第79部分(第5/8 頁)

r　my　mind　or　body　to　the　school；　I　am　out　of　it　and　disposed　for　full　holiday。”

He　looked　grave。　“What　now？　What　sudden　eagerness　is　this　you　evince？　What　are　you　going　to　do？”

“To　be　active：　as　active　as　I　can。　And　first　I　must　beg　you　to　set　Hannah　at　liberty；　and　get　somebody　else　to　wait　on　you。”

“Do　you　want　her？”

“Yes；　to　go　with　me　to　Moor　House。　Diana　and　Mary　will　be　at　home　in　a　week；　and　I　want　to　have　everything　in　order　against　their　arrival。”

“I　understand。　I　thought　you　were　for　flying　off　on　some　excursion。　It　is　better　so：　Hannah　shall　go　with　you。”

“Tell　her　to　be　ready　by　to…morrow　then；　and　here　is　the　schoolroom　key：　I　will　give　you　the　key　of　my　cottage　in　the　morning。”

He　took　it。　“You　give　it　up　very　gleefully；”　said　he；　“I　don’t　quite　understand　your　light…heartedness；　because　I　cannot　tell　what　employment　you　propose　to　yourself　as　a　substitute　for　the　one　you　are　relinquishing。　What　aim；　what　purpose；　what　ambition　in　life　have　you　now？”

“My　first　aim　will　be　to　clean　down　（do　you　prehend　the　full　force　of　the　expression？）—to　clean　down　Moor　House　from　chamber　to　cellar；　my　next　to　rub　it　up　with　bees…wax；　oil；　and　an　indefinite　number　of　cloths；　till　it　glitters　again；　my　third；　to　arrange　every　chair；　table；　bed；　carpet；　with　mathematical　precision；　afterwards　I　shall　go　near　to　ruin　you　in　coals　and　peat　to　keep　up　good　fires　in　every　room；　and　lastly；　the　two　days　preceding　that　on　which　yo