第27部分(第2/7 頁)

　I　think　so：　and　you　shall　be　answerable　for　it。　Criticise　me：　does　my　forehead　not　please　you？”

He　lifted　up　the　sable　waves　of　hair　which　lay　horizontally　over　his　brow；　and　showed　a　solid　enough　mass　of　intellectual　organs；　but　an　abrupt　deficiency　where　the　suave　sign　of　benevolence　should　have　risen。

“Now；　ma’am；　am　I　a　fool？”

“Far　from　it；　sir。　You　would；　perhaps；　think　me　rude　if　I　inquired　in　return　whether　you　are　a　philanthropist？”

“There　again！　Another　stick　of　the　penknife；　when　she　pretended　to　pat　my　head：　and　that　is　because　I　said　I　did　not　like　the　society　of　children　and　old　women　（low　be　it　spoken！）。　No；　young　lady；　I　am　not　a　general　philanthropist；　but　I　bear　a　conscience；”　and　he　pointed　to　the　prominences　which　are　said　to　indicate　that　faculty；　and　which；　fortunately　for　him；　were　sufficiently　conspicuous；　giving；　indeed；　a　marked　breadth　to　the　upper　part　of　his　head：　“and；　besides；　I　once　had　a　kind　of　rude　tenderness　of　heart。　When　I　was　as　old　as　you；　I　was　a　feeling　fellow　enough；　partial　to　the　unfledged；　unfostered；　and　unlucky；　but　Fortune　has　knocked　me　about　since：　she　has　even　kneaded　me　with　her　knuckles；　and　now　I　flatter　myself　I　am　hard　and　tough　as　an　India…rubber　ball；　pervious；　though；　through　a　chink　or　two　still；　and　with　one　sentient　point　in　the　middle　of　the　lump。　Yes：　does　that　leave　hope　for　me？”

“Hope　of　what；　sir？”

“Of　my　final　re…transformation　from　India…rubber　back　to　flesh？”

“Decidedly　he　has　had　too　much　wine；”　I　thought；　and　I　did　not　know　what　answer　to　make　to　his　queer　question：　how　could　I　tell　whether　he　was　capable　of　being　re…transformed？

“You　looked　very　much　puzzled；　Miss　Eyre；　and　though　you　are　not　pretty　any　more　than　I　am　handsome；　yet　a　puzzled