第118章

第118章thewindroaredhighinthegreattreeswhichemboweredthegates;buttheroadasfarasicouldsee,totherighthandandtheleft,wasallstillandsolitary:savefortheshadowsofcloudscrossingitatintervalsasthemoonlookedout,itwasbutalongpaleline,unvariedbyonemovingspeck.

apuerileteardimmedmyeyewhileilooked—atearofdisappointmentandimpatience;ashamedofit,iwipeditaway.ilingered;themoonshutherselfwhollywithinherchamber,anddrewclosehercurtainofdensecloud:thenightgrewdark;raincamedrivingfastonthegale.

“iwishhewouldcome!iwishhewouldcome!”iexclaimed,seizedwithhypochondriacforeboding.ihadexpectedhisarrivalbeforetea;nowitwasdark:whatcouldkeephim?hadanaccidenthappened?theeventoflastnightagainrecurredtome.iinterpreteditasawarningofdisaster.ifearedmyhopesweretoobrighttoberealised;andihadenjoyedsomuchblisslatelythatiimaginedmyfortunehadpasseditsmeridian,andmustnowdecline.

“well,icannotreturntothehouse,”ithought;“icannotsitbythefireside,whileheisabroadininclementweather:bettertiremylimbsthanstrainmyheart;iwillgoforwardandmeethim.”

isetout;iwalkedfast,butnotfar:ereihadmeasuredaquarterofamile,iheardthetrampofhoofs;ahorsemancameon,fullgallop;adogranbyhisside.awaywithevilpresentiment!itwashe:herehewas,mountedonmesrour,followedbypilot.hesawme;forthemoonhadopenedabluefieldinthesky,androdeinitwaterybright:hetookhishatoff,andwaveditroundhishead.inowrantomeethim.

“there!”heexclaimed,ashestretchedouthishandandbentfromthesaddle:“youcan’tdowithoutme,thatisevident.steponmyboot-toe;givemebothhands:mount!”

iobeyed:joymademeagile:isprangupbeforehim.aheartykissingigotforawelcome,andsomeboastfultriumph,whichiswallowedaswellasicould.hecheckedhimselfinhisexultationtodemand,“butisthereanythingthematter,janet,thatyoucometomeetmeatsuchanhour?isthereanythingwrong?”

“no,butithoughtyouwouldnevercome.icouldnotbeartowaitinthehouseforyou,especiallywiththisrainandwind.”

“rainandwind,indeed!yes,youaredrippinglikeamermaid;pullmycloakroundyou:butithinkyouarefeverish,jane:bothyourcheekandhandareburninghot.iaskagain,isthereanythingthematter?“nothingnow;iamneitherafraidnorunhappy.”

“thenyouhavebeenboth?”

“rather:buti’lltellyouallaboutitby-and-bye,sir;andidaresayyouwillonlylaughatmeformypains.”

“i’lllaughatyouheartilywhento-morrowispast;tillthenidarenot:myprizeisnotcertain.thisisyou,whohavebeenasslipperyasaneelthislastmonth,andasthornyasabriar-rose?icouldnotlayafingeranywherebutiwaspricked;andnowiseemtohavegatheredupastraylambinmyarms.youwanderedoutofthefoldtoseekyourshepherd,didyou,jane?”

“iwantedyou:butdon’tboast.hereweareatthornfield:nowletmegetdown.”

helandedmeonthepavement.asjohntookhishorse,andhefollowedmeintothehall,hetoldmetomakehasteandputsomethingdryon,andthenreturntohiminthelibrary;andhestoppedme,asimadeforthestaircase,toextortapromisethatiwouldnotbelong:norwasilong;infiveminutesirejoinedhim.ifoundhimatsupper.

“takeaseatandbearmecompany,jane:pleasegod,itisthelastmealbutoneyouwilleatatthornfieldhallforalongtime.”

isatdownnearhim,buttoldhimicouldnoteat.“isitbecauseyouhavetheprospectofajourneybeforeyou,jane?isitthethoughtsofgoingtolondonthattakesawayyourappetite?”

“icannotseemyprospectsclearlyto-night,sir;andihardlyknowwhatthoughtsihaveinmyhead.everythinginlifeseemsunreal.”

“exceptme:iamsubstantialenough—touchme.”

“you,sir,arethemostphantom-likeofall:youareameredream.”

heheldouthishand,laughing.“isthatadream?”saidhe,placingitclosetomyeyes.hehadarounded,muscular,andvigoroushand,aswellasalong,strongarm.

“yes;thoughitouchit,itisadream,”saidi,asiputitdownfrombeforemyface.“sir,haveyoufinishedsupper?”

“yes,jane.”

irangthebellandorderedawaythetray.whenwewereagainalone,istirredthefire,andthentookalowseatatmymaster’sknee.

“itisnearmidnight,”isaid.

“yes:butremember,jane,youpromisedtowakewithmethenightbeforemywedding.”

“idid;andiwillkeepmypromise,foranhourortwoatleast:ihavenowishtogotobed.”

“areallyourarrangementscomplete?”

“all,sir.”

“andonmypartlikewise,”hereturned,“ihavesettledeverything;andweshallleavethornfieldto-morrow,withinhalf-an-hourafterourreturnfromchurch.”

“verywell,sir.”

“withwhatanextraordinarysmileyouutteredthatword—‘verywell,’jane!whatabrightspotofcolouryouhaveoneachcheek!andhowstrangelyyoureyesglitter!areyouwell?”

“ibelieveiam.”

“believe!whatisthematter?tellmewhatyoufeel.”

“icouldnot,sir:nowordscouldtellyouwhatifeel.iwishthispresenthourwouldneverend:whoknowswithwhatfatethenextmaycomecharged?”

“thisishypochondria,jane.youhavebeenover-excited,orover-fatigued.”

“doyou,sir,feelcalmandhappy?”

无一错一首一发一内一容一在一6一9一书一吧一看！

“calm?—no:buthappy—totheheart’score.”

ilookedupathimtoreadthesignsofblissinhisface:itwasardentandflushed.

“givemeyourconfidence,jane,”hesaid:“relieveyourmindofanyweightthatoppressesit,byimpartingittome.whatdoyoufear?—thatishallnotproveagoodhusband?”

“itistheideafarthestfrommythoughts.”

“areyouapprehensiveofthenewsphereyouareabouttoenter?—ofthenewlifeintowhichyouarepassing?”

“no.”

“youpuzzleme,jane:yourlookandtoneofsorrowfulaudacityperplexandpainme.iwantanexplanation.”

“then,sir,listen.youwerefromhomelastnight?”