第69部分(第4/8 頁)

　action　stirred　me。　I　wished　to　rise；　but　what　could　I　put　on？　Only　my　damp　and　bemired　apparel；　in　which　I　had　slept　on　the　ground　and　fallen　in　the　marsh。　I　felt　ashamed　to　appear　before　my　benefactors　so　clad。　I　was　spared　the　humiliation。

On　a　chair　by　the　bedside　were　all　my　own　things；　clean　and　dry。　My　black　silk　frock　hung　against　the　wall。　The　traces　of　the　bog　were　removed　from　it；　the　creases　left　by　the　wet　smoothed　out：　it　y　very　shoes　and　stockings　were　purified　and　rendered　presentable。　There　were　the　means　of　washing　in　the　room；　and　a　b　and　brush　to　smooth　my　hair。　After　a　weary　process；　and　resting　every　five　minutes；　I　succeeded　in　dressing　myself。　My　clothes　hung　loose　on　me；　for　I　was　much　wasted；　but　I　covered　deficiencies　with　a　shawl；　and　once　more；　clean　and　respectable　looking—no　speck　of　the　dirt；　no　trace　of　the　disorder　I　so　hated；　and　which　seemed　so　to　degrade　me；　left—I　crept　down　a　stone　staircase　with　the　aid　of　the　banisters；　to　a　narrow　low　passage；　and　found　my　way　presently　to　the　kitchen。

It　was　full　of　the　fragrance　of　new　bread　and　the　warmth　of　a　generous　fire。　Hannah　was　baking。　Prejudices；　it　is　well　known；　are　most　difficult　to　eradicate　from　the　heart　whose　soil　has　never　been　loosened　or　fertilised　by　education：　they　grow　there；　firm　as　weeds　among　stones。　Hannah　had　been　cold　and　stiff；　indeed；　at　the　first：　latterly　she　had　begun　to　relent　a　little；　and　when　she　saw　me　e　in　tidy　and　well…dressed；　she　even　smiled。