第30部分(第4/8 頁)

veloped；　education　instilled；　or　destiny　encouraged。　I　thought　there　were　excellent　materials　in　him；　though　for　the　present　they　hung　together　somewhat　spoiled　and　tangled。　I　cannot　deny　that　I　grieved　for　his　grief；　whatever　that　was；　and　would　have　given　much　to　assuage　it。

Though　I　had　now　extinguished　my　candle　and　was　laid　down　in　bed；　I　could　not　sleep　for　thinking　of　his　look　when　he　paused　in　the　avenue；　and　told　how　his　destiny　had　risen　up　before　him；　and　dared　him　to　be　happy　at　Thornfield。

“Why　not？”　I　asked　myself。　“What　alienates　him　from　the　house？　Will　he　leave　it　again　soon？　Mrs。　Fairfax　said　he　seldom　stayed　here　longer　than　a　fortnight　at　a　time；　and　he　has　now　been　resident　eight　weeks。　If　he　does　go；　the　change　will　be　doleful。　Suppose　he　should　be　absent　spring；　summer；　and　autumn：　how　joyless　sunshine　and　fine　days　will　seem！”

I　hardly　know　whether　I　had　slept　or　not　after　this　musing；　at　any　rate；　I　started　wide　awake　on　hearing　a　vague　murmur；　peculiar　and　lugubrious；　which　sounded；　I　thought；　just　above　me。　I　wished　I　had　kept　my　candle　burning：　the　night　was　drearily　dark；　my　spirits　were　depressed。　I　rose　and　sat　up　in　bed；　listening。　The　sound　was　hushed。

I　tried　again　to　sleep；　but　my　heart　beat　anxiously：　my　inward　tranquillity　was　broken。　The　clock；　far　down　in　the　hall；　struck　two。　Just　then　it　seemed　my　chamber…door　was　touched；　as　if　fingers　had　swept　the　panels　in　groping　a　way　along　the　dark　gallery　outside。　I