circumstances　than　to　my　natural　bent；　I　am　a　trite　monplace　sinner；　hackneyed　in　all　the　poor　petty　dissipations　with　which　the　rich　and　worthless　try　to　put　on　life。　Do　you　wonder　that　I　avow　this　to　you？　Know；　that　in　the　course　of　your　future　life　you　will　often　find　yourself　elected　the　involuntary　confidant　of　your　acquaintances’　secrets：　people　will　instinctively　find　out；　as　I　have　done；　that　it　is　not　your　forte　to　tell　of　yourself；　but　to　listen　while　others　talk　of　themselves；　they　will　feel；　too；　that　you　listen　with　no　malevolent　scorn　of　their　indiscretion；　but　with　a　kind　of　innate　sympathy；　not　the　less　forting　and　encouraging　because　it　is　very　unobtrusive　in　its　manifestations。”

“How　do　you　know？—how　can　you　guess　all　this；　sir？”

“I　know　it　well；　therefore　I　proceed　almost　as　freely　as　if　I　were　writing　my　thoughts　in　a　diary。　You　would　say；　I　should　have　been　superior　to　circumstances；　so　I　should—so　I　should；　but　you　see　I　was　not。　When　fate　wronged　me；　I　had　not　the　wisdom　to　remain　cool：　I　turned　desperate；　then　I　degenerated。　Now；　when　any　vicious　simpleton　excites　my　disgust　by　his　paltry　ribaldry；　I　cannot　flatter　myself　that　I　am　better　than　he：　I　am　forced　to　confess　that　he　and　I　are　on　a　level。　I　wish　I　had　stood　firm—God　knows　I　do！　Dread　remorse　when　you　are　tempted　to　err；　Miss　Eyre；　remorse　is　the　poison　of　life。”

“Repentance　is　said　to　be　its　cure；　sir。”

“It　is　not　its　cure。　Reformation　may　be　its　cure；　and　I　could　reform—I　have　strength　yet