第40章

第40章anewchapterinanovelissomethinglikeanewsceneinaplay;andwhenidrawupthecurtainthistime,reader,youmustfancyyouseearoominthegeorgeinnatmillcote,withsuchlargefiguredpaperingonthewallsasinnroomshave;suchacarpet,suchfurniture,suchornamentsonthemantelpiece,suchprints,includingaportraitofgeorgethethird,andanotheroftheprinceofwales,andarepresentationofthedeathofwolfe.allthisisvisibletoyoubythelightofanoillamphangingfromtheceiling,andbythatofanexcellentfire,nearwhichisitinmycloakandbonnet;mymuffandumbrellalieonthetable,andiamwarmingawaythenumbnessandchillcontractedbysixteenhours’exposuretotherawnessofanoctoberday:ileftlowtonatfouro’clocka.m.,andthemillcotetownclockisnowjuststrikingeight.

reader,thoughilookcomfortablyaccommodated,iamnotverytranquilinmymind.ithoughtwhenthecoachstoppedheretherewouldbesomeonetomeetme;ilookedanxiouslyroundasidescendedthewoodenstepsthe“boots”placedformyconvenience,expectingtohearmynamepronounced,andtoseesomedescriptionofcarriagewaitingtoconveymetothornfield.nothingofthesortwasvisible;andwheniaskedawaiterifanyonehadbeentoinquireafteramisseyre,iwasansweredinthenegative:soihadnoresourcebuttorequesttobeshownintoaprivateroom:andhereiamwaiting,whileallsortsofdoubtsandfearsaretroublingmythoughts.

itisaverystrangesensationtoinexperiencedyouthtofeelitselfquitealoneintheworld,cutadriftfromeveryconnection,uncertainwhethertheporttowhichitisboundcanbereached,andpreventedbymanyimpedimentsfromreturningtothatithasquitted.thecharmofadventuresweetensthatsensation,theglowofpridewarmsit;butthenthethroboffeardisturbsit;andfearwithmebecamepredominantwhenhalf-an-hourelapsedandstilliwasalone.ibethoughtmyselftoringthebell.

“isthereaplaceinthisneighbourhoodcalledthornfield?”iaskedofthewaiterwhoansweredthesummons.

“thornfield?idon’tknow,ma’am;i’llinquireatthebar.”hevanished,butreappearedinstantly—

“isyournameeyre,miss?”

“yes.”

“personherewaitingforyou.”

ijumpedup,tookmymuffandumbrella,andhastenedintotheinn-passage:amanwasstandingbytheopendoor,andinthelamp-litstreetidimlysawaone-horseconveyance.

“thiswillbeyourage,isuppose?”saidthemanratherabruptlywhenhesawme,pointingtomytrunkinthepassage.

“yes.”hehoisteditontothevehicle,whichwasasortofcar,andthenigotin;beforeheshutmeup,iaskedhimhowfaritwastothornfield.

“amatterofsixmiles.”

“howlongshallwebebeforewegetthere?”

“happenanhourandahalf.”

hefastenedthecardoor,climbedtohisownseatoutside,andwesetoff.ourprogresswasleisurely,andgavemeampletimetoreflect;iwascontenttobeatlengthsoneartheendofmyjourney;andasileanedbackinthecomfortablethoughnotelegantconveyance,imeditatedmuchatmyease.

“isuppose,”thoughti,“judgingfromtheplainnessoftheservantandcarriage,mrs.fairfaxisnotaverydashingperson:somuchthebetter;ineverlivedamongstfinepeoplebutonce,andiwasverymiserablewiththem.iwonderifshelivesaloneexceptthislittlegirl;ifso,andifsheisinanydegreeamiable,ishallsurelybeabletogetonwithher;iwilldomybest;itisapitythat

doingone’sbestdoesnotalwaysanswer.atlowood,indeed,itookthatresolution,keptit,andeededinpleasing;butwithmrs.reed,iremembermybestwasalwaysspurnedwithscorn.ipraygodmrs.fairfaxmaynotturnoutasecondmrs.reed;butifshedoes,iamnotboundtostaywithher!lettheworstcometotheworst,icanadvertiseagain.howfarareweonourroadnow,iwonder?”

iletdownthewindowandlookedout;millcotewasbehindus;judgingbythenumberofitslights,itseemedaplaceofconsiderablemagnitude,muchlargerthanlowton.wewerenow,asfarasicouldsee,onasortofcommon;buttherewerehousesscatteredalloverthedistrict;ifeltwewereinadifferentregiontolowood,morepopulous,lesspicturesque;morestirring,lessromantic.

theroadswereheavy,thenightmisty;myconductorlethishorsewalkalltheway,andthehourandahalfextended,iverifybelieve,totwohours;atlastheturnedinhisseatandsaid—

“you’renoansofarfro’thornfieldnow.”

againilookedout:wewerepassingachurch;isawitslowbroadtoweragainstthesky,anditsbellwastollingaquarter;isawanarrowgalaxyoflightstoo,onahillside,markingavillageorhamlet.abouttenminutesafter,thedrivergotdownandopenedapairofgates:wepassedthrough,andtheyclashedtobehindus.wenowslowlyascendedadrive,andcameuponthelongfrontofahouse:candlelightgleamedfromonecurtainedbow-window;alltherestweredark.thecarstoppedatthefrontdoor;itwasopenedbyamaid-servant;ialightedandwentin.

“willyouwalkthisway,ma’am?”saidthegirl;andifollowedheracrossasquarehallwithhighdoorsallround:sheusheredmeintoaroomwhosedoubleilluminationoffireandcandleatfirstdazzledme,contrastingasitdidwiththedarknesstowhichmyeyeshadbeenfortwohoursinured;whenicouldsee,however,acosyandagreeablepicturepresenteditselftomyview.