第48章

第48章october，november，decemberpassedaway.oneafternooninjanuary，mrs.fairfaxhadedaholidayforadèle，becauseshehadacold；and，asadèlesecondedtherequestwithanardourthatremindedmehowpreciousoccasionalholidayshadbeentomeinmyownchildhood，iaccordedit，deemingthatididwellinshowingpliabilityonthepoint.itwasafine，calmday，thoughverycold；iwastiredofsittingstillinthelibrarythroughawholelongmorning：mrs.fairfaxhadjustwrittenaletterwhichwaswaitingtobeposted，soiputonmybonnetandcloakandvolunteeredtocarryittohay；thedistance，twomiles，wouldbeapleasantwinterafternoonwalk.havingseenadèlecomfortablyseatedinherlittlechairbymrs.fairfax’sparlourfireside，andgivenherherbestwaxdoll(whichiusuallykeptenvelopedinsilverpaperinadrawer)toplaywith，andastory-bookforchangeofamusement；andhavingrepliedtoher“revenezbient？t，mabonneamie，machèremdlle.jeannette，”withakissisetout.

thegroundwashard，theairwasstill，myroadwaslonely；iwalkedfasttilligotwarm，andtheniwalkedslowlytoenjoyandanalysethespeciesofpleasurebroodingformeinthehourandsituation.itwasthreeo’clock；thechurchbelltolledasipassedunderthebelfry：thecharmofthehourlayinitsapproachingdimness，inthelow-glidingandpale-beamingsun.iwasamilefromthornfield，inalanenotedforwildrosesinsummer，fornutsandblackberriesinautumn，andevennowpossessingafewcoraltreasuresinhipsandhaws，butwhosebestwinterdelightlayinitsuttersolitudeandleaflessrepose.ifabreathofairstirred，itmadenosoundhere；fortherewasnotaholly，notanevergreentorustle，andthestrippedhawthornandhazelbusheswereasstillasthewhite，wornstoneswhichcausewayedthemiddleofthepath.farandwide，oneachside，therewereonlyfields，wherenocattlenowbrowsed；andthelittlebrownbirds，whichstirredoccasionallyinthehedge，lookedlikesinglerussetleavesthathadforgottentodrop.

thislaneinclinedup-hillallthewaytohay；havingreachedthemiddle，isatdownonastilewhichledthenceintoafield.gatheringmymantleaboutme，andshelteringmyhandsinmymuff，ididnotfeelthecold，thoughitfrozekeenly；aswasattestedbyasheetoficecoveringthecauseway，wherealittlebrooklet，nowcongealed，hadoverflowedafterarapidthawsomedayssince.frommyseaticouldlookdownonthornfield：thegreyandbattlementedhallwastheprincipalobjectinthevalebelowme；itswoodsanddarkrookeryroseagainstthewest.ilingeredtillthesunwentdownamongstthetrees，andsankcrimsonandclearbehindthem.ithenturnedeastward.

onthehill-topabovemesattherisingmoon；paleyetasacloud，butbrighteningmomentarily，shelookedoverhay，which，halflostintrees，sentupabluesmokefromitsfewchimneys：itwasyetamiledistant，butintheabsolutehushicouldhearplainlyitsthinmurmursoflife.myear，too，felttheflowofcurrents；inwhatdalesanddepthsicouldnottell：butthereweremanyhillsbeyondhay，anddoubtlessmanybecksthreadingtheirpasses.thateveningcalmbetrayedalikethetinkleoftheneareststreams，thesoughofthemostremote.

arudenoisebrokeonthesefineripplingsandwhisperings，atoncesofarawayandsoclear：apositivetramp，tramp，ametallicclatter，whicheffacedthesoftwave-wanderings；as，inapicture，thesolidmassofacrag，ortheroughbolesofagreatoak，drawnindarkandstrongontheforeground，effacetheaerialdistanceofazurehill，sunnyhorizon，andblendedcloudswheretintmeltsintotint.

thedinwasonthecauseway：ahorsewascoming；thewindingsofthelaneyethidit，butitapproached.iwasjustleavingthestile；yet，asthepathwasnarrow，isatstilltoletitgoby.inthosedaysiwasyoung，andallsortsoffanciesbrightanddarktenantedmymind：thememoriesofnurserystorieswerethereamongstotherrubbish；andwhentheyrecurred，maturingyouthaddedtothemavigourandvividnessbeyondwhatchildhoodcouldgive.asthishorseapproached，andasiwatchedforittoappearthroughthedusk，irememberedcertainofbessie’stales，whereinfiguredanorth-of-englandspiritcalleda“gytrash，”which，intheformofhorse，mule，orlargedog，hauntedsolitaryways，andsometimescameuponbelatedtravellers，asthishorsewasnowcominguponme.