"The Widow" Bertha

The next morning.

The residents of Nan'an Street woke up to the sound of crisp bells. Many good residents opened their windows one after another, and saw a scene that was unforgettable for a lifetime——

The early morning fog in London, amidst the rhythmic ringing of bells, two mysterious figures, one big and one small, slowly appeared.Wearing colorful robes, they walked on the streets with extremely complicated steps, which were like dancing or sleepwalking.When they got closer to the field of vision, people found that both of them had exotic masks on their faces.

The mask was painted in bronze, like the faces of a man and a woman, but the eyes stared like copper bells, solemn and strange.

Whenever the "dancing" person turns his head and glances at the residents who opened the window, the mysterious gaze seems to be captivating, making people wonder... Is the person under the mask really a person?

"Unclean—"

"Unclean—"

"Unclean—"

Two masked people rang bells and spoke a language they couldn't understand. They walked back and forth three times on South Bank Street until the sun rose and the fog cleared. All the residents watched them walk in. Among the "Haunted Houses" that were just sold yesterday.

Everyone immediately understood: the buyer invited them to exorcise evil spirits!

The two witches walked into the abandoned mansion, and before they could stand still, a hoarse female voice said dissatisfiedly: "This dance is too awkward, aren't you gypsies? Also, the rhythm is so slow, What was agreed before is not to end before dawn, the mystery is gone!"

The exorcists took off their masks one after another, and they turned out to be two witches of the Gypsy nationality.

The taller gypsy girl dropped her mask: "Money?"

Bertha: Tsk, I know you are unreliable, can you stop being so unreliable.

Bertha, who was sitting in the hall, motioned to Thomas, who stepped forward and took out some coins from his pocket.

Gypsy girl: "Don't call me for this kind of thing in the future."

Thomas was taken aback: "Aren't you a witch?"

The girl tore off the colorful robe, pointed at these gaudy things angrily and said: "This is insulting me! How can laymen interfere with such a serious matter as exorcising evil spirits?"

Thomas: "..."

The older gypsy girl was about to die of anger: as witches, it is natural to collect money to exorcise evil spirits, but they have their own rules of conduct!

But this widow, who hired witches, asked them to wear "Nuo Opera" masks, put on Jamaica's local ethnic robes, shake bells and dance gypsy dances as if to drive away leprosy, and read Speaking an oriental language that I don't understand at all, saying that the characteristics of several religions are complete, and no ghosts can escape.

What a heretic!Why didn't the Catholic priests burn her?

——If Bertha knew that she was called a heretic by the gypsies, she would probably have laughed happily.

But she can't read minds, so she doesn't know what the witch is thinking at this time.Bertha who was sitting on the sofa raised her eyebrows, and said lazily, "I didn't seem to force you to do it, did I?"

To be reasonable, Party B must have the consciousness of Party B, okay?It was rare to be the party A pointing fingers for a while, and Bertha didn't know how cool it was in her heart.

The witch grabbed the coin in Thomas' hand and turned away angrily.

"lady."

Thomas: "Anyway, I can't recognize them with a mask on. I can do this too. Why hire a gypsy."

Bertha was interested: "You can do a gypsy dance? Give me one."

Thomas couldn't help but shook his head.

Of course he knew that Bertha didn't mean to let him dance—even if he didn't believe in some things, he had to pay attention to a sense of ceremony.Moreover, the "successful exorcism" of Nan'an Street, the gypsies must publicize that it is their own credit, and the persuasion will be higher.

"Help me invite the pastor of the church near South Bank Street to come over if you have time," Bertha urged, "so that the local pastor won't think that I'm trying to save face by inviting heretics."

As for religion, Bertha believed in none.

But people in the nineteenth century believed, so she always had to take into account other people's opinions.

The purpose of inviting gypsies to exorcise evil spirits is to increase the sense of mystery and convincing. This is not enough, because Britain is a Christian country, so the pastor has to be invited to go through the motions. Otherwise, how can we establish a good relationship with the neighbors?

"As for you," Bertha seemed casual, but changed the subject, "You don't have to make money even if you need it urgently. If it's a normal need, I can lend it to you."

Bertha opened her mouth casually, but Thomas' expression changed.

He was silent for a long time, and then smiled bitterly: "Thank you, madam, but it is no longer necessary."

"Don't be polite to me."

"This is not an excuse, ma'am. I was in urgent need of money earlier because one of my younger brothers had a sudden illness."

"Is it better now?"

"He is dead."

"..."

Bertha was taken aback for a moment.

"It's okay." Thomas didn't look very sad, his expression was flat, and what was written in his ice-blue eyes was more of habit and indifference. "It's not my biological brother, madam. His surname is also Thames."

——The meaning of this sentence is to explain to Bertha that the dead is also an orphan.

In Victorian London, the death of a homeless orphan without a father or mother was a common occurrence.This "brother" of Thomas was even luckier than other children who died quietly, at least Thomas tried to save him.

Bertha thought for a while, and took a few shillings from the purse: "This is the cost of your errands this time... And, since the surname is Thames, the one who died is also my brother, so let's bury him well."

Thomas: "You don't have to, ma'am."

Bertha laughed: "Think I'm full of sympathy? I'm trying to win you over."

Hearing this, Thomas also laughed out loud.

He took the money after all.

"I will pray for you, ma'am," Thomas began, "though you are not god-fearing, you have an open heart."

"..."

As a Catholic said this, how could Bertha feel that Thomas was running on herself!

But while Bertha's nonsense isn't acceptable to even loose-knit gangsters, her plan to "scare people" works well.By the afternoon, the neighbors on Nan'an Street were already discussing that the buyer was a powerful character, and that a mysterious expert had been invited to kill evil ghosts and other topics.

As for Bertha herself, Thomas was given another job before returning to the White Horse—to find some builders.

Renovating pubs and rebuilding mansions is a hassle, but this is not a rush.

As soon as she was back at the hotel, the porter handed Bertha the incoming letter.

The world is so big, and now Bertha’s ex-husband Rochester is the only one who will send her a letter. She opened the letter and saw that there was a check for [-] pounds and a letter introducing a job to Miss Jane Eyre. .

The check is naturally Rochester's first repayment, as for the letter of introduction...

Bertha returned to the room with the letter, and Miss Jane Eyre was sitting in the drawing-room reading.

Since leaving Thornfield, Miss Jane Eyre has been living with Bertha in the White Horse Hotel, and she has nothing to do every day. Those who can accompany Bertha to travel together will go together, and those who can't accompany Bertha will just sit in the living room and read like this.

But Jane, who is obviously willing to support herself, is not used to such a comfortable life, and the days without income make her restless.In the past few days, Jane has always frowned slightly, looking anxious about not being able to find a job.

Today is an exception.

"Edward has a letter saying that he has a job introduction for you."

Bertha sat down on the sofa and got straight to the point: "I read his explanation. If the information is true, it is quite appropriate."

Jane was slightly surprised: "What?"

Bertha: "The one who wants to hire a tutor is a Viscountess. Her daughter is eight years old this year, and her annual salary can be as high as sixty pounds - more than Thornfield Manor, but London's prices are also higher than those in the countryside. .”

Jane pursed her lips.

Bertha immediately noticed that her mood was wrong: "Do you have something on your mind?"

"No, ma'am."

Jane shook her head, and then pulled out another letter from her book.

"Instead, I also received a letter today."

She handed the letter to Bertha, and Bertha took it and looked at it...it was an interview notice.

The letter was from a member of parliament's wife, who said that she had seen Jane Eyre's job application information in the newspapers and wanted to ask her if she would accept the job. The annual salary was ten pounds less than the job recommended by Rochester, but it was still fifty pounds a year. The salary is enough for one person to spend.

Besides, it doesn't matter if ten pounds more or less, Jane Eyre doesn't know the future, but Bertha knows—in fact, this "helpless" tutor Miss Jane Eyre, and at least An inheritance of £[-] can be inherited.

She can't do this job for long.

only……

The job offered by the MP's wife was not a governess, but a teacher in a private girls' school.

The private girls’ school run by this lady is not aimed at powerful families. The letter stated that the girls’ school has two completely different sources of students: the daytime students are ordinary girls from ordinary families, and most of their parents work as bookkeepers and secretaries , belonged to petty bourgeois families; the students on weekend nights were illiterate female workers.

Bertha was a little surprised: this private girls' school sounds quite modern!Opening such a school in the Victorian era also helped female workers learn to read and write. It can be said to be an advocate of the women's movement.

"This congressman's wife is quite open-minded," Bertha said, "but it's a job for two people, which is far less cost-effective than being a tutor for the Viscount's family."

"Yes."

Jane Eyre admitted this frankly, but she did not show any emotion of approval.

On the contrary, the petite girl sitting opposite Bertha looked hesitant: "But..."

"But?"

"No, nothing."

"Do you think Mrs. Congressman's job is more interesting?"

"I... I haven't figured it out yet."

Looking at the tangled Miss Jane Eyre, Bertha raised her lips.

In the final analysis, it is a struggle between a more comfortable job and a more meaningful job. Bertha has also been a social animal, and she understands Miss Jane Eyre's current mood very well.

"How about this," Bertha suggested, "Let's go to meet the Viscountess and the MP's wife together. How about you think it over before making a decision?"

Jane Eyre's eyes lit up when she heard the words.

The author has something to say: the mask in the exorcism ceremony comes from the Nuo opera in my country, the clothes come from the Caribbean culture, the movements come from the gypsies, and the uncleanness of ringing the bell and shouting comes from Foucault's "Madness and Civilization" mentioned that the middle ages targeted leprosy ceremony.

Bertha: All the gods are alive all over the world, I don't believe there is any ghost that won't be chased away.

Jiang Hua: You were even called a cultist by a gypsy, are you sorry?

Bertha: Hee hee.