第150章

第150章themoreiknewoftheinmatesofmoorhouse,thebetterilikedthem.inafewdaysihadsofarrecoveredmyhealththaticouldsitupallday,andwalkoutsometimes.icouldjoinwithdianaandmaryinalltheiroccupations;conversewiththemasmuchastheywished,andaidthemwhenandwheretheywouldallowme.therewasarevivingpleasureinthisintercourse,ofakindnowtastedbymeforthefirsttime-thepleasurearisingfromperfectcongenialityoftastes,sentiments,andprinciples.

ilikedtoreadwhattheylikedtoread:whattheyenjoyed,delightedme;whattheyapproved,ireverenced.theylovedtheirsequesteredhome.i,too,inthegrey,small,antiquestructure,withitslowroof,itslatticedcasements,itsmoulderingwalls,itsavenueofagedfirs—allgrownaslantunderthestressofmountainwinds;itsgarden,darkwithyewandholly—andwherenoflowersbutofthehardiestspecieswouldbloom—foundacharmbothpotentandpermanent.theyclungtothepurplemoorsbehindandaroundtheirdwelling—tothehollowvaleintowhichthepebblybridle-pathleadingfromtheirgatedescended,andwhichwoundbetweenfern-banksfirst,andthenamongstafewofthewildestlittlepasture-fieldsthateverborderedawildernessofheath,orgavesustenancetoaflockofgreymoorlandsheep,withtheirlittlemossy-facedlambs:—theyclungtothisscene,isay,withaperfectenthusiasmofattachment.icouldcomprehendthefeeling,andsharebothitsstrengthandtruth.isawthefascinationofthelocality.ifelttheconsecrationofitsloneliness:myeyefeastedontheoutlineofswellandsweep—onthewildcolouringcommunicatedtoridgeanddellbymoss,byheath-bell,byflower-sprinkledturf,bybrilliantbracken,andmellowgranitecrag.thesedetailswerejusttomewhattheyweretothem—somanypureandsweetsourcesofpleasure.thestrongblastandthesoftbreeze;theroughandthehalcyonday;thehoursofsunriseandsunset;themoonlightandthecloudednight,developedforme,intheseregions,thesameattractionasforthem—woundroundmyfacultiesthesamespellthatentrancedtheirs.

indoorsweagreedequallywell.theywerebothmoreaccomplishedandbetterreadthaniwas;butwitheagernessifollowedinthepathofknowledgetheyhadtroddenbeforeme.idevouredthebookstheylentme:thenitwasfullsatisfactiontodiscusswiththemintheeveningwhatihadperusedduringtheday.thoughtfittedthought;opinionmetopinion:wecoincided,inshort,perfectly.

ifinourtriotherewasasuperiorandaleader,itwasdiana.physically,shefarexcelledme:shewashandsome;shewasvigorous.inheranimalspiritstherewasanaffluenceoflifeandcertaintyofflow,suchasexcitedmywonder,whileitbaffledmycomprehension.icouldtalkawhilewhentheeveningcommenced,butthefirstgushofvivacityandfluencygone,iwasfaintositonastoolatdiana’sfeet,torestmyheadonherknee,andlistenalternatelytoherandmary,whiletheysoundedthoroughlythetopiconwhichihadbuttouched.dianaofferedtoteachmegerman.ilikedtolearnofher:isawthepartofinstructresspleasedandsuitedher;thatofscholarpleasedandsuitedmenoless.ournaturesdovetailed:mutualaffection—ofthestrongestkind—wastheresult.theydiscoveredicoulddraw:theirpencilsandcolour-boxeswereimmediatelyatmyservice.myskill,greaterinthisonepointthantheirs,surprisedandcharmedthem.marywouldsitandwatchmebythehourtogether:thenshewouldtakelessons;andadocile,intelligent,assiduouspupilshemade.thusoccupied,andmutuallyentertained,dayspassedlikehours,andweekslikedays.

astomr.stjohn,theintimacywhichhadarisensonaturallyandrapidlybetweenmeandhissistersdidnotextendtohim.onereasonofthedistanceyetobservedbetweenuswas,thathewascomparativelyseldomathome:alargeproportionofhistimeappeareddevotedtovisitingthesickandpooramongthescatteredpopulationofhisparish.

noweatherseemedtohinderhiminthesepastoralexcursions:rainorfair,hewould,whenhishoursofmorningstudywereover,takehishat,and,followedbyhisfather’soldpointer,carlo,gooutonhismissionofloveorduty—iscarcelyknowinwhichlightheregardedit.sometimes,whenthedaywasveryunfavourable,hissisterswouldexpostulate.hewouldthensay,withapeculiarsmile,moresolemnthancheerful—

“andifiletagustofwindorasprinklingofrainturnmeasidefromtheseeasytasks,whatpreparationwouldsuchslothbeforthefutureiproposetomyself?”

dianaandmary’sgeneralanswertothisquestionwasasigh,andsomeminutesofapparentlymournfulmeditation.

butbesideshisfrequentabsences,therewasanotherbarriertofriendshipwithhim:heseemedofareserved,anabstracted,andevenofabroodingnature.zealousinhisministeriallabours,blamelessinhislifeandhabits,heyetdidnotappeartoenjoythatmentalserenity,thatinwardcontent,whichshouldbetherewardofeverysincerechristianandpracticalphilanthropist.often,ofanevening,whenhesatatthewindow,hisdeskandpapersbeforehim,hewouldceasereadingorwriting,resthischinonhishand,anddeliverhimselfuptoiknownotwhatcourseofthought;butthatitwasperturbedandexcitingmightbeseeninthefrequentflashandchangefuldilationofhiseye.

ithink,moreover,thatnaturewasnottohimthattreasuryofdelightitwastohissisters.heexpressedonce,andbutonceinmyhearing,astrongsenseoftheedcharmofthehills,andaninbornaffectionforthedarkroofandhoarywallshecalledhishome;buttherewasmoreofgloomthanpleasureinthetoneandwordsinwhichthesentimentwasmanifested;andneverdidheseemtoroamthemoorsforthesakeoftheirsoothingsilence—neverseekoutordwelluponthethousandpeacefuldelightstheycouldyield.