第88部分(第2/8 頁)

　pain。　I　had　no　difficulty　in　restraining　my　voice　from　exclamation；　my　step　from　hasty　advance。

His　form　was　of　the　same　strong　and　stalwart　contour　as　ever：　his　port　was　still　erect；　his　heir　was　still　raven　black；　nor　were　his　features　altered　or　sunk：　not　in　one　year’s　space；　by　any　sorrow；　could　his　athletic　strength　be　quelled　or　his　vigorous　prime　blighted。　But　in　his　countenance　I　saw　a　change：　that　looked　desperate　and　brooding—that　reminded　me　of　some　wronged　and　fettered　wild　beast　or　bird；　dangerous　to　approach　in　his　sullen　woe。　The　caged　eagle；　whose　gold…ringed　eyes　cruelty　has　extinguished；　might　look　as　looked　that　sightless　Samson。

And；　reader；　do　you　think　I　feared　him　in　his　blind　ferocity？—if　you　do；　you　little　know　me。　A　soft　hope　blest　with　my　sorrow　that　soon　I　should　dare　to　drop　a　kiss　on　that　brow　of　rock；　and　on　those　lips　so　sternly　sealed　beneath　it：　but　not　yet。　I　would　not　accost　him　yet。

He　descended　the　one　step；　and　advanced　slowly　and　gropingly　towards　the　grass…plat。　Where　was　his　daring　stride　now？　Then　he　paused；　as　if　he　knew　not　which　way　to　turn。　He　lifted　his　hand　and　opened　his　eyelids；　gazed　blank；　and　with　a　straining　effort；　on　the　sky；　and　toward　the　amphitheatre　of　trees：　one　saw　that　all　to　him　was　void　darkness。　He　stretched　his　right　hand　（the　left　arm；　the　mutilated　one；　he　kept　hidden　in　his　bosom）；　he　seemed　to　wish　by　touch　to　gain　an　idea　of　what　lay　around　him：　he　met　but　vacancy　still；　for　the　tre