第144章

第144章“st.john,whoisit?”iheardoneask.

“icannottell:ifoundheratthedoor,”wasthereply.

“shedoeslookwhite,”saidhannah.

“aswhiteasclayordeath,”wasresponded.“shewillfall:lethersit.”

andindeedmyheadswam:idropped,butachairreceivedme.istillpossessedmysenses,thoughjustnowicouldnotspeak.

“perhapsalittlewaterwouldrestoreher.hannah,fetchsome.butsheisworntonothing.howverythin,andhowverybloodless!”

“amerespectre!”

“issheill,oronlyfamished?”

“famished,ithink.hannah,isthatmilk?giveitme,andapieceofbread.”

diana(iknewherbythelongcurlswhichisawdroopingbetweenmeandthefireasshebentoverme)brokesomebread,dippeditinmilk,andputittomylips.herfacewasnearmine:isawtherewaspityinit,andifeltsympathyinherhurriedbreathing.inhersimplewords,too,thesamebalm-likeemotionspoke:“trytoeat.”

“yes—try,”repeatedmarygently;andmary’shandremovedmysoddenbonnetandliftedmyhead.itastedwhattheyofferedme:feeblyatfirst,eagerlysoon.

“nottoomuchatfirst—restrainher,”saidthebrother;“shehashadenough.”andhewithdrewthecupofmilkandtheplateofbread.

“alittlemore,st.john—lookattheavidityinhereyes.”

“nomoreatpresent,sister.tryifshecanspeaknow—askherhername.”

ifelticouldspeak,andianswered—“mynameisjaneelliott.”anxiousasevertoavoiddiscovery,ihadbeforeresolvedtoassumeanalias.

“andwheredoyoulive?whereareyourfriends?”

iwassilent.

“canwesendforanyoneyouknow?”

ishookmyhead.

“whataccountcanyougiveofyourself?”

somehow,nowthatihadoncecrossedthethresholdofthishouse,andoncewasbroughtfacetofacewithitsowners,ifeltnolongeroutcast,vagrant,anddisownedbythewideworld.idaredtoputoffthemendicant—toresumemynaturalmannerandcharacter.ibeganoncemoretoknowmyself;andwhenmr.st.johndemandedanaccount—whichatpresentiwasfartooweaktorender—isaidafterabriefpause—

“sir,icangiveyounodetailsto-night.”

“butwhat,then,”saidhe,“doyouexpectmetodoforyou?”

“nothing,”ireplied.mystrengthsufficedforbutshortanswers.dianatooktheword—

“doyoumean,”sheasked,“thatwehavenowgivenyouwhataidyourequire?andthatwemaydismissyoutothemoorandtherainynight?”

ilookedather.shehad,ithought,aremarkablecountenance,instinctbothwithpowerandgoodness.itooksuddencourage.answeringhercompassionategatewithasmile,isaid—“iwilltrustyou.ifiwereamasterlessandstraydog,iknowthatyouwouldnotturnmefromyourhearthto-night:asitis,ireallyhavenofear.dowithmeandformeasyoulike;butexcusemefrommuchdiscourse—mybreathisshort—ifeelaspasmwhenispeak.”allthreesurveyedme,andallthreeweresilent.

“hannah,”saidmr.st.john,atlast,“lethersitthereatpresent,andaskhernoquestions;intenminutesmore,givehertheremainderofthatmilkandbread.maryanddiana,letusgointotheparlourandtalkthematterover.”

theywithdrew.verysoononeoftheladiesreturned—icouldnottellwhich.akindofpleasantstuporwasstealingovermeasisatbythegenialfire.inanundertoneshegavesomedirectionstohannah.erelong,withtheservant’said,icontrivedtomountastaircase;mydrippingclotheswereremoved;soonawarm,drybedreceivedme.ithankedgod—experiencedamidstunutterableexhaustionaglowofgratefuljoy—andslept.