第80部分(第5/8 頁)

u　had　better　not。　It’s　the　worst　road　to　travel　after　dark　that　can　be：　there’s　no　track　at　all　over　the　bog。　And　then　it　is　such　a　bitter　night—the　keenest　wind　you　ever　felt。　You　had　better　send　word；　sir；　that　you　will　be　there　in　the　morning。”

But　he　was　already　in　the　passage；　putting　on　his　cloak；　and　without　one　objection；　one　murmur；　he　departed。　It　was　then　nine　o’clock：　he　did　not　return　till　midnight。　Starved　and　tired　enough　he　was：　but　he　looked　happier　than　when　he　set　out。　He　had　performed　an　act　of　duty；　made　an　exertion；　felt　his　own　strength　to　do　and　deny；　and　was　on　better　terms　with　himself。

I　am　afraid　the　whole　of　the　ensuing　week　tried　his　patience。　It　was　Christmas　week：　we　took　to　no　settled　employment；　but　spent　it　in　a　sort　of　merry　domestic　dissipation。　The　air　of　the　moors；　the　freedom　of　home；　the　dawn　of　prosperity；　acted　on　Diana　and　Mary’s　spirits　like　some　life…giving　elixir：　they　were　gay　from　morning　till　noon；　and　from　noon　till　night。　They　could　always　talk；　and　their　discourse；　witty；　pithy；　original；　had　such　charms　for　me；　that　I　preferred　listening　to；　and　sharing　in　it；　to　doing　anything　else。　St。　John　did　not　rebuke　our　vivacity；　but　he　escaped　from　it：　he　was　seldom　in　the　house；　his　parish　was　large；　the　population　scattered；　and　he　found　daily　business　in　visiting　the　sick　and　poor　in　its　different　districts。

One　morning　at　breakfast；　Diana；　after　looking　a　little　pensive　for　some　minutes；　asked　him；　“If　his