第49部分(第6/8 頁)

　on　my　traveller’s　bed；　I　left　reminiscence　for　anticipation。

I　was　going　back　to　Thornfield：　but　how　long　was　I　to　stay　there？　Not　long；　of　that　I　was　sure。　I　had　heard　from　Mrs。　Fairfax　in　the　interim　of　my　absence：　the　party　at　the　hall　was　dispersed；　Mr。　Rochester　had　left　for　London　three　weeks　ago；　but　he　was　then　expected　to　return　in　a　fortnight。　Mrs。　Fairfax　surmised　that　he　was　gone　to　make　arrangements　for　his　wedding；　as　he　had　talked　of　purchasing　a　new　carriage：　she　said　the　idea　of　his　marrying　Miss　Ingram　still　seemed　strange　to　her；　but　from　what　everybody　said；　and　from　what　she　had　herself　seen；　she　could　no　longer　doubt　that　the　event　would　shortly　take　place。　“You　would　be　strangely　incredulous　if　you　did　doubt　it；”　was　my　mental　ment。　“I　don’t　doubt　it。”

The　question　followed；　“Where　was　I　to　go？”　I　dreamt　of　Miss　Ingram　all　the　night：　in　a　vivid　morning　dream　I　saw　her　closing　the　gates　of　Thornfield　against　me　and　pointing　me　out　another　road；　and　Mr。　Rochester　looked　on　with　his　arms　folded—smiling　sardonically；　as　it　seemed；　at　both　her　and　me。

I　had　not　notified　to　Mrs。　Fairfax　the　exact　day　of　my　return；　for　I　did　not　wish　either　car　or　carriage　to　meet　me　at　Millcote。　I　proposed　to　yself；　and　very　quietly；　after　leaving　my　box　in　the　ostler’s　care；　did　I　slip　away　from　the　George　Inn；　about　six　o’clock　of　a　June　evening；　and　take　the　old　road　to　Thornfield：　a　road　which　lay　chiefly　through　fields；　and　was　now　little　frequented